Onari
by DigiAnimeArtist
Summary: A strange girl from a far away land holds the key to forces greater than anyone in Konoha could have ever imagined. Myth and legend come to life in this exciting comical, dramatic, and heart felt story of a girl wanting to belong in a world where she is seen as an abomination. Will she be able to control her secret, much less, her own anger and stubbornness when she learns the true
1. Chapter 1

**Volume I Chapters 1- 10**

**Chapter 1**

**Something's fishy! Sasuke's anger takes on a new meaning!**

"How much farther is this place," an unhappy, tired guy named Shikamaru Nara asked. His hands were ice cold and his toes numb. They had been walking for hours up the mountain full of snow. The sound of it crunching underneath his feet was enough to get on his nerves.

"I don't know exactly, " Rock Lee answered.

"Aw, man," Shikamaru griped. "Leave it to us to be following a guy around that doesn't know where we are going."

"We don't have a choice. We have to do what the Hokage says. Even if it is Naruto," Sasuke Uchiha said his voice full of arrogance. He, too, was a bit flustered. It had been two days since they had left the village north of the Sound Village. They were in unknown territory, and in Sasuke's mind, they were asking for trouble.

Neji Hyuga walked behind them with Kiba Inuzuka and Mebae bringing up the rear. The group was wearing out quicker than they had thought. The treacherous climb up the mountain would explain why not many people had heard about this village so far north. The sun was going down and time was running out for them to find shelter.

Shikamaru looked over at the horizon from the dark trees. He lifted up his hand. There were no birds here. No sounds of anything but their feet crunching through the snow. "It's getting dark. If we don't find shelter soon, we're gonna be done for," he said plainly.

Mebae barked his complaints. His large furry body was almost frozen. Kiba looked up at his dog. Mebae was getting impatient for an older dog. The black dog was ahead of him by several paces. Kiba didn't realize he had stopped and soon began to jog a little in order to catch up to the group. His slit eyes narrowed as he watched the trees. There was really no sign of life up this mountain. It was strange.

Neji opened his eyes wide. _Byakugan! _His vision shifted to where it appeared he was racing up the mountain, passing the dark trees, until he found it. There were a few people scattered out harvesting something in the snow at the very top. "The village is not that far off. We should get there by nightfall," he said matter-of-factly.

They kept walking until nightfall had come upon them. It was so dark outside that no one could really see in front of where they were walking. The people that had been harvesting where Neji had seen previously had gone inside the village fortress. "It looks like everyone has left. It has to be up the mountain. There's nowhere else to go but up from this point."

"Man, my fingers are so cold I can't feel them anymore," Shikamaru complained.

"I can't feel mine, either," Rock Lee agreed. "Are you sure you saw people, Neji? I don't hear anyone out here, but us."

"There were several people out here harvesting something in the snow. I don't know where they could have gone. The _Byakugan_ is limited in distance and-," he stopped.

Sasuke sensed his tension. He flipped his head left and right squinting his eyes in the dark. "What is it?"

Neji hesitated. "There's someone out there. Farther up the mountain. It's too dark to see who it is."

As tired as he was, he found a bit of energy to pace away from the group, his eyes narrowing, searching. Sasuke Uchiha felt threatened in a world he knew nothing of. It was dark. It was quiet. And every bit of it was getting on his nerves. He slowed down. Someone had been here. Someone Neji had sensed. Sasuke bent down. In the snow lay a bit of green onions that had managed to grow despite the freezing temperatures. He made out the footprints sunk in the snow. Whoever had stood here was scared off for the time being.

The rest of the group came jogging after him. Rock Lee was the first to speak his mind, naturally. "Sasuke, you're not supposed to run away from a group! What if someone had been up here and attacked you," he panted.

"I am capable of defending myself. Besides, someone was here," he pointed at the green onions that appeared black in the night. "Whoever it was, I scared 'em off."

"Well, none of that matters now. We're here," Kiba said. Mebae barked his agreement and complaints all at once. "Alright, we're going on. I'll get you a warm bed, I promise," he said to ease Mebae's barking. "At least you have fur!"

Inside the village fortress, people were hurrying along the streets trying to get out of the cold. Vendors were issuing them to come in for various reasons. They ignored the newcomers. It was more important to seek out a warm environment with food. The group's energy was running low. Rock Lee looked around at the different stores, his mouth starting to water. _They have all different kinds of shops in this place. I wonder where a good place to eat will be._

Sasuke reached up with one hand, grabbing the back of Rock Lee's collar to stop him from running into a strong, mean looking individual. He heard Lee _gack _but it did not lessen his hold on the man. Sasuke looked up at the stranger with a blank expression. "Can we help you, or something," he asked, trying to take the edge out of his voice, his guard up.

The man grinned at the group. He crossed his arms. He appeared to be about ten years older than them. He was a hefty, strong looking sort. His eyes were heavy and cut through the air, slicing it in half. "I suggest you mind your attitude while you are in this village. I keep the peace around here. It is rare for us to get outsiders, such as yourselves this far up the mountain," he said in a deep voice.

"I don't like the way this guy is eying us," Shikamaru said lowly. He had a bad feeling about this man. The guy had battle wounds all over his arms and neck. If there weren't many travelers who came this far, then how is it he got all of those wounds? He couldn't figure it out.

"We don't want any trouble," Neji said also standing his ground. "We're only here to get rare herbs for our village. Exactly who are you?"

The man tensed up his body, his ego displayed all over the contours of his face. "I am Tetsuyo Anamaraki. I am the Captain of this village and its guardian. If you wish to stay here, we have but two rules: One: Don't cause any trouble. Two: Stay away from the Cursed One."

"The Cursed One...? What, or who exactly is that," Kiba asked. He had his suspicions. Maybe it was total nonsense. Some of the villages still had their share of superstitious people.

The Captain narrowed his eyes at Kiba. "The Cursed One is a girl that has haunting eyes that drill into your soul. If you fall into her gaze, she can control your mind and your wits! No one in this village knows where she came from, or why she exists, but she is here, nonetheless, and we must deal with her. Be warned. Do not cross her path!" As he warned him threateningly, he issued with one hand, pointing. "There is an inn just there if you wish to get rooms and make yourselves more hospitable. I will take my leave from you all. A Captain's duty is never finished." With a gruffness in his voice, he left the confused group.

"That has got to be the weirdest guy we've come across in a while, "Shikamaru said, raising an eyebrow.

"More importantly, why did he go out of his way to tell us an old superstition," Neji pondered. "He wasn't interested in who we really were, or why there were so many of us 'strangers'."

"Something's fishy," Sasuke said, his gaze following the wake of the Captain.

"Sounds like it," Kiba Inuzuka said, not buying that whole superstition nonsense for a second. What was he? Ten-years-old again?

"No, I mean something's fishy. I smell fish. Lets go find out where it's coming from, " Sasuke said, ignoring the current situation for the moment.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

(Scene Change)

Kiba happily sipped his tea, smiling as they sat at a table in one of the shops. He couldn't be happier right now. Hot tea to soothe his cold body was just the thing for a ninja.

An old woman approached the table and bowed. She greeted them readily and took their orders. She bowed again then went to fulfill her duties. The old woman appeared to be in her seventies, white hair tied neatly into a bun behind her head, fair amount of wrinkles, usual shop owner clothes. She was watching them a bit. Neji could tell. Whenever someone spoke, or looked around, he was catching her eye moving away from their table. "That woman is watching us," he told the others, his voice low.

Kiba stopped drinking his tea. "Geez, what is it with people in this place. They are suspicious of outsiders."

"I don't think that's what it is," Sasuke said. He was looking pass them towards the entrance. His chin placed in his hand, his other hand below the table, just in case, eyes remaining focused on the doorway.

Kiba turned his head to look. "What are you staring at," he asked. Mebae turned his head from his bowl to look up at Kiba, thinking he was speaking to him. His tail wagged a bit, then thought otherwise. The dog picked his head up again, his tail standing straight up, watching.

"It doesn't seem too friendly in here all of a sudden, does it," Shikamaru said watching the people around them.

Kiba turned back around as not to draw attention to his group. They were already getting too much. His voice lowered, he asked, "Do you guys see the kid, too?"

Sasuke lowered his vision to stare at the table. He brought his hands together and folded them, putting his mouth up against them. "That old woman keeps watching us," he said.

The old woman walked over as if she heard the group calling her. She brought a few of the orders. "I'm sorry, but the other two aren't ready yet. I apologize in advance good sirs, we will have them out momentarily." She bowed lowly as if she wasn't worthy of their hospitality, glanced at them, the door, then walked back to service another table.

Shikamaru's gaze followed her. Now he was being suspicious. _Oh, well. To each their own._

Sasuke raised his vision. There was no guessing it. There was defiantly a kid out in the snow, trying to avoid the attention of the patrons in the shop. Something about the village was seriously annoying him. It wasn't just what the Captain had said to them, but the way the villagers were acting.

Kiba dug into his ramen greedily, slurping it up. "Hmm?" He watched Sasuke snatch the roll from his plate. "Hey, what are you taking my roll for?"

"Shh," Sasuke warned. The old woman was back. She brought Sasuke and Neji's food. He didn't want to look at the old lady. He didn't like the way he was being watched.

"Is there anything else, good sirs," she asked, waiting for their reply.

"No, I think we're fine for now. Thank you, "Neji said as politely as he could. Once the woman left, he too, took his roll and wrapped it up. Sasuke had the right idea in mind. "Who do you think the kid is?" He looked over his shoulder just in time to see a young girl dart back behind the corner of another shop. She had been looking in on everyone.

Mebae whined a bit, moving towards the entrance. He barked his reply. Kiba got up to retrieve him, but the dog darted out of the shop. "Hey, Mebae where are you going? Get back here," Kiba demanded.

"Maybe he saw a cat," Shikamaru hoped.

Rock Lee was looking out of the entrance of the shop. His gaze was focused on it, like he was seeing something no one else saw. "You don't suppose..that 'The Cursed One' that guy told us about...is that kid, do you?"

Before anyone could answer, the old woman was back with the bill. She looked rather annoyed. The group looked up at her. Sternly, she said, "I will only say this once to your lot. Do not go near that girl. It will cause you more trouble than it is worth!" She started to walk away, but was immediately stopped by Sasuke grabbing onto her wrist.

"I'm not buying it old lady. What is going on in this village," he demanded. "Why would anyone let someone suffer like that? A village is supposed to be there for each of the people in it." He looked at her with a hard gaze.

The old woman held his gaze firmly. "You listen here, young man. We normally don't take outsiders and even though we appreciate your business, our hospitality is wearing thin. Do not ask questions and give demands about circumstances you know nothing of!"

Neji placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Sasuke, cool it. We are guests here. If we get in trouble, that guy will kick us out. We need to find those herbs for Lady Ainori."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as a last measure of the battle with the old woman. He had had enough. He walked off, paid the girl at the front, then walked outside to find out where Kiba and Mebae had gone. _This is ridiculous. A whole village scared of one little girl._

Kiba came back pulling Mebae by the gruff of the neck. He was breathing hard. "Stop it, Mebae! You're not chasing her! Hey, are we leaving already? I didn't get to finish."

"The food in there is terrible," Sasuke said, walking off without another word.

"Aw, man. Where is he going," Shikamaru asked appearing beside Kiba.

"What happened in there," Kiba said looking at Shikamaru for answers.

"It seems Sasuke is not happy with the answers he didn't get from the old woman who was watching us. Neji had to calm him down. He certainly has a temper – that guy."

"I think it's more important for us to get rooms at this point," Neji said issuing them to the Inn. "Sasuke needs time to cool off. He's fine on his own."

(Scene Change)

Sasuke Uchiha walked with his hands in his pockets down the roads of the village. His mind was deep in thought. His toes were frozen from the cold, but he paid no heed to it. _I hate this time of year. _His mind flashed back to the family he once had. He sighed. From what he learned a long time ago, about what really had happened with his clan and what Itachi's true intentions were, it had haunted him for the past fifteen years. Once, he had known his brother. Once, he had a mother that loved him and a father who spent time with him. Everything had been lost to him.

Sasuke looked up just in time to avoid running into someone carrying something for their family. _Why did it have to be this way. This neverending torture that I feel pressing my chest. I know everything is said and done with, but I still see their faces. I let them down._

"Get out of here you little runt! I don't need you hanging around my place," an older man yelled, shaking his fist at a dark-haired little girl running off. "If I catch you around here again, I'll tell the Captain!"

_That's the girl from before.. _Sasuke walked over to the man who was still shouting obscenities at the girl. "Who is that girl," he asked. He wanted an answer. If the old broad wasn't going to give it, maybe this guy would.

The man bowed to Sasuke, assuming he was a patron. "Oh, that child," he said sweetly as if he was just now recalling who he had been yelling at. "She's an orphan that scurries around the village. Don't mind yourself about her. I am sorry she desecrated the road for you."

He ignored the man's apologies and pressed further. "What is wrong with that girl? Why does everyone cast her out, instead of taking her in?" He wanted to know. It was making his blood boil. It was exactly what the Leaf Village had done to Naruto, his best friend.

"Ah, I see." The man lowered his head in shame. "That girl came here with her family three years ago. Something unfortunate happened to her parents. We don't speak of it. She was left alone and no one was willing to take her in because she is 'different'. We have been ordered by the Captain not to interfere with her."

"That's despicable," Sasuke said, the disgust in his voice making the shop owner move back a few feet. "What is her name, and where does she go?"

"Ah, you misunderstand. We only know of her. We don't know where she goes, or what she is called. She has never spoken a word that anyone can understand. Please, don't concern yourself with our village's troubles, good sir. It is our Curse to bear," he bowed low to the ground, his head touching the snow.

"Curse? She is no more cursed than anyone in this village." Sasuke turned his heels on the man. Whoever she was, he was going to find out.

"That girl will not approach you," the man yelled after him. "She avoids every living thing in this village like a disease!"

_I'm not buying that! The reason she avoids everyone is because they chase her off! _Sasuke slid on the snow. The kid was fast, he would give her that. Where could she have gone?

"I'm going to take a shower," Sasuke said lowly. His mind was on so many things. He wanted to know where Kiba and Shikamaru were. It was already too late to back out of it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Nightfall: A rabbit comes to roost!**

She crouched low in the snow, trying to avoid eye contact from anyone who might see her. Her body was cold to the touch, her long, black hair covering her face, trying to keep it warm. A cat walked down the road in between two shops, meowing its complaints about the weather. The girl lay on the snow, tilting her head, watching it. She wanted to touch it. The lady who owned the cat would be angry if she found out. The cat came closer, curiously watching her, then sat down. _Come here, kitty. Here, kitty, kitty. _

The door opened to the side of one of the buildings. She looked up in alarm as a figure came out of the door. "Here, Miki. Where are you, you silly kitty? I've got some nice fish for you and a nice warm bed," the woman said.

The girl watched from behind a trash bin as the cat went inside meowing. Why did the cat get to come in, but she could not? She tilted her head right and left, trying to figure it out. The wind blew a cold breeze down the road. Her skin was so cold, it appeared blue. Her body had begun shaking some time ago, but she was trying not to pay it any mind. It was always cool here. It either snowed, or was windy with cool breezes. Wasn't there any place warmer she could go?

The girl got up off the snow. She took one step and fell. Through gritted teeth, she looked back towards her feet. They were so numb, that she couldn't feel them. It wasn't going to be easy to walk with numb feet. It was rare for anyone to throw shoes away; especially ones that fit. Carefully, she got up and before going out onto the main road, she looked both ways to see if anyone was out there. It was starting to get seriously late, but to her, time was at a stand still.

The girl noticed there was one person walking far down the road. She knew everyone in the snow village, but him. His head was downcast and he looked rather distraught. It was too cold for him to be out.

Whoever he was, he was a stranger. The girl slipped out onto the road. The first few crunches of her feet caused her to wobble. Before she could regain her balance, she heard a male voice yell at her in an unknown language, "Oi, chotto maite! OI!" Not wanting to find out who it was yelling at her, she picked herself up and started to run down the street covered in snow.

"Hey, wait! HEY!"," Sasuke ran through the snow, the coldness in his body forgotten as he saw the girl trying to get down the road as fast as she could. "Wait! I'm not trying to hurt you!" She was moving fast. He figured she had to be frightened because he was unknown to her.

What had she done? She didn't know this person so there was no way for her to make him angry at her. Her legs were wobbling all over the place due to the cold. There was no way she was going to be able to keep this up. She had to get away from him!

_Damn it! She's really trying to get away from me. _Sasuke slid on his heels to try and see which way the girl had gone. He looked from side to side, even up, but there was nothing. It had taken him hours to find her and now she had disappeared again. He breathed hard, his lungs heaving. The journey to get to the village had taken a lot of energy from him. This was making things worse. _I have to rest. If I try to find her, she'll elude me even more._

He turned on his heels, walking back to the Inn. All he could hope for was that the girl found shelter in this freezing weather. Sasuke hated to admit that the man he had spoken to earlier, was right. The child would not approach any living thing in the village.

(Scene Change)

Neji sat on the futon, his hands folded. He was meditating a little to regain his strength. However, his mind kept focusing on other things. _It's impossible to meditate when the mind is not still. I need more training. _The door slid open. He looked up with a concerned expression on his face. "You look terrible. Did you find her?"

"Sort of," Sasuke said exasperated. "I searched all over the place looking for her. I even asked some of the people in the village, but no one would give me a straight answer. I found her once, but she ran. It's exactly what an old man told me, 'She won't approach a living thing in the village'." He sat down on the floor next to Neji's futon. They were sharing a room while in the village. Rock Lee was bunked with Kiba, Mebae, and Shikamaru. He had no idea how they all fit into the room, but that was beside the point at the moment.

"Perhaps, you should not be a living thing for her to find," Neji said.

Sasuke leaned back, stretching his cold legs out. "What do you mean?"

"If someone told you the child won't approach anyone because they are alive, maybe you should pretend to be dead, in order, to get her attention." Neji watched Sasuke's expression. He wasn't getting it. Neji assumed it was the fatigue. "Why don't you become a statue, Sasuke. Stand, or sit in an area and see if you can gain her trust that way. If you don't move, she would figure you cannot harm her, right?"

Sasuke plopped onto his back. "I never thought of that. I wonder how long it would take me to get her attention, if at all."

"I am not sure. It is clear that she is not wanted here. It is also clear that Captain Tetsuyo Anamaraki does not want her to leave."

"How do you figure that," he asked.

"Did you notice the scars upon his arms and face? He mentioned that this village rarely gets outsiders. The only current outsider here is us and that girl. If there aren't any outsiders here to cause trouble, then how is he getting into fights defending the village? And why does he seem to have such a large group of ninjas under him?"

"I'm not really sure. I can't think at the moment, Neji."

Neji got up to turn the light out. "We will find out what is going on. I'm willing to help you find this girl. I don't like what is going on, either," he said looking out the window. Despite the frost in the air, the moon was highly visible.

Sasuke didn't manage to hear Neji's gracious offer. He had fallen asleep in his cold clothes. Tomorrow, he would try.

(Scene Change)

There was a knock at the door. "Hey, are you guys awake? We need to head out," Shikamaru said. He slid the door open. Neji was fully dressed. Yet, Sasuke was still asleep. "How come he's still asleep? Lee is going to start complaining if we delay searching for those herbs. This is a pretty big village."

Neji stepped forward. "He spent most of the night searching for the girl we saw hanging around that shop we were at. Tell you what. I'll take up his load for the day. Lee shouldn't have a problem with it."

"Alright, if you say so, but Sasuke has to search, too. It's not fair for the rest of us," Shikamaru said with his hand behind his head. "Come on, Lee and Kiba already left."

Neji followed him out silently slidding the door behind him. For today, Sasuke could rest, but tomorrow, he would have to participate in their search. As big as the town was, it was going to take all of them to find those special herbs. Lady Ainori wrote an awfully big list. _Why is it important herbs grow in the farthest places from where one stands? _Neji shook his head.

Sasuke opened his eyes. How long had he been sleeping. He sat up tiredly, rubbing his eyes. Neji was already gone. The sun was hanging high in the air. _Noon. The others must have headed out already. _Should he go ahead and join them, or do what Neji suggested.

_"If she won't approach anyone in the village that is alive, then pretend you are dead. If you stand, or sit as a statue, you may gain her attention. That way, she will know that you aren't out to hurt her."_

Sasuke got dressed. It was time to put Neji's idea into play. But where exactly should he stand, or sit? The snow village was busy with people. A lot of people were shopping for their families for the holidays. The holidays bugged him to bits. Ever since he was little, he dreaded it.

_This town is huge. Where would she go? _He wished he knew. It worried him for a child her age to be out in the snow at night. The temperatures were decreasing rapidly. He started to walk down the snow covered road, passing mothers holding hands with their children as they shopped. _How was she able to survive this long in this place? It's freezing out here. Not only that, but no one wants her. I would have left. What if that Anamarki guy is the one that is really keeping her here? And why..?_

Everyone around him appeared to be happy. Why was the kid he saw the only one left out of it all? He looked up at the sky. There were only a few clouds, but it wasn't any warmer than it had been earlier. _That girl became an orphan at the same age I did. _

(Scene Change)

There were people everywhere. The girl looked around cautiously, stepping out of her hiding place. It had been freezing last night. The blanket she had managed to find in a trash bin was so tattered that it had offered her no relief. Her stomach growled.

The girl walked on for some time, avoiding everyone as much as they avoided her. She could hear people talking about her, but was only able to pick up a few words. They were words she knew from others who yelled at her and threw things. What was that over there?

She ran to it and stopped abruptly. Tilting her head, she examined it, but at a distance. What was that? Cautiously, and carefully she approached the figure, her head tilting all the while. It was a man. Wasn't he the one who had been yelling at her the night before? The one that chased her?

The girl stopped some distance from him. His eyes were closed, as if he was thinking about something. She didn't want to go closer. He might grab her and hurt her. He could take her to that mean Captain that guarded the snow village. She stayed her distance, not moving, just watching.

A long time passed. The snow on the ground glistened. The man sat in the same position, eyes closed, hands folded on his lap. He had dark black hair, like hers. His clothes were strange. He wore a green vest and some kind of strange blue shoes she had never seen before. She had forgotten about being hungry.

Her stomach complained painfully. The child closed her eyes, feeling sick. It had been a long time since the old woman had left her out a bite to eat. She wondered if she could sneak over there. No, it wasn't dark yet. The woman was afraid of being seen.

The people kept walking by. Sasuke kept his focus on remaining still. It wasn't an easy task. A few times he felt an itch. Worse factor was how cold it was. He had to trick his mind into imagining a nice hot place. _I hope this idea of Neji's works. I've been out here so long I forgot what time it was._

"Come on, Chihiro. We're late for dinner. Your mother is going to kill us," a man said to his daughter. "It's almost closing time for the shops, but we were lucky weren't we? They only had one left!"

_Closing time. So it's already dark. My hands are so cold I can't feel them anymore. I wonder if the guys managed to find some of the herbs Lady Ainori wanted. She sure can be unreasonable. _He couldn't hold the pose any longer. Reaching his hands up, he placed his elbows on his legs, and folded them, resting his mouth on them. As he did so, he heard something pull away in front of him. Sasuke opened his eyes.

There, in front of him, was a young girl with black hair, tilting her head left and right. She had been watching him the entire time. Neji's plan had worked. The girl sat up a little, almost like a rabbit examining its surroundings for predators. Sasuke watched as the girl squinted her eyes to see if he would move. _Her eyes._

Sasuke's eyes widened a little. The girl's eyes were yellow, like a bird's. He noticed a strange black circle within them. They reminded him of someone he didn't particularly want to remember. The girl moved farther back because of his reaction. He had to. If she ran now, he wouldn't be able to gain her trust again. Sasuke was running out of time trying to save this girl. "Hi," he said lowly, trying his best not to scare her off. She tilted her head at him. "Do you have a name..?"

The girl tilted her head again. There was no yelling at her coming from this person. He was speaking lowly. _I don't understand. What are you saying to me?_

"Hi," Sasuke said again. He released his shoulders. Body language was important. He didn't want her to get the wrong idea.

The girl tilted her head again. "H...H...H...i," she forced out, her voice cracking. It had been years since she had last spoken.

"What's your name," he asked carefully. The girl didn't understand. He could tell by the tilting of her head. _It's never easy, is it? _Sasuke slowly pointed to himself, "I'm Sasuke." He moved his hand to point at her. "You are?"

"_Boku wa Sasuke desu. Oma wa?"_ The girl shook her head. _I wish I knew what he was saying. At least he's not yelling at me. _

"You have no idea what I'm saying, do you?" The girl was shaking her head constantly. He pointed to himself. "Sasuke." He pointed at her. He waited to see if she got it. _Lets try that again, kid. _"Sasuke." Back to her. She shook her head. This time, he only pointed to himself.

"Sah-s-keh," she said. The man smiled at her. Did she say the correct word?

"Good girl. Now you know who I am. Although, I don't know who you are." He remained in the same pose he was keeping. He was afraid if he moved suddenly, she would run.

The girl pointed at him. "Sah-s-keh." She held her finger pointing until he nodded his approval. She lowered her arm.

"Hmm. You seem to have an accent. I wonder where you are from," Sasuke said.

"Hey, you little weasel! You're not supposed to go near anyone in this village," a man shouted.

Sasuke watched as the girl flipped her head around. The man who yelled was coming at her. The child quickly got up and took off at high speed with the man chasing her. "Damn it! You idiot! It took me all day to get her to approach me," Sasuke yelled at him. "Why the hell did you chase her off? She was not bothering me!"

The man came back brandishing a nice, finely tuned broom. He stared hard at Sasuke. "I have heard about you, stranger. You're the one that has been going around asking about that girl! You were even warned! That girl is not to be trusted! If I see you around here again, I'm going to tell Mr. Anamaraki," he threatened.

Sasuke had to cool it. If that man told, he would be in trouble with the rest of the group. They were here on a mission. If they got kicked out now, Lady Ainori wasn't going to be the only one he had to deal with. It was utter bull, in his book. He still didn't know where the girl went at night, or when he was going to see her. He needed more time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Reverse and Back: Shikamaru's Protector!**

"What a drag. We only managed to find ten items on Lady Ainori's list," Shikamaru said looking down at the bag he carried. He hoped Lee and Kiba were having better luck than they were.

"I wonder how Sasuke faired out, " Neji said. It was already nightfall_. It would be advisable to avoid the anger of the villagers while we are here, but there's no helping it if Sasuke is determined to get to the bottom of things._

"So you're telling me despite the warnings we were given from that Captain, he still went looking for that girl?"

"It would appear so. I do not like what is going on either. I mentioned who the girl was to a few vendors while we were out. Their expressions and remarks were not appetizing, to say the least."

Shikamaru sighed. "What is wrong with people in this place? That girl has to be the same age as Saori."

Neji entered the inn with Shikamaru tailing behind him. "If we can manage to get her to trust us, then perhaps she could be a friend for your daughter."

Shikmaru tilted his head. "I suppose," he said, putting his hand on this face. "Saori has been having difficulties making friends as of late."

"I hear she's doing well with her training," Neji said.

"Yeah, she is," Shikamaru answered as they entered the room he was sharing with Kiba, Lee, and Mebae. "Oh, you guys are already back. How did it go?"

Kiba grinned. "We found twenty herbs. How many did you guys find?"

"Only ten," Shikamaru said as he placed the bag on the table. "You know, we're at a disadvantage with you and Mebae's sense of smell."

Rock Lee sat at the table, holding onto a hot cup of tea. He wasn't listening to the group at all. _If that Anamaraki guy kicks us out, our mission will be all in vain. The herbs we are gathering are important in Lady Ainori's research._

"Hey, what's got you so quiet," Shikamaru asked Lee. His face was placid.

"We cannot cause trouble while we are here. We must complete our mission," Lee said opening his eyes. "Neji is as serious as I am about trying to avid unwanted attention."

"Lee, something's not right in this village," Kiba said. "I can feel it. Everyone can." Mebae panted his long tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"I understand the concerns you guys have about that kid we saw. However, our mission comes first. We cannot disappoint Lady Ainori. There are a lot of sick people back home counting on us. We don't know what is going on and until we find out, we won't have a leg to stand on," Rock Lee said placing his cup of tea on the small wooden table.

"We understand," Neji said. "Can I offer a suggestion?"

Lee nodded.

"If we look for the girl at night while everyone is asleep, and still do our mission during the day, then we can achieve both of our goals," Neji compromised.

Lee didn't like where this was going. He was all for justice, but they were in unknown territory. He folded his hands quietly. "If I agree to this, you guys cannot be seen by that Anamaraki guy. Understand?" They all nodded. "The Hokage will be displeased with us if we cause a lot of trouble. It would not look good for the Leaf Village. Also, if you guys get caught, we are up a creek without a paddle."

"Well, Kiba said, standing up and stretching. "What are we waiting for?"

Neji and Shikamaru nodded their agreement.

"Sorry, Mebae, you'll have to stay behind. You're too big. You'll blow our cover," Kiba said. Mebae whined. "Sorry, old buddy," he said as he petted his dog.

"It would be wise for us to slip out of the window," Neji offered. "We don't want the Inn owner, or his workers noticing our departure."

Rock Lee watched as his three friends left the room. Mebae placed his nose on the windowsill, sniffing the air. _Good luck guys. I hope you find her._

(Scene Change)

"We should split up. We'll cover more ground that way," Shikamaru said.

"I'll take the west side. Catch you guys later," Kiba said as he parted.

"You want north, or east," Shikamaru asked.

"I'll take the north. I believe that's where Sasuke would have gone," Neji said.

Shikamaru nodded. It wasn't going to be easy searching for a kid in the dark like this over such a large area. It was like trying to pinpoint a scurrying mouse from a hawk's perspective. _I hope we can find her._ He hopped from building to building scouting.

After two hours of scouting endlessly, Shikamaru stopped on the roof of a tall building. He had a better view here. Where could she be? He noticed three figures darting around on the rooftops some distance from him. "Uh, oh. Those aren't our guys. I've got to disappear...and quick." When the timing was right, he jumped off the roof, landing in the snow. _I better slip in between these shops_. He did just that, keeping his eyes focused on Anamaraki's men.

"Those guys sure are searching for something. I wonder what." He heard a can rolling behind him. Shikamaru turned around quickly, his hand latching onto one of his weapons. His eyes widened and he stopped. "Hey, you're the kid Sasuke is looking for."

The girl was on all fours, creeping. She cocked her head at the man with a ponytail. Did he know the guy who had spoken to her? She pointed at him. "Sah-s-keh," she asked.

Shikmaru crouched low, putting away his kunai. "Ah, so you know his name. He's looking for you. We all are." He watched the girl's confused expression. "Something tells me you don't understand a lot of Japanese. Alright," he pointed to himself, "I'm Shikamaru."

The child moved her head forward. She pointed at him. What was she trying to grasp?

"Shi-ka-ma-ru," he said slowly.

She bit her lower lip. This guy wasn't trying to approach her. His voice was soft and patient. He didn't appear threatening. "See-kah-mah-lu," she said.

"Close enough." He sat down in the snow behind several crates. "Geez, that's cold. I don't know how you stand it out here. Don't you want to go some place warm?"

"Warm," the girl repeated. She had forgotten what it felt like. "Seekahmahlu? Sahskeh?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Alright, it's settled. I'll take you to Sasuke." He froze. The girl's expression shifted from hope to fear in a matter of seconds. Her body was shaking immensely. Shikamaru looked up. Standing at the entrance to the side road was one of Anamaraki's men. He didn't appear to notice Shikamaru sitting behind the large wooden crates.

The man grinned at the girl. "Look what I found. A snow weasel." He took two steps towards the frightened child.

Shikamaru stood up, surprising the man. He was armed. "You won't touch a hair on her head if you value your existence."

The girl looked from one man to another. One wanted to harm her. The other was trying to protect her. Her eyes were wild. She knew Anamaraki's men well. She also knew what they would do to her if she was caught, or attacked someone.

"You have no authority here," the man said.

"Authority? No, I guess not. However, she's the same age as my own kid. I cannot let you harm her. Even though, I am at a bit of a disadvantage right now."

The man moved forward attempting to swing at Shikamaru, but he was faster. Shikamaru moved to his left, swinging his weight around on his right, and pivoting on his heel. He brought is right leg up, kicking the man in the side. The impact sent the man flying towards the girl. She moved out of the way, scrambling to her feet. "Come on," Shikamaru called urgently.

The girl ran towards him. She heard the man behind her grunt. Just as she slid beside the man who had protected her, she turned around to see a weapon flying at Shikamaru.

_There's no time to react_. His eyes watched the dagger flying straight at him. At all costs, he had to protect the girl. Everything was happening in slow motion. A small hand appeared right in front of his abdomen, where the weapon was aimed. Shikamaru blinked. _What just happened? Did I get hit?_ He looked down. _No way. That's...impossible!_

The girl's yellow eyes focused on the man in front of her while the blade hovered in front of her palm, rotating. The only thing on her mind was to stop the blade from hitting Shikamaru. Her fighting instincts were taking over.

_She's...She's rotating it with her chakra!_ Shikamaru watched as the frightened girl kept her focus strictly on her opponent and the kunai. The blade reversed. It now pointed at the man in the snow. He was getting up.

"You think to throw that at me, you little weasel," he said taunting the child, laughing. "You don't have the guts. I'll murder you," he charged at both her and Shikamaru.

Shikamaru gritted his teeth. He bent quickly, his arms wrapping around the girl's waist. At that moment, the blade was sent flying back at their opponent. Shikamaru heard the man yell in pain as he was hit. Before things got any worse, he hurled the girl up and took off running_. I don't understand how she knows how to do that, but now is not the time to find out! There are going to be more of them on our tail now!_

She felt herself flying through the air. The buildings below her were running from her view. The girl looked up at Shikamaru. "Seekahmahlu," she asked, wanting to know what was going on.

"You're pretty good, kid. I wonder where you learned to do such moves. At least now I know you can defend yourself. Yet, it wasn't yourself you were protecting. It was me." He smiled at her, placing his hand upon her head, petting. "Whatever the cost is, I think you're worth it. Sasuke has the right idea in mind. We've got to find somewhere to hide. Those guys are going to be looking for us."

The girl knew a place. She pointed to the distant snow-covered mountains. The bad men never left the village. Shikamaru nodded. "Over there, huh? Lets hope the others don't worry," he said. They headed off in that direction.

"You've got to be kidding. This is where you've been staying?" _Ah, man, what a dump. _The building they were in was practically condemned. "At least the roof is still good enough to keep the snow out." Shikamaru looked around. There were abandoned crates and trash everywhere. He wondered what the place had been used for. Whatever it had been, it was clear it was no longer in use. It was no wonder the girl stayed here. It was probably the only place the villagers didn't go. "No wonder no one could find you. You're a regular little snow fox."

The girl watched him curiously, tilting her head all the while. The man wasn't happy with the place. Neither was she, but they were safe. Shikamaru breathed air into his hands. "Warm?"

"Huh? No, not really. Freezing isn't exactly my bag, kid. I don't know how you bear it."

The girl whirled around. She took off running down one of the hallways in the place. "Hey, what's wrong," Shikamaru said alarmed. He stood up arming himself. He heard her grunting from a room somewhere. He peered around the corner. "Well, that would explain what this place was used for."

The girl tugged on a large fur that was caught inside the crate. It was heavy. She yelped as she fell over. Before long, the child was frustrated beyond all reason. Shikamaru watched her kick at the crate angrily. "Seems someone has a temper. That could be healthy."

He watched as the girl punched the box, only to hurt her hand. "Would you let me get it out? You're only going to hurt yourself." He placed his hands on the fur and pulled. It was stuck really well. "Good grief. I think it's a bear skin," he grunted, tugging more. Shikamaru fell backwards as the fur became dislodged.

The child ran over to him, sliding on her knees. She looked down at him, her yellow eyes watching. "Seekahmahlu dead?"

He sighed. "I question my own existence." He watched as she tilted her head at him, not understanding.

(Scene Change)

Neji Hyuuga abruptly came to a halt. Had he been discovered? Out of the corner of his eye he could see a figure sticking to the shadows. "I know you're there. You're mistaken if you thought for an instant I wasn't going to notice."

"I'd expect nothing less of the Hyuuga clan," a deep, monotone voice said. He stepped out from the shadows, his expression blank.

Neji turned fully around. "I was wondering where you were. We decided to help look for the child."

Sasuke walked towards the man, his eyes downcast. "I don't know if it will do any good. I did as you suggested, but some angry villager ran her off."

Neji frowned. "Might I ask why this girl is important to you?" Sasuke's expression changed to one he rarely saw on the man's face. Sadness. "I see. Forgive me." The girl is in the same situation Sasuke was in as a child.

Sasuke shrugged it off. "So I take it there hasn't been any luck in locating her."

"I haven't seen Shikamaru, or Kiba for some time. Kiba headed west. Shikamaru took to the east. You do understand that we are not to be seen. The Hokage cannot help us if we get into trouble. We must react and do on our own account."

Sasuke leaned against the building, his hands in his pockets, gaze downcast. He smirked. "I suppose Naruto will demote me for this."

Neji smiled a bit. "I don't see why. You're usually in the same amount of trouble all the time."

"Heh. It has become a recognizable pattern of mine, hasn't it?"

Neji regained his search with Sasuke trailing behind him. They couldn't stay out all night. He compromised that they would keep to the mission during the day. "We'll search for another hour, then we must head back."

Sasuke nodded.

(Scene Change)

_I don't like this. Something's not right. I searched the west and east sides of this village. There is no sign of Shikamaru. He wouldn't have changed his position. He's too adapt to sticking to the plan. _Kiba slid on the snow. His nose twinged. Blood. His slit pupils focused on the faint trace. It was leading away. He saw the broken crates, also. _I really hope that it's not Shikamaru's._

Kiba approached the area cautiously. Something had defiantly occurred here. His hands traced the patterns in the snow. "Someone sat here. Probably Shikamaru hiding." His eyes shifted from the wall to the clumps of snow that went in every direction.

"Someone was running away from whoever Shikamaru attacked." Kiba examined the clumps of snow closer. A cold, chilling breeze made its way down the side road. He shivered. A thin hair blew off one of the clumps. Kiba crouched down, snatching it. "Well, well. It looks like we found our girl."

Lee yawned_. Those guys have been gone a long time_. He rubbed his eyes. Mebae had fallen asleep hours ago. _I suppose I can leave the window open and they could slip in that way. There's no way I'm going to be surprised by anyone with Mebae around._ He turned out the light and crawled into bed. "Those guys are a lot of trouble when they get their minds set on something."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Monkey see, monkey do! Hey, look what I can do! The truth behind the Snow village mystery! Part I**

Neji and Sasuke snuck back into the Inn quietly, and effectively. Mebae woke up and started to growl, but Sasuke calmed him down. "It's just us," he said. The dog wagged his tail expecting his owner to be with them, but there was still no sign of Kiba. What could be taking him so long? Rock Lee was already fast asleep. The two crept out of the room, sliding the door behind them quietly. Neji checked the hallway for anyone who might notice their arrival. Luckily, it was deserted.

Once they were back in their shared room, Neji took off his shoes and sat down, rubbing his feet. He had been looking for the girl all day, even when he was supposed to be concentrating on his mission. It was important to help his friend. It was what friend's do for each other. He had learned that through much of Naruto's actions.

what he started. _What if everyone gets in trouble because of me? Naruto warned me to back off when we first got here. I don't understand what is going on. Why is an entire village leaving that girl alone?_

The hot water ran down the back of his neck, his forehead pressed onto the tile. It wasn't making any sense. Sasuke couldn't help but think about her. She had approached him. **Him**. Out of everyone in the village. Sasuke closed his eyes. He could see that little girl's yellow eyes in his mind. She was there in the snow, body shaking from the cold, head tilted, saying his name. Slowly, his eyes opened. _Where are you, kid?_

"Something must have happened to Shikamaru. There's no doubting it. From what I saw and smelled at the scene, there was a fight," Kiba said. His arms were crossed, head lowered as he thought.

"Who would have attacked him," Lee asked, concern all over his face.

"It had to be Anamaraki's men. They were scouting all over the place not long after we had parted. I had to hide a few times from them," Neji said, his legs folded and hands placed on them.

"I'm sorry I got everyone in this. It wasn't my intention," Sasuke said, his nose against his folded hands, eyes closed.

"It's apparent that girl is special. If she wasn't afraid to come up to you, then it shows she is trying to reach out to someone," Lee said.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Sasuke, I have a present for you. Hold out your hand," Kiba said as he fished in his clothing.

"What is it?" Sasuke held his hand out. Kiba placed a long black hair in it. His eyes focused on it. "Whose..?"

"You should recognize it. It belongs to the sprout," Kiba said. "I found it at the scene were the fight had occurred. I'm assuming Shikamaru protected her and that's where she is. Wherever he is, she will be there, so she's fine for now."

Sasuke's gaze softened. _You're alright. _

"One thing is clear. Whoever Shikamaru attacked knows his face and possibly knows who he is with. It is dangerous for him to return here. We must be cautious, as well. I don't believe they will attack during the day with the villagers everywhere. It is not their purpose. They'll possibly single us out, or wait until we are alone," Lee said. "For now, we finish what we came to do. Kiba, I want you to take Mabae and scout outside the village for Shikamaru. He has to be laying low and you two are the only ones who can find him. The rest of us will continue the mission."

(Scene Change)

Shikamaru woke up rubbing his eyes. He had forgotten what had happened and where he was. It took a moment to regain his memory. The furs from the crates had kept him and the girl warm all night. It had been a smart idea of his to place the furs over the windows, too. They weren't going to be able to start a fire due to the increased awareness of their presence in the village below. He turned his head to check on her. She was sleeping hard. _Poor thing. She clung to me hard last night. _He got up.

While she was sleeping, Shikamaru checked the area around the old building. Snow covered the trees and everything in its wake. He noticed there were no birds, or any signs of any animal presences. _This is unreal. It's so desolate. I have to be able to hunt for food if I'm stuck out here. _"There we go. It's not much, but I might be able to trap something." A rabbit darted past his view.

Shikamaru tied the thin wire carefully. "There. That should do it. If it can trick Naruto, then a rabbit ought to be an easy meal." All he had to do was wait. The rabbit came within inches of the trap a few times. Shikamaru was sitting on pins and needles. _Come on. Just a little more...I got you! _He pulled the wire. The rabbit's leg was instantly snared. "Sorry, little guy, but we've got a starving little girl on our hands. I'm sure you would have done the same thing in my place."

She awoke to a deserted environment. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, the girl got up, her head tilting, ears listening. "Seekahmahlu?" Had he abandoned her so quickly? The girl walked slowly around the room, listening for any sign of his presence.

"Ow, geez!" Shikamaru held his hand. "I've got to be more careful," he said annoyed. His hand was bleeding. "It's bad enough there isn't a lot of meat on this guy." Carefully, he wrapped his hand. The fire he started was already starting to flame pretty well. However, the smoke concerned him. If anyone caught sign of it, they would be spotted. "Hmm?" He looked up to see the girl poking her head out the side entrance. "Hey, I guess you were wondering where I went, huh."

She nodded her head a bit. Her head tilted at his bandaged hand. She pointed at it.

"Oh, I wasn't being careful, is all. My mind has been concentrating on what to do about being stuck out here. Are you hungry?"

The girl nodded. What was he skinning? She sniffed the air. It smelled terrible.

Shikamaru smiled at her. "I know it smells awful right now, but once I cook it, it won't be so bad. It's all I could find way out here. So we'll have to make do with what we have, alright?" The girl nodded again. "Why don't you go back in where it's warm, okay? I'll bring it to you when it's good and ready." She left.

Shikamaru finished skinning the rabbit, then cut its head off with his ninja blade. He stuck a stick through it then placed it near the fire. It was a cruel method, but he didn't have the proper tools to make it a nice rabbit shish kabob.

He sat outside waiting patiently for the rabbit to cook. It would have been better to scout longer for some food, but he didn't want to leave the girl alone. For now, she was safe with him. He would protect her until he managed to get back to the others.

Shikamaru's mind flashed to the fight the night before. The jutsu the girl had used, enticed him. He wondered what else she was capable of. It was a simple technique used by younger ninjas in training. All a person had to do was stick a weapon to their chakra then use a little force, and wham! The weapon would be sent flying back at the opponent.

_That girl has to have a specific amount of training. If she is able to use chakra, then she should know how to fight, right? I don't know precisely. She did manage to fight off our attacker last night. It was a slick move. _The rabbit was done. He stomped out the fire then went inside with the rabbit. The girl was watching him all the while. Shikamaru sat beside the fur pallet they had slept in. "It's not much, but it's all we have for now." He started to cut some of the meat off. The girl's face retorted. He handed her some of the meat. "You've got to eat something. Rabbit isn't exactly my favorite, either, but it's better than nothing." He watched her examining the meat in her hand. "Come on," he coaxed.

She didn't want to eat it. Meat wasn't particularly an interesting substance for her. It reminded her of the cats and dogs she saw in the snow village. However, Shikamaru was right. It was all they had. She shut her eyes tight and put it in her mouth, chewing.

"Good, girl." He tore some off for himself. In no time, the rabbit was finished. "A nice bowl of hot ramen would be great right about now."

She tilted her head, watching him. "Rah-men?"

Shikamaru looked at her. "Ramen are Japanese noodles that are served hot, or cold. It usually has vegetables in it. It's a cheap meal, and it's Naruto's main course," he smirked.

"Who...is...Nah-ruh-toe," she asked.

""Hmm? You're trying to form sentences, huh. Well, Naruto is a friend of mine. He's the Hokage of the Leaf Village." He watched her confused expression. "A Hokage is much like the leader, or protector over a lot of people. He makes decisions and ensures the safety of everyone in the village. It's much like a big, happy family. It also means he is the strongest out of everyone that lives in the village."

The child didn't really understand. There was no one like that here in this remote village. The only leader here was Anamaraki. She didn't like to be near that guy. His voice was deep and threatening. Her eyes looked away from Shikamaru, thinking. That man would prevent Shikamaru from protecting her.

Shikamaru caught sight of her sadness. He had to take her mind off of it. "Hey, you remember what you did last night with the blade?" The girl turned her head to look at him. "Can you do it again?" She nodded slowly. "Show me."

Kiba came to a halt, his nose sniffing the air. "Hey, Mabae, do you smell that? Someone's cooking farther up the mountain. Why don't we take a look?" The large dog barked his reply. Kiba took off with the dog behind him. _It has to be Shikamaru. The smell isn't very pleasant. It smells like over cooked bar-b-que._

Shikamaru crouched in the snow with the girl standing in front of him, watching. "Alright. Let's get started, kid. First, we'll try a ball of snow. If you can deflect a ninja blade, then the snow should be no problem right? Chakra attaches to anything that comes within range. This will be a harmless method." He patted the snow firmly in his hand, then threw it at her. The first one hit her in the thigh. "Hey, you've got to concentrate to control your chakra. Watch."

Shikamaru stood up. "Chakra is energy that flows within your body. It can be sent at an opponent in order to protect yourself, or someone else. When you focus correctly and harness the chakra the right way, patterns can form. The patterns that form, are called 'techniques'. Each technique is relevant to a special attack." He watched her taking it all in. "I think I'm overdoing it a bit with the explanation. I'll show you my special attack, alright?"

Shikamaru began to form signs with his hands, his mind focusing on the girl as a target. "Shadow possession jutsu!" The girl watched as his shadow crept along the snow attaching itself to her. "Now you can't move." He moved his body in a type of dance. The look on the girl's face was of utter bewilderment as she did the same actions he did. "Shadow possession allows you to control your opponent. With this attack, I can hurt the other person and there's nothing they can do about it."

"Seekahmahlu," the girl forced the words out. Her voice cracked. It was scaring her. She wasn't familiar with what he was telling her, or showing her.

"Oh, sorry," he said as his shadow went back to normal. He watched her face, then crouched down to the ground, in order, to seem less threatening to her. "Attacks are only used to protect if one is threatened. I would never use an attack on you. Understand?"

She looked at him with a newfound awareness. The girl nodded. "Seekahmahlu won't... hurt...me..?"

"Huh?" Shikamaru got up, walking over to the girl. He placed his cold hand on her cheek, rubbing it softly. "No, I would never hurt you." He crouched again to look up into her yellow eyes. "You're the same age as my daughter, Saori."

She tilted her head, watching him.

"Do you want to learn how to protect yourself?" The girl nodded. "I'll teach you what I can for a beginner. We'll try again with the snow. This time, I want you to focus," he said tapping his head. "It takes concentration to use chakra. Try to stop the snow from hitting wherever I aim."

Shikamaru stood a good distance from her. He patted down the snow, forming a nice smooth ball. "Alright, kid, stop it from hitting," he said as he threw it at her. He watched as the girl tensed up, putting her hands out in front of herself. The snow hit her hands, hard. "You're not concentrating hard enough. You merely blocked it. Try again."

He threw another snowball at her, but it, too hit her. "Again." Shikamaru threw snowball after snowball, trying to get the girl to defend herself. He breathed hard. They had been practicing for over an hour. His arms were beginning to get tired. He formed a larger snowball, but this time, he didn't tell her when it was coming, he just threw it.

The girl gasped. The snowball was coming straight at her. It was bigger than the last ones they had been practicing with. If it was going to hit her, it was going to seriously hurt. She put her hands up, the chakra flowing at her palms. _I have to stop it! _The snowball burst into small particles of snow before it came in contact with her skin. She had managed to stop it this time, without thinking.

Shikamaru nodded his head in approval. "Good job. You deflected it without thinking. Shall we try a new tactic?" He opened the pouch attached to his leg. Carefully he pulled out a ninja blade. His hand held it up so she could see what it looked like in the light. "This is one of the basic weapons a ninja uses to fight with. It can be thrown, have things attached to it, and even fight back an opponent. This is a kunai. It is shaped this way so that it can fly through the air with speed and accuracy. The tip of it is very sharp, so if you get hit with it, it will lodge itself in your skin. Depending on where your opponent is aiming, the blade can injure you a little, or a lot. When ninja fight, they are fighting for a purpose. There are good ninja and bad ninja. Good ninja fight to protect people important to them. Bad ninja fight with no cause, reason, or concern with another's welfare. Do you understand what I'm saying so far?" The girl nodded.

Shikamaru approached her, his feet crunching the snow. He handed her the weapon. "I want you to practice throwing this. First, aim it at that tree." He pointed to a nearby tree. "If you can hit the target, then you are dong well."

The girl looked at the kunai in her hand. She looked back up to Shikamaru for reassurance. "It's alright. Pretend the tree is someone you really don't like," he told her. The girl narrowed her eyes. She threw the kunai with huge force. It hit the tree right in the center.

"Wow. You hit it right off. Let's see how many times you can hit the same tree. We'll go for ten tries." He handed her another kunai. The girl took it from his hand, and launched it. It hit the same tree again. He kept handing her kunai. She was hitting the same target with a ninety-two percent accuracy. Shikamaru reached up, petting her head. "Good girl. I'm proud of you. It's not easy to take direction. How about we rest for a while? My arms are getting tired," he said standing up, rubbing his shoulder.

Did she do a good job? Shikamaru looked pleased with her. She had never had anyone mentor her before. It was kind of fun hitting things with the kunai. The feeling of confidence was starting to show in her face. Maybe she could defend herself better now. What was that noise? It sounded like a lot of snow crunching loudly. She turned her head to see a large dog running towards them. Her eyes got wide with fright. She instantly yelped, hiding behind Shikamaru.

Shikamaru looked up to see Mabae running towards them. "I've really let my guard down," he said disappointed in himself. The dog tackled him within a matter of moments, barking persistently at him, tail wagging, slobbering all over him. "Ah! Get off Mabae! You're crushing me!"

Kiba got there in time to see Shikamaru on his back with the dog towering over him. The girl with black hair was crawling to pull herself out from under Shikamaru. "So I was right!"

Shikamaru looked up as he placed his arms up to ward off Mabae's long tongue. "Oh, so there was someone looking for us," he said.

"Of course, Lee suggested I go find you guys. I see the sprout is with you, too. That's lucky in itself. Sasuke will be happy about that. We've all been worried. I saw where you had gotten into a fight with someone." Kiba watched the girl eying him. She was staring at him hard, baffled to who he was. He lifted up his hand as a hello salute. "Hi. I'm Kiba. Who are you?" The girl didn't answer. "I'm not gonna hurt you, kid."

"She doesn't have a name," Shikamaru informed him. "Exactly how did you find us, anyway?"

Kiba grinned. "We smelled the bar-b-que." He lifted up his hand in a peace sign, still smiling at them.

"Oh, right. The rabbit," Shikamaru said as he dusted himself off. "Where did-" He looked behind him to see the girl running from Mabae. "Hey, you're scaring her!"

_Why is that dog so big?! _She slid on the front of her feet, sideways, trying to avoid the beast from coming in contact with her. She high tailed it back into the abandoned building, slamming the door. She scrambled around to throw things against the door.

Kiba and Shikamaru watched the dog barking at the door, his tail wagging. Next came scuffling sounds and slamming as the crates were thrown against the door, blocking it. "Well, that's just great. How are we supposed to get in now?"

Kiba walked up to Mabae grabbing a hold of him and pulling him away from the door. "Knock it off," he yelled. He fell onto his back with the large beast squirming.

The girl looked at the door cautiously. The dog stopped barking. She pulled back a few of the crates, peeking her head out the entrance. Shikamaru stood in front of it. Behind him, Kiba wrestled with the dog. "Mabae's a bit excited to see us. He won't hurt you," Shikamaru said. Her eyes went back to the dog. "I'll make sure of it. Can we come in? It's freezing out here." The girl opened the door.

"Mabae, calm down! I don't understand how you can have this much energy after running up a mountain for the past few hours," Kiba yelled at him, rolling in the snow. He bonked the dog on the head a few times.

"Would you two knock it off already? You two are causing so much commotion that it's giving me a headache," Shikamaru said from the entrance.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Monkey see, monkey do! Hey, look what I can do! The truth behind the Snow village mystery! Part II**

Kiba looked at Shikamaru nodding. "So that's it, is it?"

"I don't see what other choice I have. Those morons down there will be looking for us if we return. Our best bet is to stay where we are and depart when it's time to go," Shikamaru said. He turned his head to check on the girl. She was fast asleep on the pallet, covered in furs. "I swore to protect her until I united her with Sasuke. Speaking of which, how is he?"

"Worried," Kiba said. He, too, glanced at the girl asleep. "Why do you think he's so concerned about her?" Mabae yawned as he laid on his side.

"You're telling me, you wouldn't be, if she had approached you first," Shikamaru asked.

Kiba blinked, rather confused. "That's not exactly what I meant," he smiled embarrassed at himself.

"What did you mean then?" Shikamaru narrowed his eyes.

"I meant Sasuke has been chasing after her with a lot of concern. I've never seen him do that sort of thing," Kiba said defending himself.

"Well, the way I look at it, it's not any different of a situation if it was your own child that someone was turning against," he said, covering the girl up more.

"I guess you're right. She is kind of cute," he said. "Well, I better go. If I don't return, I'm sure they'll be worried. Up and at 'em, Mabae. We've got to go back now." The dog started to complain. "There's no helping it. I've got to let everyone know we found 'em."

Shikamaru walked Kiba and Mabae to the door of the place. "Well, I'll try to do what I can from this point with her. If at all possible, if you come back tomorrow, can you please bring some supplies?" The look on his face was grim.

Kiba smiled at his friend. "Sure thing, buddy."

"Thanks," Shikamaru said as they left. He looked back at the sleeping form on the skins. "I guess we can train you a little more while we wait. I'm sure Sasuke and the others won't mind."

(Scene Change)

"Okay, a Jutsu is a technique that is used by a ninja, remember? There are three different Jutsu that one can use," Shikamaru explained to the girl, "The one I showed you yesterday was referred to as a Ninjutsu. Ninjutsu often uses hand seals in order to achieve a technique. They are jutsus that anyone can learn if learned correctly. Another type of Jutsu is called Taijutsu. Taijutsu refers to techniques that rely on body movement. These are usually combat type moves. Meaning, you have to be close to your opponent to pull it off. I see you don't understand. Let me show you." Shikamaru got up, approaching the girl. "Try to hit me like I showed you this morning." He was trying to build the girl's confidence.

She nodded slowly. She punched the air in front of her, aiming at his abdomen. Shikamaru blocked the punch with his arm. The girl blinked. "A...block..is Taijutsu?"

"To block a move means to block, but when you punched at me, that was Taijutsu, in a sense. It's basically when you try to attack your opponent with physical movement. Such as, a kick, punch, hit of some sort. Understand so far?"

The girl nodded again.

"The third type of Jutsu is referred to as Genjutsu. Genjutsu is a technique of the mind. An opponent who uses Genjutsu can cause his opponent to hear, see, smell, and experience things that are not really there. It's trickery, in a sense. Genjutsu users are not common because it is hard to master and it drains the chakra flowing within the body."

"Can..Seekahmahlu do..it?"

"Me? Nah, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I would rather face my opponent with my strengths and abilities than to go that route."

"Seekahmahlu..? Wh..ere is..Sahsekeh?" She tilted her head. It had been days since she had seen him. They had already stayed at their current location for two days. The girl frowned as she sat in the snow, hiding her face in her knees.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Shikamaru kneeled in front of her, petting her head. "Sasuke is back at the Inn. If that Anamaraki guy notices our group leaving the village, he might find us. It's better for us to continue waiting like we are until it's time to go back to the Leaf Village."

She looked up at him, a tear in her eye. "Am...I...going to..Leaf Village..?"

_Aw, man. I hadn't thought of that. This kid has no home. We can't just leave her here. Things are bad enough for her than for any of us. _Shikamaru's face became emotionless. "You're going back with us." _I don't know who will take her in, but if no one will, I'll talk to Temari. _Shikamaru wiped the tear out of her eye. "If we're going to get you out of here, we need to train you a little more, okay? Anything can happen when we try to leave. That Anamaraki guy could already have a plan to stop us."

She wondered if she went to the Leaf Village with Shikamaru, Kiba, and Sasuke where she would go? Would someone give her a place to stay and train her to be a ninja, too? Shikamaru had already demonstrated that he was willing to get her out of the snow village at all costs. However, would the others value her as much as he did? She wasn't sure.

"Alright, kid. Up and at 'em. We'll work on a few throw. After that, we'll see how strong your punching and kick movements are," Shikamaru said.

The girl stood up.

"Excuse me, would you happen to know where I can get this here," Sasuke asked, holding his share of the list.

The woman took a step closer, reading it. "Well, you're in luck. We have one of the items on your list. It won't be cheap. These are hard to come by," she said.

_As I've heard from every vendor I've asked, Lady._ Sasuke paid the woman. He walked down the road, his hands in his pockets. He had recovered three of the herbs on his list. Kiba was searching the south side while Neji and Lee took the day off. Neji had restrained himself when he had confronted Sasuke that morning.

_"Sasuke, I can't believe you would jeopardize what we came to do. I told you not to make that Anamaraki guy angry. We cannot be responsible for what you do! We are guests in this village! If he chose to order it, he could come after us with his men. I don't think math is your best subject. We're outnumbered!"_

_"I know we are! You can't tell me to ignore what is going on!"_

_"Why is she important to you, Sasuke?" Neji looked at him calmly. "Why is she worth you risking your life?"_

_Sasuke looked away._

_"At least level with me. Has that girl managed to break through the wall you built around yourself long ago?"_

_Sasuke swallowed._

_"Can't you at least tell us what she means to you," Neji asked looking back at him from the window. ._

_"Out of everyone…she approached me. Me, Neji," he said, his voice wanting to break. "The way she crouched in the snow and looked at me; the fear in her eyes- I saw it. I…can't let her stay here; Not in this village where she is being mistreated."_

_Neji smiled a little. "Her situation isn't what has you concerned. That girl is exactly like you." Sasuke looked up, shocked. "She's you all over, Sasuke. You think I haven't noticed? If she means that much to you, I'll see what I can do."_

_You….You would do that…?"_

_"Of course! We're all in this together, aren't wet?"_

_"But Neji," he started._

_"No 'buts', Sasuke. If that girl can make you smile, then I'll see what I can do."_

Sasuke stopped. He turned his head towards the western mountains. Shikamaru and the young girl were both hiding there. His eyes softened. _The only thing I can see is her in the snow._

(Scene Change)

"Ah!" Shikamaru slid in the snow, his blade separating from his hand. He gritted his teeth, looking up at the man in front of him.

"Did you honestly think we wouldn't find you? You injured one of our men," the man said behind his mask. "For the treachery you have committed against our village, you are to be escorted to Captain Anamaraki."

"It doesn't look like I have much of a choice," Shikamaru said. "Get your hands off of her!"

The man kicked Shikamaru in the side. "That's enough out of you!"

She struggled violently, her eyes wild. These were the bad men. They had Shikamaru. The moves he had taught her. Would they work?

"Quit squirming, you runt, " the man who held onto her threatened.

She shifted her weight to the left, bringing her right leg up, kicking as hard as she could at his side. It didn't stop there. Her kicks became faster as she kicked harder. As the man grunted, the girl placed her foot on his ribs, shifted her weight to bear at that point. With all her strength, she rolled her body from the left to right, causing her to spin. As her form came around, she launched her right fist at the man's jaw. He went down. She was free! It had worked!

"Run," Shikamaru yelled. He formed quick hand seals. His shadow began to move stealthily towards the man who had attacked him. "Shadow possession jutsu!"

The girl whirled around. The man she had attacked was getting up. The other one was being held by Shikamaru.

"RUN! Find the others," he told her. "I'll be fine," he lied, his fate unknown to him. "Now!"

She took off running away from the shelter she had known for three years. She had to find Kiba, or Sasuke. They had to help Shikamaru! The girl wasn't able to fight off two grown men by herself. She only had three days of training! It wasn't enough!

"Go after her! If she alerts the other ninja, we won't be able to cover this up," the leader informed his teammate. "He can't hold me forever!"

The other man took off on a high-speed chase to catch the girl. He smiled wickedly, unsheathing two kunai. _Run all you like, you little runt. I'm faster and stronger!_

_I've got to run faster. Oh, no!_ She glanced behind to see the man after her. _"You have to think with this," Shikamaru said as he tapped his head. "Concentrate." Think. Think! He's stronger and faster. I can't outrun him forever!_

All she could see as she ran down the mountain, half-way sliding and falling, was snow. Her mind flashed to the lesson from the other day. Snowballs. Underneath the snow was dirt and rocks. She had a plan.

"You can run, but you can't hide, runt. I know your weak, little body can't outrun me! Your trail ends here!"

She stepped out from a large rock nestled in the earth. In her hand was a nice, round snowball packed with dirt. "I not run. You run," she challenged as she threw it at the man, hitting him square in the jaw.

The man scowled, touching his face. "You're going to wish you hadn't of down that." He ran at her, throwing a kunai in her direction.

_Monkey see, monkey do_. She brought her hands up as if she was attempting to catch it, but it stopped short of her palms. _It's stuck to my chakra_. _Reverse!_ The blade flipped around. "Back," she said calmly.

"What in the-," his comment was cut short as the blade sliced through the air, into his shoulder. The man yelped, his hand coming up, dislodging it from the muscle. "Nice try," he grunted, "But it isn't going to save you!"

"Hungry," she asked, throwing another snowball. It hit dead center of his cheek. The man hollered. "Rocks good jutsu technique!" the man tried to charge at her again, but she threw another snowball at his arm. "Big rocks!"

She had to keep him down. Time was running out for Shikamaru. Another snowball! And another! This time the man stayed down. Gathering her strength, she took off again. She had to alert Shikamaru's companions!

The village wasn't far off. Her legs felt like they would give out at any moment. Her lungs burned and heaved for air. What was worse was the mere fact that the ninja she had attacked, was on her tail again. She had to hurry!

As she entered the village, she ran down as many side roads to confuse the man following her. If he caught her, she was dead. Another problem she had was the fact that she didn't know where Shikamaru's companions were staying. There were several large inns in the village.

_Think. Think_. She jogged down a few more roads, searching. _They came at night. Night. Night time means sleeping. Also, tiredness. So, when they came, they were tired. They couldn't have walked much farther, so the inns on the south side are it!_ She turned around a corner. Her heart froze. The one chasing her was parallel to her. She had to run for it!

_Run! Run!_ Her lungs burned immensely, legs starting to give out. The villagers would not help her. They would not protect her. A man was crossing the road in front of her. Her eyes widened.

Symbol. _The symbol on his forehead is the same as the one on Shikamaru's arm!_ She had to yell at the man. She had to put all her effort into it. The man chasing her, slid behind her, attempting to latch onto her. Her mouth opened, voice trying to come out of her dry throat, "Shikamaru! Kiba! Sasuke," she yelled.

The man turned around quickly, his eyes looking straight at her, long, dark brown hair flowing in the breeze. Neji Hyuga ran as fast as he could pass the girl, a weapon already drawn into his hand. The man wasn't expecting him to react. "You should learn to keep your guard up," he said as he fought the other ninja.

The girl fell to the road, panting hard. Her heart was racing. She watched with half-lidded eyes as the man with long hair fought the other ninja. He moved so quickly he became a blur. It was unsure to her, how many times he was attacking the man who had been chasing her. After some sort of special move, the opponent went down.

The girl felt herself being picked up and carried away. Her eyes opened to focus on the one who had saved her. He was a handsome man with an expressionless face. "Sasuke," she said weakly.

Neji forced a smile. "You have good eyes. I bet you recognized this, didn't you," he asked as he tapped the symbol on his headband. "You've a very smart girl. I'm Neji Hyuga. You can rest for now. No one is going to hurt you." He watched as the young girl passed out, her head lying against his shoulder.

(Scene Change)

Rock Lee ate stealthily, his annoyance noticeable by Kiba and Sasuke. "I have never met anyone so pigheaded in all of my life! That Anamaraki guy told me to keep my nose out of his affairs like I was trying to tell him to do his job! The nerves of-," he shoved rice into his mouth to muffle his swearing.

"You said it yourself; that you couldn't get involved. Now you want to get involved, " Kiba said, leaning back. Make up your mind, Lee."

Sasuke lowered his chopsticks. "He was doing it for me." He really didn't feel like eating. He was too worried.

"What do we do now? We can't leave Shikamaru stuck on that mountain without food, or supplies. Nor, can we leave the sprout here. Everyone here acts like they don't want her," Kiba said disgusted.

"I want her," Sasuke said.

Rock Lee and Kiba both looked at him, stunned.

"You both heard me. I want her," he repeated.

"You're willing to take her in and raise her," Kiba asked, baffled. Sasuke nodded. "You do understand that it's not like raising a pet, Sasuke. You can't get rid of her if she causes a problem. She's yours for life."

"And…I'll be hers. I know what it means," Sasuke annoyingly replied.

Lee and Kiba both looked up as the door slid open. Their eyes held bewilderment. Neji walked in quietly. He gestured for them to keep quiet.

"Tell me, Sasuke Uchiha, do you still believe in Santa Claus," Neji asked.

"I think I'm a little too old for that," Sasuke said, forcing food into his mouth. His stomach was complaining again. He heard Neji shuffling about behind him.

"I have a present for you, but I need to hear you say, 'I believe in Santa'," Neji taunted.

Sasuke lowered his chopsticks. "Fine, I believe in Santa," he said, his eyebrow twitching.

Neji sat down beside him. "Merry Christmas," he said as Sasuke turned his head to look at him. "Do you like the gift I got for you?"

There in Neji's arms was the dark haired little girl, sleeping. His breath left him. Was she really there? Sasuke reached his hand towards her, slowly rubbing her cold hair. She was real. "H-how..?"

"She noticed me passing in front of her while I was shopping. She had been running from a man trying to harm her. Three words was all it took for me to protect her. That, and her sharp eyes," Neji said.

"What three words," Kiba asked.

Neji counted as he said, "Shikamaru, Kiba, and Sasuke. You have a very smart little girl. She recognized the Leaf Village symbol on my headband."

Kiba Inuzuka's face turned to worry and anger. "Where is Shikamaru?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Onari's secret plan to save Shikamaru!**

The girl slept hard. Her body was recovering from the past few days of abuse that it had underwent. Night had fallen over the snow village. As she lay in the bed, she felt someone shake her softly.

"Hey," Sasuke said as he shook her lightly again. She stirred, her body twitching. He bent down, placing a hand on her head, rubbing softly. "Hey," he called gently.

The girl opened her tired eyes. A face was watching her. She rubbed her sleepy eyes a bit, before looking again. A face with long black bangs, dark eyes- a face she knew, looked back. The face said, "Hi," in the usual deep voice that she had first heard speak to her. Her heart skipped a beat. "Sa..su…ke," she said, unsure.

Sasuke's eyes softened. He smiled at her, still rubbing the top of her head. "You didn't forget about me, did you," he asked.

It was him. The man who had first spoken to her. She leapt at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, face buried. "Sasuke," she said happily, holding onto him tightly.

Sasuke's eyes widened a little. He held her firmly, tightly, reassuring the child that it was alright. He hadn't seen her since the night he had first spoken to her. The girl had fought the odds to see him again, even though, her life was in danger. He leaned his head against hers. _You were trying so hard to get to me_.

She didn't want to let go of him. If she let go, he could disappear and she would be alone again. Sasuke was the first person who hadn't tried to hurt her, or utter a cruel word towards her. Her grip tightened, body shaking. All her struggles…all the waiting for someone to notice her…was over.

He kept holding her tightly, his hand pressing the back of her head to him. Despite what the child had gone through, she did not shed a tear. "Hey," he said lowly enough to get her attention. She looked at him shyly. "How…would you like to go back with us?"

She tilted her head. "Back…with…Sasuke, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Neji to…Leaf Village..?" Her eyes watched his.

Sasuke nodded at her. He swallowed, a bit nervously, his eyes averting from hers as he thought. What if the girl didn't want to stay with him? She needed a home and it was unsure if she would find one in the village. He could remember a time when no one wanted Naruto because he was different. This child was highly different by the mere color of her eyes. It was unnatural for them to be yellow with a black line running around the iris. Sasuke didn't know how she was going to react to him. They had spent little time around one another. It was five days travel to the Leaf Village from where they were. He supposed in those five days, they could get used to one another.

He looked back at her, touching her face softly. "How would you like a name..?" Sasuke watched her tilt her head, a confused look on her face. "How would you like it… if I gave you one?"

"Sasuke… give name," she repeated curiously. She cocked her head. The girl watched as he pointed to himself. "Sasuke," she said. He nodded at her, before preceding to point at her. She shook her head. He pointed back to himself. "Sasuke," she said again. Once again, he pointed to her, but this time, she stayed silent.

"Onari," Sasuke said. "You are Onari," he repeated for her to understand. He pointed at himself. "Sasuke." He pointed at her, "Onari."

The girl tilted her head, pointing to him. "Sasuke is..you." She pointed at herself. "Onari…is me?"

Sasuke smiled at her. "Good girl. Now you have a name. It feels better to know who you are, huh."

"Who…does….Onari go to," she asked.

Sasuke decided to challenge her a little bit. She was slowly starting to understand language. He wanted to see how much she knew. "Who does Onari want to go to?"

Onari tilted her head this way and that. Her mind was forming sentences, even though, the language was not that familiar. She had been hearing it for a few years, but was a visual learner. No one had taught her proper dialect. She bit her lip then looked at Sasuke with a newfound confidence. "Onari go to Sasuke to Leaf Village!"

(Scene Change)

Onari entered the hallway behind Sasuke. She stayed behind him, peering out curiously, her hands latched onto his clothing. She looked up at Sasuke, then down the hallway. A woman was checking the rooms. Her grip tightened. Onari didn't differentiate one person from another in the village. They all despised her. She felt Sasuke put his hand over hers, firmly.

"It's alright. We're only going to the next room where there are familiar faces." Sasuke knocked on the door. He was told to enter. Onari entered with her back against his. _She's worried we'll get found out._

Once they were inside, Onari turned her head to glance around. "Kiba," she yelled. It was the guy who had visited her and Shikamaru when they were hiding on the mountain.

Kiba held up his hand, smiling at the girl. "Hey, sprout! How's it going? Did you get enough rest?"

Sasuke watched as Onari padded over to Kiba and Mabae. The dog was defiantly happy to see her. He watched as she leapt onto Kiba, causing him to fall over. "Where is everyone?"

Kiba sat up, rubbing his head. "Neji went to go check on our situation a little more. He said he was going to find out where they have taken Shikamaru." He rubbed the top of the girl's head. "We have to come up with a plan to rescue him. This totally bites! I hate having to hide out until we have no choice but to fight."

"There's not much that we can do about it. Our best strategy is to know where we stand in all of this. We have to get Shikamaru back, I agree. The bad thing is there are more of them, then us. I'm not sure how we can leave the village as outnumbered as we are," Sasuke said.

"That's why we're choosing to fight during the day when there are more people. They can't single us out if everyone is on the streets. If that Anamaraki guy is serious about protecting the villagers, then he will have no choice but to fight us in front of them," Rock Lee said coming out from the bathroom.

Onari shifted her gaze to the unknown man with black hair and big eye. She had never seen him before and was instantly scared. She darted behind Kiba, crouching low, her face hidden from view. When she had approached Neji, the only thing on her mind was telling him about what had happened to Shikamaru.

Kiba looked behind him at the girl who was hiding from Rock Lee. "Hey, sprout, he won't hurt you. He's the loud mouth of the group. What's wrong?" He watched as the girl remained balled up, probably expecting a harsh word in her direction, or for someone to throw her out of the room.

Rock Lee blinked. "Is that the same girl Neji brought back? Why is she hiding behind Kiba? I'm not going to hurt you. I'm one of the good guys," he tried to tell her, but the girl wasn't budging.

"She's afraid of strangers, "Sasuke said. "She only knows Kiba because he found her and Shikamaru. And I'm guessing she only approached Neji because she was on the verge of being attacked. Don't be that way, Lee. It has nothing to do with you. She just has to get used to you."

Rock Lee sat down. He was trying to appear less threatening to the young girl. "How about, if I sit over here and show you I won't hurt you, okay?" He smiled at her when she peered out from behind Kiba. "I promise I won't hurt you. I have a daughter your age. Speaking of which, Shikamaru has a daughter your age, too. If you go back with us, they could be your friends."

Onari tilted her head. There were others her age, somewhere that would want to be around her? "O..nari… friends..," she said shyly, thinking about it. She remained hidden behind Kiba, refusing to give up her position.

Rock Lee smiled at her. "So your name is Onari. Nice to meet you, Onari! I'm Rock Lee. I'm the strongest one with Taijutsu out of the group! I take my training seriously and there is nothing greater than to achieve one's goals!"

Kiba sweat dropped. "That's a bit much for her to digest, Lee…"

Onari repeated what she knew out loud, trying to sort things out. "Ho..kage…leader… Shi..kama..ru…Ki..ba…Sas..uke..Neji go to…Leaf…Vil..lage. O..nari go..to Sasuke…to… Leaf Vil..lage," she said lowly. She looked back at Lee, studying him.

Lee watched her calmly. "That's right. You're a smart kid! You're going back with us to the Leaf Village where it's safe. Do you know what 'safe' means?"

Onari tilted her head one way, then the other. "Sa..fe….?" She shook her head lightly, her yellow eyes watching him.

"Safe means no one will hurt you. Guaranteed," Sasuke said. He thought for a moment. "In a way, we'll be your protectors and your family." Sasuke watched the girl looked at him totally alert. Her eyes were wide, not believing what he was telling her.

"More like, Sasuke will be your dad and we're your annoying brothers," Kiba said, laughing.

"Kiba, Neji, Shika..maru, Lee Onari's bro..thers," she repeated.

Sasuke smirked.

"Kiba and…Lee? Onari..present," Onari said, smiling, teasing. If they were her new family, she should get something, right? She watched at the expressions on their faces as she said it. They were speechless. The girl laughed. The first time she had giggled since she was small and could remember her real parents.

_That's something I've been waiting to hear_. Sasuke was glad she understood and was happy with them. He smirked as Onari jumped on Kiba's back. Kiba got on all fours, riding her around the room with Mabae wagging his tail, watching.

Neji walked in, carrying a few articles of clothing.

"So, how did it go," Sasuke asked.

"They are holding Shikamaru on the east side, not far from here. Four guards stand duty at the entrance to where he is being held. They are more than likely trying to get information out of him, at this point. Until they know more about us, they cannot attack. That is basic strategy," Neji said. "I see you are well rested. That is good. You will need your strength tomorrow."

Onari tilted her head. "Tomorrow… Shikamaru?"

Neji nodded. "Tomorrow, we rescue Shikamaru." He crouched low, his white eyes looking into the girl's yellow ones. "I have a present for you. It's some clothes that are a bit warmer than what you have on." She was watching him with interest as he showed her a red shirt. "I thought it was a pretty color to match your raven hair."

"Red…fire," Onari said slowly, remembering something. The others were watching her curiously. They had no idea what she was talking about.

"Red fire? What is this about red fire," Neji questioned. The girl before him was looking away, remembering something. Her mind was searching for some detail.

"Ana..mara..ki…no like..O..nari's red fire," she said looking up at Neji. Onari remembered doing something in the past that turned the whole village against her. Captain Anamaraki had immediately ordered everyone to not feed her, clothe her, or take her in. He had informed his men and everyone within ear shot how she was an abomination. Instead of letting her leave the village, the man had preceded to confine her in it. The reason the fire came was because she was threatened. Her parents. Something bad happened to her parents. The red fire came to protect her. Would it work again?

Sasuke kneeled beside Onari, concern in his eyes. "Onari, what red fire?" He watched her shy away, thinking she had done something wrong. He reached his hand up to place it on her head, petting, to reassure her. "Hey, do you know how to get pass that guy? The bad guy who won't let you leave?"

They watched as Onari nodded slowly. "Akai..hi's red fire," she said looking up at Sasuke. She didn't want any of them hurt. They had risked their safety by protecting her and hiding her so far. The only way to cut back on Anamaraki's men, was to use Akaihi against them. "Akaihi," she said again, nodding.

Neji knew instantly that there was something special and unseen about the girl. There was a reason that Anamaraki wanted her to stay. It wasn't because she was a valued citizen, but perhaps, it was out of fear. "Onari, what exactly is Akaihi," he asked softly, watching her.

Onari tilted her head, eyes narrowing, remembering. She saw eyes as bright and yellow as hers watching her from over head, towering above her. Red. Flames were behind the creature, its height protecting her; its gaze stern and unmoving. It was part of her. She smiled a sly smile.

In that instant, Onari reminded them of a miniature Sasuke.

"Akaihi…Onari's jutsu," she said, her smile not fading. "Use Akaihi..on bad men."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**The fight is on! The Hidden Leaf Village vs. Anamaraki!**

Shikamaru touched his face, his mood sour. When he was brought back to face Anamaraki, they had thrown him into this small room. It contained nothing more than a chair. He figured they had already charged him with attacking one of their men. He smiled a little. "Boy, would they be surprised if they had learned it was a kid who did it."

_I hope she made it._ He frowned again. _There wasn't any word on where the others were, or if the kid had been captured. At least the others will be able to get away. That's all I hope for._

The door in front of him clicked open. A tall, strong individual walked in. His face showed no emotion, hands at his sides, eyes stern. Shikamaru rolled his eyes. _The pompous Lord of Ego has returned._

Anamaraki scowled at the man before him. He appeared to be the lazy, neutral type. _This can't be the one who attacked one of my men. He's weak and complacent. _"Who are you," he asked gruffly, his patience thin.

"Shikamaru Nara. Pleased to make your acquaintance," he said. He kept his gaze on the man before him. It appeared Anamaraki valued his strength over brains. He was alone and chose no guards to be present. _I could take him out by myself easy enough. Yet, there's always hidden factors._

"Where are your traveling companions? And where is the girl," he said coldly, saying the last word like a swear word.

Shikamaru decided to play this out. "Since you're asking, I'm assuming she got away and your men have not been able to find her. She more than likely alerted my friends, and they are hiding."

Anamaraki's body shook with anger. The girl was important to his plans. He had to get her back. "I'll make a deal with you. Trade the girl for your life."

"Ah, so she is extremely valuable to you. That's very interesting. I think I'll let the cat stay in the bag, for now. After all, you're not the only one with a trick up his sleeve."

"You're in no position to barter," Anamaraki snapped.

"I'm not? Funny thing is you know nothing about us to make that assumption. We may be smaller in numbers, but sometimes, the smaller numbers can make a huge difference in a battle plan."

Anamaraki narrowed his eyes. "If you won't tell me where the girl is hiding, I'll simply send my men to all of the inns in the village. Your companions can't hide forever!" he stomped out of the room leaving Shikamaru staring at him coldly.

"Unfortunately for that guy, he's going to anger a Uchiha and Hyuga. They are two very bad people to mess with. Oh, well," he said nonchalantly as he tottered in the chair. "I'll be sure to put flowers on his grave when I get out of here."

(Scene Change)

Onari wasn't sure what was going on. She sat on the floor munching on a delicious, warm dumpling. Neji had snuck out of the inn, disguised as someone else to get food. It was incredible how he had managed to use some sort of jutsu to physically alter his physical appearance. He had decided to copy a woman who was passing the inn.

The mere shock of it had sent Onari running to Sasuke. It took a while for him to calm her down. Neji had to turn back into himself several times to convince her it was really him. Now she was comfortable with the weird things that were happening around her.

Onari picked up another dumpling. She was fixing to bit into it when she was stopped by Sasuke. "Onari, how many of those have you had," he asked her. She held up two fingers. He walked over to her, taking the dumpling. "Bean paste dumplings are not healthy. You have to eat something else now."

Onari pointed at it. "Sasuke, Onari like that." He shook his head, pointing to the bag. She put her head on the table, her equivalent of a pout.

"Choose something else, Onari. Neji brought back plenty of things for you to eat," Sasuke said firmly.

Neji laughed. "Welcome to the parenting world." He watched as Onari fished in the bag. It was good for her to have a healthy appetite, but Sasuke was correct. She couldn't live off of dumplings. Her strength needed to be renewed.

"Now that we know what we're up against, how do we approach the situation? Attacking at night when they are the most vulnerable would be the likely scenario. Why are we choosing to attack during daylight when we can be seen and are easier to attack," Neji countered. "What is this Akaihi that the girl is talking about?"

"We're not really sure, Neji. It may have something to do with why Anamaraki doesn't want Onari to leave," Sasuke said. He looked back at the girl who was happily eating to her heart's content. Onari looked back at him with a celery stick in her mouth. She tilted her head at him. "You're going to get sick from eating so much," he told her.

Kiba thought for a minute. "Sasuke and I can get into where they are holding Shikamaru easily enough."

"I see where you're going with this," Sasuke said. "Who's the prisoner and who's going to be the capturer?"

"Oh, I don't know. I could be the prisoner, but I might make a bit of noise when it comes to rescuing Shikamaru," Kiba said grinning.

"Our best bet is for Sasuke to be the prisoner. He can use Sharingan against anyone who gets in the way," Neji said.

"Then it's settled. We'll show them Kiba fighting Sasuke and then taking him to Anamaraki. I don't think they will be expecting one of their own men to betray them," Rock Lee said.

"We're going to have to make it look convincing, or it's not going to work," Sasuke said.

(Scene Change)

Sasuke stood in the middle of the road, his eyes watching Kiba. His friend and companion had used a transformation jutsu to turn into one of Anamaraki's men. It was one of the oldest tricks in the book.

They had tied up the man they had caught some time ago and stuffed him in the basement of the inn. It had been a piece of cake to lure the man into following them. _Anamaraki's men really are stupid._

"Did you really think you could hide forever? Where are the others," Kiba said in a gruff voice, his stance firm and serious. The villagers around them were standing away, watching with anticipation.

Sasuke smirked, his arms crossed in an attempt at a mild form of defiance. He narrowed his eyes, shifting his weight to his left foot, bringing it out a little. "Why should I tell you? What are you going to do about it," Sasuke taunted.

Kiba kept his stance firm and threatening. He didn't want to make any sudden movements, or it would appear fake and unrealistic to the villagers. "If you won't hand over your companions to Captain Anamaraki, then we'll search the village for them!"

"Search all you like! You won't find them. Right now, you have me to deal with," Sasuke challenged. He swiftly ran at Kiba, his blade drawn. Kiba stood his ground, bringing out his own blade to counterattack. Sasuke swung upwards, barely missing Kiba's arm by a few inches. They had to make the fight look real, at all costs.

Kiba rebounded, moving away from Sasuke as he tried again to slice him. Kiba slid to his left, bringing his left arm around to hook right behind Sasuke's head; just as they had rehearsed. Sasuke grunted loudly and fell to the street, his body sliding in the snow.

Sasuke gritted his teeth clutching his head as he was doubled over_. Damn it, Kiba! You put all of your strength into it! _He staggered to his feet, turning around quickly only to have Kiba coming at him sooner than he expected.

By the expression on Sasuke's face, Kiba figured he was quicker than what was originally planned. He was on Sasuke in a matter of seconds swinging a left hook, then a right. The villagers gasped as the fight came to an abrupt end.

Sasuke lay motionless on the cold road, his head back, not responding to Kiba pushing his limbs with his foot. Kiba felt bad about punching him as hard as he did, but Sasuke did say that it had to be convincing. He bent down and heaved Sasuke over his shoulder. "It's all over everyone. You can all go back to your shopping." Kiba made his way back to where Anamaraki was holding Shikamaru. _It's going to be much easier now to bust Shikamaru out._

One guard lifted his head as Kiba came walking down the road with the unconscious Sasuke slung over his shoulder. "Who is it? Oh, it's you, Tataroshi. We wondered what was taking you so long," the guard said as he smiled. "But I see you brought a prisoner. Good job."

Kiba smirked as he walked pass them with Sasuke. He avoided eye contact on the whole. Now he just had to figure out where they were holding Shikamaru. He sniffed the air, but did not find his comrade's scent. The building wasn't very big, so it should be easy to sort him out. He sniffed again. A few scents wavered in his direction; they were small and few. It proved that Anamaraki was underestimating them, by a long shot. The captain of the snow village surely had most of his men searching the village for them.

Kiba set Sasuke down against the wall. He shook his companion hard. "Sasuke, wake up. You sleep much longer and I'll beat 'em all by myself."

Sasuke grunted. He opened his eyes, looking around at his surroundings. "If you hadn't of hit me as hard as you did, then I wouldn't be out cold, would I," he said with strong annoyance in his voice.

"Sorry, but you said to make it look as real as possible," Kiba said.

"Yeah, I did. That will be the last time I tell you to do that," Sasuke said as he got up. He started to walk down the hall freely, keeping his eyes alert. "This place doesn't have a cell for holding someone, so where could they have him?"

Kiba sniffed the air again. "This way," he said, going down another hall. It appeared this building was used for storage and nothing more. "How about we just knock on the doors and see who comes out? If it's not Shikamaru, we deck em."

"Crude, but effective," Sasuke said. "We don't want those two coming after us just yet. They could alert anyone in ear shot. We need to be quiet about this and catch them by surprise."

"You take the fun out of everything," Kiba said. He started to check the doors on one side of the hall and Sasuke on the other. Sasuke tapped the doors cautiously to see if anyone would answer. Kiba remained focused as he listened for any sign of life behind the doorframes.

Shikamaru lifted his head, his eyes were bloodshot and his neck was hurting. He rubbed the back of his neck, complaining, "Ah, man, this is lame. My back is killing me." He stretched a bit, bringing his arms overhead.

As he stood up, he heard something crash farther down the hallway from where he was. There was a threat issued, then another large crash. He put his ear to the door, listening. If there was a fight going on, then he had a chance of escaping. _What is going on out there?_

"You need to learn when to back off. I'm out of your league," he heard a voice say. Another voice came into play, "Neither of you will get away with this!" "Yeah, we know. And you won't be getting away with what you've done to the sprout," a gruff voice said as it came into hearing range.

Shikamaru listened harder.

"Last warning: Back off," the first voice said. "Fire style jutsu!"

A voice yelped in pain and died away as quickly as it had sounded. There was a flash of orange light under the door. "Sasuke?" Shikamaru started to beat on the door, yelling, "Hey, Sasuke, let me out of here!"

Sasuke turned his head, hearing a faint pounding noise coming from one of the doors. He walked to it, and then broke the handle with his ninja blade. Yanking the door open, he revealed a beaten, haggard looking Shikamaru. "Man, you look terrible."

Shikamaru looked up into Sasuke's red Sharingan eyes. He mustered a laugh. "I think I'm doing quite well for a guy who hasn't had any rest in two days."

"Alright, stop fooling around! Recess is over! Those two guards from the front are coming," Kiba shouted as he rounded the corner. "We've got to move!"

Sasuke lifted Shikamaru onto his back, looking behind him as two angry men came running at them. "They don't know when to give up, do they?" As the guards got closer, Sasuke and Kiba took off down the hall.

Two paper bombs started to burn as they went pass. The guards were falling right into their trap. One guard threw a blade at Kiba's head and missed. "You guys couldn't hit a fat guy with a rubber ball," he yelled back at them.

The paper bombs went off a split second later. They high tailed it down the street being mindful of where they were. Meeting up with the others was fixing to be delayed.

"It looks like he isn't so dumb after all," Shikamaru said. Standing in their path was Anamaraki with five ninja behind him.

"We're surrounded," Sasuke said coldly. "Someone's been anticipating our next move."

All around them were ninja watching them from atop the buildings in the area. The villagers had no idea what was going on. Fights rarely happened in their secluded village. They were starting to get out of the street as fast as possible. For an instant, Kiba regretted having Mabae stay behind. "Now what?"

Shikamaru looked around, his mind trying to come up with a solution. "We're totally outnumbered. I don't know how we're going to get out of this. We can't take them all on."

"I warned your lot the first day you came here. I even told your little bug eyed friend to keep his nose out of my affairs! None of you will leave here alive," Anamaraki stated.

"Bold threat coming from an arrogant ass who has no idea who he's up against," a voice said from behind the captain.

The captain of the snow village glanced behind him to see a man with long brown hair watching him. "And you think the mere four of you against thirty of my men are reasonable odds," he said as he grinned.

"The odds aren't against us. They are against you," said Rock Lee as he stepped out from behind the man with brown hair. "Math seems to be an under privileged subject in this village. There are seven of us against thirty."

"I'm a reasonable and tolerant man. You have no idea what you're dealing with," Anamaraki threatened.

"I'm through listening to a guy who tortures children for being different," Neji said angrily, his fists clenched.

"That girl is an abomination," Anamaraki threw back.

"You turn her out and abuse her to keep her in her place and I refuse to let you harm her," Lee challenged. His eyes turned into pit of fire. He stood firmly his body stance showing he was ready to fight. "You're the one who needs to be put in his place!"

Anamaraki's men all started to form hand seals. "This isn't good," Shikamaru said. They weren't the only ones who were in trouble. A large snarling dog came out of nowhere at the first group of guards. Mabae shoved them aside, sending several men into a wall, knocking them unconscious.

"Way to go, Mabae," Kiba said. He stopped. "Wait. You're supposed to be with the sprout!"

Sasuke looked around them. Where was she? Was she hiding? _Shit!_ Sasuke moved back quickly as a guard came at him swinging. With Shikamaru on his back, he was an open target.

"Let's even up the odds, shall we?" Kiba formed hand seals quickly. "Shadow Clone jutsu!" Several copies of him formed. The snow ninja were surprised. "Good, now that I have your attention, let's end this!" His clones started to attack the guards.

Neji had his own problems. The ninja on the roofs were attacking him at full force. He dodged a swing from his left, and then came back, spinning and hitting vulnerable chakra points on the man. "Thirty-two palms!"

"Come on, Mabae! Let's hit them hard this time," Kiba formed hand seals after feeding Mabae a food pill. "Man Beast Clone!" Mabae barked, forming into a doppelganger of Kiba. Together they started to run at several ninja who were grouped together like a pair of bowling pins. They both jumped in the air at the same time, spinning, "Man Beast Open Taijutsu!" The group of ninja started to run from the pair, but were outmatched as Kiba and Mabae came spinning at them in a deadly combination of wind and force. "Fang over fang!" They hit the group hard, sending them flying in every direction possible. Kiba came to a slid, grinning. "Nice job, Mabae!"

Anamaraki couldn't believe what was happening to his men. He snarled looking through his fallen comrades towards Sasuke. That was the man who had started this whole mess. The one who had been going around looking for the girl and questioning the vendors. He had heard about it from several of his guards. It was time to stop this once and for all. The only way to keep that girl here now was for him to hurt her where it mattered.

Sasuke took down one guy after another with his fire jutsu. He couldn't let them get too close. Hand-to-hand combat was not going to be easy with Shikamaru on his back. His friend was too weak to fight, that much was apparent. He saw Anamaraki coming at him, the man's anger boiling over. Sasuke had to defend himself! He moved back swiftly, but the man was on him in no time.

"I'm not letting you get away," Anamaraki yelled, the fury in his eyes blazing. The captain of the snow village formed quick hand seals. "Blade of wind!" He sent the hidden blade straight at Sasuke's abdomen, a most vulnerable spot.

Sasuke erupted in his chakra defense. The area around him jolted with the sound of a thousand birds. The kunai was hit, the ninja weapon deflected as it fell to the ground. Sasuke narrowed his eyes bringing out his grass cutter sword. "Moron," he said with malice in his voice. He pointed the sword at Anamaraki, his chakra shooting the blade out farther slicing through the man's chest.

Anamaraki's clone poofed as soon as it was struck. The wind increased again from overhead. Sasuke looked up to see kunai raining down on him. Anamaraki had used a distraction to be a step ahead of him. _Not so wise._ As the kunai hit, the ground around Sasuke lifted, snow going in all directions. Manda shielded him from the attack, the kunai appearing like small spikes on the back of the snake.

Sasuke's form shifted to that of snakes falling down to the snow. He was not where he seemed. Anamaraki immediately armed himself expecting the man to come at him from behind. He whirled around, but there was no attack. _How was he able to move that fast carrying the man on his back?_

Sasuke popped away from where Manda was, throwing Shikamaru aside like a rag doll. Despite the large snake covering him, rocks in the ground had been up lifted. Several of them had pelted him. There was a cut on his hand from a sharp stone. "Sorry, but you're in no position to fight."

"I gave you warnings. Now you die," Anamaraki sneered the moment he had spotted Sasuke's new location.

Shikamaru's eyes stayed focused on Sasuke. Sasuke was not down for the count yet. He hated to be a burden, but he was weak right now and could not help. Shikamaru looked up to see a familiar face watching in horror at was happening. "No, go back," he warned the child. She shook her head at him, fear in her eyes.

Anamaraki raised his hands, an enormous double edged kunai in his hand. He was going to attack Sasuke again. Onari couldn't let him. Sasuke had given her a name. He had watched over her. _"We fight to protect the ones we care about," Shikamaru said. "Sometimes the odds are in our favor, and sometimes they are not. If we are determined, the odds do not matter. What matters is that you give it your all. Everyone is capable of doing something good. There is no such thing as limitation when our heart is in the right place." Shikamaru tucked her into the furs. _

Shikamaru tried to get up, but his body went down. Two days without food, or rest was taking its toll on him. The girl was going to do something drastic. He watched as she ran to Sasuke, sliding in front of him, to protect him. "No! He'll attack you," Shikamaru yelled at the girl.

Sasuke's eyes widened. Onari was in front of him with her arms out in a protective stance. Her head was lowered, back to him. Sasuke ran at her trying to get her to move aside. "Onari, run!"

Anamaraki grinned coldly at the girl. "Onari, huh? So that bastard gave you a name, little snow weasel? It won't save you!" He threw the double sided kunai at Onari. It sliced through the air.

Sasuke's heart stopped, his eyes watching in horror. "ONARI!" She stood her ground, hands coming in front of where the blade was aimed. What had happened? She was still standing there, her body stiff and threatening.

Onari looked up at Anamaraki, her yellow eyes narrowing. The enormous double sided kunai was hovering in front of her palms, chakra gluing it to her. "Onari…'e Sasuke's!" She raised her head, her foot moving behind herself as she rotated on her heel. "Reverse!" The blade flipped around. "Back!" She sent it flying straight at the captain.

The captain gritted his teeth as the blade came back to him. He wasn't expecting such a bold move. It hit him in the shoulder, his body going backwards as blood spilled out the other end. Anamaraki slid backwards into a crouch. "You are testing me, girl," he said lowly. "I won't fall for your simple tricks!" He was bleeding profusely, blood escaping his mouth.

How was Onari able to do that? Had Shikamaru been training her while on the mountain? Blood dropped onto the snow from Onari's new wound. She had managed to stop the kunai going through her body, but it had gone through her hands instead. Sasuke tried to approach her to check the damage.

Anamaraki had to take her out now, before her chakra awoke from its slumber. The girl had no idea what she was capable of; she didn't remember, but he did. He formed hand seals biting his finger. "Summoning jutsu!"

Shikamaru watched in horror as Anamaraki's hands touched the ground. The snow started to form into a creature. "What the hell is that?" A large white beast formed behind Anamaraki. Its black eyes were watching the girl. It appeared to be a white bear. It was as big as a building!

Kiba stopped fighting. He looked to his right to see the captain of the snow village challenging Onari. His large beast bellowed, sending a gust of wind at the girl and Sasuke. They were sent flying backwards. He had to do something. "Mabae!" They went running at the captain.

Anamaraki turned his head, glancing at the man approaching him with his dog. He narrowed his eyes, pointing at them. "Kurayami! Attack!" The large white bear sat back onto its haunches, then lowered its front paws, sending a wave of trembling earth at Kiba and Mabae.

Kiba and Mabae were sent flying from the sudden impact of the ground splitting in all areas.

Rock Lee turned to see a white beast towering over the road. His eyes widened. Sasuke and Onari were on the ground. Kiba and Mabae had been thrown off into the distance. "Neji," he yelled to get his teammate's attention. Neji turned around, bringing his arm up, swinging backwards, and punching a man in the face that had decided to approach him from his blind spot. "Oh, no! Onari!"

Neji dashed towards the girl. The beast was now facing the girl. _The quickest way to stop an animal from taking orders, it to take out its master! _Anamaraki spun around to face Neji. He came running at him, his speed matching his. Their blades crossed and clinked several times. _I have to stop him! He could kill Onari and Sasuke with that beast!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 **

**Akaihi's Wrath!**

What _is happening? Am…I dead? I remember getting hit. That guy used a Wind Blade jutsu on me. I couldn't move to fight.. Someone was trying to protect me._ Sasuke's eyes opened. _Onari!_ He was lying in the snow on his stomach. _Where is she?_ His mind raced frantically to remember. They had been forced back by a large beast. He moved his arm trying his best to get up. Sasuke went down. He was dizzy. _I must have hit my head on something. _

From where he was, he could see Neji fighting hard with Anamaraki. Kiba and Mabae were nowhere to be seen. Rock Lee was doing all he could to fight off the guards. They weren't staying down. He moved as much as he was able, in order, to find out where Onari and Shikamaru were.

Shikamaru was in a sitting position holding onto his head. He had been thrown at the same time by the wind jutsu. _I have to pull it together. We've got a large bear on our hands. That thing could chew us up and spit us out._ "Sasuke, are you still alive?"

Sasuke grunted his reply. He was trying his best to get on his feet despite his head spinning in all directions. He had managed to lay on his side to surveillance the situation at hand. "Where… is….. On..ari?"

Shikamaru shook his head trying to clear his mind. "Onari? The girl?" He looked around. "Oh, no," he said. Onari was laying face down a hundred feet from where they were. Her small form was motionless. He had to get to her; to check to see if she was alright.

"Shika..maru, where-," Sasuke grunted again, holding onto his side harder, wanting badly to get up. His head was swimming with stars more intensely. He went down again.

"Sasuke, don't try to get up. I'll get her," Shikamaru said making it to his feet. He walked slowly to where Onari was laying. No one saw him as a threat due to his fatique. He was defiantly in no position to fight right now.

No one had bothered to approach her. Not one single person. They were all hanging back, protecting their own. It made Shikamaru's stomach turn. "You all make me want to puke. She's only a child! Are your lives so important that you can't help her? Some village this is," he shouted at them. They only stayed back, clutching their children tighter.

Shikamaru fell onto all fours beside the girl. _Come on. Wake up, kid_. He shook her shoulder, turning her over. The impact of the earth had knocked her out. "Onari. Onari," he coaxed. "Open those pretty eyes of yours so I'll know you're alright."

Onari's hand jerked.

"Onari, wake up for Uncle Shikamaru," he said.

"Shi..ka..maru…. bro-ther. Not..un-cle," she corrected coming out of it.

"That'll work, too," Shikamaru said. He placed his hands on her face as she sat up, checking for cuts, bruises, etc. "You alright?"

At that moment, Anamaraki brought his hands up and pushed Neji back with his chakra. It had taken some time to wear out the man he had been fighting, but it was all worth it. Now he could command Kurayami.

Neji breathed hard. _Why didn't I realize what he was doing all along? My chakra is at its limit. If I fight anymore, it'll be distinguished!_ He swallowed hard. Even Rock Lee was still fighting. It _had_ been a good plan.

As Anamaraki turned around, a rock hit him square in the jaw. He brought is hand up to touch his face. Blood was on his fingers. A man with slit eyes was watching him aggressively.

"Hey, sweetheart, you don't look too happy to see me," Kiba said. He and Mabae had crashed on top of a fruit vendor's shop. His muscles ached all over and his clothes were filthy. Mabae was limping slightly.

"If I had known what time you were coming back, I would have thrown you a surprise party," Anamaraki said, grinning.

Mabae growled at the beast, his head lowered, body shaking with rage. The beast in front of him held its ground roaring back at the canine.

"Your mutt is no match for my snow beast," Anamaraki said. He glared at Kiba and Mabae. They were beneath him. They had no right to come into his village and order him to do what they say. "I'm done playing games with your group. Kurayami! Take care of the mutt first!"

The enormous white bear started to move towards Kiba and Mabae. _Oh, man. It's huge! We've got to watch ourselves. It already got us once with its weight._ He gritted his teeth. It was coming!

The white bear roared its aggression, its heavy body moving quicker than anyone thought. Its fat bristled with its fur, breath heated in the air. It was out for one thing: destruction.

Onari's head turned to see Anamaraki's beast charging Kiba and Mabae. If the beast's destructive nature came into contact with them, it was all over. She had seen the beast before. Its chakra wasn't at full force and it had already blown them away like blades of grass. Whenever Anamaraki was threatened, he used the beast as his trump card.

Shikamaru saw the beast charging his friend. He quickly got to his feet. Weakness wasn't going to defeat him just yet. Kiba and Mabae were done for if it attacked them. He had to think! "Onari, stay here!" He turned around. She was gone. He looked back to the bear. "ONARI!"

Sasuke's body shook all over. The cold was getting to him. He looked up to see Kiba and Mabae on the verge of being attacked. Neji was worn out. The guards were persistent beyond belief. They were being ordered to attack them based on his interference. The world around him didn't appear real. A little girl slid in front of him. She grabbed his hands, and held them out, her yellow eyes wild. "O….na…ri..?"

Onari gestured with her hand out, trying to issue her depiction of fire. _Try, Sasuke. Understand Onari please! I don't know the words!_ Her face turned to hopelessness because the man, who had first showed interest in her, was too weak to perform the fire jutsu.

"I…can't… Diz-zy," he said weakly. Sasuke had suffered a concussion. Touching the back of his head revealed a blood stain on his fingertips.

Her head turned quickly to see the white bear swipe Kiba and Mabae away like toys. Anamaraki was grinning. The man's laughter stopped when he tried to make a move towards her and Sasuke.

Shikamaru's face tensed as he crouched in the snow, his mind concentrating as hard as he could. "Don't be so surprised. I don't stay down for long. Rule two: Don't count out your opponents unless they are dead, or unconscious." He had Anamaraki locked with his Shadow Possession jutsu.

Onari looked back at Sasuke. His dark eyes were half-lidded. Anamaraki could still order the snow beast to slaughter them. Once again, she grabbed onto Sasuke's hands. Her eyes looked into his, pleading. "Show Onari, Sasuke! Show!"

His eyes tried their best to remain open. His mind was slowly starting to understand what he was being asked. "You…want me…to show you..the fire style..jutsu…?" He watched as she nodded quickly. "O…nari, it's…advanced."

Onari shook her head at him frantically. "Show, Sasuke! Onari try," she said, afraid of the snow beast; afraid of Anamaraki winning. He would kill all of them because of her. "Shi..ka..maru say fight to protect! Onari…fight…for Sasuke," she said, determined to make him understand. She felt his hand touch her face tenderly. "Show, Sasuke," she said again.

Sasuke put his hands in front of his body, slowly showing the girl the hand seals. "Hand..seals are..fast. It..takes…con-cen-tration and…training." He watched as she started to copy the moves. Sasuke was slowly starting to understand what this kid was all about.

Onari had no training. She wasn't sure about the offenses and defenses Shikamaru had taught her. It wasn't clear to her, which ones were effective; what to use. She learned by watching. Sasuke had performed the fire jutsu quite a few times against Anamaraki's men. She was able to pick it up that way. Now it was time for her to try it.

Shikamaru hollered as he was hit with two blades. He wasn't able to hold Anamaraki any longer. The fatigue had set in again. "There goes my second wind," he said. Reaching up, he pulled the kunai from his leg and arms.

"You've got to be joking with me. After everything; every attempt you've made…and you assume throwing those kunai at me are going to make any difference," Anamaraki laughed. These ninja were quite amusing.

"Actually, they will," Shikamaru said as he threw them in Onari's direction. The kunai soared clear and true. Their destination met.

Anamaraki's expression turned from joy to pure hatred. "I see you underestimate her. Not anymore," Shikamaru said as Onari caught the weapons, gluing them to her chakra. "You're afraid of her," he said noticing the look in the man's eyes.

Onari stood up, the kunai rotating in front of her palms, eyes narrowed. "That's your last straw," she said in her broken dialect. Shikamaru had been a great teacher. Now it was time for her to graduate! Onari turned on her heel, lifting her body off of the snow, rotating as Anamaraki came at her.

Rock Lee was on the way. He breathed hard, his body wanting to give out. Now Shikamaru was wounded. He was the last one standing at this point. The girl. She was in the air attempting to defend Sasuke. Rock Lee watched with wide eyes as several kunai came flying at Anamaraki. They hit their mark. _No..way!_

Rock Lee ran to Shikamaru who had a mischievous grin on his face. "Shikamaru, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'll live. How do you like our little copy cat? She was able to perform most of the basic techniques with the training I gave her. Impressive kid, isn't she? I figured that was why that guy wanted her. Onari learns jutsus at a fraction of the time it normally takes a regular kid," he informed Lee. "She's a determined, strong female version of Sasuke," he said laughing.

Anamaraki was down. It had taken a lot of effort and Onari as their trump card to pull it off. Rock Lee walked over to the Captain of the Snow Village. He watched him disgustedly. "How does it feel to be beaten by a kid?"

Anamaraki looked up into the face of the energy spirited bug eyed man. The man that had been to see him was staring coldly at him. He snarled, his eyes refusing to focus on the man's dark eyes. "I'm not dead, or unconscious," he warned. "Kurayami! Kill the girl!"

Rock Lee swung around as the large beast grunted, turning on Onari. It bellowed its challenge at her. Onari was right in death's path. Her eyes were wide as saucers, body trembling. He ran at the animal, throwing several kunai at the beast's back legs. It roared in pain, and then turned to see its attacker.

"Bring it, you throw rug," Rock Lee challenged. He stopped. The animal's chakra was increasing. Unfortunately, he was running out of options. The beast was twenty times bigger than he was.

Onari ran as close to the bear's rear as she dared. She did the hand seals Sasuke had showed her. Nothing. _Focus!_ Onari tried again. Still nothing. The bear was starting to scratch at the ground, issuing the last warning Rock Lee would ever hear. _Come on, Onari! Concentrate!_ Onari did the hand seals faster, her eyes focused, mind only on the beast in front of her. "Fire style jutsu," she shouted. The flames came out of her mouth in a burst of energy and heat.

Rock Lee watched in amazement as the bear's rear caught on fire. It bellowed in pain again, shaking its head. "She..did it. She copied Sasuke," he said in a hushed breath.

"I'll be damned. The kid really can copy a jutsu after a few tries," Shikamaru said as he watched the girl. He smiled a little. "I stand by what I said earlier. She's defiantly Sasuke all over."

Onari breathed hard as she slid back away from the beast. Its rear was burnt alright, but now it was good and angry. Its chakra had increased dramatically. She and Rock Lee had its anger boiling over. The beast turned its head to face her, completely ignoring Lee. It roared so loudly, Onari had to cover her ears. Her heart raced as she looked up at the enormous animal. It sat back onto its haunches, its head held high, issuing a death certificate in her name.

Anamaraki tried to sit up, glaring at the girl. If he wasn't able to use her gifts in the form of a weapon for the village, then he had to destroy her. _If I can't do it physically, I'll do it mentally. That girl has evaded every attack I used against her in the past; however, she won't evade this one._ He smiled inwardly. There was still one trick up his sleeve; one left that they wouldn't see coming. The reason the girl defied him so much, was because of the man with dark hair. Anamaraki would make him regret defying his orders. "Kurayami, hold your anger. I have a more fitting task for you," Anamaraki said evilly. "Slaughter the one behind the girl! Put him out of his misery!"

"No," Shikamaru and Rock Lee shouted as they started to run after the bear. It was charging Sasuke head on, its body moving swiftly against the snow covering the road, its teeth showing as it roared, black eyes pinned on its target. _Sasuke can't protect himself! He can barely sit up! We have to try and take it down!_

Onari's heart raced faster, anxiety building inside of her. The beast was bearing down on her and Sasuke, its decision made. He had protected her until this point, but now she had to protect him. Onari glanced back at Sasuke who was doubled over; his eyes were staring off into a direction unseen. She had to!

Rock Lee jumped into the air throwing as many kunai as he could at the beast. They hit their mark, lodging into the animal's back. Despite its pain, it was still charging head on. A figure appeared beside him throwing kunai of his own. Neji Hyuga was back, his eyes serious and stern.

"Quit hogging all the fun for yourselves," Kiba Inuzuka said as he came into view. He was badly injured, blood seeping from several wounds on his body. The snow beast had slashed him and Mabae, but not fatally. "It's time to make a bear skin rug!"

Kiba jumped onto the bear's back. He began to slash at it with his claws, trying to slow it down. It was gaining speed despite the wounds he and his teammates were inflicting upon it. It was determined to take out Sasuke on Anamaraki's orders.

Onari stood in front of Sasuke, determined to protect him as best she could. She formed quick hand seals, her eyes focusing on the beast. _He can't hit what he can't see!_ Onari opened her mouth, "Fire style jutsu," and quickly blew flames at the beast's face. It stopped itself from charging, roaring in intense pain as she kept it going. The fireball was nowhere the size of what Sasuke could unleash. Hers was only half the size.

Shikamaru was on his feet again, he was coming quickly, his weapons drawn. The bear had stopped moving thanks to the girl. He ran in behind the bear's leg slashing ,as much as possible, at its flesh and muscle. The beast roared more. Anamaraki had underestimated all of them. They were from the Hidden Leaf Village and were not accustomed to giving up so easily. The odds had been against them, but they were also against the captain of the snow village. Anamaraki had been wise up until this point. He had determined their next steps in the heat of battle, but he had forgotten about Onari. Onari was just as important as any of the others fighting.

The bear's legs started to go down. It was in too much pain to stand up. It shook its head, roaring at the thing in front of it that was causing the fire. Its eyes burned. With its huge paw it rubbed at them, but was unable to see. It had to stop the thing in front of it. It lifted its huge paw, claws open, swinging.

Onari had no idea what happened. All she heard was yelling as her body was flying through the air. She hit the ground hard, her body sliding. Her eyes tried to focus, head spinning. What was all over the ground? She touched it with her fingers. Blood was on them. Was it hers? Onari's hand shook as she looked at it. Her face was bleeding immensely. The world was in slow motion.

Shikamaru was slashing at the beast violently. She couldn't see what Rock Lee and Neji were doing. They were out of sight. Onari sat up slowly, forcing herself. Sasuke was fallen over at this point. It started to snow. She looked up at the sky. The white balls were falling into her hair. Sluggishly, she got up. Blood fell from her face onto the snow, blanketing her wake as she approached the beast again. She tilted her head at it, studying it. The animal would not go down because Anamaraki still commanded it. It was bent on killing all of her friends.

Neji slashed at the animal, but it wouldn't stay down. Its chakra had lowered quite a bit, but it wasn't enough to distinguish it. He glanced over at a bloody figure standing in front of the beast. Half of Onari's face was seeping blood. His eyes widened. He watched as the girl turned on her heel. She was walking away, towards Sasuke. "Lee!"

Rock Lee turned to face Neji. He saw the blood in the snow and where it led. Onari was injured. He didn't know how much, or where. "We've got to stop this thing once and for all, or it'll kill everyone in this village. That idiot's crazy enough to do it!"

"I understand," Neji said as he continued to help his friend. By now, the beast had kunai sticking out of its back like a porcupine. It just wouldn't stay down.

Sasuke sensed someone approaching. He looked up weakly, his mind foggy. Standing above him was a girl with blood coming off of her face. The wound was drastic. He tried to move, but was unable. The girl bent down touching the wound on the back of his head. He grimaced.

Onari smeared Sasuke's blood onto her right hand. "Onari borrow," she said. He was watching her, not understanding. "Onari..fight for Sasuke," she said again, trying to make him understand. She had to stop the snow beast. Its chakra was only half-way, and it was still a threat.

Sasuke watched as Onari slowly walked away from him, the snow falling onto his face. He moved his arm a little into the air. If only he could grab her, in order, to stop her. _O..nar..i.. _He had named the girl after a temple his family had visited when he was young. It was a long time ago when they were all alive and happy. It was one of his rare fond memories and it was special. Just like the little girl he had seen sitting in the snow, watching him. A little girl with raven hair, yellow eyes, watching him, studying him, was sorting him out from the rest of the cruel world.

Kiba stopped. He looked down below at the girl who was standing in front of the beast, her expression focused and serious. "Sprout, get away from it," he yelled at her. She only shook her head at him. Some of Anamaraki's men were getting up. They had been fighting for so long and it was starting to look hopeless.

"Onari, do as Kiba says and get away from here," Shikamaru ordered. She was defying him. She pointed to the snow ninja who were getting up. They had other things to worry about. "Dammit, those bastards won't stay down!"

"Shi…kamaru… Ne..ji… Kiba…Lee," Onari said her voice calm and solemn. "Flee." They stopped what they were doing to watch her. "Now!"

"I don't know what's going on, but that girl is fixing to do something and I think it best we get out of the way," Neji said.

"She's only a kid," Lee countered. "We can't leave her to fight this beast!" He was totally against it.

"She knows something we don't, Lee! She knows how to take it down," Neji said fiercely. "As long as she's been in this village she knows what that Anamaraki guy is capable of. We have to trust her on this. She's done so much to keep everyone from getting hurt at the cost of her own life. We can't let her forfeit her existence for nothing."

Rock Lee looked down at Onari, then back to Neji.

"Neji's right. The sprout may have a trick up her sleeve. We are out of options," Kiba said gloomily.

"Alright, but we aren't going down so easily! If that bastard tries anything on her, I'll punch him so hard his dead grandmother will feel it," Rock Lee said angrily, his teeth showing.

Once they were clear, Onari looked again at the beast in front of her. It was still there, moving its legs and roaring at them. The group was behind her, just enough to stay out of the way, yet help if something bad happened. Kiba was holding onto Sasuke, trying to patch up his wound long enough to seek help.

"Snow…melts at…fire touch," Onari said in her usual broken dialect. Rock Lee, Neji, Kiba, and Shikamaru were watching her intently. She brought her left hand up to her face, smearing blood onto it. "Bear…snow." Onari put her left and right hands together, in a sort of prayer stance, combining her blood to Sasuke's.

Anamaraki was getting up. He narrowed his eyes at the girl, his rage starting to boil. "Don't you dare, you little weasel!" His threats were ended abruptly by Mabae jumping on top of him, pinning him to the ground. The dog snarled, showing its teeth, daring the man to make a sound so he had an excuse to rip his throat apart.

_He knows what she's going to do. He knows!_ Rock Lee watched as the girl crouched in the snow. Her dark hair blew with the breeze.

Onari formed hand seals that Shikamaru had taught her a few days ago. She put her hands to the ground. Symbols around her hands started to form in a large circle. The writings that she could not read burned into the snow, appearing orange with light.

"It's…a summoning jutsu. She's trying to perform it," Neji said, watching intently.

The light around Onari intensified. It became heated and powerful. The earth started to crack in several directions. Her eyes were harsh, teeth gritted. Anamaraki had assisted in killing her parents. He knew what she was, even if Onari did not. She had been too young to understand. She had to get him back once and for all. Hurting her friends…hurting Sasuke… it was all because of her. Not anymore. "SUMMONING JUTSU! AKAIHI!"

The earth shifted around them, causing Rock Lee to lose his balance. The buildings shook violently as the earth cracked, breaking apart at the seams. Behind them, the earth started to fall apart into a large hole. Women were screaming as they fled with their children. The men stayed to watch. There was nothing but a gaping hole in the ground about the size of two large buildings.

A red, fiery light started to show from its depths. It was increasing! The light became brighter, burning into the sky. Something shot out of the hole leaving a trail of intense fire behind it. Neji watched, his eyes becoming wide as an enormous red bird landed onto the snow. Its eyes were yellow, intense, like Onari's. Its gaze was serious, stern, and firm. Fire was engulfing its large feet and legs, but was not burning the creature. The crowd around them became deathly silent. It was a fierce, beautiful bird. It was a bird of song; a bird of hope and prevail.

"That's impossible," Neji breathed as he watched. The bird cooed its beautiful song, flapping its large red, fire tipped wings. It tilted its head at them, wondering. The bird was almost as large as the snow beast.

"What…is that," Shikamaru said quietly, his mind trying to form back into reality. It seemed so much like a dream. A beautiful, violent dream that contained hope and perseverance for all of them.

"It's the phoenix. It is one of the celestial guardians that is bound to the south gate. It is a creature of fortune," Neji said. "This is the real reason Anamaraki wanted Onari. Onari is bonded to one of the celestial beings!"

The phoenix cooed as it towered above them, walking over to Onari. It looked down at her with a caring gaze. She looked back at it. "Akaihi, bad man, "she said pointing to Anamaraki.

Akaihi lifted its head focusing on the man in front of it. The fire around its feet increased to where the flames were licking up its sides. In a few moments its back was on fire as the rest of its body, its chakra increased tenfold to match that of the snow beast. Mabae sensed a fight brewing and leapt off of Anamaraki to return to Kiba.

Sasuke opened his eyes. They focused on the large creature towering over Onari. The phoenix was getting ready to fight Anamaraki and finish him. _That's…That's Onari's..jutsu?!_

Akaihi squawked at the bear, the loudness of its challenge causing everyone to cover their ears immediately. Onari raised her hand, her voice clear. "Fire beat snow!" Akaihi ran at the beast, its mouth open, issuing a large blast of fire at the creature. Its razor sharpened talons, dug into the ground so it could hold its balance.

The snow bear roared in anger, its dark eyes opening to their full extent. It began to charge the phoenix, lifting its body up, paws slashing through the air. The phoenix would not back down. It jumped a few times to miss the bear's attempt then flapped its large fiery wings to get it off the ground. Everyone watched as the bird jumped onto the bear's back, digging its talons into the animal's hide. It peaked and issued its own challenge at the creature.

"It's winning," Shikamaru said. Onari was still behind the two animals. She was battling for their lives against Anamaraki and his beast now. Shikamaru still had no idea how badly injured the girl was.

"That bear is going to be no match for it," Neji said triumphantly. "Onari is right. Snow melts when fire touches it."

Sasuke could not utter a word as he watched the girl order the phoenix to blast the bear again. The bear roared more, but this time, in sheer pain as the phoenix came back around its side, butting it with its head.

Onari was feeling dizzy. She had to continue to control the bear until it was finished. If the bear stayed afloat while she was unconscious, it was all over for them. "Akaihi!" Onari grabbed her head. "Fire roll," she ordered.

The phoenix shot into the air, its wings out to their full span. It rolled as it came down, sending fire ball after fire ball at the bear and its surrounding areas. Then it swooped down past the group, turned in midair, and came back to shoot the creature with a jet stream of intense heat.

"I don't believe it. The sprout's conducting her own battle plan," Kiba said amazed.

Shikamaru's eyes were wide. "I had no idea she understood the techniques and combat moves I was telling her."

They all looked at him in bewilderment.

Onari put her hands on the ground. Her head was spinning harshly. She had to finish it quickly. She shook it off, but the world was going in all sorts of directions. More so, she felt sick. "Akaihi," she shouted at the phoenix. "Distinguish!"

The phoenix's body became brighter, hotter; its mouth opened sending forth another large stream of fire at the beast, and also at Anamaraki. It charged them head on, and then burst into rolling fire that covered the entire width of the road. There was nowhere to run as the phoenix came into contact with its target. The phoenix exploded into a massive rush of fire. The snow beast collapsed in the snow, defeated. Its body melting as it seeped back into the earth.

Anamaraki was badly burned; his eyes were half-lidded as he screamed in terror. He clutched his face. His men were running away from the village as the villagers started to throw things at them. They had brought on this misery! The man who was once captain of the snow village was being lifted by one of his men. A woman came screaming at them brandishing a nicely turned hay fork. She charged at the two men as they ran in the opposite direction.

"It looks like someone just became unemployed," Shikamaru said.

It was over. Anamaraki was defeated. She had won. Now they were safe. Sasuke would be alright now. Onari fell into the snow unconscious.

"Onari," Rock Lee said. He ran to her quickly, turning her over. The girl's face showed two bear claw marks going down the side of her face. _She has been bleeding the whole time. _His eyes looked over her. Half of her clothes were soaked in her own blood. _She kept fighting just to save us; to protect us._ Lee lifted the girl into his arms. He ran down the snow covered road yelling for a medic. A man held up his hand to him.

"I'm a medic. We need to get her and everyone that is injured inside," the man ordered.

Lee carried Onari's limp body inside. Neji carried Sasuke and Shikamaru carried Kiba with Mabae limping behind. They were all badly injured. _It looks like we won't be back when scheduled. _Rock Lee looked around at everyone who was getting administered, _but at least, we're all alive. _

_(Scene Change)_

After some time of waiting outside, Lee and Neji got the news on everyone. Shikamaru was going to be alright, but he had to keep it low on the physical activity. Sasuke was to remain in bed for a few days to let his wound heal. It had been a miracle that he had not sustained a crack in his skull. Kiba and Mabae both suffered from slash marks and sore muscles. They had to remain in bed, also. Onari was a different story.

Lee frowned when he got the news. Anamaraki had left his mark on the girl despite their best efforts. The scars on her face would never heal. They were too deep. Onari had required a blood transfusion to make up for what had been lost. She had continued to fight for them, even when she was badly injured. He wondered if Onari was still going with them back to the Hidden Leaf Village. _Sasuke might change his mind when he takes a look at the girl._

Onari wasn't hideous, per say, her face was still the same except for two claw marks that went from her nose and down her cheek. It wasn't something that wasn't noticeable. Her eyes caused her to be turned away because she was different. Now because of them, she had a harsh battle wound. Rock Lee could only hope that Sasuke would see pass the girl's physical alteration and still accept her. He wouldn't know that until they woke.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"So, that's it, is it? She's scarred for life," Sasuke said as he sat up in bed. It had been two days since their fight with Anamaraki and his men. He looked down at the bandages covering his wound. His mind was deep in thought.

Neji nodded at him, his eyes focused on the floor, his hands together as he sat beside Sasuke's bed. Kiba was one bed over. He, too, was unable to sit up. "The wound on her face is a permanent reminder of our battle. The question I have is do we still take her back with us? Onari is untrained and she sticks out like a sore thumb," Neji said choosing his words carefully.

"She goes back with us," Kiba said watching the two. "I'm not leaving the sprout here to be tormented by the people in this village any longer. It's not fair for her considering what she did for us."

"I agree. It isn't fair," Neji said. "Whose decision is it? Where do we put Onari? Remember Naruto was different. Everyone treated him horribly. It will be no different for her there than it is here."

"Wrong," Shikamaru said as he walked in with his hands in his pockets. "Onari has us, unlike before. If Sasuke won't take her in, I will. I already stressed my viewpoint."

Sasuke looked up at all of them with a blank stare. "Who said I wasn't serious about taking her?" They all turned their heads towards him. "I told you guys I wanted her. I stand by what I said. The wound on her face doesn't bother me. It was because of me that you all were injured. I started it."

"Are you serious about taking her in? Onari isn't some _thing_, she's a person," Shikamaru said.

"I understand that she's a little girl who needs a home. The least I can do is take her in after she saved all of us," Sasuke said. "She may be a good addition to our family."

They all looked worried.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "What is it…"

"No offense, Sasuke, but she isn't going to be like one of your students. You won't be able to get rid of her at the end of the day," Kiba said. He threw his hands up in an apology when Sasuke glared at him.

"Onari is also a girl," Neji said.

"I can handle a girl," Sasuke said defensively.

"She isn't a normal girl. She can't speak much of our language and gets easily frustrated with it. Onari doesn't understand people, or their intentions. She also doesn't know how to behave in particular settings," Shikamaru stated. "She's even frightened by strangers and is afraid of rejection."

"You sound like you have some experience with her," Kiba said.

"While both of you have been bed ridden, me and Lee have been taking her out. It was important for her to get used to us; to trust us. Sasuke, if you mean what you stated, then you're going to have to have the patience of a monk with this girl."

"I understand. I have a kid who doesn't know anything about the world around her and I have to teach her. Got it," Sasuke said.

Shikamaru put his hand behind his head, sighing. _Does he really understand?_

"Hey, guys! I have a visitor for you," Lee said. Onari peaked out from behind him, watching. Her hands clutched to his clothes for protection.

"Hey, sprout," Kiba said a little too loudly. Onari shrunk back quickly, withdrawing from their view. "Oops."

Sasuke grabbed one of his pillows. "Kiba, you can't sit up at all, correct?"

"No, why?"

Sasuke threw his pillow at Kiba. It hit his face. "Neji, I'll give you my next earnings if you get up and smother him. We'll just tell everybody he died."

"As tempting as that is, I think I'll pass. I don't want to give Onari a bad influence," Neji said.

"Why don't we give Onari and Sasuke some time alone," Lee said. Onari was afraid to be left alone at this point. He could see that by the look on her face, but it was important for her to bond with Sasuke right now.

Shikamaru closed the privacy curtain around Kiba and Sasuke, separating them. "Come on, he's not going to hurt you," he said as he pushed Onari near Sasuke's bed. Onari looked back at him pleading as he left.

Sasuke watched her with a sad gaze. Onari was afraid of him. She was afraid of everyone. "Onari," he said in the calm, soft voice he had first used with her. She turned around slowly, her hair covering her face.

"Now, how are you going to be able to see like that," he asked. Sasuke gestured for her to come closer. She was hesitant, but moved nearer. "I can't get out of bed, so you'll have to move more than that."

Onari wasn't sure. He wasn't yelling at her so far, which was good. Sasuke was watching her with kind eyes. What would he say about her face? She brought her hand up to touch it, wincing at what she felt.

Sasuke patted the bed, issuing for her to climb up. She climbed onto the bed, but stayed at his feet. He signaled for her to get closer. She moved a foot. _Alright, she's afraid. I have to have patience._ Sasuke gestured a few more times to the girl before she was next to him on the bed.

Onari tensed as she saw him lift his hand towards her. She shut her eyes tightly as she felt him move the hair off of her face.

Sasuke tucked her hair behind her ears. "There. Now I can see your pretty face and you won't hurt yourself." He watched as she opened her eyes to look at him. "There are those beautiful eyes of yours I haven't seen in a while."

Onari had pretty eyes? Sasuke wasn't rejecting her because of her scars, either. Something inside of her tightened. Her eyes began to well up. The girl lowered her head ashamed of crying in front of someone else.

Sasuke held her face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away her tears. "Thank you," he said to her. Onari looked up at him baffled. "Thank you, for saving all of us, Onari," he said as he bent towards her, kissing her forehead.

Onari wasn't sure what she was feeling. A glowing sensation was coming from her chest, melting the ice that was around it. This man had shown more care and concern than anyone ever had towards her. She leapt at him, clinging to his form, her face buried in his chest.

Sasuke wrapped both of his arms around her protectively. He petted the back of her head as she cried. Years of loneliness and torment were erupting from the girl. She needed him more than anything in the world.

He looked down at her wiping away her sadness again. "Hi," he said. Onari looked at him, tilting her head. "Hi," he said again.

"H….hi," she said back.

Sasuke pointed to himself.

"Sasuke," she said not understanding what he was doing.

"That's right. You're a very smart girl, Onari. How would you like to stay with me when we get back to the Hidden Leaf Village?"

Onari tilted her head. "Onari stay….Sasuke?"

He nodded at her. "Onari will have a home with Sasuke. Understand?"

Home? It clicked inside of her head. People were walking with their children back to homes. Homes were where they stayed together. Onari looked at him surprised. "Sasuke want… Onari..?"

"Hmmm? Of course," he said.

Onari stayed glued to Sasuke for the remainder of the day. She stayed in her place on the bed when the nurse came in, and even shielded her eyes when his bandages had to get changed. She was a funny kid. Sasuke leaned back as the sun started to set outside. He stroked the girl's hair. She had fallen asleep on his leg.

Kiba mumbled behind his privacy curtain. He was getting hot and the curtain was still closed. He wondered what was going on over there that was so secret. _This sucks._

(Scene Change)

"Kiba, you're heavy. Lay off the ramen," Sasuke said as they walked back to the inn. Villagers littered the road putting final decorations into view. Onari lifted her head curiously. Sasuke watched her trying to figure out what was going on around her. "Onari, you don't know what Christmas is?"

Onari looked back at him shaking her head. She had seen the decorations before, but as for their purpose? She had no idea. A man bumped into her carrying gifts. Onari tensed, gasping, waiting for the man to snap at her.

The man passed on by not saying an apology, or a word towards her. She felt a hand on her head, rubbing. Onari turned around to see that it was Kiba. He was smiling at her a little.

"Don't worry about that guy, Sprout. He could have walked into an elephant and never noticed," Kiba said.

"Ele-phant," she repeated, not knowing what word that was.

"We have to find you a tutor when we get back," Kiba said.

The village was slick with ice patches and freshly dropped snow. Onari was breathing into the air trying to catch her breath. Mabae was running around her throwing bits of snow into the air with his paws. Onari turned around when she heard a thud and yelp of pain.

She ran over to Kiba and Sasuke who had fallen in the snow. Kiba was grimacing. "Kiba? Kiba hurt rear," Onari said looking at it. "Sasuke rear okay."

"Onari, quit poking it with a stick," Kiba complained. "It's still sore from when I fell onto that fruit store."

"Onari," Sasuke said eying her. She stopped and cocked her head at him. "Why are you examining my rear like that?" Onari laughed.

Kiba laughed at the girl laughing. "Maybe it's because you have a nice one. You already have a fan club back home."

Sasuke glared at him. "Laugh it up." He threw a snowball at him, smirking.

"Hey, that wasn't very nice at all, was it, Sprout?" Kiba retaliated by throwing one back. Onari blinked. The two were throwing snowballs at each other like crazy. She and Mabae watched as Sasuke spit snow out of his mouth. Kiba's face was red from where he had been pummeled.

"Well, now I know what was taking you all so long," Neji said. "The children are having a snow fight."

Kiba gritted his teeth. "So we're immature, is it?" He smacked a snowball right at Neji's forehead.

Neji stared back at him, wiping the snow off. His face was cold and motionless. "You **will **regret that."

"Bring it, sissy pants," Kiba challenged.

Sasuke got a horrified look on his face as Neji came straight at Kiba. He dove out of the way as Neji threw snowball after snowball at Kiba in return. Kiba grabbed Neji around the waist to bring him down. They started rolling hard and fighting to get each other.

Onari started to laugh, rather hard. Her giggling sounded much like a bunch of bubbles popping into the air. Kiba was covered in snow, as well as, Neji. Kiba was soon on top of his friend trying to pin him down. He was attempting to smother snow into Neji's long hair. Mabae came into play when Neji squirmed and kicked Kiba off.

Kiba came back stronger once Neji was distracted, throwing several snowballs at Neji's back. Neji bounced a huge snowball in his hand, staring at Kiba. He narrowed his eyes and threw at the back of Kiba's head. Kiba saw it coming but was unable to avoid it. He went down. "That will teach you to start immature name calling," Neji said triumphantly.

"What happened to you," Lee asked as Kiba was placed against the wall of their room. "You look like someone beat you up and mugged you."

Kiba scowled.

"It was Santa Clause. He said Kiba's been bad this year," Neji said. He sat down, calming himself.

"Santa, huh," Shikamaru said putting out his cigarette.

Onari tugged on Sasuke's arm. She pointed at Neji. "Santa get Onari?"

Sasuke petted her head. "No, he only goes after Kiba because he asks for it."

Rock Lee and Shikamaru both looked at Neji. "So, Santa, which knuckle do I get for Christmas," Shikamaru asked. Neji tried to ignore the teasing.

Shikamaru got up, gesturing to Sasuke. "Hey, me and Lee have an idea about Christmas for Onari," he said lowly. He made sure the girl couldn't hear what they were discussing. Who knew what words she did understand? "We've been planning to decorate the other room and get a tree. Tomorrow we are planning to go out for supplies and gifts. Is that alright with you?"

Sasuke watched Onari poke Kiba. "Yeah, that's a good idea. I don't think she's had a Christmas before."

"Are you serious? A cute kid like her being mistreated was enough to set me off," Shikamaru said. He was normally a calm, laid-back person. "Hey, Sasuke, I wasn't trying to take her away from you back there."

"I know. You just wanted what is best for her; like I do," Sasuke said. "Onari, as much as Kiba acts like a dog, he isn't one. Don't pull on him. He's injured." Sasuke sweat dropped as she pointed at Neji. "No… it's not because of 'Santa'."

(Scene Change)

"Onari, say 'good night' to Neji," Sasuke said as he fixed the bed for her.

Onari looked at Neji shyly. She wasn't close to him like Sasuke, or Shikamaru. They had spent the most time with her. To her, Neji was as serious as stone could be. He was tall, handsome, and strong. She found that out earlier when he had went after Kiba. Her eyes met his and she shrank back.

"Onari, I won't hurt you," Neji said as he wrote out his report to turn in. "I promise," Neji confided as he placed his hands together in a prayer.

Sasuke watched her eying Neji. She was wary, he could see that much. "Onari, sometimes you have to face your fears whether you know the outcome, or not. You have to be strong here," he told her as he placed his hand over his heart.

Onari bit her lip as she started to walk over to Neji. She hesitated. Neji was watching intently. It made her nervous. She lowered her gaze. Before she knew it, she was shaking hands with him.

Neji touched her chin, making her look at him. "It's important to look at someone in the eyes, Onari. It's a secret way of telling if that person is sincere, or not." She was taking it all in. "What do you see in my eyes?"

Onari tilted her head this way and that, her eyes matching his. "Neji say… what… Neji say."

Neji quirked a brow at her.

"I think she means, 'you say what you intend'," Sasuke said.

"Ah, well, that's very true," Neji said.

Sasuke tucked Onari in. "We're not leaving the room, so no one is going to bother you, alright?"

Onari looked at him, actually keeping her eyes focused on his. "Sasuke and Neji not stop bad men..?" The expression on Sasuke's face told her the words were incorrect.

"Sasuke and Neji will stop the bad guys," Sasuke corrected.

"Onari," Neji said getting her attention. "Remember this afternoon? Remember how Kiba looked after I got him with those snowballs? If anyone sets a foot in here to harm you, they'll get the same treatment; except with rocks."

_That might have been too graphical._ Sasuke looked back down. Onari's eyes were closed. _She seems satisfied with that explanation, though._

"Who's watching Onari tomorrow," Neji asked. He folded the report. "Someone has to watch her. It's a surprise, remember? Half of us are going out in the morning and the rest in the afternoon."

Sasuke wondered how the girl was going to react if he went out without her. "I haven't really thought about that."

"She has to get used to you being away. Our duties resume when we return. Maybe it would be a softer blow if you went in the morning with Lee and Shikamaru," Neji suggested.

"You want to be left alone with Kiba?"

"Not particularly, but he gets along with Onari and she likes him."

"Alright, I'll go before she gets up," Sasuke said. He had no idea what he was going to get her. Onari needed a lot, but they were a long way from home. Carrying everything back was going to be an interesting task.

(Scene Change)

"Where… Sasuke," Onari asked looking around the room. She felt lost without him now. Her gaze searched the room, checking everywhere he could possibly hide.

"Onari, he didn't leave you. He went out to run some errands. Sasuke will be back in a little while," Neji said.

Onari didn't understand. He was here last night. She looked away from Neji, her arms holding onto herself. She started chewing on her sleeves as she looked out the window.

Neji walked over to her, kneeling. He could tell she was trying to comfort herself. He leaned in, putting his arms around her. "I know you don't understand, Onari. Sasuke went with Lee and Shikamaru to get stuff for a surprise later." She looked at him, sniffling. Neji wiped the tears away. "He'll be back."

Any move Neji made in the room required Onari to be glued to him. She didn't want him out of her sight. He wasn't used to a kid being so attached to him, either. It annoyed him for her to be that dependent on him. At her age, he was already independent and asked no one for anything. Kiba couldn't have had a better timing when he came over. "I'm warning you, she's going to be attached to you."

Kiba smiled at Onari showing his teeth. "Neji's awfully stiff, isn't he?" He received a small smile in return. Kiba opened his arms and Onari went straight for him. "See? It's not so bad."

Neji sighed a bit of relief. "She likes you best because you're on her level. I'm going to take a shower." He left the two of them alone.

Mabae lay down, wagging his tail as he got comfortable. Kiba touched the girl's face. He could smell the tears off of her. "Hey, have you been crying?" Onari lowered her gaze. "Let's see how quick you are at copying me. We'll make it a game, okay?"

"Onari game?"

Kiba nodded. "I'll show you how Sasuke changed his appearance the other day. Whoever can copy the most people, gets a kiss, alright?" He was trying to put into play what Shikamaru had said about Onari's quick abilities. Alright, Sprout, watch," He closed his eyes, concentrating. Kiba kept his hands still as he focused. Onari watched as Kiba's physical appearance changed with a puff of smoke. He now sported long red hair, curvy hips…and breasts. Kiba chose to turn into a woman. Her eye twitched.

"So do I look better this way?"

"Kiba, no," Onari said shaking her head. It was one thing to change to another person, but to change gender all together, was disturbing. She moved back a little.

Kiba concentrated again, his eyes closed. He focused his chakra and at the right moment, there was another puff of smoke. He turned into the medic that had patched all of them up. "You can turn into anyone you see. Animals, also. Transformation jutsus take a lot of concentration. The user can only hold the illusion as long as he is focused. If he gets distracted, the illusion disappears."

"Watch," he said. He concentrated again. There was another puff of smoke. Kiba sat with his hands on his knees, face stern and serious. "I am Neji Hyuga. I have no sense of humor and the best feature about me is my long, dark hair."

Onari put her hands over her mouth. Kiba was in so much trouble. If Neji came out of the bathroom now, he would get beat up for sure. She thought it was funny. Kiba looked exactly like Neji, but retained his gruff voice. She gasped.

Neji walked out of the bathroom in a pair of shorts, drying his hair. He took one look at the dopple ganger and stopped. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Showing Onari the transformation jutsu," Kiba said keeping his serious pose.

"That's not what I meant. Why are you **me**," Neji said, his brow twitching.

"Kiba got pretty hair," Onari said from behind her sleeves. Neji didn't appear to be happy. He started to twist the towel in his hands.

"So that's the reason. I'm tired of you making fun of me!" Neji came at Kiba popping him with the towel. Kiba yelped as he was struck in the back and rear. He was determined to get away, but Neji was faster. Once Kiba lay motionless on the floor, groaning, Neji stopped. He was satisfied. "You're a bad influence."

Onari tilted her head at the mark on his forehead. She wondered what the mark meant. She crawled over to Neji pointing at it. "Neji?" Neji turned his face away from her to put his headband back on. Was it a bad mark? He walked away from her suddenly becoming busy with something. Onari didn't understand. What did the mark mean?

Kiba rubbed his back and rear where Neji had struck him with the towel. He gritted his teeth. "Man, Neji has no sense of humor." Kiba looked at Onari. She was withdrawing again. "Hey, sprout, what's wrong?"

Onari didn't understand. She was chewing on her sleeves again, hiding her face behind them. Was Neji mad at her for something? She didn't know.

"Hey, Neji didn't mean to shun you away. The mark on his forehead is the mark of his clan. It shows his loyalty for the Hyuga blood line. He's kind of sensitive about it," he told her.

Onari couldn't help it. These people were new to her. She had only been with them a few days. Neji kind of scared her because he was so serious and reserved. The others weren't that bad.

There was a tap at the door, then Shikamaru came in. "Alright, it's your turn to go." He looked instantly at Onari. "Hey, beautiful, why are you so quiet?"

"She's scared of Neji," Kiba said.

"Don't fell bad," Shikamaru said crouching in front of her. "Deep down, we're all scared of Neji." He moved his hand towards her, moving her hair out of her face. "Hey, don't I get a hug or anything?" Onari leapt at him. Shikamaru petted her head. "You're about as sweet as they come, aren't you?"

"Alright, well, I guess we're off then," Kiba said as Neji stood by the door, waiting. "See you later, sprout."

"Hey, can I go ahead and give Onari my gift," Lee said coming in.

"I guess you can, although, most wait until tomorrow," Shikamaru said.

Rock Lee sat down and showed Onari a pretty box with all sorts of designs on it. There was a bright gold bow on top. "Look what I have! It's a Christmas present!" She was watching him from behind Shikamaru's arm. He shook it a little, letting her listen. "I wonder what it could be!"

Shikamaru said rather blandly, "Would you just give it to her?"

"Oh, sorry." Lee held it out for her, but Onari didn't seem to know what to do with it. "You open it. It's yours."

Onari looked up at Shikamaru.

"You can open it. He got it just for you," he told her. She cautiously took the box, but just sat there with it. "Onari, open it," Shikamaru said. They watched as she carefully tore the wrapping then lifted the top off. She tilted her head.

"I hope they're the right size. I was guessing, " Lee said apologetically. He watched as she took the shoes out of the box. "They're a lot better than walking around in the snow barefoot."

Shikamaru helped her put them on. "There. Now you look like a proper ninja. Can you say 'thank you' to Lee?"

"Hmm?" Rock Lee watched as she shyly crawled over to him. Onari hugged him softly. Lee blushed in return. "Eh heh. It's no big deal. You needed them anyway."

"So what's going on in here," Sasuke asked.

"Sasuke," came a happy little girl's voice. She came running at him pointing to her shoes. "Onari feet!"

He kneeled down, petting her head. "I see you got an early Christmas present. Would you like to see what we've done to the other room?" Sasuke watched as she tilted her head. "Come on."

Onari went into the other room and saw a tree there. She pointed at it. "What for?"

"Well, you put ornaments and lights on it at Christmas. You get to add your favorite things to the tree. When the lights are turned on, the tree shows all of your favorite things," Sasuke told her.

"Hey, what ornaments did you get, " Lee asked. He started to go through the boxes. "These are pretty neat. I like the wooden ones the most." He picked up one shaped like a dog.

"Kiba," Onari said.

"Yeah, that does resemble him, doesn't it," Shikamaru said.

Onari looked inside the box. She found an ornament that was a red bird. She held it high for Lee to see. "Oh, you like that one? Shikamaru picked it out. It looks like Akaihi, right?" Onari nodded.

"So…what do you think Izumi will say," Shikamaru asked as he lit a cigarette. He blew out a puff of smoke. Now he could relax.

"I don't know exactly. I might have to ask a favor. Could you introduce Onari to Saori and Temari first? I really don't know how Izumi will react when I come home with a kid," Sasuke said.

"How do you think Takeru will act? Him and Onari are close in age. I wonder if he'll be friends with her, or resent her," Shikamaru said as he watched the girl taking out ornaments. He was hoping Onari could be friends with Saori as well.

"I'm hoping he'll help Onari adjust. He needs another outlet besides goofing off in class," Sasuke said.

"I wonder why he feels the need to show off. He doesn't have to prove himself to anybody. Perhaps there's another reason," Shikamaru said.

Sasuke wondered why his son was a show-off. Takeru acted just like Naruto when he was younger. Well, not entirely, but it was similar. Everyone knew who Takeru was because his father was Sasuke. The Uchiha name still held power, but there were only three members. Did his son feel lost because the clan was small and few? Or was there another reason all together, like Shikamaru thought?

"I don't have a problem taking her home with me if it'll buy you some time," Shikamaru said. "You really think Izumi will turn her out?"

"No, not really, but I haven't had an opportunity to talk to her about everything. Izumi isn't the kind of person to do something like that. I just need to make her aware of Onari," Sasuke said.

Lee put a Santa hat on Onari. "Hah. You look like Santa." Lee blinked. Onari's face was emotionless. "I meant Santa Clause, not Neji."

Onari pointed at him. "Lee Santa." Rock Lee smiled at her as he put on a hat, too.

"Sorry, Onari, but we've got to clean the wound on your face now," Shikamaru said. He watched as she hid behind Lee clinging to him. She knew what was coming alright. "Who do you want to do it?" He watched as she tilted her head at him. Yeah, her vocabulary is limited. Shikamaru pointed to the bottle on the table, then to himself, Sasuke and Lee. He pointed again at the bottle then to his face. "Which one? It has to be done, beautiful."

Onari shut her eyes. The stuff in the bottle stung her face. If it was supposed to help, why did it hurt? She had to pick somebody to do it. Shikamaru wasn't going to let her get away, either. Sasuke told her to be strong when she was afraid. Onari plopped onto her back. She raised her hand and pointed at Lee. She was already near him anyways.

"Alright, Lee gets the job. Are we going to have to hold you down like last time," Shikamaru asked. Sasuke looked at him oddly. "She's a fighter. It took three of us to keep her still at the clinic."

"Yeah, she may not look it, but she's rather spunky," Lee said as he retrieved the bottle. He signaled with his finger for her to sit up. Onari grumbled and sulked. She flinched as he put the antiseptic on her wound. "See, that wasn't so bad." He replaced the bottle.

"Lee?" Onari pointed to her forehead.

"Does your head hurt," he asked. She shook her head, making a gesture with her finger. "I don't understand." Onari held her finger up to her forehead making an X. "You want to know about the mark on Neji's forehead?" She nodded. "Well, it's a mark that was placed on him when he was a kid. In clans there is a main house that consists of those in power versus the lower branches that have to do what they say. Neji is in a lower branch and at one point, he had to do whatever the ones in charge said. If Neji chose to disobey them, the mark on his forehead was a way to control him. If he still defied their authority, or acted in any way on his own accord, the clan had the power to kill him," Lee said.

"Do you honestly think she understands what you're saying, Lee," Sasuke asked.

"She appears to understand some of it," Shikamaru said. "Look at her face." Onari's face was horrified. Then her eyes and expression changed to sadness. She looked down.

"Neji bad mark," Onari said softly.

"His clan can't harm him anymore. That was changed when Naruto became Hokage," Sasuke said," Just like he promised. It's wrong to control someone else like that. Everyone should be accountable for their own actions. Everyone should be able to think for themselves."

"Onari bad mark," she said softly.

Sasuke picked up on her instantly. "Onari, what bad mark?" She withdrew, slinking back into a corner. He came towards her, crouching. "Onari? Hey, what mark?" She started chewing on her sleeves.

Shikamaru got worried. There was so much they didn't know about this girl. Her features were Asian, but she knew very little Japanese. Onari spoke a broken dialect of their language and had an accent. They had no idea where she came from, or if she had family elsewhere. "There has to be a reason why she is so curious about Neji all of a sudden. The look on her face is that of worry."

"Why worry about Neji's clan mark? No one from our village has ever been here before," Sasuke said. "She couldn't have seen it before." He reached forward, stopping Onari from chewing on her sleeves. It was a nervous habit of hers. "Onari, what bad mark do you have?" She lowered her gaze.

"I have an idea," Lee said. He lifted Sasuke's sleeve, showing the girl the cursed mark. "Onari, see? It's not the same as Neji's. There are good and bad marks. They're not all the same; each one means something different." She was watching him now, pondering over what he said.

"Maybe you should explain to her about yours," Shikamaru told Sasuke. "It might put her more at ease. We also might learn what she's referring to."

Sasuke sighed. The heaven mark placed on him by Orochimaru years ago, was still a sore subject. The only ones that knew of it were his friends and his family. He didn't like discussing it. "Onari, look." He took his green vest completely off. Onari was watching him, not understanding. He bent towards her, moving his shirt aside so she could see it. "I have a mark like Neji. It is a bad mark. It's not something I like others to know about. Do you understand?"

Onari nodded slowly. Two people had some sort of mark placed on them by someone else. They had confided in her what the marks meant. Her marks were everywhere. If they had similar ones, then maybe they would know what hers were. "Sasuke," she said softly, lifting her sleeves up for him to see her arms.

Sasuke's eyes softened as he tried to understand what he was seeing. All over Onari's arms were strange tattoos. They depicted pictures of birds and some form of strange writing. He reached over and took one of her arms so he could get a closer look. "What in the-," Shikamaru had never seen anything like this before. They were tattoos with some sort of special writing mixed in. "Who did that to her?"

"Onari, is that the only place the marks are," Sasuke asked. She shook her head. She pointed to her sides and back. "Can you show me, please?" Onari cautiously lifted the back of her shirt. Sasuke moved her hair out of the way. "They're all over her. I don't know what kind of writing this is."

"She's tattooed on both her arms and sides; even her back is covered. Onari, who did that to you," Lee asked the girl. The child shook her head. She couldn't remember.

"It must have happened when she was too young to remember. It's defiantly foreign. It isn't Japanese, or Chinese writing. I don't even recognize that as Korean. Look at the pictures on her back. All of the pictures on her back depict some form of nature. Birds," Shikamaru said as he pointed them out. "Is this what allows her to control the phoenix that aided us?"

"I wonder if Neji would know," Lee said. "He's familiar with stuff like that."

"So am I and I can't tell you heads or tails what it is," Shikamaru said.

Sasuke lowered the girl's shirt. "That explains why she only wears long-sleeved shirts. You're full of surprises, aren't you?" Onari tilted her head. "We don't know what the marks mean, Onari. Neji might know." The second he said 'Neji' Onari started to shake her head quickly. "Alright, why don't you want Neji to see? He could probably tell us what all of those symbols mean."

"She's scared of Neji like we all are," Shikamaru said.

"Who said I was scared of Neji," Sasuke said in his low, threatening voice.

"Guys, you're missing the point," Lee started. "If Onari doesn't want Neji to see, then we should respect her. She let us see it and now we know. We can try to find out what it all means on our own."

"I guess you're right," Sasuke said. He looked at Onari smiling. Onari blinked. He grabbed her and held her against him, rubbing her head. "We'll figure it out."

"Yeah, it just makes you more special," Shikamaru said.

"I wonder what's taking Kiba and Neji so long," Lee said as he started putting ornaments on the tree.

"Who knows. They're probably fighting, as usual," Shikamaru said.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**It takes a whole village to raise a child**

The group looked around at their neighboring surroundings as they walked along the dirt road. The snow on the dirt road wasn't as thick as it previously was. Two days of travel had finally taken them closer to the sound village, but the traveling was rough due to the wind and terrain.

The entire group had red cheeks and noses. Each one of them was showing signs of a cold. It was obvious that Onari was not accustomed to wearing shoes, or leaving the village she had been found in. The weather was a huge factor for the girl. Each one of the guys had to trade her off on the first day of travel until the conditions faired.

Onari kept her hand tightened on Sasuke's sleeve; afraid she would fall, or they would get too far ahead. The huge coat Kiba had placed on her shielded her view. She lifted the furry hood to look at the road. Were they making any progress? "Snow more," Onari said disappointed.

"Yeah, it keeps going and going. I don't think we have this much snow back home," Rock Lee said.

"It's winter. There's supposed to be snow," Neji said matter-of-factly.

Shikamaru shook his pack of cigarettes as he held out his hand. Shaking it harder proved his suspicions. "I'm clean out. We've got to find shelter."

Onari tilted her head. "Onari see?" She pointed up.

Sasuke glanced at her. "That's not possible. Even if I put you on my shoulders, you wouldn't be able to see pass the trees."

Onari tilted her head the other way. "No, Sasuke, Onari see," she said pointing to her eyes then up. The look on his face was telling her he thought she didn't understand what he meant. Onari crossed her arms, pouting.

"The language barrier is going to be a problem," Neji said watching Onari's frustrations.

"Onari know Sasuke say," she said softly and frustrated. "Not up..," she struggled with the words, "tree," she said not able to figure out the word for 'shoulders'. She turned around kicking the snow.

"It's defiantly going to be a challenge teaching her Japanese," Neji said.

Onari turned around glaring at him. "Neji no listen," she said bitterly. She knew what she was trying to say.

"Onari," Sasuke said in a stern, authoritative voice. She tensed and matched her gaze with his. "You **will not** talk to him like that. Neji deserves your respect as much as you deserve his. Do you understand?"

"If I cannot comprehend the broken language which you speak, then it is up to you to make yourself clear. Get your thoughts together, or show actions," Neji said seriously. He had two boys of his own. Tolerating defiance or rudeness was not on his list of acceptance. "Well?"

Onari started to stare pass the men that were watching her. In order to make her special technique work, she had to mellow out and remain unfocused. Most skills required concentrations, but hers was related to an out-of-body experience. Onari's pupils became dilated. The black circle around her iris faded out as her vision intensified. "Torimeshikai!"

Onari's sight soared above the snow and trees- her vision shooting into the air. She could see in a circumference around the point of origin where her physical form was. The drawback with her technique was she couldn't alter her position. It didn't allow Onari total physical freedom like a bird in the air – it only gave her vision range.

"Guys, her eyes changed," Lee said. "The lines in her eyes just disappeared completely." They were all staring at her.

"I've never seen a jutsu like that," Shikamaru said. He walked forward slowly, waving his hand in the girl's face. No response. "Whatever jutsu this is makes her vulnerable while she's using it. Much like Ino's mind transfer jutsu. Her physical form can still be attacked. Onari. Hey? Sasuke how long does this last?"

"I've never seen her use it. I never knew she had a technique of her own." Sasuke watched as Shikamaru crouched in front of the girl. Shaking her lightly didn't arouse her from the trance she was in.

Suddenly, Onari's eye re-focused and the black line in her iris returned. To her, coming back after using her jutsu was very much like waking from a dream. She had to refresh herself with where she was and what was around her.

Shikamaru watched as Onari focused on him. Just as expected, she flung herself backwards – she wasn't expecting him to be there. "Just as I thought, you're vulnerable while using it. That would also explain how you avoided Anamaraki and his men. I bet you could see their positions without ever having to give off yours. Am I right?"

It took her a few moments to decipher what Shikamaru was asking her. She nodded. "Onari rarely caught." How'd he figure her out that quickly? Onari tapped her head like Shikamaru.

"That's right. I analyzed your jutsu by watching you. If I can do it, so can your opponent," he told her.

"I wonder how far her range is," Neji said. "How much distance can you cover?" Onari wasn't understanding. Neji took a stick and drew a large circle in the snow. He then placed a pebble in Onari's hand. "Show me where you are in that circle."

Onari got up. She shyly looked at everyone that was watching her. She placed the pebble in the dead center of Neji's circle. "Onari see to.. no see." Moving her hand, she gestured to half-way from the pebble to the border of the circle. "No see, but see," she said pointing to the border of the circle.

"Whoa, the kid can see everything within a large distance like a hawk," Kiba said.

"That's a useful jutsu to have. Especially if avoiding opponents, or planning strategy moves," Shikamaru said. "Heh. You're a long range **and** close combat type. Interesting."

"What else can you do," Lee asked. He watched as Onari tilted her head. "You must have had some type of training to be able to do all that we've seen."

Onari shook her head. She doesn't remember anyone teaching her. "Onari do what Onari do. Like…," she paused, thinking," Neji do…Shikamaru do.."

"Yes, but we've all had training," Lee said. "Are you sure no one has taught you?"

"Lee, if someone has trained her, Onari would have been too young to remember," Sasuke said lowly. "And the fact remains that her Japanese is not advanced enough to tell us otherwise."

To lighten the mood, Kiba interrupted. "So, Sprout, did you see somewhere we can go?"

Onari pointed to her right. "Onari see tops." She kept her hand pointing.

"Tops? You mean 'roofs'? Like..buildings," Kiba asked. Onari tilted her head. "A village?"

Onari pointed at Kiba as she jumped in the snow, excited. That word she understood. "Village!"

"It isn't wise for us to stray from the road. Who knows what wildlife is in there. Also, if we got lost, it'd be a while before we could get our bearings. There's too much snow," Neji said.

"You're forgetting we have Mabae," Kiba pointed out. "He can detect anyone or anything before it comes near us. Besides, if we get lost, Onari could use her jutsu again. Right, sprout?"

Onari only looked at Kiba. She wasn't used to using her technique several times in a row. The most she had used it in a single day was twice. It had left her feeling out of sorts. There were drawbacks. "Onari try," she said sheepishly not wanting to disappoint them.

Kiba got a worried look on his face. "You haven't used it much, huh? I didn't think so. Well, me and Mabae will find the village and keep us on track. We'll only use you if we get lost. Is that alright?" Onari nodded.

"Alright, now that everything is settled, let's go. It's only a few hours until nightfall and I need a cigarette," Shikamaru said.

"You smoke too much," Kiba said.

"It's the stress of working with you guys," Shikamaru said back.

"Pst, Onari," Lee crouched down pointing to his back. "Rock Lee transport is open and awaiting passengers." The girl jumped onto his back eagerly. He was glad she was finally adjusting to him. Onari had been rather apprehensive towards him and Neji at the beginning. Now she was challenging Neji –much to everyone's surprise.

The group of seven walked in the snow-covered forest for a few hours. The only sounds were crumbling snow falling from the branches overhead. Mabae wagged his tail as he sniffed the various smells in the air. So far, the group was on the right track. They only had to re-check their location once. Lee noticed that using Onari's jutsu left her dizzy. He had suggested until she was properly trained, that they would not ask her to use it.

"When we get back, you're going to have others your age around. You can make friend and, hopefully, adjust better," Shikamaru said.

"Others," Onari asked. What others? Did he mean people in a village, or what?

"Kids your age, Onari," Sasuke said. "There are a lot of kids in training to be a ninja. They all go to the Academy at first, and then if they study hard and pass, they come to us to be trained further to protect the Hidden Leaf Village and its people."

"That's another factor. Onari is too old to take the entrance exams. Kurenai won't accept her on those grounds. We're going to have to teach her ourselves," Neji said. "She has skill and talent. It'd be a shame to let them go to waste."

"I can teach her after training my students, but not every night. We're still responsible for missions and reports," Shikamaru said. "I could ask Temari to teach her during the day if it's not too much trouble."

"Temari is Shikamaru's wife," Lee told the confused girl. "My wife is Sukara. She could also help you with reading and writing. Sakura is very patient in that field."

"Sakura wouldn't make an excellent teacher. That woman doesn't have the patience of a saint," Shikamaru said.

"Oh, that reminds me. You're getting two more family members. Sasuke has a wife named Izumi and a son named Takeru that is close to your age," Lee told her.

"I-zu-mi? Ta-ke-ru? What a Ta-ke-ru ?" Onari didn't understand.

"Takeru is a name, Onari. Takeru is mine and Izumi's son. He's a boy," Sasuke said trying to put it in simpler terms.

"Boy like… Sasuke," she asked kind of bewildered. There was a boy his age in the house? Onari's eye twitched. What kind of place was she going to? Was it one of those bad places where old men preyed on children?

Lee started laughing when he caught on to Onari's reaction. "You're a weird kid. Takeru isn't a boy like us. He's not even our age. He's your age. We haven't been boys in a long time, either. We're adults."

"At least some of us reached that maturity," Neji said taunting.

"Neji, you take that back," Lee said bitterly.

"Isn't stooping to his level making you just as immature," Shikamaru said as he glanced at Neji out of the corner of his eye. He felt a ball of snow hit his shoulder. "It's too troublesome to counterattack. My feet are killing me."

"Neji get Shikamaru like Kiba," Onari said as she pinpointed why Shikamaru chose to back down.

"More than likely," Sasuke said.

(Scene Change)

Neji walked back to the group. He thanked the woman at the front as he passed her. "The rooms are not very big. She said they only allowed two to a room. Large futons were extra. However, they do have a bath upstairs. Is that alright?"

"Under short notice, it'll have to work. The question is, who roommates with who? We could draw straws or something," Shikamaru suggested.

"I don't care who I roommate with. As long as it's not Neji," Kiba said.

"The feelings mutual," Neji said lowly.

"Why don't we let fate decide? No one can argue about who they get then," Sasuke said. If Neji and Kiba were bunked together, it would only prove that they needed to reconcile their differences. "I don't think straws will work in this case. We'll use numbers and names." He borrowed some paper from the woman at the front. Then he proceeded to write numbers 1 – 7 and their names on seven pieces of paper.

"Alright, this is how we'll settle things. There are seven pieces of paper in this box. Each number represents a person, but to be fair, we'll pick our own numbers. As we draw a number, it will signal if we roommate with that particular person. Is everyone with me so far? There is a catch. The numbers must match with the person that draws and the person's name. So for example, if Shikamaru draws a 3 and the 3 is Neji, but Neji draws a 6 and it's me, they both have to redraw."

"Oh, I get it! It's like playing Matching," Lee said. "That's pretty fair, Sasuke."

"I know. That's why I suggested it," he said.

"I want the number one," Kiba said.

"Four for me," Shikamaru said.

"I'll take five," Neji said.

"I'll be two," Sasuke said, "And Onari can be three."

"Put Mabae as six and Lee as seven," Kiba said.

Sasuke shook the box a few times. "Let's get Onari to go first." Onari reached into the box. She pulled out a folded piece of paper. It had the number 3 printed on it. "Okay, put it back. You can't pick yourself. Try again." Onari moved her hand around then pulled out another piece of paper. 4. She got Shikamaru. "Next."

Lee stuck his hand into the box. He didn't care who he bunked with. He liked his friends. "I got the number one."

Shikamaru was next. He pulled out the piece of paper. "I got 2."

Neji reached into the box after Shikamaru. He did not want Kiba. He narrowed his eyes pulling out a 6. "I got the dog."

Lee laughed. "Since there's only two to a room, someone's going to get a room to themselves in the end. Onari and Mabae will have to stay with one of us."

"I forgot about that," Neji said.

Sasuke reached into the box. He pulled out a 7. "Lee."

"I'll pick for us," Kiba said. "I'm first, sorry buddy. I got a 5." The group got quiet. It was Neji's number. "So that leaves Mabae and Onari."

"Maybe, maybe not. They have to match remember? First matches get their roommate. No take backs," Sasuke said. _Or we'll be here all night_. "Who's first for the names?"

"I just want to get this over with," Shikamaru said as he reached into the box again. "I have Kiba. Redraw. Now I have to wait, right? Okay."

"Next," Sasuke said. "We're waiting on a match." Onari stuck her hand in. she showed the name on the paper. "Lee."

Lee went next. "I have Sasuke. So far, we're all redrawing, I think."

Kiba went next. "Mabae goes with Shikamaru."

Sasuke drew after him. "I have Onari. Don't get so excited, we're not finished," he told her.

Kiba drew again, for himself. "I have…," he swallowed. "Neji."

"This is starting to get interesting, "Shikamaru laughed. "Which means Neji is still stuck with Mabae."

"Alright, the moment of truth. You can keep your number, or exchange it, but they still have to match," Sasuke said.

"Well, I got you the second time and you got me the first time," Lee said. "So do we redraw?"

"That's up to you. You have the choice. I'm not bothered by it," Sasuke said.

"Alright. Sasuke and I share a room. So now we're out of the game," Lee said.

"Everyone else redraws," Shikamaru said. "I have the number 4. Which is me."

"You get a room by yourself. Lucky bastard," Kiba said. He wasn't jealous of Shikamaru. He just didn't want Neji.

Onari carefully reached into the box. She would rather stay with Kiba at this point. Neji scared her because of his authoratative nature. She withdrew a 5. Neji.

"Oh, no, you don't! I'm not taking any chances," Kiba said. He fished around in the box and exchanged the paper in his hand several times. "6! Hah!"

"You're so fickle," Neji said as he reached into the box. 3. I got the kid."

"Sorry, Onari, no take backs. You room with Neji tonight. Kind of odd how it turned out, but it's better for Kiba to have Mabae." Sasuke put his hand on her head. "Neji's a little stern, but he's a good guy. He'd do anything to protect you, Onari, so don't be afraid of him. He's a parent, too; he has two boys of his own and that's why you probably feel threatened by him. Give him a chance. He's not a bad person."

"Hey, we're going to rest for a while, then probably head out for a bite to eat," Shikamaru said. "I've got to lay down."

"It seems we rented the whole floor. Not bad for the innkeeper considering winter months are the slowest periods of the year," Neji said with Onari trailing behind him. He put the key in, clicking the door open. Patiently, he waited for Onari to go in first. She kept her gaze lowered as she passed him.

Onari looked around the room. It was so small there was no room for a table. She tensed as Neji shut the door. Even though she was nervous, she tried to focus on what Sasuke had said.

Neji tried to make light of the situation by taking out the futon. They had spent two days in the cold wilderness. It was relaxing to have a bed in a warm environment. "We're going out later, but now it's time to rest. Its' been a long day." Onari stayed still. "You can take off the coat. We're inside."

Onari pulled her hood over her face. She was hiding. Under the jacket she wore the red shirt Neji had given her. The problem was that her arms were highly visible. If she took it off, he would see the marking with strange writing. She felt the hood being lifted. Her yellow eyes met Neji's white ones.

"Why are you afraid of me? Have I ever given you a reason," he asked. She shook her head. "Then why are you withdrawn? You're not like that with anyone else."

Onari forced herself to answer him. It wasn't fair to not like Neji. He had defended her when her life was in danger. "O-O-n-nari sc-scar-ed," she said stuttering.

"What are you afraid of? Me," he asked a little hurt.

She shook her head. "Not scared of Neji. Scared of Neji -," she pointed to her head. She wasn't able to figure out the correct word.

"You're scared of what I think? What is it that I'm not supposed to know about?" he watched as Onari took one of her arms out of the sleeve, then lifted her hand and part of her forearm out of the neck hole to the coat. Neji saw the tattoos on her arm. "You have tattoos?" Onari nodded. "What are they of?" He watched her confusion. "You don't have any idea."

Onari zipped open the coat letting it fall to the floor. She tilted her head at the man with long hair. He was studying both of her arms. "Pictures on Onari," she said gesturing to her back and sides. "Bad marks."

"So everyone knows about them, but me," Neji said disappointed.

"Kiba no see."

"Oh, well, that makes me feel a little better," Neji said with a smile. Onari giggled at him. "Ready to lay down? Good, because I'm exhausted."

(Scene Change)

Onari yawned hard. She rolled over onto her stomach. Her hand bumped into something. Opening her sleepy eyes revealed a sleeping form beside her. She yawned again. How long had they been sleeping? She hated to wake him, but it was time to get up.

Onari lazily climbed over his back and side. Neji was sleeping hard. Onari shook him lightly, but he was in a deep sleep. "Neji, Onari up," she said shaking more. "Neji Hyuga," she called as she fell over him landing on her back.

Neji stirred slightly. Onari placed her hand on his cheek. "Neji, Onari say up." She watched him open his eyes. By the looks of it, he had forgotten about her. She pointed to herself, "Onari."

"Hmm? Onari, I didn't forget about you," he said softly. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "What time is it," he said aloud, knowing Onari wouldn't understand. Neji sat up rubbing his temples. He thought of something as Onari grabbed their shoes. "Onari, the markings on your arms worry you. If we go out, people will see them. Perhaps, we should cover them up for the time being."

Onari looked at her arms ashamed. She withdrew slightly. The guys were alright with her, but they were in a village full of unknown people and possibilities.

"Onari, do not be ashamed of who you are. Just because other people may treat you differently, doesn't mean the ones who are close to you will. The only ones that matter in this world are your family and friends. They are the ones that love you unconditionally and accept you for every ounce of your being.

Your arms need to be covered until we find out what the markings mean. We don't want someone to discover you who might harm you, or unleash it. You're part of our strange family now. I, Lee, Sasuke, Kiba, and Shikamaru will protect you at all costs. You saved all of our lives, and at the very least, we are indebted to you." Neji wondered if she understood anything he said. Onari seemed to comprehend more than she let on. She nodded then held out her arms.

They all met downstairs. "So where are we going exactly," Shikamaru asked. "I'm not exactly picky by any means. Even ramen has to be better than what we've been dining off of as of late."

"Ramen is fine with me," Lee said rubbing his hands together.

"We need to eat healthy. Our bodies are stressed out and have been under a lot of abuse for the past week," Neji said.

Sasuke frowned. "I guess ramen is out of the question."

"What's wrong, Neji? Kiba steal your favorite doll and won't give it back," Lee said narrowing his eyes.

"Would you two knock it off? We're all tired and taking it out on each other is not going to solve anything," Sasuke said annoyed. "Wait. Where is Kiba?"

As if on cue, Kiba came down the stairs, panting. "Sorry, Mabae's upset because he can't go." Kiba flexed his hand. They were all on edge. "Let's just find somewhere to eat. I'm hungrier than a pack of wolves."

"I second that motion," Shikamaru said raising his hand.

(Scene Change)

They managed to find a small place still open. The owners looked rather pleased to see a group such as theirs coming in. Onari had never been inside an eating establishment before. She was never allowed in. Not paying attention to where she was going, Onari bumped into a stranger.

"Hey, watch where you're going kid," said a man snapping at her.

Onari threw herself back, her feet sliding on the floor. The only thing on her mind was to get away. She swallowed with difficulty, her breathing quickening. Her heart felt like it had needles in it and couldn't pump.

The man was staring at her harshly until a figure came within ear shot. "That tone was unnecessary. You have no right to speak to her like that," Shikamaru said his eyes meeting the man's. He kept his posture firm and serious.

Onari thought the stranger was going to attack her for a moment. He was certainly thinking about something. The man turned his gaze away trying to mind his own business. Her breathing was still quick and not yielding. Onari felt someone put their arms around her and draw her backwards. She freaked out for a split second, until she looked up.

"Calm down. It's over. He won't bother you," Neji said. _When she's afraid, Onari hyperventilates. We've got a lot of work on our hands. _He kept her next to him as they passed the man Onari had bumped in to. For now, Neji would shield her, but she was going to have to learn to stand her ground alone – like they all had.

Neji sat in the chair on the end, just in case, someone did give them trouble. His guard was up now due to the previous encounter. He made Onari sit next to him so she wouldn't be self-conscious of the other patrons. Realizing what was taking place, Sasuke sat across from her. He was starting to get overprotective of her just as he was with Takeru. Rock Lee sat on Onari's left to try and make her feel at ease. Kiba took his place on Sasuke's right and Shikamaru on his left.

A young girl approached the table and took their orders. Onari stared at the table, not meeting the girl's eyes as she asked her what she wanted. Sasuke had to apologize to the young woman and order for Onari. At one point, she tried to hide under the table, but Neji caught her arm and made her sit up straight.

"You shouldn't be afraid while we're here. We'll leave in the morning for home," Shikamaru said. "If anyone says anything, I'll slap them so hard you'll hear their teeth rattle." There was the famous tilting of Onari's head. "Don't get me wrong, I'm generally a nice, quiet guy, but there's no reason for hostility against you."

"You can't let another person have control over you," Sasuke said watching her. "If an opponent realizes you're afraid of them – whether it's their abilities, actions, or words- then they can and will manipulate you."

"You've got to have more confidence in yourself and the others around you," Lee said petting her head. "We won't let anyone hurt you. Period."

"Hey, Sprout," Kiba said whispering to her. He formed a hand seal in front of his body. Kiba poofed into Sasuke. He started making faces at Onari. She blinked then started laughing her butt off. Her bubbly, happy laugh got everyone's attention in the place.

"Kiba, you idiot," Sasuke said as he bonked him on the head.

"It's rude to play at the table," Neji said sternly. "You always have to start something."

Onari kept laughing at Kiba and Sasuke. Sasuke had Kiba in a headlock. It was funny as heck to her because Kiba was still maintaining the transformation and was making dramatic faces at her.

"I get what he's doing and why, but now isn't the best time," Shikamaru said. "Kiba, knock it off. Everyone's staring and you're making us look bad."

"You guys have no sense of humor," Kiba said as he turned back into himself. "They're a bunch of old men, right, Sprout?"

"Aren't you a year older than me, Shikamaru, and Sasuke," Lee said with his eye twitching. "You'll be an old man before we will, you know."

"I'm not getting involved. Me and Kiba are the same age," Neji said as he drank his hot tea.

"Here are your orders gentlemen," the young woman said as she returned. She laid out all of the bowls, plates, and chopsticks. When she got to the young girl, she stopped. The girl had a hideous scar on her face and her eyes stood out. Trying to maintain her professional composure, she cleared her throat and forced a smile. The girl was keeping her gaze focused on her. The young woman took a step back. "If you gentlemen need anything else, just let me know." She decided to check on the other patrons as quickly as possible.

"Whoa, Onari, where did that come from," Lee asked. Onari's eyes were focused and serious. _Did she actually listen to what we told her about being more confident?_

Neji lifted his hand, placed it on to of Onari's head and turned her hard gaze back to them. "Being confident means believing in yourself. It is just as important to let certain situations go. If you harvest anger and hatred, everything that affects you emotionally will eat away at you until you erupt."

_The fact that we don't know what she's been through emotionally, mentally, and even physically has us in the dark. We know what tortures affected Naruto and Sasuke when we were kids. Naruto chose to deal with his torments in a positive manner, but Sasuke chose a negative route. It took years before we got Sasuke back. People who choose to not accept help are the __**most**__ difficult. They want to engross themselves in the past and until they accept things for the way they are, they cannot move on._

_Onari seems to have the same attributes as Naruto and Sasuke. She's being tortured by something. I can tell it in her eyes and her actions. The poor kid is shy, withdrawn, apprehensive, clingy, defiant, and shows signs of aggression at times. I wish she could tell us what's wrong and confide in us, but her language and understanding of Japanese is broken. Unfortunately, we'll have to play this situation by ear._ Shikamaru watched Onari sadly. She was having difficulty mastering the pair of chopsticks.

Kiba watched as the girl stabbed her food. "That's one way to do it." She seemed rather pleased with herself. "Somebody's picky," he said as Onari spit out her food. She was trying to scrape her tongue off. He noticed she was doing that with each different piece of meat she tried. "Sprout, why are you not eating it?"

"Rabbit," she said pointing to her plate.

"I didn't order you rabbit," Sasuke said. "I ordered you beef and chicken."

"That's probably my fault. That's all we had when we were stuck on that mountain. I guess she's associating it with the hare," Shikamaru said.

"If you're not going to eat it, give it to me. All I eat is meat," Kiba said.

Sasuke grabbed some of his stir fry with his chopsticks. "Onari, open." He placed the food in her mouth. She seemed to be eating the heck out of it. "Hmm, that's different. I think Onari is a vegetarian."

"Should we order her something else," Neji asked.

"Nah, I can share with her, too. I don't particularly like broccoli. It's like munching on little trees," Shikamaru said.

"Thank you very much," Neji said as they left. "It's a good idea if we don't associate with anyone else while we're here. The waitress was a little spooked and the patrons were eying us as we left."

"The last thing we need is more trouble," Shikamaru said.

Onari pulled her hood over her face. If they got into trouble for anything, it would fall on her. She didn't want them to get ran out of the only village they had come across in days. She clutched her chest. It felt as if it was tightening and someone was sticking ice needles into her heart again. It hurt. Onari bit her lip so hard that she started to bleed.

Kiba sniffed the air. He turned around. The blood that he smelled was close. His eyes softened. "Um, guys, why don't you all go ahead." They stopped. "I think me and Onari need to have a talk."

Instead of asking, Sasuke nodded. It was clear something was wrong. Onari's actions said it all. She was choosing to fall behind and already separate from the group. His instincts were telling him to tighten the hold on her, but he was afraid that if he did, she would slip through the cracks. For now, Onari was as fragile as China. "Alright, we'll catch you later." He waved to Kiba.

"Are you okay with leaving her with him," Neji asked.

"Kiba notices something's wrong, like I do. I can't always be the one to approach Onari. She may resent me if I pry too much. As difficult as it is, I need to step back from her," Sasuke said. Onari reminded him so much of Takeru. Takeru was suffering with loneliness back home and he didn't want his son to build a fortress around himself.

"Sasuke, do you think Onari will be good for Takeru?" Lee watched a hesitant reaction on the man's face. They seemed to be on the same page. "Heh, sorry."

"No, it's alright. I'm worried what Takeru's reaction will be to her. I don't want him to feel like he's being traded in, or anything," Sasuke said.

"Saori acts the same way. You're not the only one who worries about his kid," Shikamaru said.

"Hey, guys, I have a great idea! Why don't we get them all together? That way, they could get used to each other. That's how you make friends," Lee said.

"That's a nice idea, but Onari might withdraw even more if she's forced into a situation with a lot of strangers," Neji said. "Let's stick with Sasuke's original plan to introduce her to Saori first, then Takeru. One on one contact may be better at this point."

(Scene Change)

"Hey, Sprout, what's wrong," Kiba asked softly. He lifted the hood gently. Onari's lip was bleeding. _Aw, man, she's blaming herself for something._ He wiped the blood off.

She couldn't look at Kiba. Onari felt bad about being in new surroundings and not knowing how to act. Her features were enough to get her noticed without adding her actions into it. If it were possible, she'd change her eyes and get rid of her scar. It was better to blend in than to stand out.

Kiba placed his rough hand on her cheek. "Hey, Onari, you can't let yourself take the blame for everything that happens. You haven't done anything to punish yourself over." She looked at him with scared eyes. "Come on, Sprout, level with me. What's wrong?" It took her a moment to try and tell him. Onari couldn't find the correct words in her head. "Try using words you do know." He didn't take his hand away from her cheek. Trying to maintain the thin bond between them was his main goal. If it broke, he might lose contact with her.

"Onari not have-," she held up five fingers to signal the guys, "Onari bad. Onari bad marks. Bad others see Onari."

Kiba was trying his best to understand what she was trying to say. It was rather difficult with the language barrier. "Hold on. You think you're a bad person because of the marks you have? Lee already told me about the writing and pictures, Sprout. What others think doesn't matter. You can't keep beating yourself up over it."

"Onari trouble to Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba, Sasuke, and Lee," she said softly.

Kiba grabbed onto her shoulders. He looked at her firmly. "I don't want to hear you say that. You're not trouble. I am," he said smiling at her. "I cause more problems because I'm cocky and I get on everyone's nerves." She smiled a little. "Don't tell the others I admitted it though. I'll just deny it."

"Kiba no hate Onari…?"

Kiba gave her a bear hug. "Of course not! I've never had a little sister before. You sure you want me as an older brother? I'm not going to go easy on you." Onari nodded.

"We'd better head back before Neji comes looking for us." Kiba lifted Onari up and carried her.

Neji Hyuga smiled a little as he leaned on the wall of a building. He was kind of surprised Kiba hadn't heard his movement. It had been a good idea to place something of Kiba's on his body, in order, to mask his scent. It had worked successfully.

He was pleased that Kiba had managed to get Onari to talk. Now he could take other measures to teach her and train her properly with caution. Even though the girl was going to live with Sasuke Uchiha and his family, Neji felt a great deal of pride regarding Onari. She was going to be his student, at his request. The girl had a lot of power in her that needed to be monitored and applied in a positive manner.

_That girl is a genius in disguise. She learned Sasuke's fire jutsu after a few tries in the snow village. When she is threatened, she doesn't know how to handle it, and gets scared. However, when someone else is in danger, she defends them without any concern for herself – even when the odds are highly against her. She's a protector and defender like Naruto, but unlike him, she doesn't voice her confidence to the whole world. Things are a bit shaky right now, but if I can awaken her true abilities and personality with training, we may gain a valuable companion and ally._

Neji started to run back to the inn. He had to get back before them, or his cover would be blown. He had no intention of letting Kiba Inuzuka rub it in his face.


	11. Chapter 11

**V2 ch 1**

**A new beginning! Friends! Enemies! Which one is it?**

Takeru Uchiha thumbed through a book as he sat at the table. He was seriously bored out of his mind. This was the worst Christmas ever. His grandparents weren't able to make it this year. Not only that, but he had gotten into trouble with Kurenai Sensei about his goofing off. His classmates made fun of him and no one supported him in anything.

Girls only talked to him about his dad and the guys despised him. He had no friends in class at all. Takeru felt alone. He hid it by goofing off to get attention. Any kind of attention was better than none. He tried his best to hide his problems from his mom and dad.

Takeru knew about his father's past. His mom had tried her best to keep it from him and not let it affect his life. However, he carried the last name Uchiha and it was recognized by everyone in the Hidden Leaf Village. It was even known in other villages by some people. Whether his parents meant for it to happen or not, Takeru carried the burden of everything his father had done in the past.

Despite the way things were, Takeru did not hate his father for who he was, or what he had done years ago. In fact, it made him want to protect his father more. It was his choice and he didn't want his parents to find out about it.

Takeru turned the page. He wasn't really reading the book. He wondered when his father was going to be back. The presents lay under the tree and he hadn't bothered to open any. It was pointless when his father hadn't returned. They always cut the tree together and spent the entire week preparing for the holidays. "When is dad going to be back?"

Izumi looked up at her son. "Honey, he'll be back when he walks through the door. Don't worry so much." She stirred the mug in front of her, trying to pass a smile to Takeru. He wasn't buying it. "When he and the others get back, we'll all celebrate. We're not the only ones who are missing a loved one right now. The village of a whole comes first before personal gain."

"It shouldn't matter. We always do stuff together," Takeru said annoyed. He placed his hand on his forehead, rubbing out the tension and frustration. "Forget it," he said calming himself down.

"Wow. Someone has bent up aggression. Is this a new feature available with your personality, or can I trade it back for the model we had before?" That got his attention. Izumi eyed him. "So, want to talk about what's bugging you, or are you going to deal with it alone?"

Takeru got up from the table. He walked off. In a matter of moments there was a slam from one room to the other. Izumi sipped her cocoa. "Yeah, he's Sasuke's alright. He could, at least, cut me some slack for the holidays. It's hard being that boy's mother."

Takeru looked about his dark room. It was a plain room. There weren't any pictures he favored, or special items. All he wanted for Christmas was his father to be back. A friend would be nice, too, but who was he kidding? Takeru sighed as he looked out the window. There were clouds in the cold night sky. A few more hours and Christmas would be officially over. Where are you, Dad? He flopped onto his bed. If he woke in the morning and Sasuke was back, Takeru would be thankful.

Takeru walked the village, his eyes downcast, and hands in his pockets. His father wasn't back. No one had returned. Some of the villagers had started to worry because the Hokage was with the group.

A few children were out playing with their gifts, but the streets were fairly quiet. Everyone was spending the day with family. Takeru had refused to open anything. He had even stormed out on his mother. It was totally out of character for him. He knew it wasn't her fault, but she was the only one around for him to take it out on. Izumi was not ignorant to the fact that there was something wrong with Takeru. She had tried to pry slyly into matters a few times, but he had countered her on every turn.

"Hey, Uchiha! Your dad didn't go nuts and turn on everyone, did he," yelled a boy he didn't recognize. Takeru was used to the taunts. He ignored it. It wasn't his father's fault for everyone being gone. They were on a mission for Lady Tsunade. It was important. Just like his mother said, the village came first. He walked to the bridge. It was one of the few placed he could go where no one would bother him. He stared into the water, watching his reflection ripple and swirl with the flow of the current.

Saori Nara sat on the couch, her knees up to her chest. She didn't feel like celebrating the holidays. A few of her gifts had been opened, but she wasn't in the mood to mess with them. Saori simply stared at the floor.

"Sulking won't make your dad show up," she heard a low, calm voice say. Saori turned her head. Standing in the doorway was one of her uncles. They were visiting her mom from the Sand Village. She turned away from her uncle. He sat down next to her, his mood emotionless, eyes looking ahead, and no sound of concern in his voice. "I'm only telling you the truth. Shikamaru may not be back yet, but that doesn't mean something is wrong."

"I guess you're right," Saori said. "Although, you could have worded it better." She watched him. He was so reserved. It wasn't in Gaara's nature to show emotions.

Temari came in taking off her coat. She brushed the snow off. "There's no word on any of them. Lady Tsunade won't send a scout because of the weather. She said to be calm and patient." Temari looked at her daughter. "Saori, don't give up on your father. It takes a smarter person to outwit him. He will be home."

"They should have been back a long time ago, Mom. It's been two weeks. The Sound Village isn't that far away. Something has happened. Not just to dad, but everyone," Saori said. Most missions took a few days – not weeks. The village couldn't risk sending out their top ninja for weeks on end. War was always a possibility between the neighboring villages. It was all about power and protecting one's own. One village could plan something against another unsuspecting village, and no one would be the wiser until it happened.

"Saori, I told you not to doubt your father. If he heard you talking like that, it wouldn't boost his confidence," Gaara said matter-of-factly.

Saori swore if the sand that protected her uncle had a flaw, she was going to find it. He was really getting on her nerves. She knew he was right. He normally was. There was a knock at the door. Saori knew who it was before her mother answered it. Grandpa.

Grandpa Nara stood in the doorway goofily smiling at Temari. He had started drinking some time before noon and his face was red. "Hey there, my beautiful daughter-in-law! Happy Holidays! Is my son back yet," he asked with a slurred voice.

Temari let her father-in-law inside. He was defiantly drunk. "No, none of them are back yet. We don't know what could be taking them so long. Lady Tsunade told us not to worry."

Grandpa Nara was trying to fathom what he was being told. The alcohol in his brain was swirling with his thoughts. "Is that so? Well, Shikamaru and the others can handle themselves. They've proven that quite a few times in the past."

"Well, if even his own father isn't worried, then you shouldn't worry, either," Gaara told his niece.

"There isn't too much Grandpa worries about," Saori said. She wanted to know what was going on. "I'm going out for a bit." She put on her coat and shoes. Everyone was trying to take her mind off of it, but it only made her more focused. She was too much like her mother in that department. There is a reason why they're not back already. Did something happen to the Hokage? Has dad been injured? It doesn't take that long to gather herbs!

Saori punched a wooden pole. Snow fell off of it onto her head. Her teeth chattered. It was going down her shirt! She had to get it out. It was too cold! As she flapped her shirt and jacket she heard a calm, emotionless voice out of nowhere say, "I've heard of a rain dance, but this is the first time I've seen a snow dance."

Saori looked around, her eyes twitching. There was no one down this road but her and a dog. It wasn't the dog. Where was the voice coming from? "Oh, come on. I'm sure you can find out where I am. Maybe I'm camouflaging myself," came the voice again. Camouflage? Saori held her hand in front of her body, making a hand pose. "Release," she said softly. The street changed to reveal a tall guy with spiky black hair standing a few feet from her. His hair was oddly frosted at the ends, face covered. Saori noticed his red eyes, lanky appearance and unnatural calm nature. Genjutsu. He was using it to conceal himself.

"Ah, so you did figure it out. I wasn't sure if it had been taught yet in your training. Good job figuring me out," he said pointing to himself.

"Why would you use Genjutsu to hide on a deserted street anyway," Saori asked. "Everyone else is with their families."

"Not entirely true. I'm not and neither are you," he said. "Now, why is that?"

Saori's eyes got big. "You're awfully forward." She turned on her heels walking away from him. Who does he think he is? I don't even know his name. He's older, for sure. What an odd guy.

"It's too quiet. I can't even go to my favorite places because they're all closed," Saori said as she sighed. She heard the bubbling and flow of the river that ran through the village. Good grief, how far have I walked? Isn't that Sasuke Sensei's son? He looks sad. Saori walked onto the bridge slowly watching him. The boy didn't look up. "Hey, you're going to catch a really nasty cold if you don't move around," she told him.

Takeru lifted his head to the girl. He stared at her blankly trying to figure out who she was. She had blond hair and blue eyes. The tips of her hair were dyed a bright pink. Who did he know like that? She was older and wasn't in his class. She's probably only speaking to me because of my father. He turned away from her to stare back into the water.

Saori frowned. "I'm Nara Saori," she said trying to make conversation. The boy glanced at her. She could tell he had been out here a while. His red nose and cheeks were a dead give away. "You're rather cautious, aren't you? I don't bite, I promise," she said smiling at him.

"Why are you so persistent," he asked not looking at her.

Saori walked closer. She took her jacket off and put it over the boy. "Well, by the looks of it, someone needs to be." Saori brushed the snow out of his hair.

"Uchiha Takeru," he said softly. He pulled her coat tighter around him. Takeru was so depressed and deep in thought, that he had been ignoring the cold. His skin was pale and frozen.

"My dad and yours are friends, aren't they? We should become friend, too." She watched him eye her. "You have a stubborn streak about as wide as that river." Saori was rather truthful. She didn't believe in sugar coating anything to anyone.

"You're only talking to me because of my father," Takeru shot back. His anger was starting to boil. He was tired of people associating him with his old man. He was his own person, but no one saw that. They only saw Sasuke when they looked at him.

Saori narrowed her eyes. She grabbed a handful of snow and rubbed it in his hair. He freaked out, hopping around. "Perhaps that will cool you off," she said smartly. "You're a cute kid, don't get me wrong, but you're too young to be sassing me." She stuck her tongue out at him as he glared at her. "So are you going to be mad for a while?"

Takeru didn't know how to react to this girl. The expression on his face was one of hurt and confusion. The fact that he was teased at school was apparent in his reactions. He was standoffish and reserved because of it. Not knowing how to handle Saori, or her sudden interest in him, made him feel cornered. He threw the jacket onto the ground and took off.

Saori ran after him, swooping up her coat. "Takeru, wait!" She was trying her best to catch up to him as he took off, but he was getting away. Real intelligent Saori – now he hates you! I can't believe he's that fast! "Takeru, I didn't mean it!"

Takeru could still see her trailing behind him. He was slightly scared of this girl. She had more confidence than he had, he could see that. "Leave me alone," he yelled back at her. He had to lose her!

Saori blinked as she saw Takeru's physical form double – then triple – then there were ten Takerus running down the road. Oh, no! The Shadow Clone jutsu! I didn't think he had mastered that yet! She formed a hand gesture in front of herself, "Shadow Clone jutsu!" Two can play this game! I've got you now, kid!

Saori had already mastered this particular jutsu. However, she still had to find out which one of the clones was him. It's time to split up. Saori was probably expecting his clones to turn down a few streets so he could get away. Takeru had one up on her. He smirked. His clones took off in several different directions.

Saori watched as Takeru's clones turned down a few streets and a few shot into the air. He was trying his best to get away from her. Just to be fair, she sent her clones after his in the same directions. Which one is him? I don't know enough about this kid to know where he'd go! She ran down the streets tackling each clone until they fell over into the snow and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

The clones that had taken to the roofs were harder to catch because they had more ground they could cover. Saori breathed hard as she fell into the snow. All of the clones were gone. None of them had been Takeru. "Man, none of them were him. When did he get away?" She flopped onto her back breathing hard.

Takeru slowly lifted the lid to the trash bin. "Well, that was easier than I thought." While Saori had been cloning herself to follow his clones, Takeru had already disappeared. He knew she'd take the bait as persistent as she was. The teasing and relentless picking at school had taught him to improvise a few jutsus. It allowed him enough time to get away from an opponent who was stronger, or more advanced in his training.

Takeru walked the rest of the way home keeping an eye out for Saori. Luckily, he never saw her. Oh, no. I forgot I lost my temper with Mom earlier. Takeru took his shoes off as he cautiously entered the house. It was pitch dark. "M-mom?" There was no answer. He gulped. "D-ad?" Takeru didn't like this.

Takeru froze. Someone was in here. He could feel it. He cautiously padded his way down the hallway, listening. Takeru heard movement. He immediately threw himself up against the wall, edging himself towards the noise. It was coming from one of the spare room down the hall. Were they being robbed? Takeru popped open the case around his leg. He withdrew a blade. Whoever was in there was fixing to get surprised.

He put his hand on the knob of the door and gently clicked it open. Takeru saw a tall figure standing in the dark on one side of the room. Whoever it was was searching through the closet in the room. He felt the weapon in his hand. Takeru swallowed. "You picked the wrong house!" He threw it at the burglar.

The burglar turned around sensing the attack. A stream of water came out of nowhere protecting the burglar's body from the blade. Takeru watched as the blade was caught in the water, slowing down its movement drastically. The weapon dropped to the floor. "Takeru Uchiha," came the annoyed female voice.

"M-mom?" Takeru was in trouble again. "Why are you in the dark?" He flipped the light switch. He tried again. The light was out. "Oh, that's why."

His mother approached him and bopped him on the head. "Yeah, that's why." Izumi replaced the light bulb then flipped the light on. "You're a paranoid kid. I was trying to find an extra futon in here and rearrange some of the things in the room in order to get ready for company."

Takeru tilted his head. "You're looking for an extra futon? Who's showing up?" He looked at his mom as she reached into her pocket. She took out a small scroll. "Who is that from?"

"I got a note from your father. He'll be back in a few days. We're receiving company, so I need you to be on your best behavior, Takeru. Your father and the others ran into some trouble in a village a long way from here. That's why they're late in returning. They're all fine and are trying to get back before the New Year. The weather is playing a huge factor."

"Mom, who are we having over," Takeru asked. His family was reserved to outsiders. The only people that stayed with his family were his mother's parents. Since Takeru had no friends, no other children his age visited.

Izumi looked at him. She had no idea how Takeru was going to take the news. Most of the time, he was resentful and not accepting to change. She sighed. "Your father is bringing back a kid around your age." She watched his confusion. "From what Sasuke wrote, he and the others rescued a girl who was outcasted by the village they were in. So, instead of leaving her there, she's coming here – to be with us."

"A…. g-girl…?" Takeru had never been around girls. A girl from another village was staying here? As in living with them?

Izumi watched him. "Takeru, when she gets here, please be calm. She doesn't know us and we don't want to frighten her. Can you promise me?"

"Why should she be scared of us," he questioned his mother.

"Well, she's kind of like you. She doesn't trust strangers. Your father mentioned this girl has been on her own for three years. Like you, she has never had a friend, nor had someone care for her. Don't be so surprised, Takeru. I'm your mother. I know why you get in trouble at school and why you do things on your own. Your father recognizes it, too. We don't want you to suffer; nor do we want this little girl to. Can you understand our decision in allowing her to stay here," Izumi asked him.

Takeru nodded slowly. "I understand. I promise I'll be have." He looked away. His father was bringing back a girl his age. Would the girl resent him like everyone else?

Izumi could tell he was in thought over it. He needed time to sort things out. She walked by him placing her hand on his head. I really hope he can make friends with this girl. Takeru can't go through the rest of his life being alone. Sasuke doesn't want him to re-live his life- and neither do I.

Takeru slid to the floor. A girl was going to be here. A girl his age would sleep here and be in this room. I wonder what she looks like. What is her name and where did she come from? He brought his knees up, cradling them. His father would be back by the New Year. That would give him enough time to settle with this new addition to the family.

The New Year meant new resolutions; new beginnings. Maybe it would be better if he changed a little. His parents were worried about him. Takeru didn't want them wasting their energy on him anymore. He was going to have to start facing his enemies soon. The Uchihas were not 'push-overs'. It was time to push back.


	12. Chapter 12

**V 2 ch 2**

**New Year's Rush! Will we make it?**

"So, do you have any plans for the new year," Kurenai asked her son. He sat on the balcony with his arms crossed, chin on his arms, looking down below the village. He didn't glance at her, or acknowledge that he had heard her. "Ryu," she said not giving up.

Without turning around, Ryu answered his mother. "No," he said lowly and without emotion. He never had plans. Sometimes he wished he did, but things were as they were.

"Why don't you try to get together with some of your training buddies," Kurenai said.

Ryu sighed, closing his eyes. "I don't have any companions." He wished his mother would back off. No one wanted to be around him anyway.

Kurenai pressed further. "Ryu, I wish you would tell me what's wrong. You can't mope around the house every holiday and every night after training. You have to approach others to get them to notice you." She stopped. He was looking at her with 'that' look. The same one his father had used when he was heavily annoyed. Kurenai couldn't help but to look at him sadly.

Ryu got a quizzical look on his face. "How come when you look at me like that, it's as if you're seeing someone else and not me?"

Kurenai turned her gaze away, studying the floor. "I'm sorry. I just don't want you to be a loner. That shouldn't be your fate in life. It's a miserable existence to not feel wanted."

"Well, you're stuck with me, aren't you? Unlike the rest of the world, or do you wish you weren't," Ryu asked.

Kurenai looked up at him then. "How can you say such a thing? Especially to me, Ryu?"

"How can you not answer," he challenged. His mother only stared back at him hurt. If she had wanted, he supposed she could have given him up. It wasn't easy for him. His father had been some great ninja of the village that died before he even knew about him. Ryu averted his eyes, placed his hand on the rail of the balcony and jumped over it. He wasn't one to apologize for his mistakes. Fights were a different matter altogether, though. He was the type to challenge authority if refused an answer.

Kurenai ran to the balcony. Ryu's feet had already touched the street below. "Ryu! Dammit, he's fast for a stubborn kid," she said under her breath.

"Do you always run away from your problems," Ryu heard a voice ask. He turned his head. Standing with her back against a fence was the blond headed girl from a few days ago. Ryu raised a brow, his red eyes watching her. "Aren't you being a bit forward?"

"It's a habit I seemed to have picked up from this tall, dark headed guy that likes to hide down deserted streets," she said watching him seriously.

Ryu blinked. His memory was foggy. "Oh, me. I see. Do you always catch other people's flaws?"

"Not really. I don't like to acknowledge a person's character flaws, but sometimes, you can't move forward without feeling responsible."

He didn't understand. "Exactly how are you responsible for my flaws?" What was this girl getting at?

"Oh, come on, if I let your destructive flaws continue, you'll affect the whole Konoha area. Next thing you know, you'll have people arguing with you and fighting – even challenging you to make themselves look better," she said.

That already happens. "Are you a witch, by chance," he asked. It would explain how he was running into her again and able to read him like a book. His mother wasn't even able to do that.

"No, but sometimes a situation is familiar when someone else is reliving it," she said. "Who are you anyway?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Ryu said.

"Well, I beat you to it, so it's only polite to answer," she said with a grin. "I've never seen you before."

"I keep to myself a lot. It's better that way," he said.

"Better for you or the others you avoid," she asked. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Ah, must be you then. Name please."

"Fine, you hardheaded girl. I'm Ryu Yuhi," he said lowly.

"I'm Saori Nara. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ryu," she said throwing a snowball at him. He ducked, naturally. "Oh, don't get angry. You act like you don't know how to interact with anyone." She watched him walk off. Did I hit the nail on the head? She ran up behind him. "So, what are you doing for new year's?"

"Why are you following me?"

"To get an answer," Saori said.

"So if I give you one, will you go away, then," Ryu asked.

"Nope," Saori said cheerfully. "I'll just push harder."

Ryu didn't know how to partake in the advancements Saori was initiating. He sighed. Most of the others his age taunted him. They know of the legendary Copy Ninja and he heard he resembled him greatly. Ryu wasn't his father and often got ridiculed about it.

He wasn't aware if Saori knew who his father was, or his mother. Ryu figured the kids in Konoha had a lot they had to live up to regarding their parents. They had all grown up in the wake of their achievements. This meant they had to achieve greatness of the same quality, or more advanced.

"Quick, in here," he heard Saori say before he felt himself being pulled into a small restaurant. She guided him to a table and they sat down. "Are we avoiding someone, or something?"

Saori ordered a huge desert and some nice spicy tea. "No, but it's the last day for spice tea half-off. And once New Year's comes, I have to wait till Christmas for this particular cake."

Ryu scratched his head. "You rushed me in here to catch a sale?" He started to get up, but felt something like a wire tired to his leg preventing him from doing so. He sat back down.

Saori sipped her spice tea. She snickered. Under the table, her hand glowed blue with chakra, a nice stream of wire was linked to Ryu's leg. "Instead of complaining about someone's hospitality, why don't you enjoy it?"

Ryu sighed. "Oh goody. You're a puppet user." He tilted his head in defeat.

Saori passed him a fork. "Yep," she said laughing. "My uncle is Kankuro of the Hidden Sand Village." She munched happily on a bite of cake.

Ryu sipped the spice tea. Without meaning to, or trying, he had met someone that was trying to get to know him. Opening his eyes, he saw her lay her head on her hand. He was free from the wire now. Maybe I ought to give her a chance?

"That was good! So, who's buying," Saori looked up at him Ryu rather seriously.

Ryu dropped the fork. "Saori..you…"

Saori put the money on the table. "It was a joke, Ryu Yuhi. A joke. J-o-k-e," she said slowly so he could fathom it. She got up from the table and ran out of the place.

Ryu sipped more of the tea. "She's odd. And…spontaneous." I don't like spontaneous girls. Good cake though.

"Saori, where did you go off to? I've been standing here looking for you. You have to be more responsible," Temari told her.

"Sorry, mom, I ran into a friend," Saori said smiling.

"A friend huh? Wow, what other secrets are you keeping from me," Temari asked.

"None that I know of," Saori said still keeping her smile.

"So can I ask who your new friend is," Temari said as she walked down the street looking for other items she had to buy.

"Ryu Yuhi. I met him a few days ago when I went out. I think he's a loner. He's kind of fun," Saori said as her mind started to wander.

"A guy huh? I wonder how your dad will react to that. I'm assuming this Ryu isn't at the Academy. This means he's older. Am I right?" Temari caught her daughter blushing. "How much older is he, Saori?"

"I- don't know exactly. I think he trains, but I don't know who his sensei is. Wait, come to think of it-," Saori's mind flashed remembering something," Kurenai sensei's last name is Yuhi, too. So Ryu is her son?"

"It would appear so. It might explain why he chooses to be a loner," Temari said.

"What do you mean," Saori asked as she helped her mother pick out fish.

Temari waited until they were away from people over hearing before she spoke further. "Ryu's father was Kakashi Hatake. He was known as the Copy Ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village a long time ago. Ryu's father died protecting a friend and rival of his named Gai. Kakashi trained the Hokage, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno."

"Sasuke sensei and the doctor lady?"

Temari nodded. "Ryu is probably a longer because he is living in his father's shadow. It's not an easy thing to deal with when you're young. You managed to make friend with him without knowing who his family ties are. So maybe he will become friends with you for that reason. Unfortunately, I don't know anything else about him."

"I suppose prying and pushing like I planned would be a bad move," Saori said.

"It's not wise to push others, Saori. People, who are pushed, tend to react hostile to the pusher as a way to defend themselves. You've seen Gaara do it. You have to let someone open up on their own terms," Temari said. "You wouldn't like it if Ryu decided to push you, I know."

"I guess you're right."

Temari and Saori walked home. Upon entering, they realized it was too quiet. Her brothers wouldn't have left the house with Chame, her son. Gaara sought solitude and Chame would drive him up a wall. She peaked around the corner and saw Kankuro relaxing on the couch with a smile on his face. Gaara was on the other end, eyes closed, meditating. "I'm afraid to ask what you two have been doing. Where's Chame?"

Kankuro looked at his sister with gleaming eyes. "He's taking a break," he said with a smile. His hand was hidden from her view; the wire attached to his chakra was going to the puppet in the corner that was wrapped.

Temari narrowed her eyes. "Let him loose, Kankuro, or no dinner for you," she threatened. "You shouldn't be putting him in Crow anyway!"

"He deserved it. The kid has a smart mouth," Gaara said.

"He's seven," Temari said. "If he doesn't listen, punish him, but don't use ninja tools or devices on him!"

Kankuro moved his hand. The puppet opened, spilling out a blond haired kid who was stiffer than a board. He narrowed his eyes at his nephew.

Chame coughed. He moved his arms and legs, rubbing on them for circulation. How long had he been in there? "You're evil," he told Kankuro. Now that his mother was back he couldn't be touched.

"Damn straight! You run your mouth off again without any respect to us and next time you'll be known permanently as the Mute Ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village," Kankuro threatened.

"I wouldn't challenge him. He means it," Gaara said eying Chame with a calm stare. The boy backed down. Gaara and Kankuro kept an eye on him as the kid went around them to the kitchen. "He acts too much like Temari."

"Agreed," Kankuro said.

"Uncle Gaara, do you want to go to the New Year's festival with me," Saori asked peeking her head into the living room. Gaara was watching her with his usual expressionless face. "The festival will be fun! Oh, you can come too, Uncle Kankuro," Saori said with less enthusiasm.

"Why do you always ask him to do stuff," Kankuro looked at her rather annoyed.

"Because you always get in trouble at public functions," Saori said.

"So that's a problem for you," Kankuro asked in return.

"A festival with people," Gaara said contemplating. "There will probably be families and children there who will stare at us."

Saori sat on the arm of the couch. "If they stare, I'll pluck their eyes out of their sockets and roast 'em," she said talking tough.

"Saori, you're too young to be challenging adults," Gaara said.

"I don't care. We're family and no one will treat my family like trash," she said with a sneer.

Gaara stared straight ahead. "So there are comments flying around the Hidden Leaf Village about us."

Saori glanced at him then looked away. "People are stupid. They're jealous because we're different and smarter than them," she said trying to comfort herself more than anything.

"Let them talk," Kankuro said. "People who do nothing but run their mouths have now ay of backing it up."

"Few who do can," Gaara said. "If it means that much to you, I'll go to the festival, but I won't like it." It seemed to have pleased Saori that he was going. She leaned over and hugged his neck before returning to the kitchen. "I'm glad Saori is not a hundred percent like Temari."

"She reminds me of mom," Kankuro said absentmindedly. Gaara chose to ignore the comment. Kankuro sighed.

The group of seven flew through the trees. They were trying their best to get back to the village by New Year's Day. Instead of staying the full night at the inn, they had left after a few hours of sleep. It was better to avoid being seen at this point.

"You really think we'll make it before New Year's is over," Naruto asked.

"I don't know. We're pushing as best as we can," Shikamaru said. "We've got to get back by then. We've been gone too long. Our families are worried and if I know Lady Tsunade, she's as impatient as ever."

"It isn't our fault for being late. We found all of the herbs on that ridiculous list of hers," Kiba said touching down on a branch for a second before continuing on with the group.

"I know, but you know how Tsunade is. She's annoyed quickly," Sasuke said.

"Yeah, she's a lot of fun," Naruto said sarcastically.

Neji shifted Onari's weight a little to get a better hold on her. She woke up looking around at the darkness. He turned his gaze to her for a moment then looked straight ahead again.

Onari yawned hard as she tried to press herself harder against Neji's back to get comfortable. She was half away when he had pulled her out of bed. Now wasn't any different. As expected, she passed out again.

"At least Onari will get some sleep," Sasuke said.

"What I would give to be in her place right now. Oh, well, we should take a break soon, or we're all going to fall out," Shikamaru said.

"It looks like somebody can't hang with the big boys," Naruto said.

"Naruto, if you weren't my friend, I'd drop kick you," Shikamaru said.

"Hah, you wish," Naruto said smirking.

"What would Onari think if she saw you two acting like children," Neji said. The both of them got quiet. "You guys are supposed to be setting an example."

"I don't remember what example you were setting when you came after me all those times," Kiba said narrowing his eyes.

"You taunt me and you'll regret it. That is the moral of the story," Neji said.

"You guys will never change," Sasuke said rolling his eyes.

Takeru opened his eyes slowly. Two lavender eyes were watching him. He yelled as loud as he could moving as far away from them as possible. The sheets became entangled around him and before he knew it, he was falling over the side of the bed onto his back. "Man, why so early?"

Izumi jumped on the bed. She lay down, and then looked over at him. "You're a jumpy kid, huh?" She smiled at him then grabbed his foot, tickling it.

Takeru's eyes got wide. He squirmed as much as he was able, but was still entangled in the sheets. "Mom, stop!" Takeru started laughing. "Mom! Knock it off!"

"I haven't heard you laugh in so long that I forgot what it sounded like," she said stopping once Takeru started coughing. "Hey, Takeru, I had a vision," she said rather excited.

Takeru tilted his head. "A vision of what? You mean those premonitions you used to have when I was little?" He sat up yawning.

"Uh huh. I saw something weird. There were a lot of trees and it was dark. The trees swayed in the wind. They bent towards me like the wind was pushing them that way. Then there was this strange feeling of being swept away, but I wasn't moving. I saw these yellow eyes watching me from the sky, too. They weren't frightening, but they were intense."

Takeru rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "You were dreaming," he told his mother. His mom was odd. She was originally from the water country and had met his father a long time ago. Izumi was an intense water user. She was well matched in skill with most of the top ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Izumi Uchiha stuck out like a toadstool in a patch of grass. Her complexion was normal, but her hair was snow white and her eyes were a beautiful lavender color. On her forehead, were pieces of a broken jewel that had been embedded when she was a child? When the light hit it, it shone brightly and often caught a passerby's attention.

Her attitude was normally challenging, no bars held, spontaneous, fun, and witty. Izumi normally stayed home because she drew too much attention to herself in the village. Like his father, Izumi had grown up a loner.

From what Takeru had learned about his mother, she had been raised as a prodigy. Izumi had been trained as the ultimate top ninja for intense battles regarding the water country. She grew up not knowing anyone and had no parents of relatives that she was familiar with. The white color of her hair wasn't normal. Takeru thought that something drastic happened to his mother in order for it to be that way. What it had occurred, he had never learned of it.

His parents' story was a dramatic, chaotic, and interesting one. Izumi had ran away from her village when she had learned what her purpose was – what she had been trained for. The ninja of the water country had sought to make her an emotionless pawn, but despite the mental brainwashing and torments they had done on his mother, she had managed to hide herself within herself.

The eighteen-year-old Izumi had run into Sasuke Uchiha when he was fleeing opponents that were after him. Not knowing Sasuke – who he was, or what he had done- Izumi had retaliated against the three ninja that were after him. She saw it as an unfair disadvantage. The fact that they were near a river, was her strong advantage in the battle.

Water droplets in the air allowed her to pull water out of places where one couldn't see them. The only place she wasn't strongest was in sand. Sand didn't harvest water for long and it slipped so fast into the earth that even a skilled water user had difficulty accessing it.

Sasuke had seen Izumi has a strong rival. He had made it clear to her that he didn't need her help. Instead of becoming a companion to him at that time, Izumi sought to end the matter quickly. They both challenged each other and fought off and on for a full day. Neither one of them backed down, or gave up – each trying to prove to the other their worth.

Once they were at a standstill, they both reconciled and bonded in that way. They were evenly matched. Like Sasuke, Izumi was running from her past and herself. And like Izumi, deep down, he was trying to make his own foundation to stand on. They were two people from two completely different worlds whose paths crossed at a critical point in time. Over the next two years, they were an unlikely team that avenged anyone that needed it.

Izumi had a soft spot for children and those less fortunate. Sasuke sought justice against those that deserved it. He was hardcore and skilled in his fighting techniques. Over time, they became best friends and depended on each other for survival.

An intense confrontation from Sasuke's past had nearly killed Izumi when they encountered a man who was after Sasuke. Izumi's defeat had almost torn them apart as strongly as they had bonded over the past two years. Not wanting to see her suffer further, Sasuke had given up being a wanderer to assist Izumi in her recovery.

One thing that occurred during that time was that his parents fell in love. Their bond became stronger through the trail Izumi and Sasuke went through with each other. Also, Takeru soon followed and the rest was history. Yes, his mother was one-of-a-kind and he gave her trouble, Izumi was his mother. She would do anything for him and didn't let him forget it. Sasuke and Takeru were all she had. She held onto them as strongly as she could without breaking their independence.

"It wasn't a dream, Takeru. I was awake," Izumi said. She talked to her son like an equal- not like a child. "Are you still going to the festival, even though, Sasuke's not back yet?"

Takeru lowered his gaze. "I'm not going without dad. No one would go with me anyway," he said under his breath. He felt his mother caress his cheek. "Mom and I that unlikable?"

Izumi kisses his forehead. "No, you just haven't met the right kids to be with. Everyone is different and everyone is special. Certain children bond with others instantly, and certain ones bond later. The ones that take the longest to bond end up being the strongest relationships. It's not your fault, Takeru. The ones that ignore you are not worth your time. The ones that keep fighting for you are."

Takeru sighed. "You're thinking of dad, aren't you…?" His mother nodded. He gave up by falling backwards. Takeru grumbled. "I'm not dad."

"No, you're not Sasuke. And I'm glad you realize that now. Takeru needs to be Takeru."

"You have an odd way of using reverse psychology."

"Yes, but it works," Izumi said smiling. "If you're serious about not going to the festival, you can help me spruce up the spare room. I did mention that our guest is a girl, right?"

Takeru sat up abruptly. "A girl?! Are you crazy? Why is dad bringing home a girl?" He was flipping out. A girl was going to be next door to his bedroom. A girl that he didn't know – that might fight with him. Why did it have to be a girl? He thought it was someone his dad's age! Takeru pulled on his hair.

Izumi tilted her head. She smiled at him again. "Takeru, calm down. If it makes you feel any better, she's extremely shy. She's going to be scared of us when she gets here."

"I guess you already know her name, too," Takeru said. His mother never told him the full details of anything – which about killed him. He liked to be given the heads up. He crossed his arms.

"Your dad named her Onari," Izumi said.

"Dad….named her…?" Takeru froze. The girl that was coming didn't even have a name. She probably wasn't visiting either. He was slowly starting to understand the huge concern over his behavior regarding the new guest. "Mom, this girl isn't just going to visit is she? She's going to live here," Takeru said calmly, his mind thinking.

"I'm hoping we can give her a home, Takeru. Your father must feel protective of this girl in order to bring her back here. You have to understand, we're parents and we want the best for you and we worry about you a lot. Sasuke is hoping that Onari and you will be friends and help each other. She is just as alone as you are, but together, the both of you have us. You two will have the support you need to make it through life. However, if you're uncomfortable with her, or a problem arises, then we have to find another home for her. Our main concern is you and will always be you. You are our son. That will never change. I need to know what's going on in your head, Takeru. Please tell me," Izumi pleaded as she watched him cover his face.

Takeru gritted his teeth. He hated to say what he was thinking. He was trying to imagine what the girl looked like; where she was from; her personality, girl that's coming could be my friend, or she could hate me like all the other students. I don't know what to do.

Izumi came off of the bed. She got on her knees and put her arms around her son. It was better to let him know now than to wait until Sasuke came home with Onari. It was less of a shock that way. She held him tightly, putting her head on his head. If Takeru allowed Onari to come into their lives, it was going to be an obstacle for all of them.

Takeru let his mother hold him. It was something he rarely allowed. If his father was home, Takeru wouldn't let anyone touch him and would act tough about it. Everything relied on his decision. By saying 'yes', he was allowing someone to have chance at a better life – possibly a family and a friend. By saying 'no', he was making the choice for the girl to live somewhere else and possibly hurting this girl who was trusting his father. He had to make a decision. Takeru didn't want to hurt anyone. "I..can't let someone suffer. I…also don't want to hurt dad."

"You have to make the decision. It doesn't have to be made right this moment. You can think about it for a while," Izumi said.

"I need to think about it," he said. He got up. It was too early for all of this. Takeru put on his shoes after he got dressed and left.

Izumi resumed sprucing up the spare room. She closed her eyes. It was in her son's hands now. She wanted to know what path he was choosing to follow in his thoughts. It would let her and Sasuke know if Takeru was slipping away from them. Please make the right decision, Takeru. Even if it's difficult. Even if it is painful. Even if you don't understand right now.


	13. Chapter 13

**V 2 ch 3**

**The New Year's Festival!**

It was the day of the New Year's festival in the Hidden Leaf Village. Takeru Uchiha glanced at the people putting up decorations and getting the booths ready for games and food. He wasn't interested in the festival for the first time since that day. His father wasn't going to be back in time for it. Missions came first. The village as a whole was more important than a single person.

Takeru had a lot on his mind. He still had to make a decision about the girl Onari that was coming back with his father and the others. Should he give her a chance? His mother said the girl had no one. Do I let her stay? Dad must like her if he is willing to bring her all the way here. What could have happened for him to make that sort of decision? He sat down in front of a tree. Something heavy and metal fell onto his head. "Ow," he said picking up the flute. He looked up into the tree.

As he squinted his eyes, he made out someone at the top of the tree. Takeru looked down at the flute. Who did he know that played a musical instrument? He snatched the flute up then jumped into the tree. He hopped up and up until he got closer. A boy with white hair was searching his pockets for something.

The boy wore colorful clothes, had long, dangling earrings in his ears, and was rather tall and thin. Takeru recognized him as the kid who sat all the way in the back, on the far left in class. His name was Idai. Idai had been abandoned by the sound village when he was younger. He had been taken in by Gai sensei.

Idai didn't seem to notice Takeru watching him. Takeru knew Idai to be an outcast in class. Takeru assumed it was because he was a foreigner – and being from the sound village didn't help. The Hidden Leaf Village was at peace with the neighboring countries, but the Hidden Sound Village couldn't be trusted. They had always found ways to attack the Hidden Leaf Village for power.

Takeru could hear his father's friend, the Hokage, speaking in his head. "You can't judge a book by its cover, Takeru. It's also not wise, or fair to blame on person for the actions of others. A person can only be held accountable for what he does. Everyone deserves a chance to be happy, even if it means giving him several chances to realize it. Look at how long it took your father," Naruto Uzumaki smiled at him. I guess he's right. It wasn't Idai that fought the village all of those times, but that's what everyone sees. Takeru took out the flute, held it up to his mouth, and blew into it.

The boy above him flipped his head around, orange eye wide. He wasn't expecting anyone to find it. Idai moved back some, hesitant at the appearance of Takeru. "This is yours, isn't it?" Takeru watched Idai move farther away from him. "I'm not gong to hurt you. It fell and hit me on the head."

Idai had never been approached before. The only person that had anything to do with him was Gai. Why was this boy returning his flute? "Why are you being nice to me?"

Takeru stood up. Was this guy viewing the world the same way he was? "Am I not supposed to be nice to you?" His eyes fell on the red streak of hair that grew underneath Idai's top white layer of hair.

"No one else is. Why should you be any different," Idai said resentful. He didn't move from his position. He trusted no one at the Academy. They sure didn't trust him.

"You can't blame one person for what an entire group does," Takeru said seriously. If Naruto heard him throwing one of his statements at Idai, he'd never live it down. He watched the boy with a calm stare. "Here's your flute," he said throwing it back to him. "Later." Takeru jumped off the branch leaving Idai in his wake.

I still have to make a decision. Do I let this Onari girl stay with us? Naruto would say everyone deserves a chance – much like Idai did. Gai sensei take him in without holding his background against him. What village or country is Onari from? Takeru walked with his head down, thinking. It was a lot to think about.

"Hey, Takeru, want to help us set up our booth?"

Takeru glanced in the direction of the voice. He saw the Hyuga twins putting up banner sand signs with their mom, TenTen. "What are you guys selling?"

Kandai smiled at Takeru. "We're selling meat buns for the festival. Mom's special recipe," he said happily. He showed him a few that were for display.

Kandai and Eiyu Hyuga. Kandai was the nice, quiet twin that prefers helping others while his brother, Eiyu, was serious, and prefers talking about nothing but weapons. At least Kandai is a nice guy. Eiyu was watching him out of the corner of his eye as he put a sign up. Takeru's eye twitched. Why was Eiyu looking at him like that?

"How are you, Takeru," TenTen asked. "Is your mom doing well?"

Takeru nodded. "Sh-She's fine. I have to go now." He walked away from the booth. It was awkward having others speak to him.

"He's a fun one. It's going to be interesting watching him crack out of his shell," Kandai said.

"He can stay in it for all I care," Eiyu said distastefully.

"I hate festivals. They're so noisy," Ryu Yuhi said as he swept the tent out. His punishment was to spend the day assisting his mother while she read fortunes to the kids. He wondered who believed in that nonsense.

"It's your punishment for blowing your silent fuse," Kurenai said. "I don't want to hear you complaining."

Ryu narrowed his eyes. If he argued, he'd be in more trouble. It was best to stay silent for now. She thinks she has me beat, but wait until she gets engrossed in what she's doing. I'll slip out of here faster than a rabbit with a pack of wolves chasing it. He smiled under his face mask.

Kurenai popped her son the back of the head with a scroll. She pointed to the table and chairs that needed to be set up. "Get busy, Ryu," she said annoyed. Every time he gets punished, he schemes. The kid acts like I don't know his intentions.

Two girls entered the tent, giggling. They pushed each other forward until Kurenai spoke to them. Ryu caught one of the girls looking at him, whispering. He rolled his eyes and grumbled. I hate girls…

Kurenai held out one of the girl's hands and looked at it deeply. "This line means you have good fortune coming your way, but not until you overcome your obstacles. Love is around the corner, yet you won't realize it until it passes. In a few days, you'll receive unexpected new from family." The girl showed her hand to her friend, they talked about it, paid, and then left in awe.

Ryu kept sweeping the tent as he listed to his mother give fortunes to the young girls. It was his job to take the money, also – apparently. An older girl he recognized as Hire came into the tent. Ryu despised this girl intensely. She was one of people that teased him about his father.

Hire was hospitable while inside the fortune telling tent and in front of his mother. Ryu was waiting for the girl to say something to him unpleasant before he dogged her. Her companions weren't here to back her up. Just as expected, when he stepped out to dump the trash, Hire came up to him.

"So the Legendary Coward's mother does fortune telling. Too bad she couldn't foretell what a loser and disappointment you were going to be, Ryu. They ought to move you out of the training group and back to the Academy," she said matter-of-factly.

"Don't you have a heart to be ripping out somewhere else," Ryu said under his breath. He stood his full height, eyes narrowed. He had to cool it, or risk Kurenai's anger at his behavior.

"I'd rather have yours on a platter. You are beneath the ground we train on," Hire said tensing her arms.

"Get lost," Ryu said, his shoulders tensing and hands clenching, as well.

"It's not every day that I get you to myself. Afraid I'll start something you can't finish, Ryu?"

"I think you need to be more afraid of what I'll finish," a serious voice said from behind them.

Hire turned around "And I suppose a little Academy Ant like you is going to teach me a lesson? You might want to re-think that mouth of yours, puppet girl. I don't play with kids," Hire threatened.

Oh, no. Saori. Ryu watched Saori narrow her eyes. He didn't know why she was choosing to get involved. She needs to stay out of it.

Saori walked towards the pair, and then stopped. "You're the one with a big mouth – and big butt to prove it," she said, her eyes focused and ready.

Hire snarled. "What did you say to me, you lousy brat?"

"You heard me! Or do your old fat ears need to be cleaned out?"

"Knock it off," Ryu said lowly. "I don't need you or anyone else fighting my battles."

Saori got a hurt look on her face for a split second. Just as Hire was relinquishing in Saori's defeat, Saori shot her wire at the girl's legs. The wire wrapped around Hire's legs, and then violently snapped her feet forward. The older girl was thrown onto her back in the blink of an eye. "I fight my own battles face-to-face. And it became my fight when she threatened my friend."

Ryu's eyes widened a bit. "I didn't ask you to run your mouth," he said harshly. Saori stared straight at him with an intense gaze. Before Ryu could issue her to let Hire go – that it wasn't worth it, Saori had Hire in the air, upside down. The wire pinned the girl's legs and arms together.

"You'll learn to respect me, or die pleading for your right to exist," Saori said to Hire. "Python hold!"

The wire around Hire started to tighten. The girl screamed as the thin strands started to cut into her skin. Ryu had to do something! Saori was going to kill that girl without mercy. He ran towards her, shifted his weight to the right, slid and came up behind Saori.

Saori's body tensed. She couldn't move her legs, arms, mouth, or fingers. Wires were confining her, pinning her. Saori blinked, her eyes getting is… Genjutsu? "Drop her now," she hard a low voice say into her ear. I…can't move. Is Ryu the one doing this? "You can cut her loose without using your fingers. Sever the chakra flow to the wires. Do it," the voice commanded more threatening.

Saori Nara had no idea how to do that. I can't. Chakra flows throughout your body and it wraps around your internal organs. Severing the flow would mean to disrupt it in some way. If the chakra is severed and has no way out, it builds up and can cause you to lose a limb, or die. It's impossible!

"Do it," Ryu said watching Saori try to control her thoughts as she battled with her reasoning. He had her. He knew he had her. Ryu wasn't going to harm Saori, but he was trying to prevent her from making a huge mistake. His goal was to stop her intent – and it was working. What he was telling her to do was impossible. As she continued to battle herself, Ryu threw several ninja knives at the wires holding Hire.

Hire dropped like a stone. She sat up wincing as she looked at her arms and legs. Saori's wires had cut through her skin and clothing. "I'll get you for this," she said to Ryu.

Ryu's red eyes focused on her as he let Saori go from his Genjutsu trap. "No, you won't. Unbeknownst to you, I saved your life, Hire. You owe me," he said with seriousness and force. Hire grimaced. "Unlike you, I'm not the type of trash that would let someone die."

Kurenai stood with her back to the tent, listening. She closed her eyes, thanking whoever was watching over them. Ryu could have let Hire suffer. He chose not to go that route. It proved the boy had the will and strength inside of himself, to overcome his own anger. Kurenai just wished Ryu showed it to everyone. "You're something else," she said to herself.

Saori regained the ability to move. She turned her head to look at Ryu. He was staring at her intently. "I was trying to help you," she said in her defense.

Ryu just stared at her. He was furious. His troubles were his own. This girl had no knowledge of him, or his past to make those sorts of decisions about him. Where did she get off taking over?

"That smart alike had it coming! She doesn't have any right to talk to you like that!" Saori stood her ground. She wasn't backing down.

"Nor did you have any right to try and kill her! I was doing fine until I met you! I don't know where you came from, Saori, but you need to go back! I don't need some girl causing trouble for me! I'm not going to baby sit you!"

Saori stopped. Ryu's anger was erupting. For the first time, her confidence left her. He was older than her and more experienced. Who was she to try and defend him if he chose not to defend himself? Saori turned on her heels and walked away from Ryu.

In the tent, Kurenai rubbed her temples. Way to go, Ryu. Your temper always gets the better of you. Ryu walked back into the tent. He ignored Kurenai and continued to sweep. She wishes she knew what to say to him.

Saori had parted with her uncles, mom, and brother earlier when she had found Ryu and that Hire girl. She didn't know if it was been worth it. Ryu had exploded at her. She clutched her shirt – the pain was still there. As always, she messed everything up. What would Kurenai sensei say to her? Would she say anything about how angry she had made Ryu?

The one person she really wanted to like her hated her. Temari had warned her not to push Ryu. And as she had been warned, he had pushed back. She felt terrible. Saori supposed it wasn't wise to mess with a loner like Ryu. He was too old for her to be chasing anyway. She decided it was best to settle things as they were and stop thinking about it. You can't dig through a wall without your hands.

Saori sat on a bench staring at the ground. She had really messed up with Ryu. If she could take it all back, she would. Things right now weren't looking up for her. She had let her disgust get to her. Maybe she should have let Ryu deal with that girl on his own. Saori wasn't even out of the Academy yet and she was already challenging older ninja and putting her foot in her mouth.

"Hey, you look like you're miserable."

Saori looked up. A boy her age was standing in front of her. He had messy brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. His expression was placid, pose serious, and unyielding. She noticed a scar over his right eye. Saori believed he sat in the front of the class, dead in the middle seat. "I'm not having the best day."

"Fix it," he said seriously his expression not changing. His gray eyes stared back at hers. Whatever problems she had, it was her choice to let them control her. He knew it all too well.

Saori sighed. "No offense, but I did something really bad and the person I did it to, won't listen to me. I'm not one to beg."

"I didn't say anything about begging to make your point. When you make a mistake, you must learn from it and accept it. Most mistakes can be fixed," he told the girl.

"Now when you get the person in more trouble than what he deserved," Saori said.

"Stop being negative. Obviously, your intentions were not well planned. You need to think before you react. If you don't learn now, you're only going to hurt yourself later," he said. He watched her expression change to realization. This girl was probably a smart alike who hasn't learned her lesson in life yet. "What will you do if you pass the exams and your trainer finds you to be more of a liability with your teammates?"

"I…haven't thought of that," Saori said ashamed of herself. "How come you know so much? You talk like an adult."

"Reality makes a person's world bend and twist until it slams them on the ground," he said.

Saori heard his words and felt sad for him. The boy in front of her was Daiya Eimino. Daiya's parents had perished in a fire when he was six-years-old. No one knew much about it. He rarely spoke to anyone and kept to himself all the time. He despised adults and anyone who told him what to do. Saori was amazed he was speaking directly to her. Daiya was a hard case. Kurenai sensei couldn't get him to perform the simplest tasks – because he was told to do them. Saori knew Daiya was intelligent and holding back, but why was he doing it? "You want to sit down?"

"Are you serious? I'm not tired," Daiya said defiantly. He looked away from the girl. His eyes narrowed at the people and booths lining the street.

"You want to go play a game?" Daiya didn't answer. "Are you hungry? I can take you to get something." Still no answer. "Daiya, you're not listening to me are you?"

His head flipped around when he heard his name. "Don't say my name," he said weirded out that she knew it. He wasn't comfortable with being put on the spot.

"Then what am I supposed to call you, Mr. Sensitive? It's your name." Saori watched him narrow his eyes. Daiya's ponytail flashed with static electricity, spiking out at all ends.

"Don't say my name," Daiya said with a low tone. He was trying to hide his annoyance. This girl had no right to treat him so familiar. He didn't know her. "It's no wonder you get into trouble with your mouth!"

Saori stood up. "You don't know anything! You weren't there!"

"I don't have to be where you are to know what happened. Your anger and attitude says it all. You exploded because you can't control yourself. I'll even bet you don't know how to express yourself properly. If you want to get to know someone, talking is best. Trying to win someone over with favors, or charity, is not always wise," Daiya said as he shot Saori's kindness down.

"Go ahead and hate me for the truth. It isn't always pleasant, but it's something you need to hear, or you won't get where you need to be." Daiya turned his back on her. "Today you have lost with me, Saori Nara. Try again."

Saori looked up, the feeling in her chest feeling like she was just stabbed. Yet, as Daiya faded into the distance, she felt determined to get to know him and Ryu. Daiya knew her name and it was clear, to her, that he wasn't totally shooting her down. In a strange way, Daiya was warning her of the consequences of her actions. He was serious, defiant, and blunt; Leader characteristics, for sure. She smiled a little. She would get to know Daiya. He had only fueled the fire burning inside of her.

Hours later, Takeru returned home. He took off his shoes at the entrance and stepped up onto the floor. The house was unnaturally quiet. "Mom?" he heard fast padding on the wooden floor coming his way. Takeru blinked. "What is it?"

Izumi raised her finger to her lips. "We have to whisper," she said quietly. Your father's back. He's exhausted and he's trying to get Onari to settle down."

"Dad's home? When did he get back?" Takeru was excited that his father was finally back. He wanted to run to him and see Sasuke, but he was hesitant. The girl. He hadn't made a decision about her.

"He came home a little while ago, but his plans backfired. Sasuke wanted Onari to stay with Shikamaru, but Shikamaru's in-laws are here. Onari doesn't take to large groups, or strangers. When she saw me, she panicked and tried to flee the house," Izumi said, her voice low.

"Is she really that afraid?"

"Yes, so we need to introduce you to her, cautiously. Takeru, Onari is different so please don't stare at her, or react too fast. I'll see if your dad wants to go ahead and get it over with," Izumi said walking away. She disappeared around the corner.

Takeru stood looking around the corner into the hallway. He heard a crash, some scrambling, and his dad saying something. He wanted to know how Onari was different. Why was his mother warning him to be calm when he saw her?

Izumi came out of the room backwards and slowly. She shut the door very carefully. Raising her hand, she issued for Takeru to come over. He walked towards her, listening and alert. "Takeru, Sasuke said if you want to meet Onari, you can. He only asks that you come in slowly and sit. Your father needs to rest soon. They traveled almost all night to get here. Okay?"

Takeru nodded. He placed his hand on the doorknob and turned it gently. The door opened without a sound. He slipped in and sat against the wall. Sasuke held a girl with long back hair to his chest, his hands firmly pressing her to him, to keep her calm.

Sasuke turned his head to acknowledge his son. Onari wasn't aware Takeru was in the room yet. He gestured for Takeru to be really still. "Onari," he said lowly. The girl looked up at him, her eyes wild. He swore he could feel her heart beating out of her chest.

Takeru watched as his father sat down with the girl. Sasuke tightened his grip on her. Should he speak to her? His father pointed to his mouth. He wanted Takeru to make himself known. "Hi," Takeru said softly. He tensed as Onari's head flipped around, alarmed at the voice. His eyes met hers. Onari's eyes were yellow and had a strange black circle around the pupil. Her eyes looked like targets. Takeru gasped.

Hearing the gasp emitted from the boy as a reaction to her, made Onari feel like she wasn't supposed to be there. She brought her hands up and tried to push away from Sasuke so she could flee. His arms were around her so tightly, that she could feel his ribs grinding into her chest. Onari was trying her best to free herself. First it was the lady with white hair, now it was a boy with shoulder-length black hair who was watching her. She wanted to run.

"Onari, he's not going to hurt you," Sasuke said maintaining his calm voice. It was getting harder to keep her still. The long journey home had worn him out. Sasuke's strength was diminishing. "Takeru won't hurt you. He lives here."

Onari breathed hard, eyes and ears alert as she watched the boy. Her heart was racing. The boy wasn't moving. He was merely watching her curiously. She remembered the word Sasuke had said a few days ago. Onari looked up at him. He was looking haggard. "Ta-keh-lu….?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yes, that's Takeru." Onari appeared to stop fighting for the moment. She was watching his son with a newfound alertness. Takeru was watching her, too. Sasuke needed Onari to calm down.

Takeru's eyes softened. Onari was unusual, but she was exotic in appearance. The sound of her voice was light and sweet. She had a cute face, despite the horrible scar that was on the right side. She appeared to have been attacked by an animal of some sort.

"Takeru, are you fine with her," Sasuke asked. His son had this mesmerized look on his face. He had no idea what the boy was thinking. At least, they were both calm for the moment. He loosened his grip on Onari. She didn't move. "Takeru, are you fine with her," he asked again.

"Huh? Y-Yeah," he said, his eyes focused on the girl in front of him.

"I want you to come a bit closer. Do it slowly and try not to stare at her," Sasuke said. If his son could approach Onari, then Takeru would be the first kid to make contact. He had to know if it was possible for the girl to adjust to them – in a different environment such as the Hidden Leaf Village.

Takeru averted his eyes from Onari's unwavering gaze. He started to crawl towards her, slowly. Onari gasped. He stopped and looked up. Sasuke's grip was loosened. She was free to run, hide; do whatever she had to get away, but she was remaining right where she was. "Dad?"

"It's alright, Takeru. I think she's getting used to you. Just don't make any sudden movements. I don't think I could take much more," Sasuke said truthfully.

The boy resumed coming closer to her. Onari kept watching him, tensing a little every now and again. She wondered when he was going to lunge at her, but he never did. Takeru, Sasuke's son, stopped a few feet shy of her. Onari tilted her head, trying to figure out his intentions.

Very slowly, Takeru lifted his hand towards her. The way Onari was acting, reminded him of a stray, abused dog. If he could touch her, he could possibly tame her. She flinched when she caught on to the movement. "I'm not going to hurt you. See? There's nothing in my hand." He kept inching closer.

Sasuke didn't move. It was best if he let the two of them focus on each other and only each other. Onari needed to trust Takeru. Takeru also needed to be patient with Onari. They were both learning about each other at this point. Sasuke watched as Takeru touched Onari lightly on the nose. He held his finger there. Onari didn't move.

"See? I didn't hurt you," Takeru said. "Can you talk?"

"She doesn't speak Japanese well, Takeru. We don't know why, but she relies on body gestures and actions to help her understand what you're trying to say. It's going to be an obstacle teaching her to read and speak properly," Sasuke said.

"So she has no idea what I'm saying?"

"She knows some of what you're saying," Sasuke told him. "We don't know how much she understands. Her mind is alert and I think she's quicker than she's letting on." Sasuke raised his hand, pointing at his son. "Onari, who is this?"

Without averting her eyes, Onari answered, "Takeru."

"Who is the lady with white hair," Sasuke asked her.

"Sasuke lady Izumi," she answered in her broken accent.

Takeru raised a brow. "She talks funny. Why does she have an accent?"

"I have no idea. I never found out where she was originally from. No one knows," Sasuke said. "I need to rest soon. Onari will have to stay with me in here. She's not going to leave my side in an unfamiliar environment. Onari, we're going to ly down."

Onari tilted her head.

"Tell your mom not to try and wake me up, alright? I'll come out on my own. Onari might get past her," Sasuke said.

"Is she really that fast?"

"She runs like you do when you're in trouble."

Takeru blushed embarrassed. Onari was lightening fast, apparently. "I'll tell mom," he said backing out of the room, slowly. His eyes looked at the door seeing past it. That wasn't so bad. She's a bit jumpy. Onari hadn't rejected him. She spoke no cruel words, or made any hostile actions towards him. She was the first girl to accept him without hesitation. It would take some time before they could really get to know each other. Takeru knew he had to be patient at all costs, or risk undoing what his father had accomplished so far with Onari.

"How did it go," Izumi asked. She watched Takeru come out of his shell a little. He smiled a bit as an afterthought occurred. Had it really gone that well for them?

"I think she likes me," Takeru said softly. What was wrong with him? He touched his chest absentmindedly. He felt funny – like his heart was fluttering to life. I wonder what she looks like when she smiles.


	14. Chapter 14

**V2 ch 4**

**The troubled Genin!**

Takeru sat in his seat in class. He leaned his head against his hand, thinking. Takeru yawned. His father had been so exhausted, that he slept that entire afternoon and night. Sasuke was still asleep when he had left for school. Onari was also asleep. He wondered what was going on while he was away. Takeru couldn't focus on what Kurenai sensei was telling them – his mind was completely on Onari.

"Takeru, pay attention. What I'm saying will be on your exam at the end of the week," Kurenai said. The boy looked at her-his mind aloof. The class stared at Takeru. "The rest of you need to focus, as well. I'm not standing here for my benefit."

The class took a break some time later. Takeru remained in his seat, still thinking. I wonder if mom has to avoid Onari, or if she can interact with her now. In his mind, he could see his parents chasing the girl all over the house. He felt a tug on his shirt. He turned his head.

"Why didn't you go to the festival," Masaru asked. "I wanted to play games with you, but you weren't there. Kandai said he saw you earlier and you left. What's wrong?"

Takeru looked at the Hokage's son. Masaru had blond spiky hair like his father and the white eyes of the Hyuga clan. Kandai and Eiyu were his cousins. "I got wrapped up in a decision I had to make."

Masaru folded his arms on the table. "What kind of decision can make you miss the festival? That's not like you."

"My dad brought back a girl our age to stay at my house. My parents wanted me to make the decision about her staying," Takeru said. He didn't look at Masaru. It was unusual to be confiding in his childhood friend about something like that.

"You mean the orphan girl? My dad was talking to my mom about her. He said they found her wandering the streets of a snow village a long ways from here. I overheard that she had been on the streets for a few years and that the entire village had turned against her," Masaru said as Takeru looked up. "So your dad didn't tell you."

"No, he hasn't had the chance. I didn't know any of that. All I knew when I saw her was that she was afraid and had no one," Takeru said.

"So what does she look like? Is she going to start going to the Academy," Masaru asked curiously.

"No, I don't think so. Onari can't read and her speech is heavy with an accent. She speaks broken phrases."

"Takeru, I bought you something at the festival," said a shy girl with brown hair and blue eyes. She held out a small box wrapped in cloth. "I thought you would like it, "Gin said embarrassed at interrupting him and Masaru.

Takeru took the small box from her. Gin was a relatively sweet girl. She was calm, good natured, and didn't get into fights with anyone. Takeru thanked her for the box. He unwrapped it. Inside the box was a small scroll. It was blank.

"It's a jutsu scroll. You write whatever jutsus you are having trouble with, on it," gin said unsure of Takeru's reaction to it.

"Oh, it's a study aid. Thanks, Gin," Takeru said placing his hand on her head, petting. He needed all the help he could get. Some techniques were harder than others to learn.

"So are you going to let that girl stay," Masaru asked out of the blue.

"Geez, you're nosey. I suppose. She's not a threat. She's just…. Unusual," Takeru said.

"What girl," Gin asked. "I don't mean to eavesdrop. I'm sorry."

"You're alright. Masaru's the one with the big mouth," Takeru said shooting him a look. "My dad brought home a girl he rescued from a snow village when he was on his mission. Her name is Onari and she's our age."

"She can't speak well and she can't read," Masaru said bluntly.

"Masaru, knock it off," Takeru said getting annoyed at his bluntness.

"That's sad. She sounds like she really needs a friend. It's not easy to adjust to a world you don't know. I feel sorry for her," Gin said getting emotional. She could feel her heart tensing up with sorrow as if she was the girl in question.

"Alright class, we're going to go out for a little physical training. I want all of you to line up. It's time to see how some of you fair with balancing," Kurenai said.

"Aw, man, I suck at that," Masaru said.

"I'm surprised you can walk without falling on your face," Takeru said as they got in line.

Gin smiled at the taunt.

"Calm down. It's alright. She won't hurt you," Sasuke said as he sat on the bed, his arms wrapped around the girl. She was watching Izumi intently.

"Are you sure it's alright for me to come closer? I'm a threat to her because I'm an adult. I can see it in her eyes," Izumi said. Onari only trusted Sasuke. He was the one that had first interacted with her, so his bond with her was going to be more important and stronger.

"Izumi, I don't think she's going to reject you. She has to get used to us. I know it's unnerving to start like this again," Sasuke said. Years ago, he and Izumi had reacted towards each other with a lot of hesitation. His wife loved children, though. She wanted to love something and be a mother – it was part of her inner strength; it was why she was overly concerned about Onari. Despite her bystander personality, Izumi was protective of everyone close to her.

Izumi stepped a few feet closer. Onari panicked. The girl tried to back away, but Sasuke held her in place. "Sasuke, I don't know about this. I don't want to frighten her."

"Onari, Izumi is a girl, too. She's just an older girl. Takeru is a boy just like me, but he's younger. Do you understand?"

Onari didn't answer. Her mind was trying to recall the day before. The group had returned to the village. She had come home with Sasuke and met this lady and a boy. Sasuke had prevented her from running away. This woman was Sasuke's wife? Izumi was watching her sadly. She didn't have the look in her eyes that Onari feared. Onari felt Sasuke touch her face. She tensed.

"Sasuke, we shouldn't push her. She's still afraid of me. I understand why. It's been a very long time since she's had anyone. Pushing her will only make her resent us for it," Izumi said.

Sasuke looked down at Onari. The girl was still tense, her eyes not leaving Izumi. "I don't know what else to do. She can't go to another family right now. Onari's not going to trust anyone easily. Shikamaru said he would take her in, but he has Saori and Chame. I don't know if that is the right environment for her."

Izumi kneeled in front of the bed, placing her hands on her knees. "We have to learn why she's afraid. A problem can't be solved unless it's approached. I don't want her to leave. I want her to do well here."

Onari turned her head quickly. Sasuke wanted her gone? She understood some of what he and Izumi were saying Onari felt betrayed. Sasuke said he wanted her to stay with them. He had meant it back at the village covered in snow. Why didn't he want her now?

Izumi was watching Onari. Onari's body language changed from being tense to shaking. She feared Onari was going to retaliate. They had no knowledge of how much language the girl understood. Izumi watched as Onari's fingers clenched. "Sasuke, look out!"

Onari brought her arms up quickly trying to shove Sasuke off so she could get away. She dug her knees into the bed, pushing up. Onari felt him go back, but when she tried to turn, in order, to flee, Izumi was on her, pinning her to Sasuke. She couldn't move! Sasuke wrapped his arms around her again, holding her firmly. Izumi was also holding her still, pressing her weight against her. Onari gritted her teeth. They weren't letting her get away so easily.

"Onari, stop! Onari!" Sasuke held her so hard his nails dug into her arms. The girl was breathing so hard, she was panting. Izumi kept her arms around Onari and her body on top of hers. The girl was slowly calming down.

"We cannot help you if you won't let us," Izumi said in an unusually calm manner. "You're putting up a lot of walls, Onari. I and Sasuke are still trying to get past the first one."

Onari tried with one last attempt to throw Izumi off, but the woman was still on top of her. They had her confined to the room. If they were going to do anything to her, they could.

"Why are you afraid all of a sudden," Sasuke asked, not moving. "Why are you choosing to run from two people that are trying to help you? I didn't bring you back to hurt you, Onari. Why are you assuming me and Izumi are going to fool you?"

"Sasuke, I think she understood what we were discussing," Izumi said softly. She lifted herself off of Onari and brought her hand up to the girl, moving the girl's hair off of her face. Onari was crying. "She understood everything."

Sasuke lifted his head off of the bed to look at the girl. He could see that she had given up fighting them. Tears were flowing down her cheeks and falling onto the bed.

"Off Onari," Onari said quietly, her voice cracking. "Sasuke Izumi no want Onari! Off Onari," she said yelling.

Sasuke put his hand on the back of her head and pressed the girl to himself, gently. Izumi was right. Onari understood more than she let on. "Izumi, what do we do? I don't want to give up on her."

Onari was looking at her calmly, her yellow eyes watching her lavender eyes. Izumi smiled at her as she wiped Onari's tears away. "We have to give each other a chance. Chances don't hurt. Onari needs a chance to understand just as Izumi and Sasuke need a chance to prove to Onari that they want her to be happy. That's it. No string attached."

"Onari, you can't run away from us. When you fight us, it hurts here," Sasuke said touching the place over his heart. She was watching him and Izumi with a softer gaze. Had they managed to tame her after one outburst? "It's not that we don't want you. We do, but we can't force you to accept us. It's the hard, cold reality we have to face. We can't make everyone happy, or make them trust us."

"Will you give us a chance? Will Onari walk into the darkness with us, not knowing what is in there?" Izumi waited for the girl to answer.

Onari slowly nodded.

"We won't know what's in store for us, unless we go together and see it all for ourselves. Right now, Onari is not alone. She has Izumi, Sasuke, and Takeru. Maybe others who will go with her on the journey, but Onari has to give them the chance," Izumi said.

"Onari, what did you tell the awful man who wouldn't let you leave the snow village," Sasuke asked. He wanted to know, or rather hear her say it. At the time, he had been wounded and was out of it. "What did you say in front of Shikamaru?"

The look in the girl's eyes changed to hardness, seriousness, and meaning. Her eyes reminded Izumi of the way Sasuke's eyes had looked all those years ago when she had first met him.

"Onari protect Sasuke," Onari said with aggression. Her fighting spirit was overcoming the normal shy, nervous girl that was inside of her. It was like awakening in a field and seeing the sky for the first time.

"Onari, if we let you go, will you sit and not run?" Sasuke watched her nod. He sat up as Izumi moved back. "I mean it, Fire Bird, if you take off I'm going to be upset with you." He let her go.

Onari sat still. Her body was tense as she sat between Izumi and Sasuke. She looked from one to the other constantly. They both sat still, just watching her. Scaring her wouldn't help the situation.

"I'm going to lift my hand and touch you, alright," Izumi said. She slowly started to move her hand in Onari's view. It was easier to tell the girl what was going to happen because it would make her aware and keep her calm. Gently, Izumi touched Onari's forehead. "See? That wasn't so bad. I won't ever hurt you. Neither will Sasuke. Understand?"

Onari only looked at Izumi. She was afraid of making anyone angry at her. Slowly, she nodded her head.

"We're not trying to make you afraid of us, but we need you to listen. Adults that care about you say things to help you," Sasuke said. He gently touched her cheek. Onari didn't flinch, or tense. "We're going to leave the room. If you want to come out, you can, but we won't force you."

Izumi and Sasuke got up. They walked out of the room. Izumi wasn't expecting Onari to follow them. She had to adjust on her own. They went to the kitchen and sat at the low table. For a while, they were quiet, only listening to the small movements Onari made on the bed.

Sasuke was watching the entranceway for Onari. He sighed. "I don't understand why she took to Shikamaru, Neji, and Kiba so well when we were on our mission."

"Maybe it's because of the circumstances surrounding her and everyone else. She was also in an environment that she was familiar with. We just need to be patient," Izumi said as she sat a bowl of food in front of her husband. She sat down, closing her eyes.

Sasuke looked down. "When did you make this?" He picked up his chopsticks.

"When you were deep in thought," she said smiling at him. "Sasuke." Izumi gestured to the entranceway with her head.

Standing slightly out of view, her hand on the frame was Onari peering in. she bit her lower lip, her eyes looking around the room. Onari didn't move any closer. "Are you going to come in, or just stand there," Sasuke asked.

Onari moved back some. "Sa..su..ke, On..ari… stomach…talk." She had smelled the food and came to check it out.

"Or, we could simply entice her with food," Izumi said with a grin.

"Come on. You have to come in here if you want to eat," Sasuke said. Onari seemed to be going through the pros and cons about entering the kitchen. He watched her scope out the area for exits and anyone else that might surprise her. "Come on, Fire Bird, it's just us."

Onari came around the corner slowly, her eyes darting around the room. She fiddled with her hands, nervously. Cautiously, she edged forward. Onari lowered her head averting her gaze.

Izumi got up slowly. She walked away to find something for the girl to eat. They were making bigger steps now and she was satisfied with that.

Takeru was on his way home when he stopped. He turned his head to view the trees off to his right. For some reason, he started to walk towards them. He looked up at them. Curiously, he went into the woods. Something was telling him to go further. His intuitions were making him move his legs.

Takeru heard no sounds in the training section of the woods. Usually there were older students out here. The more determined ones always stayed till dusk. Takeru felt like he was being watched. "Why do I feel like I'm being watched?" He looked around, but saw no one.

"Because you are," a low voice said. "What are they teaching brats at the Academy now or days? You walked right into a trap without realizing it."

A trap? Takeru froze. He looked down at his feet. There was nothing there. Who was the one issuing the trap? He had been careless. Sasuke wouldn't be happy with him. He always told Takeru to be mindful of what was around him. It was highly important to know where enemies could hide, or what traps could be laid.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. There is more than one kind of trap. Some traps you can see, others you hear… This type you can't see until it's too late. Either you haven't learned this yet, or it's still unfamiliar. Which is it?"

"I don't know this type of trap," Takeru said nervously. He felt threatened. How was he supposed to get out of something he couldn't see?

"That's all you had to say," said the voice. "Release." The trap faded away. The woods disappeared. In its place was the training field. The boy with dark hair was looking around bewildered. "It seems I'm a target this week for the Academy students."

Takeru tensed as an older guy came half-way out of one of the trees. His eyes were wide. The guy was a Genin. Takeru noticed his red eyes before he saw the white tips of his black spiky hair. "Who are you?"

"I thought you'd be more concerned with the trap I had you in. didn't your father tell you about Genjutsu traps and how they're a type of illusion technique?" He raised a brow. "That's surprising. And to think I'm the one who gets in trouble for being a slacker." He came out of the tree fully and jumped down.

Takeru looked up at the older, taller boy. His face was covered with some sort of cloth mask. He wore the same material on his arms, along with gloves. There were no visible weapons on the boy except for the usual ninja tool cases. He looked familiar to Takeru. "Are you going to tell me who you are?"

The boy crossed his arms, sighing. "Geez, you're just like your father. So demanding… Sasuke Uchiha is my sensei and I'm called Ryu."

"My dad trains you?"

"He tries," Ryu said not really interested in talking about it.

"Are you the reason my dad comes home worried," Takeru asked.

Ryu looked back at the boy with no expression. "I don't know why he would be worried. I usually do what I'm instructed to. Maybe he has other things on his mind."

Takeru narrowed his eyes. "No, I think it's you because I've never heard your name before."

Ryu turned around. He waved at the kid. "See you, Uchiha."

"Hey, wait!" Takeru ran after him. Ryu was gone. Dammit. He probably used Genjutsu to get away. "What kind of guy is he? Sheesh." Takeru turned around and walked off.

Takeru took his shoes off and stepped onto the wooden floor. "I'm home," he said. Where was everybody? He proceeded to the first room – the kitchen. Takeru walked in then sat down beside his dad. His father was laying his head on the table, arms crossed. Takeru shook his shoulder. Sasuke opened his eyes. "I take it you and mom had a rough day?"

Sasuke sat up, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, you can say that. Onari's a handful, but I think we made some progress with her." He reached up, petting his son on the head. Takeru was his only son. He was deeply concerned about his son's strength's and weaknesses. Most of all, he wanted to protect him from harm. He didn't know what he would do if he ever lost him. "What's on your mind?"

"Dad, I met a guy that you train named Ryu. He used some kind of Genjutsu trap and.. I walked into it," Takeru said looking away. He didn't know what his dad would say. He was prepared for a lecture.

"So you met Ryu. I see," Sasuke said looking away. "Ryu hides a lot using Genjutsu to avoid other students. He's not a bad guy, but he's misunderstood. He was only trying to avoid trouble."

"Is he the reason you get that worried look on your face," Takeru asked.

Sasuke glanced at his son. "He's one of the reasons I worry. I try as hard as I can to teach and prepare my students for the real world. It's disappointing when you try to do all you can and it's not enough."

Takeru didn't understand. "I thought everyone tried as hard as they could to become a Chunin." He watched his father fold his hands.

"Some students try harder than others. The ones that try the hardest are usually the ones that have something to prove, or are struggling – compared to their teammates. I believe in Ryu's case, he hasn't found a reason to try as hard as he can. He has nothing to protect – nothing that means anything to him."

Takeru looked away. He only talked openly with his father. Sasuke listened tow hat he had to say and didn't treat him like a child. "From what little time I spent with him, Ryu acts like he doesn't like who he is."

"That may be true. Regardless, I feel responsible for how he's turning out. Ryu's father was my sensei. Everything his father did for me, in the end, affected Ryu. Kakashi helped me learn how to work with others and was the one who sealed the curse on me. He did what he could to prepare me for my own battles. The least I can do, is train his son."

"But I thought Kakashi sensei died a long time ago?"

"He did, Takeru. Kakashi died protecting Gai – his rival and friend. He died because he didn't give up on me. A sensei never gives up on his or her students. I'm not proud of what I did in the past. I'm well aware that you know, Takeru. I see how you look at me, at times. I don't expect you to understand." Takeru remained silent. "However, I don't know what to do about Ryu, or Onari right now. I have two troubling kids on my hands."

"Dad, don't give up on them. You can't. If you give up, then you won't see their full potential emerge. Ryu will come out of his shell eventually. He's just harder to understand. As for Onari, she's unusual, but she seems alright. Speaking of her, where is she?"

"Oh, your mom was gong to give her a bath. Izumi actually got Onari to let her touch her. Now we just have to get her used to you."

"How are we going to do that?"

"I have no idea. You're the first kid that has spoken to her that I know of."

Takeru blushed. He was slightly intrigued. He was the first one to try and make friends with her.

Sasuke looked up. "What happened?" Izumi walked in carrying Onari. A towel was on the girl's head. Strangely, Onari wasn't trying to object to being held.

Izumi signaled for Takeru to not speak. "Well, I found out she has a huge fear of water. It took a while to bathe her. The poor thing is deathly afraid of water. Sasuke, someone has done something to this child. She was huddled in the corner, shaking and staring at the tub with wild eyes." Izumi sat down at the end of the table next to Takeru. "If I ever meet the bastard who has scarred her, I'll….-," she stopped. Her anger was getting the better of her. Take a deep breath. She did.

Onari was tired from fighting Izumi over the water situation. She laid her head on the woman's shoulder. It was exhausting having to keep her guard up all of the time. A face came into view. It was the boy from last night. He was watching her. "Ta…ke..ru," she said softly. He smiled at her, nodding.

Sasuke grabbed his son by his shorts. Takeru was being too curious with Onari. "It's training time, Takeru. Say 'See you later'," Sasuke said. He picked Takeru up and started to carry him out, upside-down.

"Dad, can't we do it later," Takeru said. He watched Onari softly smile at him. She.. smiled. Takeru felt that funny feeling in his chest again.

"No," Sasuke said. "And I think we'll go over a few trap types since you ran into Ryu."


	15. Chapter 15

**V 2 ch 5**

**Trust**

He breathed hard, panting. His sensei wasn't anywhere to be found. For a moment, he wondered where his other teammates had gone. That's just like them. It's bad enough they don't like me. We're supposed to be working together. Ryu slid down against the back of the tree. He crossed his legs as he sat on the branch.

He touched his forehead with his hand. He was having a lot of trouble catching his breath. Ryu shook his head trying to clear the star lines from his vision. Their training exercise for the day was to find Sasuke outside the village and retrieve successfully. The training exercise was supposed to teach them teamwork, trust, tracking, and strategy. Ninja were supposed to be like shadows – neither seen, or heard.

Ryu was bitter at being deceived by his teammates. They had instructed him to check out an area while they formed a plan. Hideki and Mia had told Ryu that they had tracked Sasuke to a specific hideout and wanted him to keep an eye on their sensei. Stupidly, Ryu had fallen for it. His two teammates were gone and now he was the one in trouble.

Mia and Hideki, more than likely, had came up with a good tale to tell Sasuke so they wouldn't get in trouble. He didn't trust them. Ryu was fed up with all of it. He wanted to quit and bail out of the team. He looked off into the distance at the clouds through the trees. It was getting late. It was bad enough he was practically lost. Sasuke is going to lecture me to no end. What good is it when you can't trust your own teammates? Man, what is my mother going to say? Ryu closed his eyes. He felt worthless.

Sasuke looked down into the abyss below him. His arms were crossed as he kept an eye on his student. A few hours ago, he had learned from Hideki and Mia that Ryu had departed the group and given up on the exercise. However, by watching Ryu, he had found out that that wasn't the case. His student was fatigued – that told Sasuke Ryu had tried to do the exercise by himself. He was highly concerned about Ryu's self blame. It was starting to weight the boy down immensely.

Ryu stood up, angry with himself for being tricked by his teammates. He was fuming at the core. Teammates were supposed to work together; be there for each other – like friends. His teammates were more like his enemies. They hated working with him and found any reason, or form of trickery, to avoid him. Ryu turned around, punching the tree with all his force. The bark cracked as he winced in pain. His knuckles were bleeding. "What did I do to deserve this? What did I do? Huh?" Ryu looked at the twilight clouds, yelling to the top of his lungs, anger seeped into every word, "Am I not good enough to be like you? Maybe I don't want to be! Have you thought about that? I'm tired of being compared to you! I'm not you!" Ryu laid his head on the tree, closing his eyes. "I'm not you, Kakashi," he said softly.

He's blaming himself, again. And he's angry at his father for setting the stakes so high. It's not wise to let him know I'm here yet. Ryu might feel ashamed if he knew I heard all of that. I just need to keep an eye on him. I'll let him know I found him after he cools off. Sasuke sat down. He needed to get advice about Ryu. Teams were decided by the Hokage. In saying so, it was Naruto who could give him insight to why Hideki and Mia had been paired with Ryu. He sighed. I owe it to Kakashi to do everything I can for Ryu.

Ryu moved his gaze to a tree off in the distance. Someone was there. He stood up, his hands clenched. Whoever it was must have heard him yelling. Great. If it was either one of his teammates, Ryu would be the laughing stock of the whole village. "Hideki, or Mia – if that's either one of you, I'll kill you," he said angrily.

"Ryu, we have to talk," Sasuke said as he showed himself. "I know they ditched you." He watched as Ryu turned his back on him.

"I don't want to talk about it," Ryu said as he heard Sasuke get closer. "I don't want to be in this team anymore!" His fists were clenched.

"Ryu, listen to me, for once! I'm trying to help you overcome the problems you have, but I can't guide you if you don't tell me what path you're on," Sasuke said as he tried to talk some sense into the boy. "I refuse to let you wallow in self-pity. You have to be stronger than that, or everything is going to get at you and destroy you!"

Ryu didn't turn around. "I don't know what path I'm on, Sasuke sensei. It keeps changing under my feet. The more I try to stay on one path, the more I get thrown. No one tries to see the paths I'm on – why are you noticing them?" He looked behind at his sensei.

"The ones that don't see something, are too blinded by their own goals, Ryu, or simply put, they don't care. I see the struggles you are having because I've gone through them, too. I understand how unfair it is to be thrown off your feet when you have to keep regaining your balance."

"Then what is the point of trying to stand up? Answer me that, sensei. Why bother if it's not possible," Ryu said feeling like he was running out of options.

"It is possible, Ryu, but you're not letting anyone help you. I can only hold out my hand. I cannot make you take it. The foundation is crumbling under your feet because you're not stable. Whether you realize it or not, you let your mind control every aspect of your life. Plain and simple, you think too much."

"What else is there to rely on," Ryu said defensively. "My teammates want nothing to do with me. I have no one who'll listen to what I have to say and I'm never taken seriously."

Sasuke hopped to the branch Ryu was on. He stood behind him, watching Ryu's posture. His posture told Sasuke Ryu didn't have any confidence or faith in himself. "Why do you think I'm out here? If I thought you were a waste of existence, I defiantly wouldn't be here, at this hour, trying to talk some sense into you."

Ryu didn't like how personal this was getting. He wanted to keep his problems his own. Yet, he knew if he did that they wouldn't go away. It seemed all of his troubles were molding together. He didn't know what to do. Why was Sasuke trying to help him? He didn't understand.

"I can't make you stay in the team, Ryu. If that's your decision, then I'll have to replace you," Sasuke said. He wanted the boy to keep fighting – to realize what he was saying. Ryu wasn't giving him a decisive answer. "Come on, we need to head back."

"I can get there by myself," Ryu said not wanting to be led like a child.

"Then lead the way, smart alike. Which way is it," Sasuke challenged. He watched Ryu point off to his left, not looking at him. Sasuke exasperated. "Wrong, Ryu. That's how you get to the Hidden Sand Village. We live in the other direction."

Takeru worked on his homework in the family room. He was lying on his stomach, concentrating on the material he had to know. In a few months were the finals. He wanted to do well so his father would be proud of him. No one really knew what the finals were going to be on. When his father was his age, he had to perform the Shadow Clone Jutsu to pass. Times had changed since then.

The Sixth Hokage made the finals harder, in order, to prepare the students for the unknown challenges ahead. They had to pass a written exam that tested them on their knowledge of other countries and basic strategy techniques. Not only was the written exam hard, but Takeru had to perform three jutsus of his own choosing. He didn't know which was worse: having to perform three jutsus successfully, or having to do them in front of the Hokage and Kurenai sensei. Takeru felt overwhelmed. He flopped onto the floor.

Izumi looked over at her son. He seemed to be stressed over the material he was learning. "Takeru, just do your best. You'll get there." He groaned. "You're such a funny kid. Sasuke's been helping you at night. Try not to worry so much."

"It's nerve racking to do anything in front of Kurenai sensei," Takeru said. "How am I supposed to do all of this in front of Naruto, of all people? If I mess up, I won't pass."

Izumi whispered something to Onari. The girl tilted her head trying to figure out what she was learning. Izumi pointed to Takeru smiling. She lightly pushed Onari towards Takeru's direction.

Onari slowly crawled over to the boy lying on the floor. She tilted her head a few times. What was she supposed to say to him again? Onari glanced at Izumi who was waving her hands at her. She lay on the floor beside him. He couldn't see her. "Ta.. ke.. ru, do your best," she said, hoping she said it correctly.

Takeru turned his head. Onari was looking at him. He blushed. "Mom, you made her say that." Takeru reached up, poking Onari's nose. A thought occurred to him. He sat up quickly. "I have an idea!"

Onari scampered back, her heart racing. What happened? She looked around wildly, half-expecting someone else to be in the room.

"Takeru, you scared her," Izumi said as she wrote onto a scroll, in order, to help Onari learn their language.

"Huh?" Takeru looked at Onari who was looking at him wildly. "Sorry, Onari."

"What is your idea," Izumi asked as she drew a flower on the scroll. She was hoping Onari would learn through pictures and do well. It was going to be difficult getting pronouns across to her.

"If dad wants Onari to train, why don't I teach her what I know first? Then when she gets more advanced, he can train her with me?" Takeru was proud of his idea. He could use Onari as a study partner to help himself with techniques and also help her, in return.

"That's a really good idea, Takeru," Izumi said proudly. "Do you think Onari trusts you enough to be alone with you?" She looked at him. Takeru sulked. "You won't know unless you try to get her to respond to you."

"Onari only hangs around you and dad. She looks at me like I'm fixing to attack her, or something," he said. "Kind of like how she is now."

Izumi laughed. "Takeru, you have to trust her first, before she'll trust you. You're standoffish towards most people. The reason she looks at you like that, is to know what your intentions toward her are. You have to understand that we're the first people she's been around constantly like this, since her parents died. Just try with her. Don't get disappointed so easily."

Onari tilted her head. She understood little of what was being said. Takeru was unhappy about something. He seemed to be troubled by her. She kept hearing her name. "Boy no like Onari."

Takeru instantly met her gaze. Onari said it like a true statement. There was no hesitation in her voice, no emotion. She went strictly to the point. "Onari, I don't dislike you. You're just hard to understand."

"Onari no understand boy," she said as she pointed at him. She couldn't help it if Takeru hardly knew her. The boy was gone during the day and spent most of his afternoons training until dinner. They weren't around each other a whole lot. She spent most of her time with Izumi.

Takeru narrowed his eyes. Was this girl accusing him of something? She's just like all of the other girls I know. He got up. "Just forget it. I don't want to train with you," he said putting her down.

Onari stood up at that. She heard the defiance in his voice. Body language was everything to her. Actions were the most essential to a person who didn't understand language very well. She narrowed her eyes back at him. This boy was something else. He acted like he wanted to be around others, but was putting up a line of defenses to ward everyone off. They were both alike, and yet, different regarding the same issue.

"If you want to say something say it – if you can. I know you know more than you're letting on," Takeru said bitterly.

"Onari not know words," she said with anger.

"Try me, then," Takeru said. "I'm more intelligent than you think I am. I can figure out what you mean." He watched her stare back at him with no facial expression.

"Takeru afraid Onari know more than Takeru. Onari not stupid! Onari big learner! Onari learn more than Takeru," she said aggressively.

"Are you challenging me? You are, aren't you? You think you can take me on, foreigner? I train at the Academy with others and with my dad every day. You train with no one."

Izumi knew about Onari's abilities. Sasuke had confided in her about what had happened during the winter when they had brought Onari back. It often wasn't wise to challenge an opponent without tricking the person into showing their skills, or by using observation. Takeru was going to have to learn to control his anger. "If you two are going to fight, take it outside."

"You heard mom, Onari. You want to challenge me, then say it. I have no problem fighting a girl," Takeru said.

Onari turned her boy sideways, keeping her eyes meeting Takeru's. He was serious. She lifted her hand and waved, issuing for him to come at her. "Onari challenge Takeru."

"Thanks, Hinata," Sasuke said as he took the cup of tea off of the tray.

"You look stressed, Sasuke. Are your students giving you trouble," Naruto asked.

"One in particular is, but I don't think it's entirely his fault," Sasuke said sipping the tea. It was relaxing. He let his posture go. Naruto and he weren't exactly formal with each other. They had known each other too long.

Naruto blinked. "I'm going to take a wild guess and say it's Ryu."

"Naruto, why did you put Ryu with Hideki and Mia? And why have me train him?" Sasuke looked at his best friend seriously.

"So I take it Ryu isn't doing well," Naruto said laying his cheek against his hand. "I wanted him to be motivated, but I see that's proving to be difficult for you, Sasuke. I'm sorry. I have been watching his progress since he was at the Academy and he's always slacked off. In a way, it reminded me of myself, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Chouji. I was really hoping that if he found the strength in himself, that he would try harder."

Sasuke shook his head. "Actually, Ryu tries what he can with what he has to work with. He is often alone on the exercises because his teammates ditch him. At first, it wasn't like that. They did work together, but as time passed, they started to go their separate ways. Right about the time that I got leaked out who Ryu's father is."

"I honestly wish I knew who let that slip. I know Kurenai wouldn't have said anything to a student about it. That's personal information. Parents shouldn't reflect their children, but as it is, they do whether they are alive, or dead," Naruto said aiming some of what he was saying at himself and Sasuke.

"Ryu wants to bail out. I overheard him practically cursing Kakashi this afternoon. He's so burdened by what others think about him, that it controls his motivation and defenses. I don't, honestly, know what to do for him. I've tried to talk to him – even offer a helping hand, but he rejects all of it." Sasuke sighed.

"Maybe it isn't your hand he wants. You're an adult. We ought to know from experience, Sasuke, that kids don't trust adults so easily. That's very apparent with Ryu."

"So what are you suggesting, Naruto? You want me to give up on Kakashi's son? I owe that man my life," Sasuke said regrettably.

"No, I'm not saying 'give up'. We need to find a different outlet for Ryu; and also a different strategy. It seems he doesn't have any interest in training for himself. I wonder how he would fair if he was responsible for others? It's not easy growing up and it's about time Ryu got a rude awakening." Sasuke only looked at him. "This is my plan for Ryu: Continue to train him as if he's part of the team, but once the Academy exams are over in a few months, demote him – hold him back."

"Demote him," Sasuke repeated.

"Yes, I'm fixing to change things with the teams. There's always room for improvement. Instead of you, Shikamaru, Lee, and Kiba having full responsibility, I'm going to let you guys train, but at an angle."

Sasuke didn't understand. "I don't see what you're getting at."

"Are you serious? Your grades were always better than mine! Don't tell me your mind has gone sappy like an old man's," Naruto said laughing.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Naruto, get to the point," he said annoyed. His eye twitched.

"Alright. I've came up with this idea. There will still be trainers for training purposes and exercises; but there is also going to be a team leader for each team. I won't pick the leaders. That will at the sole discretion of the trainer. The student can be the strongest out of the group, or the weakest. You guys need to use your judgment on this.

Obviously, your job is to prepare the students for missions and to work together. I want the students to respect each other and be close. If they cannot, at least, get along with every student on each team, then there is no bond. As Shinobi, they need to trust each other. It's what holds the village together – it's what holds all of us together – like a large family."

Sasuke looked at the floor. "Isn't that how the Fourth Hokage viewed his position and everyone under him?" Naruto nodded. "So you do listen."

Naruto smiled. "If Ryu won't protect himself, or his current teammates, then we'll simply change his perception a bit. It will take some time for him to learn how to interact with others, but it will be worth it. He won't be fighting his demons alone; Ryu will even be helping others with their own."

"I see. So we're going to increase the emotional burden on the kids. I wonder if that's wise," Sasuke said.

"Nothing is a burden if it's for someone you love, Sasuke," Naruto said. He turned his gaze away, and then sipped some tea. "In fact, it's only an obstacle. By overcoming their obstacles with each other, they will gain something much more important – something we cannot teach, or force."

"Trust in each other," Sasuke said, understanding.

"Exactly."

A young boy with blond spiky hair and white eyes burst into the room. He stopped short. He was awfully excited. "Dad! Guess what jutsu I learned to do," Masaru exclaimed.

"Oh, so you've been practicing! I was wondering why I haven't seen you in a while. It's great that you're trying really hard! So which jutsu did you master," Naruto asked.

Sasuke turned around and looked at Masaru the moment he said 'The Sexy Jutsu'. He spit out the tea he was sipping. "Se-Sexy Jutsu?" It was the same technique Naruto had used in front of the Fourth Hokage and Iruka sensei.

Masaru heard the spewing of tea. He noticed Sasuke at that point. His eyes became as wide as bowls. "Ah! You didn't say Uncle Sasuke was here!" He turned on his heels and fled the room.

"Eh-heh. What's wrong, Sasuke," Naruto asked as Sasuke came within a few inches of his face.

"Naruto.. You've been teaching that boy that technique? You pervert," Sasuke said putting his friend in a headlock.

Naruto coughed as he put his hands on Sasuke's arm to try and lighten the choking. "Sasuke, it's just a joke! I didn't think he'd actually go do it!"

"That's not the point! Here you are giving me advice and you turn around and act like a pervert," he said as he started to choke him more.

"I'm the Hokage! You're not supposed to treat me like this," Naruto said complaining.

"I'm telling Hinata," Sasuke said as he let go. He was instantly jumped by Naruto as he tried to leave the room. "Get off of me, you pervert!"

"Don't tell Hinata! She'll make me sleep in the office! It's cold in there at night! Have mercy, Sasuke! I'll tell him not to do it," Naruto said pleading.

"If I promise not to tell, will you get off of me?!"

"Yes," Naruto said his body pinned to his friend's. "I'll get off and even do whatever you ask if you don't tell Hinata!"

"I promise not to tell on you," Sasuke said annoyed as hell. Geez..He hasn't changed. I can't believe he would even tell Masaru about that. Naruto got off of him. "I'm going to go and pretend this never happened." Sasuke left rolling his eyes.

"Thanks, Sasuke," Naruto yelled after him.

Sasuke scratched the back of his head. "Whatever." He's so annoying. I'm glad Izumi doesn't act like that. Or anyone else, for that matter.


	16. Chapter 16

**V 2 ch 6 **

**Confrontation on the home front!**

Onari watched the boy in front of her. They were both staring each other down. Her hard gaze met his – and held. Neji told her to always look an opponent in the eyes. The eyes always told a person's true character. Takeru was the type of boy who took challenges seriously. His eyes told her his guard was up.

Takeru looked at Onari just as serious. He wondered what was going on in her head. That girl had only been living with them for a few months now. Why had she chosen to want to fight him all of a sudden? What was she hiding? "Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to fight me?" Onari didn't move.

Izumi was watching the both of them from the side entrance that led to the garden. She had to make sure they didn't hurt each other. Onari was trying to prove to Takeru that she could do what he could. However, Takeru was taking it very seriously.

"Fine. If you won't come at me, I'll come at you," Takeru said. He started to run at her, arms back. The girl didn't move. Why is she not moving? Takeru came within a few feet of the girl. He was only going to abruptly stop and side kick her to teach her lesson.

Onari saw the boy coming at her. He was quick; she would give him that. However, she had spent three years of her life avoiding snow ninja. He was underestimating her. As Takeru came within a few feet of her, Onari slid her body backwards abruptly, her eyes still focused upon him. She watched as Takeru brought his leg up, kicking where she had previously been. Now it was her turn.

Onari picked up a few rocks. These would work for now. She showed the rocks in her hand to the boy. She wanted him to be aware of what was happening. After all, it wouldn't be fair to leave him in the dark. Takeru had to learn this lesson: She was not afraid of him.

Takeru decided to taunt Onari. "So you're good at avoiding a head-on confrontation. That's interesting." He looked at the rocks in the girl's hand. "If you're thinking about throwing those, I can avoid them easily."

"Takeru not place mouth before eyes," Onari said. She hated for someone to think they knew what move she was going to make. "Legs not always fast. Chakra fast more."

Onari placed a rock in her hand. It immediately glued to her chakra. She showed her palm to the boy with the rock attached.

For a moment, Takeru had no idea what she was up to. However, as Onari focused her chakra flow, the rock detached itself from her palm and hovered in front of it. "Reverse," Onari said. The rock started to spin.

Takeru fixed his eyes on the rock. Onari had learned to change her chakra flow. It was something not easily mastered. "What exactly are you up to?" Just as he asked the question, he saw the girl pivot on her heel. Onari came off of the ground as if she was throwing a ball.

"Back," she said calmly. The rock shot from her palm towards Takeru at an increasing speed. Takeru tried to avoid it by bringing his arm up to guard his face. It hit his arm at full force.

Takeru hollered in pain as the rock struck. He gritted his teeth and held his arm. It was heavily bruised. He looked at Onari with anger. She had struck him. The fire inside of him burned. He couldn't let her get the best of him! "Is that the only trick you know? Throwing rocks is child's play!"

"Boy think Onari play tricks?" Onari narrowed her eyes. She brought her hands in front of her body forming hand seals. She inhaled a ton of air into her lungs and held it.

Takeru's eyes widened. There's no way she can do that! How would she be able to perform that jutsu? It's an Uchiha technique! Sure enough, Onari formed the tiger seal – the final seal needed to activate it. Takeru swore and moved away from Onari as quickly as he could.

Onari tilted her head back. "Fire style jutsu!" It wasn't her objective to hurt Takeru; only teach him to respect her. The fire shot into the air lighting up the night sky. She looked at the bewildered boy – the boy who had underestimated her. "Boy not place mouth before eyes now," she asked coyly.

"How in the hell can you do the same jutsu as me and my father? How is it evenpossible," Takeru demanded. "Jutsus take training!" He didn't understand this girl!

"Onari watch Sasuke," she said defiantly.

"You can't watch someone and do the same technique instantly unless you have Sharingan! There's no way you can have that! It's something only the Uchiha have!"

Onari tilted her head. "What Sharingan?" That was a strange word. Was it a weapon?

"This isn't over! You haven't proved anything to me except that you can avoid an attack and throw rocks!" he was madder than a cat that had been chased all day by a dog. To him, Onari had no skills. She didn't even know how to use the techniques she was picking up.

"Takeru, that's enough," Sasuke said from the side entrance. "Onari doesn't have Sharingan. She didn't learn the fire jutsu instantly, either. It took her several tries. This is still pretty impressive because it took me three days. There is a lot you don't know about her and a lot she doesn't know about you. Both of you are in serious trouble."

"She challenged me," Takeru said through his anger. "You told me to never back down from a challenge! How am I getting in trouble for that?"

"I told you not to back down from a worthy opponent. Onari is highly inexperienced. The mere fact that you two could have injured each other is very obvious. Both of you were trying to prove something to the other and neither of you knew what that was. I will not have you two fighting," Sasuke said with a strict tone.

"I'm disappointed in your lack of judgment, Takeru. Onari, look at me." Onari turned her hard stare away from Takeru to Sasuke. "Your aggression is going to land you in some serious trouble, Fire Bird. I'll have to find a healthier outlet for you, soon. Your time with Izumi during the day is over. From now on, you'll be training every day with Neji. I want both of you inside, now!"

Takeru and Onari went in. Izumi pointed at their rooms. They went in and the doors were shut. Takeru sat on his bed, fuming. Onari was in the next room sitting on her futon, staring at the door.

"Were you going to let them injure each other, Izumi? They can't be taking out their anger like that." Sasuke put his elbows on his legs as he sat on the back porch.

"I was keeping an eye on them, Sasuke. It was a fair test for the both of them. They now know how serious the other is about defending themselves. It didn't escalade until Onari used the fire jutsu. She was trying to out do Takeru," Izumi said sitting next to her husband.

"I understand that Onari wants Takeru to know that she's capable of fighting. If we hadn't of been here and Takeru had let his anger out on her, he could of hurt her. That girl doesn't know the difference between a friendly match and a serious one," Sasuke said.

"It was my fault, too, Sasuke. I kind of knew something was going to happen the way Takeru had resented her after offering to help her," Izumi said as she piddled with her kimono.

Sasuke looked at Izumi. "Takeru offered to help train Onari? Before they fought? You're kidding."

"Takeru was getting stressed about the finals coming up for graduation and I had Onari tell him to do his best. Well, Takeru had the idea to let Onari train under him – that he would teach her the basics before you started training her in the afternoon when you got in. One thing led to another and before I knew it, he denounced what he said. In turn, it made Onari upset. I have no idea what happened, Sasuke." Izumi closed her eyes shaking her head.

Sasuke brought his hands up, putting his mouth against them. He, too, closed his eyes. "How much do you want to bet Takeru took whatever Onari said out of context? That saying, 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree', is perfect for this lesson. I know myself; and Takeru acts like me in most ways."

Izumi kissed his cheek. "You acted the same way with me," she said hugging him around his shoulders. The stars were beautifully hanging in the sky as crickets chirped in the garden.

"I know I did. I admit it. You saw right through me, though. You kept giving me chance after chance – no matter what I put you through. I wouldn't change anything as it is, Izumi."

"What is their punishment for fighting anyway," Izumi asked.

"I think they're going to sit in front of each other for a long time tomorrow. Maybe all day if it takes that long to get them to respond friendly towards each other," Sasuke said. He watched Izumi hang her had. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm a bad parent," she said depressingly. "I let them fight, so I have to take the punishment, too." Sasuke patted her on the back.

"Well, I guess we'll all be sitting tomorrow. I'm a bad parent, too. I knew what Onari was capable of and have neglected to do anything about it. I've been tired up with my team. I've been worried about Ryu's progress over the past few months."

"Is he still not trying?"

"No, he is trying, but there's no determination in him. I may have to demote him like Naruto instructed. The options are running out."

"Does Ryu know he is on a thin wire? Sometimes when we know the consequences, we change to avoid them," Izumi said. She lay back on the porch, propping herself up with her elbows.

"I've had too many personal talks with Ryu for him not to be aware of it. I even went over his head and talked to Kurenai. Kurenai understood Naruto's decision over the matter. She told me Ryu doesn't listen to her – that it was like talking to dead space. If he won't listen to the one person who loves him unconditionally, then why would he listen to me? I'm just his sensei."

"He sounds sad. Ryu has given up on himself. That's the problem. I know you haven't, but what will it take for him to realize that?"

"I can't waste all of my time on him. I have other students and a family to worry about. I need a vacation," Sasuke said.

Izumi rubbed his shoulders. "We can worry about taking a vacation after Onari gets in a few training sessions with Neji. Her aggression needs to be toned down some. I think Neji will be good for her."

Takeru stood in the hallway eying Onari. She was looking back at him, just as hard. He was still upset with her for getting him in trouble with his father. Sasuke's punishments were hard to take. They were either physically or mentally challenging.

Onari narrowed her eyes. Takeru seemed to be holding a grudge against her for last night. "Onari not like Takeru's eyes," she said softly. The boy clenched his fists. He was fixing to yell at her. She knew it.

"Takeru, check yourself," Sasuke said calmly from behind him. "Onari's not putting you down. You know her language is distorted. Before you flare your anger at her, use your head and try to figure out what she's really saying."

Takeru gritted his teeth. He wanted to explode. His father was denying him that. Takeru turned his gaze away from Onari. "She said she didn't like my eyes."

"So what does that mean? Is she saying she doesn't like you as a person or something else entirely? Think, Takeru. You're intelligent. More so, than you realize," Sasuke said.

Takeru crossed his arms. Onari was tilting her head at him – despite the way he was acting towards her. He was pushing her off and she was still standing there, taking it. His gaze softened. Onari not like Takeru's eyes. "She… doesn't like the way I'm looking at her…"

"Good job. Now that you two understand each other a little better, you both can take your punishment. We're all going outside to the garden and sit. That is the punishment for the day. Onari, go outside," Sasuke said as he pointed to the entranceway.

Takeru hated this type of punishment. He had to sit on his legs, hands on his lap, back straight and stare ahead. He wasn't allowed to move until his father told him to, or risk some other form of punishment. He sat down on his legs, hands in his lap. It was going to be a long day.

Onari tilted her head. She pointed at Takeru. "Game?" She wasn't familiar with this at all. Sasuke shook his head. He pointed at her. Then, he pointed at the space in front of Takeru. "Onari sit?"

"Yes, just like Takeru is sitting. This is not a game. It's discipline. You two will sit here and stare at each other until I say it's over. If you two talk, or move, you get to sit longer. To make sure you two do as you're told, Izumi and I will stay on the porch. I have work to do," Sasuke said. He sat down just as Onari did.

Izumi yawned a little. She offered Sasuke something to drink while she kept her eyes on the two kids in front of her. Onari and Takeru were watching each other intently. For a while, neither of them made any sort of movement. Things were going smoothly for the time being. It had already been two hours. Izumi got up to stretch her legs. The punishment was also on her and Sasuke who had to keep their eyes on the kids.

Onari's gaze never left Takeru's. She was looking straight ahead, her eyes intently glued to his. Even when he moved his gaze away, she was still looking at him. Takeru knew they couldn't move their bodies, but they could look around. Why is she so intent on me looking at her? I know she's there. How can I not?

Onari was trying to figure the boy out. He acted a lot like his father, but there was something underneath the front he was enforcing. How come he doesn't act like himself? Takeru is stiff around his parents. Is he not allowed to laugh, or play? She tilted her head a few times.

Sasuke caught her. "Onari, you're not supposed to move. Since you did, you'll be sitting there longer." He sat back looking at the pair sternly. Takeru's facial movement told him he had a problem with what Sasuke said. "Takeru, worry about yourself."

"I can't," Takeru said softly. His father was being unfair. Onari didn't know what they were doing, really. It was also in her nature to tilt her head when she was confused, or didn't understand something. It was the only times she did it.

"Explain to me why you are choosing to get in more trouble," Sasuke said. "I want to know why you are risking making me angry." Sasuke knew what was happening. Takeru, in a mild way, was trying to protect Onari from Sasuke. He didn't know if the boy realized what he was doing, or not.

"You can't punish her for who she is! That's discrimatory and you know it! Onari only tilts her head when she's confused, or curious. She's still learning!" Takeru turned his full attention to his father. Sasuke's hard gaze was matching his.

"Interesting. You're defying me. How original, Takeru. Why are you so concerned about what happens to Onari? It doesn't affect you," Sasuke said attempting to trap his son.

"Someone has to stand up for her! If you won't – the person she trusts the most- then I will," Takeru said angrily. He gritted his teeth, his gaze unwavering. Sasuke's eyes softened. Takeru didn't understand. Where was his extra punishment?

"You're so easy to trap. You fell for it without realizing it. As much as you hate to admit your cares and concerns, you just did," Sasuke said with a sly smile. Takeru's eyes widened. "There is more than one kind of trap, Takeru. Some you can see, others you can't. You just fell for a verbal trap."

Takeru couldn't believe it. He fell for it – hook, line, and sinker. He was equally embarrassed at how much he revealed. Oh, please, tell me Onari didn't understand a word of what I just said! When he said the most inappropriate things in front of the one person he didn't want to hear, he always took the best route of action for a boy his age: Deny, deny, deny!

Takeru slowly turned his head to look at Onari. She was sitting in front of him, tilting her head at him. He thought he was in the clear. Onari's head stayed the same. She was only watching Takeru.

Onari wondered why Takeru had yelled at Sasuke about her. She thought the boy didn't like her all of a sudden. Why was he defending her? Onari came to one conclusion. She lifted her hand and pointed at Takeru. His eyes got really wide. "Takeru like Onari," she said as her statement.

Takeru felt his heart racing. Onari understood what he had said! He couldn't breathe. How was he supposed to deny it? His parents had heard every word!

"Oh, my. Takeru's going into shock," Izumi said as she watched him panic.

"Takeru, breathe," Sasuke yelled.

Onari leapt towards the boy. He was staring at her, but his breathing was stopped. She reached around and hit his back a few times. He sputtered. "Takeru not have air," she said softly.

Takeru lowered his head as he coughed. Once he regained his normal breathing volume, he looked up. Onari was over him, watching him. He blushed. This was the closes they had ever been to one another. Takeru could hear her breathing. Onari's long black hair was touching his face. His eyes were wide.

Onari didn't understand what was wrong. She was trying to help him, but he looked more frightened. "Onari not hurt Takeru," she said softly trying to calm him down. "Takeru not have air."

Takeru couldn't move. His eyes were fixed on Onari. She was defiantly unusual to him, but it wasn't a bad thing. His heart felt funny whenever she was looking at him. The world around him seemed to have stopped.

Izumi and Sasuke were watching the pair curiously. "Is he alright," Sasuke asked. His son was totally fixated on the girl. "Takeru, you and Onari are through with your punishment," he said. He watched as the boy snapped to as he heard Sasuke's voice. Takeru nodded, but his gaze never left Onari. "What is wrong with him?"

Izumi leaned towards Sasuke, whispering. "This is the closest they've ever been to each other. I don't think we'll have any more trouble between them."

"How do you foresee that?"

"I'm female," Izumi said smiling at her husband.

"Oh. Well, if they're fine, I'm going out for a walk. I need to relax with the way things are going on around here." Sasuke got up. Izumi stood up, too, stretching. He kissed her on the cheek tenderly. "I'll be back later. We can go out to eat when I come back. It will do both of them good to leave the house." Sasuke left with his hands in his pockets.


	17. Chapter 17

**V 2 ch 7 **

**Onari's training begins!**

Sasuke walked the street with is hands in his pockets. Onari was following him looking around constantly at the people and buildings. He refused to let her cling to him like she normally did. He needed her to walk with confidence. Until she knew how to get to the Hyuga compound, Sasuke would walk her there.

He glanced behind to see Onari chewing on her sleeves. She was nervous about being out in the open. Sasuke and Izumi had chosen to keep the girl at home until she had adjusted to them and trust them. It would have been pointless to have her interact with others so soon.

Sasuke stopped. Onari was so busy watching everyone else that she ran into him. She gasped and flung back, lowering her head. He turned around and kneeled in front of her. "Onari, no one is going to hurt you. You won't be alone until you're familiar with the area. You have to understand that I'm not punishing you. I need you to learn to protect yourself. That's why you're spending today training with Neji."

Onari tilted her head. "Neji," she said quizzically. Her mind tried to recall who that was. She had been living in Konoha for several months. In her mind, faces and names were swirling and meshing together.

"I see you've forgotten who that is. Well, it's no wonder. We've been throwing a lot of words at you. You'll recognize him when you see him again," Sasuke said. He reached up taking the sleeves out of her mouth.

They continued walking until they finally arrived at the gate leading to the Hyuga compound. Sasuke and Onari walked through. Neji was already expecting him. The man with long brown hair stood with his back to them. He was instructing his son, Eiyu, to punch with more force. Sasuke stopped and waiting until Neji was finished.

Onari clutched to Sasuke's side as she peered around his form. In front of them was a tall man with long brown hair. He turned slightly to overlook his shoulder. Onari's mind flashed to a man who was walking in front of her, passing in the crowded street of the snow village. It was the man who had saved her and taken her to Sasuke.

Neji Hyuga turned around fully. Standing behind him was Sasuke Uchiha and a very curious girl with raven hair. The girl was calmer than what he had remembered. Her eyes were not as wild and were even intense as she looked at him. She wasn't running away from the unfamiliar surroundings, either. "Good morning, Sasuke. How have you been?"

Onari shot past Sasuke and ran towards Neji happily. "Neji Hyuga," she said as she jumped at him. She put her arms forth and wrapped them around his waist in the mid-air tackle. They both fell to the ground.

Sasuke was so embarrassed. He knew she would remember who Neji was when she saw him, but lunging at him, surprised the both of them. "Onari, it's impolite to jump people; especially when it's your trainer."

Neji looked down at the girl who was hugging him. He petted her head. "I'm glad to see you're well, too. You knew how I was the moment you saw me, didn't you?" Onari nodded. He was kind of taken aback by the affection emitting from the girl.

"Father, who is that girl," Eiyu asked. His serious gaze fell upon her. The girl sat up at the sound of his voice, her eyes watching him. As she looked upon him, he noticed her shoulders were shaking. She's afraid of me.

Sasuke was keeping an eye on Onari. She had just noticed Eiyu. Eiyu was watching Onari just as she was watching him. The girl wasn't running away from the encounter. Sasuke was impressed. She was doing exactly what Neji had instructed her to do when he first met her. "Always look a person in the eyes to learn who they are."

Eiyu didn't understand who the girl was, or why she was there. The silence seemed to edge on. He raised a brow at the girl. She was still shaking, her eyes wide. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said.

"Perhaps if you tell her who you are, she'll feel more at ease," Neji said.

"I'm Eiyu. Who are you," Eiyu asked. Why was there so much caution needed? And why did that girl have eyes like targets?

"Tell him who you are, Fire Bird," Sasuke said. "Go on." He watched Onari clutch to Neji. "He can't get to know you unless you tell him your name. If it makes you feel any better, Eiyu is one of Neji's sons."

Onari swallowed. This boy was Neji's? He had long hair like his father's – even the same expressionless face. She tilted her head. His eyes told her that he wasn't a bad person – maybe a little stern, but that was it. "Onari is… Onari," she said softly.

"Why is she speaking in third person," Eiyu asked, not moving.

"Onari is still learning proper language," Sasuke said. "It's going to be interesting instructing her. For the past few months, she's been learning through pictures and instruction. Try to go easy on her, Eiyu."

"Father, is this the girl that came back with you when you were on your mission with the Hokage?"

"Yes, she's the same girl. Starting today, Onari will train here. Until she's ready, she cannot attend training with the other children," Neji said.

"That's something that has me concerned, Neji. Onari can't read. I don't see how she can take the written exam portion of the Academy finals," Sasuke said.

"Well, we can only continue to try with her. There's going to be obstacles to overcome. Onari is capable of listening and taking instruction – to a point. We still don't know if she's had prior training by someone, do we?" Sasuke shook his head. "I'll do what I can for her. I promise." Training Onari was going to be mentally exhausting. Sasuke and Izumi had made progress with the girl. Some was better than none at all.

"Alright, well, I'll see you later, Onari," Sasuke said. Onari turned her head around. She was always with him, or Izumi. He needed to know how she would react staying with Neji in an unfamiliar place. He wanted her to do well – to succeed, but first, she had to get over her anxiety issues like Takeru.

"Onari, don't chase Sasuke," Neji instructed. He needed to know if she would listen to him from the get go. She turned her head back to him. Onari's facial expression told him she was upset. "I understand this is the first time you've not been around Sasuke, or Izumi."

"Sasuke leave Onari," she said withdrawing a little into herself. She let her hair fall, shielding her eyes. Her hands were playing with her shirt.

"No, he didn't abandon you. He left you to stay with me – to learn new things. I can't teach you what Takeru, Eiyu, or Kandai know unless you let me."

"Neji want Onari be like Takeru?" She looked up at the man. Was she going to finally be able to challenge the boy properly? She wanted to be seen as an equal – even though, Takeru was more advanced and had side training from his father.

"Not exactly like Takeru. I want you to be you. Onari will earn what techniques work best for her and how to approach certain situations. However, in order for you to achieve that knowledge, we must first overcome your anxiety and abandonment issues. Until that time comes, we will not practice any real training. Understand so far?"

Onari tilted her head a few times. "Onari wait. Neji say Onari no ready. Onari learn what Neji say. Correct, Neji?"

"Good girl. You can understand some of what is ay. Let's see how much trouble you have with others. Eiyu, go get Kandai please. We're gong to try an exercise with Onari," Neji said. He stood up and signaled for her to do the same.

Onari tilted her head. What was Neji up to? She watched Eiyu walk back outside. He stood next to his father. Another boy walked out that looked exactly like Eiyu, but his hair was tied back like Neji's and not loose. Onari didn't understand. The boy stood next to Eiyu.

Neji was impressed with Onari, so far. She was so curious to why Kandai looked like Eiyu that she wasn't afraid. She was more interested in trying to figure out why there similar. "Onari, you've met Eiyu. Now you can meet Kandai. Eiyu and Kandai are twins," he explained.

Onari pointed at the other boy. "Shadow Clone jutsu? Like Kiba and Uzumaki?" She watched Neji shake his head. She was stumped. The boys were the same, but weren't?

"No, they are twins, Onari. Twins look exactly alike, most of the time. However, they are two different people. Kandai and Eiyu have different personalities and interests. Kandai isn't a copy." Onari was constantly moving her gaze from one boy to the other. "Kandai, say 'hi'," Neji said.

Kandai smiled at the unusual girl. She was studying him rather hard. He was used to being looked at when he was with Eiyu. Twins were common in the Hyuga clan. "Hi, Onari," Kandai said still smiling at her.

The voices did not match between the two boys. Eiyu's voice was non-emotional, like Neji's. Kandai's voice had feeling in it. Kandai's voice was also lighter than Eiyu's. They were two different people. Two people she didn't know. Onari was nervous now. She knew nothing about these guys. Were they like Takeru?

"Onari, do you play games with Takeru," Neji asked. Onari nodded her head. "Okay, well today, I want you to learn to play games with Eiyu and Kandai. I know you guys don't know each other. The challenge is to approach each other." Onari seemed to be taking in what he was saying. She was a bit wary about his sons. "Can you guys help her with her anxiety for a little while?"

"Sure," Kandai said. He didn't mind. Onari seemed shy towards them, but she was alright. He actually liked to help others. It wasn't going to be that bad because they would play games to help her interact.

"If she's afraid of us, how are we supposed to get her to come closer," Eiyu asked. Onari was rooted where she was at. Her hands were fidgeting with her sleeves. The anxiety she had was noticeable. "Father, is she afraid of everyone like this?"

"Onari, try to let Kandai touch you. That's what I want you to overcome right now," Neji said. "Kandai, approach her slowly and pay attention to her body language. I don't want you to scare her." Neji sent Kandai off first because he was the most patient. It would also distract Onari from him walking off with Eiyu.

"Eiyu, come with me," Neji said. They walked around to the other side of the building. Neji could see Onari moving away from Kandai's advances out of the corner of his eye. She was alright for now.

Eiyu looked up at his father. His father was thinking before he spoke. He waited until his dad kneeled in front of him. Neji never looked down at his sons. "Father?"

"I need you to understand where Onari is coming from. If I tell you what I know, you cannot let it escape your lips, Eiyu. Rumors are hurtful to a child that is trying to find his or her place in the world. I want the best for you and Kandai – like every father does. Yet, I am concerned about Onari, too. She is coming from a horrible life." Neji looked into Eiyu's eyes the entire time he spoke. "I do not want to upset you or Kandai by her being here. Are you alright with knowing what kind of person Onari is?"

Eiyu glanced at Onari. She was actually standing still as Kandai put his hand out to her. Kandai was instructing her to try and touch his hand. "I want to know. She seems why. Usually shy people tend to be the strongest in a fight." At least, that was his reasoning.

"Onari was found in a village a long way from here. She was on her own scrounging for food and avoiding people. We found out her parents had died a few years ago. No one was willing to take her in, or have anything to do with her. There was a man in the village who tried to control Onari due to her hidden talents.

Onari is a fast learner like you, Eiyu. She watched through body language and gestures. In saying so, she picked up a few basic fighting skills learned from Shikamaru while we were there. She was separated from him when they were attacked by snow ninja while hiding out on a mountain. Onari ran all of the way down the mountain to the village below until she found me. I rescued her.

We had to rescue Shikamaru from the snow ninja of that village. The man that wanted to control Onari went after our entire group. The singled out Sasuke and took him out. This caused Onari to retaliate. The girl was bent on protecting Sasuke while I, Shikamaru, Naruto, and Kiba fought off the man's men.

The man summoned a large snow beast to finish us off. The beast attacked Onari as she attempted to guard Sasuke. That is how she got the scars on her face. She distracted the beast when she used the fire jutsu on it. It didn't end there. To end the battle, Onari summoned a phoenix called Akaihi. The phoenix attacked the beast and drove the snow ninja out of the village. She did all of this when she was wounded. After everything was said and done, Sasuke agreed to take her in and give her a home. We are trying to train Onari so she can learn to protect herself and those most important to her." Neji stopped. Eiyu's mouth was slightly agape.

"That girl is capable of performing a fire jutsu and a summoning jutsu without any prior training? Is she picking up on the techniques instantly," Eiyu asked. He was baffled. It meant underneath that shy persona, Onari was a genius.

"Onari isn't like Kakashi, the Copy Ninja. She can't copy a jutsu. She learns it just like everyone else – through trail and error. I'm not entirely sure how she did the fire jutsu after a few tries. It's a more advanced technique."

"Father, you said she can summon a phoenix, correct? Phoenixes are known for their healing powers and fire usage. Perhaps the reason she mastered Sasuke sensei's technique so quickly is because of the phoenix she is able to summon," Eiyu said.

Neji was proud of Eiyu. "I haven't thought about that possibility. It could very well be true. I wanted you to know where Onari is coming from so you could help direct her."

Eiyu was compelled to what amount of training Onari could endure. He wanted to find out how fast she was and how hard she could hit. He turned his gaze back to Onari and Kandai. Onari was running from Kandai again. "I've got a lot of work ahead of me."

"Cheer up, Takeru. You act like you've lost your best friend,' Izumi said. Her son was staring at the table, playing with his food. She looked to Sasuke.

"Have you and Onari gotten that close in the past few weeks," Sasuke asked. His son stopped playing with his food. Takeru looked away, as if he was more interested in staring at a spot on the floor. I guess they have. Ever since that little match of theirs, Takeru has been going out of his way to get Onari to notice him. I never would have guessed he would be the one to, purposely, act clumsy, or get in trouble to get a girl's attention. Sasuke chewed on his toothpick.

"I know," Takeru said calmly. Ever since they had sparred, he had made an effort to see Onari every day. He didn't care how tired he was, or what he was in the middle of – he had to get her to look at him; notice him. Onari was his best friend; At least, he though of her as so.

"Why don't we go shopping for a while? We haven't been out of the house but once since Onari arrived. It's too nice of a day to spend it moping about," Izumi said. She nudged Sasuke gently.

"Shopping would be good. We can get something different for dinner tonight, too. I'm tired of having the same vegetables with the same combinations," Sasuke said. He was only trying to play along, but it landed him a pop on the back of the head from Izumi.

"Yes, Sasuke, that's a wonderful idea. And while we're out, I can look for new outfits for Takeru and Onari to train in. we can all shop for something we like," Izumi said too cheerfully.

Sasuke turned his head towards her. "You're laying it on pretty thick, Izumi," he whispered. Her big happy smile froze and her eye twitched.

Takeru moved his gaze to his parents. "I already know what you two are up to," he said. They both looked at him blinking their eyes. "I know you guys are trying to take my mind off of Onari. How can I protect her if she's not here," he said looking away again.

"Is that what it is," Izumi asked. "You're worried she'll get injured while she's with Neji?" She watched her son shake his head. "What is it, Takeru?"

"I promised to protect her," Takeru said softly. "Dad said promises are just like oaths. The only difference is whether you swear with your head or your heart." He had promised with both – and meant it. There was something about Onari that drew him to her.

"That's right. I did say that. I'm glad to know you're growing up and taking responsibility, Takeru. I'm proud of you. Onari has to learn to protect herself. It's nothing against you. You can't always be by her side. There may come a time when she has to defend you, in return," Sasuke said seriously.

Takeru looked up at his father. There will be a time when I may need her? He thought of himself as more advanced and tougher than Onari. Would a time possibly come when she would surpass him, or be on his level?

"Guys don't always save the girl," Izumi said. "Sometimes girls do save the guys. You shouldn't narrow your thoughts over the matter. Never be blindsided by fake realities. You're still learning just like Onari is."

"Come on," Sasuke said. He got up and ruffled Takeru's hair. "Let's go shopping. We may find some stuff for you and Onari."

"Hey, what about this shirt? It would look cute on Onari," Izumi said holding up a pink shirt. Takeru scrunched up his face. "What's wrong with it? I thought the color would be cute on her. It has pockets on it for concealment."

"It's pink, Mom. Onari likes red. It's also sleeveless and she can't show her arms," Takeru said. Izumi put the shirt down. He seemed to have taken the wind out of her sails. "Mom, you can get her some night clothes that are… cute," he said forcing the last word out. He wanted to go wash his mouth out.

"Oh, here are some cute blue pajamas for Onari! She can wear these for vacations. Or maybe I like the purple ones better," Izumi said. She started sifting through the clothes and rambling at the same time.

"Takeru, your mom's in her own world. Let's just try to enjoy ourselves while we're out," Sasuke said as he tugged on his son's sleeve. "She doesn't know we exist right now – so it's fine."

Takeru walked with his father. He glanced at a few of the shops in Konoha. Particularly, he didn't want, or need anything. I wonder what kind of training Mr. Hyuga has Onari doing. Dad said he requested to train Onari before they came back. The Hyuga clan is serious about their training routine. Eiyu and Kandai train as much as me, if not harder.

"Takeru, why don't you pick out a 'Welcome Home' present for Onari?" Sasuke looked down at him. "Don't be like that. You can get her whatever you want. Although, I don't really know what she would like."

Takeru titled his head like Onari. "She's hard to figure out. I know she likes challenges and games. Dad, she's never had anything of her own, has she?"

Sasuke looked straight ahead. He sighed sadly. "No, I don't believe she has, Takeru. I have this feeling Onari's parents were on the run. I wish I knew from what."

"Maybe I can get her something she'll use, or something," Takeru said. He had no clue to what Onari liked. He hung his head. Even though they were living under the same roof, Takeru's relationship with Onari was not as strong as he would have liked.

"When you see the right item that is perfect for her, you won't have to ask yourself if it is. You will just know. It'll hit you," Sasuke said. He hoped he was helping. "How about I go buy some things for dinner and we meet up later. Just take your time. It'll come to you." Sasuke waved at his son and departed.

The thing that is perfect for Onari has to be something she would like. I don't know what that is. I've never had an in-depth conversation with continued to walk the road, his hands in his pockets. Onari was a girl. Girls liked girl things, but Onari liked boy things like training, learning, physical challenges, and showing off. He was so confused.

"I don't know what to get," Takeru said to himself. The more he looked at the shops, the more his head started to hurt. Onari had only left the house once with them a few weeks ago. He wondered if she had spent her time looking at the shops in the snow village.

"What could possibly have you looking like that on a day like this," a calm voice asked.

Takeru turned his head and looked up. Standing with his hands in his pockets and watching him, was Ryu. "I was wondering when I'd see you again." He watched Ryu's eyes widen.

"Why is that? I'm not popular by any means," Ryu said. He moved out of the way of an elderly couple. Why was this kid interested in him?

"You don't think too much of yourself, do you," Takeru asked.

Ryu averted his eyes. "Is that all you wanted to say to me – after all of this time?" what made him so popular with Sasuke sensei's kid? He glanced back at the dark haired boy.

"No, not really. Sorry. I wish I knew what to say to you. You seem to run when you hear something you don't like," Takeru said.

"So… you're worried I'll run from you," Ryu said. "Now why would a kid like you be interested in what I have to say? I'm not anybody in particular."

Takeru looked away at a few items on display in a shop closest to them. "You're older and more experienced than me, Ryu. You can't make me believe that what you have to say isn't important in some shape, or form."

Ryu was suddenly nervous. Did someone tell Takeru to say that? The more he looked at the boy's expression, the more he disbelieved what his head was telling him. This kid was seeking him out, but why? "Takeru, look, the only experiences I have are in hiding and running. It's what I do best."

Takeru honestly thought Ryu was putting himself down on purpose. "You're an idiot," he said seriously to Ryu. "Just because you don't have any faith in yourself, doesn't mean I don't."

Ryu's outlook on his situation, changed slightly. What Takeru had said, slapped him in the face. This kid hardly knew him, yet he was trying to be Ryu's driving force. He smiled under his face mask. "The Uchihas are something else," he said softly.

Takeru turned his focus back to Ryu. "Huh?" Ryu shook his head. "No, what did you say?"

"It was more for me, Takeru. So you don't think I'm a loser, or a waste of time. You're the third person to emphasize that." Maybe I should listen. Just maybe..

"Who are the other two?"

Ryu smirked as he looked straight ahead. He shifted his feet. "Your father and my mother." It meant more coming from Takeru. Takeru was younger and still a boy. The kid talked with sincerity when he spoke, unlike an adult. "So what are you shopping for?"

"Oh. I forgot why I was here. Onari went to train with Mr. Hyuga today. Dad suggested I get her a 'Welcome Home' present. And I have no clue what she would like," Takeru said depressingly.

"Ah, so it's your sister's first day of training," Ryu said. "I thought you were an only child." He looked at Takeru. The boy raised a brow.

"Onari isn't my sister," Takeru said. "My dad took her in. She lives with us and she's my age."

Oh, this is too much. Ryu got a mischievous grin on his face. "So you have a girl living at your house that's your age. How often have you tried to peek in on her?" Takeru's eyes were wide and he was blushing. Ryu lifted his hand up to his mouth so no one else would hear. "Come on, Takeru, you can tell me. Is she cute?" That did it. Takeru came at him swinging.

Ryu moved back swiftly dodging each and every attempt of Takeru's as his hands stayed in his pockets the entire time. "You're such a hothead, Uchiha," he said laughing as he turned to avoid a swift kick at his side. "I think you want to peek at her," Ryu said, taunting more.

"Ryu, you bastard! I have not," Takeru said. "I mean, I do not! I'm not a pervert!" He went for Ryu again only to have Ryu hold him at bay with his hand on his head. Takeru was swinging, but he was only making contact with air. Ryu avoided every effort of his with ease. Takeru stopped. He was panting. He wondered how fierce Ryu's offensive attacks were.

Ryu kneeled so he could look up into Takeru's face. "Calm down, Takeru. I was only teasing you. Besides, if you had attempted such a cowardly thing, Sasuke sensei would have broken your legs," he said still smiling.

"He probably will eventually," Takeru said under his breath. Onari was meant for companionship. His parents would surely flip out if things changed.

Ryu cocked his head. "Well, don't take it to heart. I'm harmless. Let's see if we can't find something nice for your friend. There has to be something in Konoha that will suit her."


	18. Chapter 18

**V 2 ch 8 **

**Nice to see you again! I think..**

The two boys walked the street together. Every time Ryu suggested looking at something, Takeru would sigh. "How do you know what she'll like if you have no clue to what her interests are?"

"Dad said when I found it, that it would hit me," Takeru said.

"Gifts don't necessarily fall out of the sky. You have to know something about her, or this is going to be impossible. What is her personality type? If you know about her personality, then the gift should follow the type of person she is."

"Onari is pretty calm, unless she's challenged. She's determined and likes to learn. I know she likes games, but she's a poor loser."

"So in saying, this girl is still learning about the world around her. I see. Strange. Where is this girl from again?"

"No one knows. She was abandoned, sort of," Takeru said. "Onari talks with a thick accent that no one recognized. I wish I knew where she was from. Maybe if I did, then it would make it easier for me to get along with her."

"Hmm. Knowing what her background is could help her adjust better. I'm not saying it would help you though. The background of a person is nothing compared to how a person thinks or reacts. Sorry. I'm not really helping," Ryu said. "Why don't you get Onari something as unique as she is?"

Takeru looked up at Ryu. "Aren't unique gifts risky? There's a half-and-half chance that the person likes it, or doesn't."

"True. How's this? What is the most noticeable characteristic, or trait of hers that attracts you," Ryu asked. He was running out of suggestions.

"Her eyes," Takeru said bluntly. He was expecting Ryu to tease him again, but he only nodded. "Onari has the most unusual and exotic eyes I've ever seen."

"What do her eyes look like," Ryu asked curiously.

"They're yellow with a black circle around the iris of her eye," Takeru informed him.

"Now you've got me curious. I want to see them for myself," Ryu said laughing a bit. "Her eyes sound like targets. I bet once she gets in some training, she'll be kicking some serious butt."

That comment made Takeru laugh. "Probably. She doesn't have a problem proving a point, that's for sure." He stopped. Ryu stopped as well. "Ryu, if you never had anything of your own before, what will you want?"

"Simple." He paused. "A friend."

Takeru knew what to get Onari. The perfect gift for her wasn't found in a shop. It wasn't something you could buy, or make. He wanted her to have something that would be meaningful. "I know what to get her," Takeru said softly.

"Oh? What might that be," Ryu asked.

Takeru looked at Ryu with a serious expression. "Me," he said plainly. "Onari can have me. The thing that she has never had is a friend. Thanks, Ryu."

"I don't exactly follow, but I'll go with the flow. So how are we going to 'give' you to her? It would be amusing to see you wrapped as a gift. I'm not sure how you would walk, though," Ryu said pondering. "Hopping might be better."

Takeru shook his head. "You're a total idiot," he said as they walked back the way they came. "No wonder my dad doesn't know what to do with you. Idon't know what to do with you."

Eiyu, Kandai, and Onari breathed hard. They were all lying on their backs on the ground. A simple exercise such as touching someone was supposed to be easy. At least, Eiyu and Kandai had originally thought so. They had chased Onari all over the yard most of the day. She was eying the both of them as they were keeping their eye on her.

Kandai laid his head back on the ground once he looked up to see if their father was checking on them. "I don't know which is harder: Father's training or chasing Onari," he said smiling. "She's pretty quick, Eiyu."

Eiyu looked up at the sky, still breathing hard, his hair sprawled out. "I can't figure out if she's voiding us because we're unfamiliar, or if she thinks we're playing a game. Either way, Onari has to complete the exercise or there is no hope in training her."

"Are you afraid of us," Kandai asked her. Onari tilted her head. "Do you think Eiyu and I will hurt you?" Onari only studied the two of them. "Okay, it has to be something else."

Eiyu hated playing mind games. His father and Sasuke sensei had told him to go easy on the girl. "Onari, you can't go home until your training is finished for the day. This means, you must complete the exercise Father wants you to do. Ninja have to take direction and learn to do what they are instructed to do."

"Exercises are only another from of learning. It teaches you to grow and gives you strength in problem-solving, as well as, in ability," Kandai said. "We can see that you have strong physical ability. You've avoided us all day."

"Avoiding someone or something doesn't make the challenge go away. You're going to have to face it. Why is it hard to understand that we have no intention of hurting you? Whatever you've dealt with in the past, is being forced on me and Kandai," Eiyu said.

"Onari make Kandai Eiyu hurt," she said unsure. Was she causing them pain by avoiding them? Onari rolled over. Eiyu and Kandai both had sad expressions on their faces.

"If you keep avoiding us, you won't get to know us. We can't be friends if not given the chance," Kandai said as he tiredly watched her. Onari started to slowly crawl towards him. He didn't move a muscle.

"K-Kandai promise not hurt Onari," she said.

"I promise," Kandai told her. He doubted the energy was in him to even touch her. Kandai closed his eyes for a moment. Exhaustion was taking its toll on him. He didn't know about Eiyu.

Onari slowly kept crawling towards Kandai. She didn't think he'd actually hurt her. He was Neji's son. Wait. Kandai and Eiyu were Neji's sons. Neji was the one that saved her and watched her. He wasn't a bad person. In saying so, his children would generally be raised to have the same morals as him. Onari felt silly to have let Kandai and Eiyu chase her the entire day. It wasn't fair to them.

Kandai yawned as he opened his eyes. He looked up to see Onari looking back at him. She was watching him intently. "Hi," he said tiredly. "Are you the same girl who has been here all day?" Her facial expression was more alert, serious, and to the point. She lifted her hand and touched his nose. "I'm only half of the exercise. You still have to touch Eiyu."

Onari shifted her gaze to Eiyu. He looked at her, in return. "Eiyu up," she said issuing him to sit up with her hand. She crawled over to him without fear. He sat up then held his palm out to her. Instead of touching him with one finger, she let her hand meet his and held it. Onari looked dead into Eiyu's eyes, her gaze focused. "Onari no scared Eiyu Kandai," she said. "Onari make Sasuke, Izumi, Eiyu, Neji, Kandai, and Takeru proud now."

"Good. So now that you're serious about training, let's see how fast you are," Eiyu said. "I have an exercise for you. Kandai, do you have a second wind? Let's see if she can avoid us and how long it takes."

Kandai got up. He stretched a second. "Do you want a head start," he asked Onari. She shook her head. "Oh, so you're getting more confidence now. I want to see if she can avoid the both of us, Eiyu. It's harder than it appears when you have two people coming at you," he said smiling.

Onari stood her ground firmly. These two were more experienced than her – like Takeru. Most of her life was spent dodging and avoiding contact from others. She had the advantage over it. Every afternoon when Takeru trained with Sasuke, she watched. In the late night hours she was often copying his moves in her room. No one was the wiser. No one heard her. Eiyu's tactics were formidable. She would test what she knew on him and Kandai.

Kandai and Eiyu watched as Onari shifted her body to the side. She raised her hand and waved at them. Eiyu smiled his eyes serious. Kandai shifted his feet, leaning forward. "Come on," Onari said challenging the two twins.

"I don't get where you're coming up with this idea," Saori said. She looked at the boy who sat next to her in Kurenai sensei's class. "If we do that, Kurenai sensei will get onto us. I don't think asking is going to help us on the finals."

"There has to be some way of figuring out what is going to be on the written exam," Areku said. "I heard it's tougher ever year." He looked ahead as they walked down the road, his slit eyes squinting. "Hey, isn't that Uchiha? Who is that with him?"

Saori turned her gaze to where Areku was looking. As a few people started to part in front of them, she saw Takeru walking side by side with – Ryu. Her heart stopped. She gasped. The confrontation between her and Ryu played back in her mind. Yet, he was smiling as he talked to Takeru.

Areku looked at Saori. She was tense. He could tell something was wrong. "Saori, are you alright?" He looked to her while her eyes were focused ahead. Did she know the guy walking with Takeru? It appeared she did. Areku reached up shaking her lightly on the shoulder. "Saori?"

"I have to go," Saori said abruptly. She turned around quickly. "Sorry, Areku."

Areku wasn't buying it. He grabbed her wrist, stopping her. "Saori, something is wrong. Since when did you start running like a chicken?" She looked at him with a painful gaze. "Why won't you tell me what's bothering you?"

"Oh, hey, Saori," Takeru said from behind him. Areku turned around. He let go of Saori's wrist. Takeru was well-known because of his father. Areku's father, Kiba, often worked with Sasuke. Areku wondered if something had happened between Saori and Takeru.

Saori turned around acting all happy. It was her way of covering up her feelings. "Oh, hey, Takeru! I haven't seen you in a while. Are things going all right for you?"

Takeru blinked. The last he remembered Saori was full of herself and overly confident. Now she was cheerful, but not the good kind of cheerful – more like the overly done scary kind. "Um, I'm fine. What's up with you? You're acting rather odd."

Ryu raised a brow. "I'll say," he said calmly. Saori glanced at him. Her eyes showed shock. "What," he asked. She turned away quickly. Am I missing something? He scratched his chin, pondering.

There was a deafening silence between them. Things seemed to be uncomfortable for the group. Areku was watching Takeru so seriously that Takeru backed away some. Saori kept her eyes averted from everyone. No one really had any idea to how it started or what led to the awkwardness. It dragged on for a while until Ryu decided he had had enough. "Alright, why are we standing here staring at each other?"

"Heck if I know. I haven't done a thing," Takeru confessed. He hadn't seen Saori or Areku outside of class since around New Year's. He knew Areku didn't know Ryu.

"Well, it's not me," Areku said gruffly. "I don't know either of you. We were fine until you two showed up."

"Saori, it has to be you because we haven't seen you since the beginning of the year," Takeru said. He watched her cross her arms as she looked at the ground. "What has you acting so strangely? You're not that cheerful."

Did she dare glance at Ryu? She slowly moved her eyes to look at him. Her jaw dropped. Ryu was scratching his head not paying any of them a bit of attention. Is he really clueless or what? Does he even remember the fight we had? He looked at her lazily. Saori about fell out. The entire time she had avoided him and he didn't even remember? "You have got to be kidding me!"

"I haven't said anything," Ryu said. Saori clenched her fists. Her shoulders were shaking. Her eye was twitching. "What has you about to blow a fuse, puppet girl? Is there a sale on tea, or cake you have missed?"

Saori lifted her hand pointing at Ryu. He was completely toying with her! "You do remember! I know you do! You're trying to pass off forgetting about what you said that day!"

"I remember what I did this morning; maybe a few days ago, but that day was a few months ago," Ryu said. He watched Saori's face contort. "You might want to be careful of that. It'll stay that way," Ryu said about her face.

"What is going on," Takeru said. Ryu shrugged. "Oh, you know. I know you do. Who knows what goes on in that active mind of yours?" Ryu held up two fingers for 'victory'. He was smiling at Takeru. Oh, you're horrible. You're toying with her.

"Ryu, I swear-," Saori started to say.

"You know my name? Have we met? Oh, yes, you're the puppet girl who likes cake, tea, and using puppet strings on others," Ryu said quite coyly.

"Stop calling me 'puppet girl'. I have a name," Saori said angrily.

"Let me guess. Temper Nara, is it? Nice to see you again. I thought Uchiha was the only hothead, but it's nice to have competition, I suppose," Ryu said bitterly. Amazing how Saori made a comeback so quickly. If she thinks I'm apologizing for the wake up call I gave her, she has another thing coming.

Areku put his arm up to stop Saori from attempting a swing at Ryu. She was fuming. Ryu was coolly watching them. "I'm not sure what's going on, but anyone who taunts someone else and makes them look like a fool, is not worth my time."

"You're not the one I was talking to," Ryu said. Areku narrowed his eyes. "If you have something to say, say it. I'm a big boy. I can handle it."

Takeru understood why Ryu got in so much trouble with others. Ryu didn't know how to properly say anything. "Ryu, knock it off. I have no patience for your antics. Come on, I'm ending this before you dig a bigger hole for yourself." Takeru pushed Ryu off forcing him to walk away from Saori and Areku.

"I don't know what he's said to you, Saori, but I'll apologize because I don't want to see you upset. Ryu, keep walking!" Takeru narrowed his eyes as he caught Ryu trying to eavesdrop. For someone that was older, Ryu acted like he was Takeru's age. He sighed disgustedly.

Saori glanced at Takeru. "Don't apologize for him. He needs to learn to do it. It's sweet of you to stand up for me. Just don't turn out like him, Takeru. One Ryu is enough in this world."

Areku glanced behind them to see Ryu leaning up against a shop. His arms were crossed, eyes closed, foot on the wood, and his head tilted toward them. "He's eavesdropping again." Ryu appeared to smile under his face mask.

"I'm going to knock his head off," Saori said highly annoyed. She turned to enforce her decision on the matter. Takeru and Areku both grabbed her. "I won't hurt him much! I'll just scar him a little!"

"Saori, let it go," Areku said holding her in place. "He's only doing that to get on your nerves. You're falling for it!"

Saori un-tensed her body. She didn't want Ryu to win. "I'll get him back eventually, but not today. I'd rather see him squirm."

"Aren't we supposed to be maturing when we graduate? This isn't helping. At least acknowledge Ryu's immaturity and move on. Revenge isn't always the best option," Takeru said as he let Saori go.

"No, it isn't, but it would make me feel better," Saori said smiling slyly.

"Saori," Areku said.

"Oh, alright. I'll leave him alone. It's too nice of ad ay to waste it on Ryu. Let's go Areku. We need to go buy some study aids anyway. My dad is helping us prepare for the written exam," Saori told Takeru. "If you want, I can help you, too."

"Seriously? I may take you up on that. Hey, Saori, why don't you come over after you study with your dad? We can practice outside in the garden. Although, I need to warn you about my mom," Takeru said scratching his head embarrassed.

"What's wrong with your mother," Areku asked.

"I've never had company before. She may get excited," Takeru said forcing a smile. He didn't know how she was going to react. She might scare Saori off. Suddenly, Takeru felt nervous. He still had to ask permission about having company over.

"I've never had company before either," Saori said disappointedly. "Well, don't worry too much about it. I'll get a nice gift for your mom while we're out. See you later, Takeru!" Her and Areku waved and went off after their study materials.

Takeru walked up to Ryu. Ryu was still in the same pose, acting coolly. "You could at least acknowledge me, geez." Ryu opened his eyes to look at him. "Truthfully, what happened between you and Saori?"

"Truthfully?" Takeru nodded. "She tried to injure a girl I was having a quarrel with. I stopped her, but ended up losing my head and taking my anger out on Saori."

"So that's what it is. Whatever you said to her has had an impact on her. Ryu, I know I don't know you well, but I know of you because my dad is worried about you. Stop fighting with others," Takeru said. "You're only distancing yourself."

Ryu looked away. His eyes were focused on something unseen. "Why is Sasuke sensei worried about me," he asked softly. "He's only my trainer."

Takeru didn't know what to say. That was what Ryu had to find out for himself. "Ryu, I can only tell you that actions speak louder than words. Instead of listening to what some say, try watching."

"Try watching," Ryu repeated. "You mean how you're still standing here instead of walking away from me?" He glanced at Takeru. Takeru had a very serious expression on his face.

"I'm not going to walk away from you," Takeru informed him. "I see past the mist you hide in." Ryu coughed as he looked away again. When Takeru was hurting, he stayed to himself – much like Ryu did. "Ryu, in all truth, stop hiding who you are. I'm sure stumbling in the dark is quite bothersome."

"It is," Ryu admitted. "You should see the wounds on my face," he said smiling at Takeru. "Well, what'd you think I wore the mask for?"

Takeru smirked. "Come on, you idiot. I have to meet up with my parents. I'm pretty sure my mom has already put all of the shops in Konoha out of business."


	19. Chapter 19

**V 2 ch 9 **

**The Academy Finals – or Bust!**

Eiyu came at Onari with the fierceness of a lion, his hands up, feet moving quickly as he tried to come in contact with her body. She was avoiding him and Kandai as much as possible, twisting her body and turning, seeming to miss every one of their hits. He attempted to hit her with his left hand, bringing it towards her shoulder, only for her to twist her body to her left, avoiding it. Kandai was on the rebound from having been hit in the side by one of Onari's hits.

Kandai decided to come around Onari in a circle while she was preoccupied with avoiding Eiyu. He came around her blind spot, his left hand out, read to hit her. She saw him coming out of the corner of her eye at the same time Eiyu was attempting to side kick her. Onari jumped into the air, turning upside-down, spinning, her legs out in an arch to maintain her position in the air as she avoided the two twins. She came down behind Eiyu and Kandai sliding on the ground, her body crouched, watching them, anticipating every move that they were throwing at her.

The two twins looked behind them at her. She was watching them like a hawk. They were both panting hard, but Onari was coolly in tact. What they were doing didn't even seem to faze her. Eiyu wondered how much longer they could keep this up. They had already chased her most of the day. The sun was starting to set in the west. Onari tilted her head at them, wondering what was taking them so long. Were they going to come at her, or not? As they stood there facing each other off, Neji walked outside. He seemed rather pleased with Onari's progress.

"You three can quit for the day. Eiyu, you and Kandai can go inside now. Onari should be leaving soon. Your mom has a nice treat for you two since you helped out today. Thanks for your hard work," Neji said. The two twins waved bye to Onari before heading in. Onari looked up at Neji. Her eyes told him she had a made the decision to not back down from the training routine he had enforced on her. "I'm rather pleased with you, Onari. You've avoided Kandai and Eiyu very well this afternoon. I even saw you complete the first exercise. Sasuke will be proud of you. I would be."

Onari stood up fully, her long dark hair blowing in the breeze. "Onari go home now?" She watched Neji nod. "Onari not know way."

"I think he's coming back to get you shortly," Neji said. "You don't have to stand outside like a statue. You can come sit on the porch." Neji watched Onari approach the building cautiously. She sat down, leaning forward. "How did you like your first day of training?"

Onari pondered the question. "Onari fine. Neji teach Onari jutsu now?" She watched him look at her.

"In due time, I'll teach you a few basic techniques, but first, we need to strengthen you up a bit. This week we'll work on arm and leg strength since you seem to be pretty nimble. Let's see how high you can jump in the next week. It's important to learn how to evade opponents, as much as, fight them. You're still new at this, Onari, and I don't want you to push it. I know how eager you are to learn to fight like Eiyu, Kandai, and Takeru. Do you understand?"

"Onari not go past what Neji say for Onari to do," Onari said in her broken speech.

"Good. I don't think it will hurt for you to practice with Takeru, but I don't want you trying jutsus out on your own. Some of them are hard to master, and some of them are dangerous and can drain chakra."

Onari tilted her head. "Jutsu drain Onari chakra?" She didn't understand. Chakra was a constant flow.

"Yes, some jutsus are so advanced that they are used as a last resort to finish an opponent off. They can drain your chakra if over used. If your chakra ever reaches zero, you die," Neji said quite seriously.

"Onari fight to protect," Onari said, her voice carrying a bit of roughness to it. She was bent on proving herself to Neji and Sasuke that she was capable of fighting. She did not want to be seen as an inferior ninja. Onari was not aware of how she was able to avoid Eiyu and Kandai so well. All she knew was that when they were coming at her, to not let them touch her. That meant turning and twisting her body like she did. As long as she could remember, she had used the same techniques on the snow ninja to avoid being captured by Captain Anamaraki.

"Yes, I understand," Neji said looking at the gate in front of the Hyuga compound. "Being able to protect the ones you love is something I, too, take very seriously. If you cannot protect something, then there is no reason to fight. Fighting is not always about proving yourself, or how strong you are."

"Onari not weak," she told Neji.

Neji glanced at her. "No, you're not weak at all. You're very strong. More so, than I can understand. You've survived a harsh environment on your own for a long time. I've even witnessed your fighting skills and hidden talents. You're not only physically strong, but mentally strong as well," Neji said tapping his head so she would understand.

"Onari like Shikamaru?"

"Somewhat, but not exactly. Shikamaru tends to plan his moves against someone several moves ahead in case a few don't work. I see you don't understand. It's alright. If you ever see Shikamaru in action, you will understand. He's quite cunning when it comes to tricking an opponent into thinking they have the upper hand," Neji said.

"Shikamaru play with bad people," Onari asked. Neji petted her head. It was difficult to understand all of the words she was hearing.

"Not exactly play with them as in games, Onari. More like, play with them in the sense of getting the advantage," Neji informed her. "There are types of opponents who only want to fight to gain something from another. What they gain is power over another person. Ninja fight to protect the village they live in and the ones in it. The Hokage is responsible for issuing battle plans during a war with a neighboring village. He, or She oversees all progress that the village makes. The Hokage is much like a mother or father watching over his or her children. Is that any simpler?"

"Uzumaki is Neji's Dad," Onari said with a faint smile. She was starting to understand why everyone did what they could for The Hidden Leaf Village. It was much like a big family where everyone contributed to the village as a whole. Everyone saw that the children were well educated and learned to fight to protect their home.

"I suppose you could put it that way," Neji said. "Naruto is one of the strongest people I know. He has been through so much in his life and yet, he still maintains a positive outlook on life and does what he can for someone. He doesn't believe a single person is lost. He stands by what he says and does."

"Neji, Onari be like Uzumaki," she asked. She looked straight ahead as she saw someone she recognized approaching the gate to the Hyuga compound. It was Sasuke. He wasn't alone. Takeru was walking with him.

"No, Onari needs to find out who Onari is. In time you'll learn who you are. Hopefully, when you venture out farther, you'll make friends who will help you, too. Not everyone is cruel, Onari. Some actually want the best for you. I'll see you for another training session in due time. Take it easy," Neji said as he stood up to greet Sasuke and Takeru.

Onari looked off into the sunset. The colors were shaded together like paint on canvas. Her eyes sparkled with the orange, yellow, and pinks that were mixing with the blue. She glanced at Takeru as he sat next to her. Neji told her to find out who she was. He also said that not everyone was cruel. The cruelty she had been exposed to resurfaced itself each time she was forced to encounter someone she was unfamiliar with. She had to be strong – just like Uzumaki and Sasuke.

Takeru watched her looking at the sky. He wondered what kind of training Neji had made her do. Whatever it was seemed to have made her more confident; stronger. He noticed when he sat down next to her that she didn't jump, or flinch like she used to. Takeru was able to sit this closely to her and not have to worry about moving too fast.

Takeru moved his hand up, tugging her sleeve a little. She turned around to look at him. "Hey, I got you a present for your first day of training," he said kind of nervously. She tilted her head at him. Onari was looking around for it, but didn't see it. Takeru opened his arms and said, "Me. I'm your present." Man, I sound so cheesy.

"Takeru Onari present," she asked. Onari didn't quite understand. His arms were open. What was she supposed to do? Takeru seemed to be embarrassed. Onari mischievously smirked. She threw herself at him. He doubled over and yelped. "Takeru better than futon. Squishy," she said as she poked his stomach.

"Ow," Takeru said. He wasn't expecting her to do that. His cheeks were flushed bright red. She was on top of him and he could feel her. Takeru swallowed. "Onari, why did you jump me," he asked nervously.

"Takeru Onari present. Onari take Takeru home with Onari," she said to the best of her ability. "Hmm?" She tilted her head as his cheeks seemed to glow bright red now.

"Thanks for the trouble of training her, Neji," Sasuke said. He glanced over to see Onari on top of Takeru. "Tell Eiyu and Kandai I said 'thanks', too. I think I better rescue Takeru before he explodes."

Neji glanced behind himself. Takeru's face was red. "I think that would be best."

Izumi sat down at the low table, smiling at Onari. "So what kind of training did Neji do with you?" She dumped out rice for Sasuke and passed him the bowl.

"Onari chase Eiyu Kandai all day," Onari said with the chopsticks in her mouth. She wasn't sure if she liked rice, or not. Did Takeru have something better? She checked. Nope. Onari would have snatched it.

"You chased Eiyu and Kandai all day? What sort of training is that," Izumi asked. She watched Onari scout out her and Sasuke's food. The girl was looking for something familiar.

"Neji say Onari touch Eiyu Kandai first. Onari run from Eiyu Kandai all day. Eiyu talk to Onari. Eiyu say not run. Onari no understand. Kandai say Onari not friend -," she paused. The words were flowing in her head, but she didn't know a word for what she was trying to express. Onari put her forehead on the table, patting the top of her head with both of her hands. She wanted the words to come out like they were supposed to.

Izumi blinked. "Onari, it's okay. We know you don't know the proper words sometimes. It's hard to express yourself like you want."

Onari was getting frustrated. She hated being limited on the words she was able to pick from her head. Most of the time, she understood what was being asked of her, but it was harder to tell someone exactly what she wanted. The poor girl was easily frustrated in public with Izumi. She was so unfamiliar with most of the things she saw. Izumi had a lot of patience with her, but Sasuke, on the other hand, did get annoyed eventually. As a measure, she had to point a lot like a little kid to get him to understand her.

Takeru was watching her sadly. Onari hated to be cut off due to lack of intelligence at the language they spoke. Absentmindedly, he reached his hand up, petting her head softly, his other hands holding a pair of chopsticks. He heard his father clear his throat. Takeru snatched his hand back as if he'd been bitten by a viper. His face flushed red.

Sasuke looked up to see Takeru acting oddly. Why was his face red? He couldn't think of anything to say to even question mildly what was going on. Takeru took things hard whenever Sasuke spoke to him. "Takeru, eat your dinner," was all Sasuke could think of.

Izumi was very aware of what was going on. She smiled a little, but didn't say anything. It was her job as a mother to know her child better emotionally than his father. That's so cute, Takeru. You like Onari. Izumi saw past the hesitation and awkwardness her son displayed on various occasions.

"Ah! Onari not friend with Eiyu Kandai because Onari not do what Neji say," Onari said remembering. They seemed to have forgotten in that short span of time that she was trying to arrive at a point. She tilted her head at them.

"I'm glad you completed your training exercise," Izumi said putting her hands together. Whatever it was that you had to do... She smiled at the girl. "Neji is a good teacher isn't he?" Onari nodded.

"What happened to my tomatoes," Sasuke said looking at his bowl. He knew he had some. He hadn't even touched them yet. They were his favorite and he wanted them last. Sasuke looked up to see Onari watching him. "Onari, did you steal my food..?" She tilted her head at him. "Don't act coy. I know you took them. You're attracted to vegetables worse than Takeru is to ramen." Onari smiled at him.

"Hey, beautiful, I haven't seen you in months. How have you been," Shikamaru said as he kneeled down. Onari was watching him curiously. "Don't tell me you've forgotten who I am." He pointed to himself. "Shikamaru, remember?"

"Shikamaru," she repeated. Onari attached herself to him instantly, her hands clutching at his sides. Of course she remembered him. He was one of the guys that had spent time with her and protected her.

Shikamaru petted her head softly. "You do remember me. I'm glad Sasuke and Izumi are taking good care of you. Are you and Takeru getting along?" Onari nodded. She froze. There was a girl standing behind Shikamaru that had blond hair in two ponytails. She was wearing a lavender outfit. Shikamaru watched Onari take in Saori's appearance. "Onari, this is Saori. She's my daughter. Can you say 'hello'?" Onari cowered. The girl peeked over Shikamaru's shoulder. "Come on, beautiful, I know as long as you've been here you can't still be afraid. I already heard how you got along with Neji's sons. Saori isn't going to hurt you."

Saori wondered what was up with Onari's eyes. They were strange. Her father had drilled her earlier about visiting the Uchihas. She was supposed to be on her best behavior. Saori looked away for a moment, only to return to the girl staring at her. Maybe if she said something, it would ease the girl's tension? "Hello," Saori said softly. Onari lifted her head. She stopped hiding behind Saori's dad.

"Oh, I see you met Onari already," Izumi Uchiha said as she walked into the small area where shoes were taken off. "Is she behaving?"

"Yeah, she's wary of Saori, but she hasn't ran off," Shikamaru said. "Onari, Saori is here to study with Takeru. Is that okay with you?" Onari nodded slowly. "They're studying for the academy exams that are coming up. We're hoping, one day; you can take them, too."

"Onari do training like Takeru," she asked.

"Well, in order, to do training like Takeru and Saori, you have to pass tests to show everyone what you know. If you don't pass, you can't train. They hold you back until you can. Do you understand so far," Shikamaru asked.

"Onari no understand," Onari said truthfully.

"Maybe Takeru and Saori will show you," Izumi said placing her hands on her legs. "But first, let's go into the other room. This isn't a proper welcome area." Izumi blinked. "Onari, Shikamaru can't get up unless you get off of him."

"So how are we supposed to understand this if we don't know what the final is over," Takeru asked looking at the scrolls Saori had written down. "I understand that they'll ask us the basic techniques and stuff, but the jutsu part is going to kill me." He sighed.

Saori smiled. "It's not that bad. I think the reason they are emphasizing how hard it is, is to weed some of us out. If some of us let the strain get to is, we end up forgetting everything we have learned, right? Mental stress affects everyone differently. Some people freak out and can't handle it. If that's the case, those people are pushed aside because it means they can't handle situations where the mental effort is greater. Missions aren't just about physical ability. They require mental ability, as well. Do you see what I'm saying? You have to be smart and physically capable of doing your job."

Takeru quirked a brow. "I think so. So the Academy finals are not as hard as they tell us?" Saori shook her head. "And all of the studying I've been doing has been wasted." He fell over. "That's just great."

"No, it hasn't been wasted. You still don't know what the finals cover exactly. My dad said the finals are hard, but not that hard. If they make the tests too difficult, no one passes. Only the students who keep pushing themselves are capable of passing, or given a chance. You have to think like a ninja, Takeru. They are trapping us, in a way," Saori said.

"Wait. Did you say they are trapping us? Oh, that figures," Takeru said. He sat up crossing his arms.

"What figures?"

"My dad has been training me on different types of traps. He even trapped me in a verbal trap to get a point across," Takeru said. "All of this has been happening because I fell for Ryu's genjutsu trap a few months ago."

Saori looked at him oddly. "Ryu used his genjutsu abilities on you? He did the same to me, but he wasn't using them against me. I kind of walked into it. It's not the same thing as being trapped and sought after."

"Oh, he wasn't using it against me, no. I walked into it, too, but I didn't realize it until he started to mess with me a little. I swear he gets a kick out of that sort of thing," Takeru said.

Saori didn't know exactly. She had only been around Ryu twice. The first time he seemed kind of nice, but the second time... They had gotten into a fight with each other. She supposed Ryu was a nice guy underneath it all. Saori looked away at the scrolls. They had studied the scrolls for a few hours now.

Onari peeked around the frame of the door. She was watching Saori and Takeru. Her eyes darted back and forth through the scrolls that were littered on the floor. What was all of that strange writing? She looked down at her arms. It wasn't the same as the writing on them – at least, she didn't think so. Takeru and Saori seemed to be working hard at trying to figure out what the scrolls said. Onari gasped. She felt someone behind her.

"Now, what do you think you're doing, Fire Bird," Sasuke asked. He watched her try to play it off. Oh, that's cute. "If you're curious about what they're doing, why don't you go and find out what they're up to?" Onari shook her head slowly. "Why not? Saori isn't going to hurt you. Neither is Takeru."

Onari looked back through the entranceway. She didn't want to bother Takeru. He was serious about passing something. If she went in there, he might get mad at her. Onari couldn't read what was written on the scrolls. The writing was strange to her. "Onari not make Takeru mad," she said softly.

Sasuke crouched. "Onari, you won't make Takeru angry at you for being curious. You need to learn what they are doing. I want you to take the Academy finals, too, once your training is over with Neji. I'm not exactly sure how you will pass the written portion of the exam. We might get Naruto to let you take it orally." He watched Onari get she still only knows him by the name she gave him. "Uzumaki," Sasuke corrected.

"Uzumaki give Onari Takeru test," she asked.

"Well, sort of," Sasuke said. "You will get your own test. Takeru will take his test next week. Then maybe, if you work hard and pass, you can join a team and work with others," he told her.

"Onari on Takeru team?"

Sasuke kind of figured she'd ask that. Onari was practically glued to Takeru, Izumi, or himself if she left the house. He was anticipating what he was going to tell her. I can't lie to her. I don't know whose team she will be on. "Uzumaki decides the teams. I have no way of knowing what team Takeru, you, or Saori will be on."

"Onari go with Sasuke," she said tilting her head. Sasuke trained others when he wasn't on his missions. Couldn't she just stay with him?

"I don't think that's going to work, Fire Bird. You and Takeru aren't allowed to be with me because, well, I'm seen as a parent. It wouldn't be fair to the other students. The other trainers are Shikamaru, Kiba, and Lee. You'll probably go to one of them."

"Onari go with Kiba!" Onari knew everyone else, but this Lee. Who was Lee? She wanted to be put on Kiba's team. She liked Kiba. He was playful and funny.

"We'll see, in due time," Sasuke said. "Now, go make friends with Saori," Sasuke said picking her up. Onari started kicking. "Hey, you guys don't mind it if Onari comes in, do you?"

"No, why," Takeru asked. He saw his dad put Onari in the room and walk out backwards, shutting the door. Onari tugged on the door, but to no avail. His father was forcing her to get acquainted. "Onari, you can come over here. We're finished studying."

Onari turned her head around. She tensed. That girl was watching her. "Onari stay here," she said quietly.

"Is she always like that," Saori said. She watched Onari curiously. The girl was watching her, too, warily. "Does she think I'm going to attack her, or something?"

"Probably," Takeru said. "You're the first person to come over here. The only other kids she knows is Kandai and Eiyu Hyuga. It took them all day to get her to give them a chance," he said forcing a smile at Saori.

Saori waved her hand at Onari, issuing her to come over. She smiled at the girl sweetly. "Come over here. I'm not going to hurt you," Saori said trying to sound sincere to the girl. Onari tilted her head. Saori didn't think she was buying it. She watched as Onari moved away from the door, but back towards Takeru.

Takeru turned his head to look over his shoulder. Onari was right behind him watching Saori. Saori leaned towards them and Onari clutched at Takeru's sides, her head right next to his. She was so close to him he could feel her pressing into his back. He blushed. "Onari, she's not going to hurt you. Saori is a friend."

"Onari no understand," Onari said as she watched Saori move closer to them. The girl was a foot from her face. She remembered what Neji had made her due for her first training exercise. Onari couldn't back down from this girl. Eiyu had told her that if she didn't get emotionally stronger, then there was no point in her training to be physically stronger. Onari didn't move as Saori put her hand in front of her face. She wondered if Saori was teasing her; trying to see if she would bail the closer Saori became.

"You can't be that afraid of me, you're not moving back," Saori said grinning.

"Saori, you shouldn't tease her," Takeru said.

"Onari not afraid of Saori," she said lowly.

"If you're not afraid, prove it. Otherwise, you're coming off as a scaredy cat. It's not a very good impression. If you want others to respect you, you have to make them," Saori said rather dignified.

"Where in the world did you come up with that sort of reasoning," Takeru said. He didn't want Saori to scare Onari. It wouldn't be good. Onari might take offense to Saori and not want to get acquainted with her.

"My Uncle Gaara," Saori said matter-of-factly. "People fear what they do not understand. Just like Onari," she said rather cunning.

"Onari no understand," Onari said with aggression. Saori was using too many words she didn't know. She only understood her name. Her grip tightened on Takeru's sides. He grimaced. The angrier Onari got, the more strength she conjured up.

Takeru reached his hand up, placing it on Onari's head. He could tell Saori was making her angry; heck, he felt it. It wasn't very pleasing. "Calm down, Onari. She doesn't know that you don't understand all of what we're saying." Onari's eyes told him she didn't really care. She was getting upset.

"Hold on, she can't understand what I'm saying," Saori asked. She watched Takeru shake his head. "What does she not understand?"

"Her vocabulary is not as advanced as ours. You haven't noticed how she uses the incorrect pronouns and her sentence structure is backwards? Onari can't really help what she says, or doesn't understand. I don't think her speech is going to ever be at a hundred percent," Takeru said as he petted the girl's head. "We just have to be patient with her. I know it's hard and does get somewhat agonizing. There's nothing we can do about it."

"Well, you seem to have adjusted to her pretty well," Saori said. Takeru appeared to be awfully close to the little foreign girl. Takeru lowered his head when Saori said what was highly noticeable to her. He was close to Onari. She figured it was bound to happen since they lived under the same roof.

"Hey, are you two through studying, yet," Shikamaru asked from behind the door. He clicked it open. "Saori, we need to leave. Say 'goodbye' to Takeru and Onari."

Saori got up. She waved 'bye' to them. "See you later, Takeru." She eyed Onari then put her fingers up to her mouth, forcing herself to smile. "See you later, scardey cat."

Shikamaru shook his head. "Saori, be nice to her. If you make others angry, nothing good will come of it. Bye, Beautiful. See you next time," Shikamaru said as he waved at her.

"That wasn't so bad, huh," Takeru said. Onari looked back at him. She put her head on his back. "What's wrong?"

"Onari want take Takeru test with Takeru," she said muffled.

"Why do you want to take it with me? It's a test, Onari. Tests aren't fun. They're mentally and physically grueling," he said, sighing.

"Onari want be on Takeru team," Onari said. "Onari no leave Takeru." She clutched at him again, then wrapped her arms around his waist. He was the main one she interacted with now. If he left her, then what would happen? She wouldn't have anyone to play with; no one to teach her things, or correct her. He was easier to be around than Sasuke, or Izumi because Takeru was patient with her.

Takeru blushed so badly he had to lower his head and keep her from seeing. She was grabbing onto him rather tightly. "I know you don't want to, but at some point, we have to part, Onari. I have to train harder with others, or I won't succeed in my goal. I promised to protect you, 'Ri. I meant it. I won't go back on my word."

"Onari no leave Takeru," she said again rubbing her cheek on his back slightly. "Onari fight hard to take test Takeru take. Onari protect Takeru, Sasuke, Izumi," she said with a hint of aggression. Her eyes narrowed as if she was seeing someone across the room; someone she was anticipating. "Onari no let hurt on Takeru."


	20. Chapter 20

**V 2 ch 10 **

**Graduation!**

"I can't wait to take the finals! My dad has been helping me study since the beginning of the New Year! I'm not even worried about the jutsu part either," Yanagi Lee said confidently. "Nothing is impossible if you put your heart into it," she said as she raised her fist into the air.

"Wow, Yanagi, I wish I had your confidence," Gin said with a smile.

"She's too confident," Daiya said plainly. "Over-confidence is the sign of a hiding weakness." He folded his arms on the table closing his eyes. A paper wad hit him in the back of the head. Daiya's ponytail sparked out causing his brown hair to spoke on all ends.

"I think that's the most I've ever heard him talk," Masaru said.

Takeru wished he was as confident as the rest of them. Saori had been nice enough to help him study with her, but everything in his head was running together. He slammed his head on the table. Masaru looked down at him and laughed. "I don't know if I can do it."

"Hang in there, Takeru. If you sell yourself short, you'll never get there," Kandai said smiling.

"I believe he's already cut the rope," Eiyu said as Takeru kept hitting his head on the table.

Idai sat with his elbows on the table. He was watching everyone in the class with his orange eyes overlooking the area. He wasn't worried about the written portion of the exams, or the jutsus he had to perform. Idai could care less about proving himself to a bunch of people that didn't know him.

Kurenai sensei walked into the classroom. She looked over all of her students with a serious gaze. "If any of you do not feel like you are at the best of your mental ability to take the written portion of the exam, you may leave. No one will judge you if you are not prepared."

A few of the students glanced around. Three students who were panicking stood up. They exited the room. Kurenai was attempting to weed out the students who were not capable of pushing themselves. Ninja had to be both mentally and physically strong. Missions required great effort on those factors.

Kurenai waited a brief moment. No one else stood up. "Congratulations to all of your passing the verbal portion of the exam." The students were confused. "Opponents use all sorts of traps to confuse and attack their targets. Traps can be heard, seen, felt, or used as a form of mental manipulation. The one I just issued was a verbal trap. Those that pass will be trained to distinguish the other forms with their trainers. Let's get started shall we?"

So that's why he trained me on traps after I ran into Ryu. Takeru felt at ease. His father had been preparing him without Takeru ever knowing. He took his test. He blinked. There was only one question on it.

Kurenai stood back at the front. She watched her students' expressions. They were baffled. "Each of you has a different test to ensure there won't be any cheating. Yes, there is only one question for the written portion of the finals. Answer it to the best of your ability. Good luck," she said smiling.

Saori looked at her paper. She said we were going to learn about traps once we graduated. Kurenai sensei issued a verbal trap to get rid of three students. What if the test is just another trap? It has to be. Dad always said to look at something from all angels. This exam is a trap!

Saori wrote her name on the paper. Alright, I'm skeptical. What does it say? 'Tell me everything you have learned while at the Ninja Academy'. Saori smiled slyly. Ninja aren't supposed to reveal their abilities or knowledge to their opponents. If an opponent learns viable information like that, they can use it against you. Saori picked up her pencil. She wrote 'Nice Try' on the paper.

Kurenai looked around the room. "As you finish, you may come down and hand me your paper. I'll take a quick look at it." She waved for Saori to come forward. "Alright, Saori, please go across the hall. Another trainer will ask you to explain your answer." Saori left.

Saori knocked on the door. She was told to enter. Sitting on a desk in front of her was Sasuke Uchiha. He signaled for her to come closer.

"What question did you receive?"

Saori crossed her arms. "Tell me everything you have learned while at the Ninja Academy," Saori answered. She watched Sasuke write it down on a pad.

"What was your answer?"

"Nice try," she said smiling.

"Alright, explain your answer," he said.

"Ninja aren't supposed to tell their opponents their skills, weaknesses, or any such learned information. An enemy can use that against you, or the ones you protect. Kurenai sensei had already warned us of the verbal trap she used on three students. Some traps you can see, others you hear or feel; and some play with your head."

Sasuke wrote down her explanation. It took him a moment. "Alright, strictly off-the-record, what made you think of Kurenai as an opponent?"

Saori had to think. "Kurenai sensei is older and wiser. I am still learning. Therefore, she has the ability and knowledge to try and trick me." Sasuke waved her closer. She stood in front of him.

"Good girl," Sasuke said as he reached up to pet her head. "You're the first to pass the written portion of the final. You're reasoning is somewhat on target. It's not exactly correct. To a ninja, everyone but your teammate is an opponent. You did well." He reached behind his back and pulled out a small scroll. He handed it to her.

"What's this," Saori asked.

"It's a weapon's summoning scroll. You hide a weapon in it and carry the scroll. It's your prize for being the first to pass. Congratulations, Saori Nara. You may go down the hall to the third door on your right." Saori left hopping.

Kandai Hyuga looked at his question. He picked up his pencil and began to write. It wasn't a hard question at all, but it was important. He gave his test to Kurenai sensei. She directed him across the hall.

Kandai entered a room where Takeru's dad was sitting on a desk. "Hi, Mr. Uchiha," he said smiling. Kandai stood in front of him.

"Alright, Kandai, what was your question," Sasuke asked.

"What is the purpose of the Hokage," Kandai said.

"What was your answer and explain your answer."

"The purpose of the Hokage is to protect the people of a village. He makes sure everyone has the proper education, training, and protection – much like a father who wants his or her child to succeed."

"Very good. Congratulations, Kandai Hyuga, you have passed the written portion of the final. You may go down the hall. Kandai, how is Takeru doing?"

Kandai turned around smiling at Sasuke. "He's panicking," he said. He waved 'bye'.

"He'll probably have a heart attack when he finds out I'm in here," Sasuke said sighing.

Areku Inuzuka was the next to enter the room. He stood in front of Sasuke patiently. Sasuke wrote his name down.

"What was the question you were asked?"

"Explain a forbidden jutsu," Areku said.

Sasuke sipped his cup of coffee. "Alright, tell me your answer," he said. He started to write.

"A forbidden jutsu is a technique that the Hokage of a village has issued as dangerous and not allowed because it puts too much strain on the user, or can harm the people around the user," Areku stated.

"Good job. Congratulations, Areku Inuzuka. You have passed the written portion of the final exam. You may proceed to the third door on your right," Sasuke said.

Idai opened the door slowly. He walked in looking around the room. A trainer was sitting on a desk watching him. The man waved him over. Idai cautiously walked over.

"What was the question you were given," Sasuke asked.

"What is the Bingo Book," Idai answered lowly.

"Idai, I'm not going to hurt you," Sasuke said. The boy was overly cautious. Idai was looking at him warily. Sasuke sighed. I thought Gai would have made better progress with him. It seems Idai's past is still rearing its ugly head. "What was your answer," he asked. He had to press on. Whoever got Idai on his team was going to have his work cut out for him.

"The Bingo Book is a book that a ninja carries. It informs the ninja of all dangerous ninja that have very strong abilities. It includes traitors and missing-nin from all of the countries," Idai said keeping his eyes averted.

"You are correct, but also incorrect. It includes all ninja with strong abilities. They can be ninja who are missing, who have abandoned their villages, or who are currently resided in a particular village. You may go down the hall to the third door on your right, Idai." Sasuke watched as the boy didn't look at him again.

The next to walk in was Gin Akamichi. She looked at Sasuke shyly, her fingers fidgeting with her kimono. "My question was unfair, Sasuke sensei."

Sasuke waved the girl over. "Tell me why it was unfair. I won't write anything down until I hear all of it, okay?" Gin was worried. "It won't affect your graduation, Gin."

"The test asked me what ninja the Hidden Leaf Village finds unpredictable and dangerous. I don't like that question, Sasuke sensei. Kurenai sensei said before that sound ninja were dangerous because no one knows much about them, even after what has been learned over the years. Idai is from the sound village. It is unfair to label him on account of what others have done. He is his own person."

Sasuke put his pad down. He waved Gin closer. "You are absolutely right, Gin. It is unfair to hold a man accountable for what others have done. So what would you say your answer is?"

"The question is biased. A ninja should be cautious of everyone and make her own judgment after familiarity," she said. Gin blushed as Sasuke petted her.

"You pass Gina Akamichi. You are unselfish and nonjudgmental. Whoever has you on his team is going to be very lucky. You may go down the hall."

Eiyu Hyuga noticed that the students, who did well, didn't return. Some of the students were directed across the hall or to the very next room. He supposed that was Kurenai sensei's way of weeding them out more. He wondered if he had passed.

Eiyu stepped into the room across the hall. He tilted his head. Takeru's father was drinking a cup of coffee. "Did I fail, or pass?"

"You're as direct as Neji," Sasuke said. "Come on, it's not over yet. What was the question you were asked on the written exam?"

"What is the real purpose of the Chuunin exams," Eiyu answered.

"What was your answer," Sasuke asked.

"It's a two part question. The real purpose of the chuunin exams is cultural exchange of other countries. The other answer is to defeat your opponent and become a chuunin. If you fail, you are given the rank of Genin," Eiyu stated.

Sasuke pondered what Eiyu said for a moment. "Genin and Chuunin levels are decided on the skill, power, and strength of the individual," Sasuke corrected. "You are half correct. You still pass, Eiyu Hyuga. Precede down the hall," Sasuke instructed.

Yanagi walked confidently into the room. She knew she did well. Her dad had been helping her a lot lately with the final closing in. She couldn't let him down.

"Alright, Yanagi Lee, what was the question you were asked," Sasuke said.

"What is the one thing that will stop a ninja from fulfilling his mission," Yanagi said cheerfully.

"And what was your answer," Sasuke asked.

"Simple. The only thing that can stop a ninja from fulfilling his mission is... himself," Yanagi answered rather proud of herself. She clapped her hands as Sasuke nodded.

"Congratulations, Yanagi Lee, your father will be very proud of you. You passed with flying colors. Go down the hall to the third door on your right."

Takeru's heart was racing. What was in the room across the hall? Was it the Hokage? He swallowed. Takeru's hand froze. What if it was Uncle Naruto? His eye twitched. He was nervous.

"Get in here, "the voice said from the other side of the door. Takeru opened it. He peered around the corner. His father was looking at him. "Dad…?"

"Yes, Takeru, you have to pass me. Now get in here," Sasuke said waving at him. "We have to do something about your anxiety."

Takeru walked forward eying his father. Sasuke could trick him if he chose to. Takeru was to be treated like any other student. His father would not go easy on him. No, he would push Takeru more.

"What was the question you had to answer for the written portion of the final," Sasuke asked.

"If you were on an important mission and you held viable information to your village, and you knew your opponents were stronger, what would you do?"

"What was your answer," Sasuke asked slowly. He had to know. It was a hard question. One of the hardest Naruto had come up with for the students to answer.

"I would hand the information off to the person I knew could get it there. I would stay with my teammates and fight," Takeru said honestly. "I wouldn't let them have a reason to back down."

Sasuke waved him closer. "I'm proud of you. That question helps weed out selfish and noble ninja." He hugged his son. "You pass, Takeru Uchiha. Go meet your friends down the hall." He ruffled his son's hair.

Daiya Eimino had been trying to figure out what trickery was involved with the academy exams. He didn't trust anything an adult threw at him. He was one of the first to finish, but had decided to wait it out. The ones that did well appeared to go across the hall. The ones that didn't were directed to the next room. He had been watching the expressions of his fellow classmates as they had turned in their exams to Kurenai sensei.

Daiya Eimino knocked on the door. A man's voice told him to enter. He opened the door cautiously, his body stiff. Daiya narrowed his eyes. "Who are you..?"

Sasuke turned his head. "You're awfully direct." He watched Daiya stand away from him. What is it with these foreign kids? This one and the kid form the sound village don't trust anyone. "Might I ask why you assume I'm going to harm you?"

"Who are you," Daiya asked again. He did not like being alone in a room with an adult. His body tensed.

"We're not getting anywhere. My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I'm Takeru's father," he said. "Why are you assuming I will harm you?" He watched Daiya move a few feet closer, but stop.

"I don't trust adults," Daiya said crossing his arms.

Sasuke stood up. Daiya moved back quickly. "Look, kid, I'm not going to hurt you. I'll even prove it." Sasuke opened his hands, turned around, and even padded down his Jounin clothes. "See? I'm not carrying anything to hurt you."

"Adults don't have to carry anything," Daiya said. The door opened behind him unexpectedly. It started him and he whirled around, his heart racing.

"Ease up, Daiya. It's only me," Kurenai said. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. I have to be in the room with him. I'll explain later."

Sasuke sighed. "Alright. This is getting lengthy. Daiya, is it? What question were you given for the written portion of the exam?" He sat down.

Kurenai knew this was going to be difficult. "Daiya, it's okay. Please answer Sasuke." She watched as he glanced at her.

"What jutsus do you need to perform in order to graduate," Daiya said.

"What was your answer," Sasuke asked impatiently.

"Daiya, you have to answer him. There is a reason behind it. We'll explain in the other room," Kurenai aid. The boy was hesitant.

"Clone technique, substitution jutsu, and transformation jutsu," Daiya said lowly.

"You are correct. You may go to the room down the hall," Sasuke said. Daiya eyed him. Kurenai held up her finger as she opened the door for Daiya. She would explain later. What is with that kid? There has to be something wrong. He's completely standoffish.

"Can I come in now," Masaru asked. He looked around the doorframe. "I've been standing outside for a while."

Sasuke waved the boy in. "Sorry, Masaru. That one took a bit longer than expected." He grabbed up the pad and wrote on it. "Alright, what question were you asked on the written exam?"

"When conducting strategy moves against an enemy, what is one of the most important moves you can make," Masaru said.

"How did you answer," Sasuke asked.

"The most important move you can make is to gain information about your enemy before you go into action," Masaru said.

"You may go join the others down the hall," Sasuke said. As each student came in, he took down their name, the question they were given, and what their verbal answer was. The students had no idea they were still being weeded out. Sometimes when approached, a student often relayed what the instructor wanted to hear – not what they originally thought.

"I wonder how long we have to sit in this room," Yanagi said. "What do you think they're doing?" She stretched her arms out.

"Don't we usually take a break after an exam? Maybe this is just a break," Miyu said.

"Why would we take a break after a final exam? You're not thinking clearly. They are up to something," Daiya said.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Masaru said. "The test we were given was a joke. It was only one question. They can't let us off that easily."

"Oh, they won't," Saori said. "The written exam was a trap. Some of us received trick questions while some of us got by fairly easy. They aren't just testing us on the knowledge we posses. They are testing us on how much we reveal, too."

"It's a mental trap," Takeru said as he leaned against the wall. "We each know what the questions were; obviously, after getting together in a room by ourselves. Everyone is going to answer differently because no two minds think alike. Yet, why would they send us to another room to state what was already written on the test?"

Idai glanced at all of the kids who were pondering what was going on. I though ninja from the Leaf Village were supposed to be intelligent. He narrowed his eyes. Stupid kids. They really don't get it. Idai turned his head. The kid from the lightening country was staring at him. "What," he said lowly, his annoyance high.

"You know what they're doing, don't you," Daiya asked. "Out with it," he demanded. Idai only met his gaze. The abandoned sound-nin wasn't talking.

"I think I know what they're doing, "Suiden said. He caught Daiya's attention. "The reason they would ask us twice to tell them what our answers were, is to see if the answers match. They are trying to catch the ones who aren't being truthful."

"They want to know who is being intimidated and who isn't," Eiyu said matter-of-factly. "If a ninja is intimidated, then all of the training and skills he posses are worthless. Without mental preparation, your body cannot hope to succeed." All of the students were quiet. Their eyes were all focused on Eiyu. "What?"

"Eiyu sounds like father," Kandai said with his happy-go-lucky attitude. All of the kids nodded their agreement. "Hmm?" The door opened.

The students turned their gaze to Kurenai sensei as she entered the room. She stood at the front of the room, her hands clasped behind her back. "Sorry to have kept all of you waiting. We will now split you guys into two separate groups. I won't announce the groups verbally. When I call your name, please take this piece of paper and go to the room assigned."

Each student took the piece of paper that they were given. Half of the students were directed to the farthest door on the right. The other half were directed to the nearest door on the left. They all glanced at each other as they stood in the large room. A tall man with short black hair and a green jumpsuit entered the room. He smiled big and wide. The students all stared at him.

"Hey, kids, how's it going? Are you guys ready to show me how well you can do the substitution jutsu? Each one of you that successfully demonstrates this technique will be directed back to the classroom for further instructions. Are there any questions," Gai asked.

"Sensei, why were we split into two groups," Masaru Uzumaki asked.

"Good question! First you guys took a written exam that consisted of unique questions that were designed by the Hokage to test your knowledge on skills, information, and basic strategy. Some of those questions were easy; some were designed to trick you. Each test was randomly given to each student. After completing the written portion of the exam, students who answered close to the target were sent across the hall. Those that answered incorrectly were sent to the next room to take the final exam again at a later date."

"I understand that part, but why were we asked to tell Sasuke sensei what we wrote for the exam," Gin asked.

"Students sometimes feel pressure approaching authority figures and will change their answers at the last second to please the trainer. It's not done intentionally, but we feel that the student is lacking confidence when it occurs. The students who did not change their answers are in this room. The ones who did are in the other room down the hall. They will still graduate at completion of the final. They will have to undergo an extra class to help boost their confidence. Is everything clear so far? Good! Let's start! When I call your name, please, step forward. Try to avoid me as best as you can and use the substitution jutsu to get away," Gai said.

Gin stepped forward slowly. Gai sensei came at her punching above her head. It was enough to startle Gin into using the substitution jutsu early. She appeared behind him, her eyes wide as she watched him turn around.

"Good job. A little sooner than I would have liked, but you performed it well. You may go back to the classroom, Gin," Gai said. "Takeru Uchiha, you're next, son."

Takeru ducked as Gai sensei air kicked at his head. He brought his arm out punching back at Gai's abdomen, only to be grabbed around the wrist. Gai started to bring his elbow down towards the back of Takeru's neck. Takeru used the substitution jutsu to get away once he freed his wrist.

Up next was Eiyu Hyuga. As anticipated, Eiyu dodged the air strikes successfully. Gai came at him spinning, and then kicked upwards slowly so that Eiyu could avoid it. Eiyu used the substitution jutsu to stay clear of Gai's powerful kick.

Yanagi Lee smiled at Gai as he came towards her. She did a back flip a few times to avoid a few spin kicks. Gai came up beside her lightening fast and attempted to latch onto the young girl. Yanagi performed the substitution jutsu successfully and was directed back to the classroom.

Saori Nara was next. She slid back as Gai sensei tried to strike here at his hands. He came at her again, faster. Saori froze for a second. Her training became nonexistent until Daiya yelled at her. She came back to reality and executed the substitution jutsu to stay out of harm's way. She would defiantly have to repay him.

"That was a close one," Gai said. "I'm not really going to strike you kids. I just want you to execute your training. Next is Masaru Uzumaki. Come on down and get your prize!"

Masaru scratched his head. This guy is full of himself. He approached Gai sensei smiling. "You're not going to fail me!" Gai came at him swiftly, moving his legs out in a kick, spun, and reached around grabbing his leg. He yanked Masaru upwards causing the boy to fall backwards.

"Boasting doesn't accomplish anything," Daiya said.

Masaru went running at Gai. He swung several punches at him, but Gai sensei avoided them easily. He was faster and more experienced. He smiled at Masaru as he held him at bay with his hand. Masaru was getting fed up at being played with. He moved back then ran around Gai's side, but the man saw it coming. Gai lifted his leg and came within millimeters of hitting Masaru in the face. Masaru dodged the hit by performing the substitution jutsu to get away.

"Don't take it so hard, son. You did what you were supposed to. Mostly. Go meet your friends back in Kurenai's classroom," Gai said. Masaru left scowling. The boy wasn't really happy. "Daiya Eimino," Gai called.

Daiya approached the man cautiously. He didn't know who this trainer was. As Gai signaled for him to get closer, Daiya moved a few feet and stopped. His body was tense, stiff, and rigid. He didn't trust this person. This man was going to make him do a substitution jutsu. Daiya didn't like to be forced into anything. He wanted to prove to the man that he was capable of doing it himself. Before Gai could come at him with punches or kicks, Daiya just performed the substitution on his own. He narrowed his eyes and walked out of the room.

"Well, that was something. I guess he wanted to go ahead and get back to class," Gai said as he watched Daiya leave. He didn't understand that kid.

Idai wondered what was up with Daiya. He hardly knew him, but he was curious. The other boy was a foreigner like he was, and it appeared Daiya didn't trust anyone either. Idai kept staring at the door until Gai called his name. He went towards his adopted parent and looked at him seriously.

"Alright, Idai, whenever you're ready! You can come at me for a change. It will be interesting and fun," Gai said smiling big.

Idai didn't know about that. He didn't want the other students to know he had a different outlook than the one he portrayed in class. He sighed. If he didn't pass, it would look bad. The substitution jutsu was one of the first techniques they had been taught. He narrowed his eyes at Gai then came running at him swiftly.

Idai ducked the kicks and punches and even flipped over Gai's head, getting the man in the back with his feet, pushing. Gai went forward as expected and rolled. Idai crouched low as he slid backwards. It wasn't just a technique he was issuing to his parent, but the ability and courage he had to overcome adversity with the other students. If they weren't going to like him, he was going to make them fear him.

Gai stood up smiling at Idai. He gave the boy a big thumb's up. "That's what I want to see! Now come at me again!" Idai came running as he was told to do. Gai crouched a little, holding his arms out to his body, and then started to run at Idai head on. The boy had nowhere else to run unless he chose to run around Kandai and Areku. Idai had to use the substitution jutsu to avoid a head on collision with Gai. Gai patted him on the back. "Good job!"

Areku wondered how he ended up being one of the last kids to go against Gai sensei. He wasn't really worried about it, but it was down to him and Kandai now. Kandai didn't seem to mind anything. The boy from the Inuzuka clan walked up to face Gai. He watched him alertly.

Gai had two students left to test. He ran at Areku Inuzuka head on, but started to slide, turning his body so he appeared behind the boy. He moved his leg up in a kick as he balanced his weight on his right foot. Areku went sailing through the air, landing on his stomach. The boy got up then whirled around.

Areku ran at the man in the green jumpsuit. The man was anticipating him to get closer, but Areku decided to play a little. He stopped and slid, arching his back towards the floor, his hands going down to come behind his head as he shifted his weight and kicked upwards. His legs came under Gai's chin and met their target. Gai sensei went back stunned. As the man fell over, Areku flipped in the air, changing his position. He watched the man with his slit eyes.

Gai rubbed his chin. "That's a pretty powerful kick you have there. I wonder whose team you will go to. However, mine are faster and stronger. It takes a lot of training to get where I am! And you are still young and liable to make mistakes! That was one of em! Let me show you how to apply the proper technique and style of a ninja!" Gai came running at Areku, flipped over him, and then touched the floor with his hands. Gai's legs pushed on Areku's back, sending the boy flying again onto his stomach. Areku used the substitution jutsu to avoid his head going into the wall. "That was pretty good! Next is Kandai! Come on down, son! I know coming from the Hyuga clan must have taught you something! Let's see it!"

Kandai walked towards Gai sensei smiling. He bowed then stood straight up. Kandai ran at Gai sensei, then crouched low, spinning as he brought his arms up, palms out. He started to hit several chakra points on Gai to stop his chakra flow. Kandai moved back as Gai had this look of surprise on his face. His father had already started teaching Kandai and Eiyu how to use the Byakugan. Kandai smiled at Gai. "It was a nice try, but you are correct. I am from the Hyuga clan. Don't worry, the chakra will return in a little while." Kandai poofed in front of Gai. He appeared beside him, still smiling. "I'll go back to class now. Thanks, Gai sensei."

The students took a quick break for lunch then came back. The day was getting lengthy due to how much they had to prove. All of them knew that in the long run, it would be worth it. They took their seats and looked at each other. The class had gotten somewhat smaller. Instead of Kurenai sensei, they were now faced with a tall boy with black spiky hair. He wore a face mask and appeared to be a Genin.

Takeru wondered what was up. Why was Ryu standing in front of the class? He watched as Ryu waved at all of them. We still have to do the clone jutsu and the transformation jutsu. Why is Ryu here?

"Alright, children, listen up. Next you will perform the transformation jutsu. In order to pass me, you have to transform into myself, one of your classmates, and a random person of choosing," Ryu said lowly. He looked at the floor, his hands in his pockets, sighing. "If you can do all three of them successfully, you will go into the next room on the right, to issue the clone jutsu in front of the Hokage. Good luck," Ryu said without enthusiasm.

The students didn't move. Ryu looked up, his red eyes narrowing. "Get your butts up here, I don't have all day," he said highly annoyed. All of the students lined up in front of Ryu. "Ah, let's see, since you guys think I'm here to play games with you, um, let's go with… you the kid on the end with the blond hair. You'll do."

"Is he for real," Masaru said. "Aren't we supposed to be performing our jutsus in front of Kurenai sensei, or another trainer? You're not that much older than us."

Ryu's eye twitched. "Look you annoying runt, I'm in trouble with my sensei and the Hokage. I have to be in here. I swore to do it, or get kicked off my team. So stop your yapping."

"Ryu, what did you do," Takeru asked. All of the students looked at him since he knew the guy's name. "Or do I not want to know?"

"Nothing really," Ryu said nonchalantly. He turned his gaze towards the door. "I just tried to get the better of Hideki by throwing an exploding paper bomb at him. Anyway!"

Takeru popped his forehead. He would do something like that. The two on his team give him enough trouble, so I guess Ryu decided that since he was going to be held back, he might as well get them while he could. Oh, man. Takeru rolled his eyes.

Masaru stepped forward. He put his hands in front of his body and transformed into Ryu in a puff of smoke. Another puff of smoke revealed Takeru, and then he randomly chose to turn into his dad. He smiled.

"Alright, you pass, go on," Ryu waved the boy along. "Next is the uh… pretty pink haired girl. Your turn."

Yanagi put her hands in front of her body. She turned into Gin first smiling. Gin blushed at Yanagi for picking her. Yanagi turned into Ryu successfully then transformed into her mother, Sakura. Ryu told her 'good job' then told her to go next door.

"The Inuzuka kid. You're next. Come on, don't be bashful. I'm sure you're fine," Ryu said with no emotion. He hated being forced to do this. It was like babysitting.

Areku Inuzuka sighed. This guy had no interest in telling them 'good luck' or hope that they did well. He put his hands in front of his body and transformed into Ryu. As Ryu he narrowed his eyes, making a perfect match. Areku poofed into Saori then chose to do a dog. Some of the students clapped. Areku was issued out the door.

"Next is the puppet girl. Since you can't stand the sight of me, I'll let you go ahead and be done with it," Ryu said heavily disgusted. He was tired of Saori's attitude towards him. He admitted he had something to do with her disappointment in him, but it was no different than anyone else's.

Saori Nara clenched her fists. She put her hands in front of her body and poofed into Ryu. She didn't change until she gestured with her hand and tilted her head to the side, sticking her tongue out. Ryu twitched his eyebrow. After succeeding in making him a bit angrier, Saori poofed into Kandai Hyuga. She twirled around to show off her long hair, and then poofed into Gaara.

The students all freaked out for a second. Gaara was the Hokage of the Hidden Sand Village. Everyone in Konoha knew of him and his abilities. Ryu scowled. "That was a bit much." As Saori walked out the door with a huff, Ryu signaled for Gin to go next.

Gin bowed low to Ryu, trying to show him respect. He looked back at her stunned. She blushed then poofed into Ryu, as she was supposed to do. Gin kept blushing, embarrassed at herself. She poofed again to change her form into Idai. Before Idai noticed, she changed her form quickly into Kurenai sensei.

Eiyu stepped towards Ryu. He put his hands in front of his body, closing his eyes. The boy changed into Kandai successfully, Ryu, and his father. He stuck his nose in the air as he walked out of the room before Ryu could tell him anything.

Kandai was a bit apologetic at Eiyu's behavior. He wondered what was wrong with his brother. Kandai stepped forward. He smiled at Ryu before poofing into him. Kandai chose to poof into Areku and his mother, TenTen.

Takeru decided to go next. He waved to Ryu before poofing into his friend. Takeru did a goofy dance to try and get Ryu to smile, but it didn't work. He moved on to change his form into Gin, and then chose to do Onari.

Ryu cocked his head. "Who is that?" He had never seen that girl before.

"It's Onari," Takeru said as he turned back into himself. "That's the girl I've been telling you about."

"Oh, yeah. The little foreign girl from the snow village. I'll have to meet her," Ryu said smiling a little. He waved Takeru on.

Idai glanced behind himself to take a quick look at Daiya. The boy from the lightening country was looking away, not interested in what the other students were doing. Idai wondered if the boy ever spoke to anyone besides making quick comments. Ryu told him to hurry up and Idai snapped to. He decided to turn into Daiya first. He glanced out of the corner of his eye to see Daiya looking at him oddly. Idai chose to turn into Gai sensei, and then Ryu. He left the room.

Daiya wondered why that kid had chosen to do him. He narrowed his eyes. Was that guy making fun of him? He had no idea. Daiya went up to Ryu. He put his hands in front of his body, poofing into Ryu first. He chose to do Takeru and Kurenai sensei next. He walked out of the room.

Daiya stopped in the hall. The white haired kid, Idai, was leaning against the wall. "What do you want," he asked the boy. Idai glanced at him. Daiya wasn't one for games. He stood his ground.

"Why don't you talk to anyone," Idai asked. He could tell Daiya had a lot of resentment in his words. He didn't move as Daiya passed him.

"The same reason you don't," Daiya said lowly.

The students stood at attention in front of the Hokage. They all looked at the Hidden Leaf headbands that were laying on the table the Hokage sat at. The man got up smiling and waving at the students. "Hi, guys, I want you all to do your best, alright? You're only one step away from graduating from the Ninja Academy! Now I want each one of you to perform a successful clone jutsu. It is a basic strategy technique that helps confuse an opponent in combat! Ready?" Naruto signaled for Idai to step forward. "Alright, let's see if you have it in you."

Idai tilted his head watching the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. He put his hands in front of his body and crouched, concentrating. Another clone of him popped into view. The Hokage smiled at him and waved him forward to receive his ninja headband. Idai left the room. He hoped Gai would be proud of him, for accomplishing something.

Kandai was up next. He smiled at the Hokage as thoughtfully as he could. He hated the fact that he was a bit nervous. Kandai put his hands in front of his body and formed a hand gesture. Another form poofed beside him to reveal a copy of himself. He was issued forward to claim his graduation headband.

Masaru approached his father proudly. He put his hands in front of his body just like the other students had done and smiled really wide as he concentrated. If he screwed it up, his father was going to be heavily embarrassed. Masaru concentrated harder until a clone popped right next to him. His father, the Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki waved for him to come get his ninja headband.

Gin stood in front of the Hokage, her cheeks flustered. This was a man of great importance and she had to prove to him that she had what it took to be a ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village. Courage. Courage, Gin. You have to make them proud of you. She concentrated hard. A clone of herself popped next to her. She bowed low to the Hokage as she took her ninja headband.

Takeru walked up to his Uncle. He wasn't afraid of the Hokage as some of the other students. He wondered if they were truly afraid of him, or if they held respect for him. Takeru had grown up being surrounded by Naruto and his family. His father was the Hokage's best friend. Takeru closed his eyes, concentrating. He felt the chakra flowing in his body. Before long, he had it. A clone popped into view that looked exactly like Takeru. The boy walked up slowly to his uncle. He took his headband proudly.

Areku stepped forward. He closed his eyes concentrating. As he gritted his teeth, he forced his chakra to increase. The clone jutsu was mandatory. He had to pass it, or fail. It was a difficult jutsu for him to master. He didn't know why, but he had always had trouble with it. His father, Kiba, had told him that the same thing happened to Naruto. Areku pushed himself harder until a clone popped into view. The Hokage handed him his ninja headband.

Daiya, the boy from the lightening country, took his place in front of the Hokage. He slowly put his hands in front of his body. He left his eyes open, unlike the other students and concentrated. Daiya didn't trust anyone enough to close his eyes around them. A figure poofed beside him. It was a copy of him. He took his head band from the Hokage slowly.

Saori was up next. She concentrated hard on what she looked like. It wasn't an easy thing to think about. Your eyes faced outward, not inwards. Saori took a deep breath. A copy of herself showed up next to her. She looked at it. It wasn't half-bad, but she wasn't pleased. She never was with anything she did. The Hokage signaled for her to take her headband. She did.

Next to last was Eiyu. He stood at attention in front of the Hokage, a man of great importance that had fixed issues with his clan. Thanks to the man in front of him, Eiyu and Kandai did not have the mark of the Hyuga clan on their forehead. They had grown up without fear and humiliation of the superior branch of the clan.

Eiyu concentrated hard, closing his eyes. He had been training relentlessly on the clone jutsu with Kandai. They were supposed to be the best – they had to make their father proud. As Eiyu had been doing, he let his mind wander before popping back into concentration mode. A clone of Eiyu poofed next to him. He took his headband with great pride.

Yanagi was last, but she didn't mind. She knew she would do well. She was good at the clone jutsu. She was so good at it, in fact, that her and her father had been copying themselves all over the house as of late. Yanagi smiled as she concentrated. She had to find her center. The pink haired girl, daughter of Sakura Haruno, became serious for a moment. A copy of herself popped into her view. She happily took her headband from the Hokage.

Naruto Uzumaki, Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, smiled as Yanagi Lee exited the room. "Well, that went as well as I expected. Everyone performed the jutsus correctly and effectively. Too bad it took me three times to get it right. They sure are getting stronger as the years go by."

All of the kids met outside of the Ninja Academy to congratulate themselves. Everyone was patting each other on the back and giving high-fives. Takeru got his hair ruffled by Ryu Yuhi. He was rather pleased to have such attention from the older boy. Gin was blushing badly at how Yanagi was smiling at her and jumping around praising her. Kandai was telling Masaru what a wonderful job he had done. Saori actually received a pat on the back by Areku, much to her surprise. It made her smile. Eiyu snuffed at the amount of attention that was going through the air. He rolled his eyes. Daiya didn't get why they were all so happy. It was just the effects of training. He caught Idai glancing at him. Idai turned his gaze away.


	21. Chapter 21

**V 3 ch 1**

**The Teams are decided**

Kurenai sat on the seat drinking a hot cup of coffee. She turned her head to notice Sasuke arriving early that morning. Later they would meet with the Hokage to decide the fates of the students who had graduated the Ninja Academy. Kurenai had meant to discuss Daiya's behavior to Sasuke before the exams had ended, but she had to finish her paperwork regarding the exam results.

Sasuke sat down putting his arms on the back of the couch, his legs on the table in front of him. He yawned. "You forgot to explain that kid's behavior yesterday."

"I know. I'm sorry. I meant to get back with you on that, but I had to turn in the entire test results," Kurenai said. "What I say to you can go no farther than this room. I'm afraid of the consequences." She sipped her mug.

Sasuke looked at her. "Is it that bad?" Kurenai nodded. "I promise not to say anything to anyone about Daiya."

Kurenai kept her eyes closed. "We found Daiya wandering the lightening country on one of our missions a few years ago. It was me, Saijito, Ume, and Rassha. We had been tracking a man named Naisho Tsukuri, a rare art collector, who wished to hire us. He claimed the celestial scroll had been stolen from him recently."

"The celestial scroll? Isn't that supposed to be a legend? A myth? As the legend goes, the owner of the scroll can makes a blood pact with the four gods that guard the celestial gates," Sasuke said. "It's supposed to be nothing more than an old wives tale."

"That's the way I've always heard it. I used to hear tales about it when I was a little girl. It made for a good bedtime story. Yet, lately the rumors about the scroll had been on the rise. The rumors were not only being spread in one country, but all of the countries surrounding the lightening country where it originated," Kurenai said.

"It isn't like Naruto to send his teams on wild goose chases," Sasuke said.

"He didn't. Not originally. We didn't find out about the scroll until we were already hired by Naisho Tsukuri. A ninja has to do the assignment they are given, so we couldn't back down. The more we talked about it, the fisher it got. Naisho informed us the scroll had once belonged to his beloved Lord. The Lord's whereabouts were unknown. Naisho believed the man had been killed by his son in an attempt for power.

The art collector believed the son of the Lord had stolen the scroll. The proof he had was the scroll had been kept in a locked box in the hall. He discovered the box sliced open and its contents taken. Naisho wanted us to retrieve the scroll along with the Lord's son, who he deemed was a traitor. It wasn't until we left did it sink in that the proper owner of the scroll would be the Lord's son, regardless of Naisho Tsukuri's demands."

"You would think that. So what did this son of the Lord do to have another guy wanting him captured? The man obviously had no authority to issue such a request upon the four of you," Sasuke said. Something about it didn't set right. The scroll itself was nothing more than a legend.

"The son of the Lord had betrayed his clan and successor from what I gathered. We also learned from Naisho that whoever possessed the celestial scroll could become extremely powerful. Once bonded with the four celestial gods, the user would wipe out an entire country if he chose to. We had to react. It was more so on tyranny, than anything."

"How come I've never heard about this before," Sasuke asked.

"Nothing became of it. After we had set out to track down the Lord's son, we were sent word by an assistant of Naisho's that informed us his master was dead. The rumors we had been following soon died away as if they never existed, long after. Someone knew the old man had been seeking to reclaim the scroll. He was murdered, Sasuke. We don't know by whom. The assistant informed us that he had connections and would take care of the assassin himself. We were sent back home."

"So as soon as you were hired, the mission was halted," Sasuke said. "Alright, what does this have to do with Daiya?" Kurenai stopped for a moment. They heard someone pass the room. It wasn't until the coast was clear did she continue.

"As I mentioned before, we found Daiya wandering the lightening country as we were returning to the Hidden Leaf Village. Rassha found the boy wandering the streets of a small village we had stayed in to get supplies. Daiya was pale in color, his hair was signed, and he had bruises all over his body. It appeared his right eye had been cut by a weapon of sorts. The boy didn't respond to any of us when we tried to talk to him. He only stared back. Saijito checked Daiya and said he was in shock. We took him with us without a struggle." Sasuke was watching her intently. "Rassho managed to learn what had happened to Daiya when the boy came out of shock. There was a fire and his parents had been killed. Daiya's mother had been cruel to him ever since he was born. His real father had ditched him when he was smaller. Daiya's mother saw him as an abomination and tried to kill him."

"That explains why he wouldn't come near me. He assumes I'm going to harm him in some way," Sasuke said. He looked away for a moment. Daiya had been brought back to Konoha when he was only six-years-old. He was still a child.

"That isn't all of it, Sasuke. The fire that killed his mother and stepfather was caused by Daiya. We found out when he is forced to do something, Daiya erupts. He is a lightening user. The angrier he becomes, the more out of control he gets. Right now, he is dangerous because he is not willing to adhere to anything. Daiya is a very stubborn kid."

"He needs an outlet. I wonder if he will do well on the team he gets. He has to learn to trust his trainer, or it's not going to work. How does Naruto think the boy will succeed if he won't follow directions from someone who is more experienced?"

"I don't know. It was difficult for me to have him train with the other students at the Academy. I had to have a lot of patience with that kid. It takes a lot of coaxing to assure Daiya that you aren't trying to harm him. I know at his age he should be stronger than what he is. Daiya's past keeps him rooted. Right now, he's watching everyone from the sidelines – expecting them to attack him," Kurenai said.

"Hmm. It's different if you know what you're dealing with. Sometimes the past can't be forgotten," Sasuke said. He knew it all too well. It still bore into his mind at times. "Daiya needs friends. The problem is most of those kids aren't going to welcome him so easily because he is a foreigner. His attitude doesn't help matters, either."

"No, I totally agree. I'm surprised he calmed down when I entered the room with you yesterday. He doesn't trust a soul," Kurenai said.

"Him and that kid from the sound village are two students to really focus on," Sasuke said. "They both have issues that need to be dealt with. The question is who is going to stand up and offer to help them?"

The Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki, sat behind his desk in his office. He had called for a short meeting regarding the new teams that were to be set up. He heard a knock at the door. "Come on in, you guys. We have a lot to discuss." Naruto waved all of the team trainers in. They stood in front of him in a small group. "As you guys know, the Ninja Academy finals were yesterday. I made the finals harder to help weed out students who were stronger than others regarding their mental and physical stamina.

In saying so, these students are going to be 'up for grabs' so to speak. I'm going to let you guys decide who you would like to train. There is a catch, though. Two of the students are foreigners and are to be trained with caution. They are physically strong, but hold some sort of mental grudge against the past. The two I speak of are Idai from the sound village and Daiya Eimino from the lightening country."

Naruto sifted through the final exam results. He held up the first student's test. It appeared to be in good standing with the answers given for the written exam. The transformation jutsu and clone jutsu had been executed properly. "Okay, the first student I have is Areku Inuzuka. Kiba, you know you can't have him on your team. It wouldn't be fair to the others. So, it's a choice between Shikamaru, Sasuke, and Lee. Areku has the type of personality that requires him to be challenged mentally. He's not forceful, unless threatened. He appears to be a problem solver and works well with just about everyone in his class," Naruto read the notes that Kurenai had written.

Shikamaru raised his hand. "I'll take him. If he's a problem solver, he can go to my team. I can challenge the heck out of him."

"Alright, Areku will go to Team Four, Shikamaru's Team. Next is, Yanagi Lee. She's spunky, has a positive attitude, appears to challenge others directly and indirectly – kind of like Lee; and she has strong Taijutsu. She's bright like her mother and doesn't take anything sitting down. Hmm.. Who would like her," Naruto asked.

Kiba raised his hand. "Let's see how strong she is when I get a hold of her," he grinned. "I like strong girls. They're fierce in a fight." He crossed his arms. Lee glanced at him. "Don't worry, Lee. I'll trade her just as hard as you do."

"I would expect nothing less," Rock Lee said.

"Okay, Yanagi Lee goes to Kiba Inuzuka's Team – Team 6. Whose next?" Naruto sifted through the papers. "Daiya Eimino. The boy from the lightening country. I will warn you guys. He has a kekkegenkai that is unknown and he is a handful. I won't lie about this kid. Daiya has an aggression problem, he's standoffish, and doesn't trust any adults. Whoever receives him is going to have the patience of a monk. He is coming from a horrible past."

Sasuke didn't look at Naruto. He had already made his decision earlier that morning when he had got together with Kurenai. "I'll take him." The others looked at him. He didn't meet their gaze. "I can team him up with Ryu and Hire."

"Sasuke, Daiya has a serious aggression problem. He won't sustain to you pushing him. If you're going to take this kid, you're going to have to make sure Ryu and Hire do not get the better of him. It's going to cause some mental strain," Naruto said. He watched Sasuke look at him.

"The boy sounds like Gaara. It is better to stop his aggression now than to turn him aside and let him deal with it on his own. I won't push him unless I have to. Ryu has gotten better with his attitude and it would do him good to influence Daiya. I already know of his history. He doesn't frighten me," Sasuke said.

"I agree with Sasuke," Rock Lee said. "If that boy has some form of aggression in him, then it is better to stop it and for Daiya to learn how to control it. You can only overcome an obstacle like that through teamwork. I am not sure how Ryu is going to be best for him."

"Ryu's a prankster. He wouldn't hurt Daiya. He would only get him to react, or challenge him a little. Challenging someone isn't necessarily a bad thing," Sasuke said.

"If you're serious about it, then my hat's off to you. Daiya Eimino will go to Sasuke Uchiha's Team – Team 2. Eiyu Hyuga. He's serious, a real fighter, and head strong. Good grief, he sounds like Neji," Naruto said smiling. "Who would like this kid?"

"I will take him. It would be an honor to train one of Neji's son's," Rock Lee said.

"Easy enough. Okay, let's see," Naruto said as he sifted through the papers. He was looking at each student's picture along with their strengths and weaknesses. "Up next is… um… Gin Akamichi. She is quiet, shy, does what she's told, but also has the strong ability to stand up for herself and others. Gin is yielding to someone who is stronger, so she needs a trainer that will give her confidence."

"Sounds like my cup of tea. I'll take her," Shikamaru said. "She should do well with Areku."

Naruto looked at two students. Who should he offer next? His son, Masaru, was almost like him in personality. Takeru was as serious as he could be. He needed to come out of his shell more. "I have two students that I don't know where to place: Masaru Uzumaki and Takeru Uchiha. I don't want them to go on the same team. They might influence each other."

Sasuke pondered for a moment. "Takeru has anxiety issues he needs to overcome. Someone that is optimistic and strong willed would be best for him. I'm not saying that as his father, either. He would probably do best with Lee."

Rock Lee looked at Sasuke Uchiha. "You would entrust me with your son?" He watched Sasuke nod. "Then I will not fail you. I will make sure Takeru comes out of his shell and shows his true potential."

"I suppose I can take Masaru. He should be alright with Yanagi, as long as; they don't try to kill each other. She isn't anything like Sakura from what I've seen," he smiled at Naruto. They were both thinking the same thing.

"The three students that are left are: Saori Nara, Kandai Hyuga, and Idai. Saori is training to be a puppet user like Kankuro. Kandai is positive, a team player, and a go getter. Idai does what he is instructed to do, but he has abandonment issues that he needs to overcome. Saori cannot go with Shikamaru. Kandai cannot go with Lee because of Eiyu. Kandai can go to either Shikamaru or Kiba. Saori is wide open and so is Idai. I have a request, Kiba. I would like you to train Idai."

Kiba crossed his muscular arms. "Do you think he would do well with Yanagi and Masaru? I don't know anything about this kid, really. If it's a problem with others he has, then he just needs to be included, right?"

"There's a little more to it than that, Kiba. Idai suffers from flashbacks. We're not sure what he has seen – he never talks about it – but whatever it is, affects him greatly. It's one of the reasons he doesn't associate with the other students. He has trust issues like Daiya, but Idai can't really help it. Gai has tried to work with him since he was first brought here and even though he has made progress with him, it has been slow and painstaking. Idai needs support from others. That's why I would like you to train him. I know you wouldn't let him go at it alone."

Kiba nodded. "Alright, I won't let him down, then. Idai can go to my team. I'll try the best I can to have him overcome whatever is plaguing him."

Naruto smiled at Kiba. "Good! Now there's only one solution for the last two. Saori Nara will be on Lee's team and Kandai Hyuga will go to Shikamaru's team. Now that that's settled, let's go tell our students who they are pairing up with. I'll have Kurenai hand out their assignment rooms. You guys can go make yourselves known whenever you like. Thanks for all of your hard work!"

Saori looked at the piece of paper she was given. "It looks like we're all on the same team," she said to Takeru Uchiha and Eiyu Hyuga. "I wonder how they go about deciding who we get." She opened the door into the room.

"I think it's random," Takeru said, totally unsure.

"If it was random, then there would be no point in taking the exams. They would just pick us out of the crowd and signal for us to go with someone," Eiyu said. He leaned up against the desk that was in the room looking around. "I wonder seriously who we are going to get."

"Who knows? Maybe it's someone strong and handsome," Saori said sticking her tongue out.

"Maybe it's someone so ugly you'll have to train harder so you don't have to look at him," Takeru said laughing as he saw Saori frown.

"You two are ridiculous," Eiyu said. He wondered why he got paired up with these two to begin with. All he wanted was a strong trainer who could push him.

The door opened. A man with short black hair entered the room wearing a green jumpsuit. Eiyu Hyuga, Takeru Uchiha, and Saori Nara blinked. The man looked exactly like Gai sensei that had tested them the day before on the substitution jutsu.

Rock Lee stood at the front of the room. He held up his hand smiling to his new team. "Hi, I am Rock Lee, and I will be your trainer. I am here to push you and make sure you three do your best! I will not fail you in overcoming the obstacles ahead or the challenges you will be faced with. Let's work hard together and achieve our goals!"

"Alright," Saori said happily.

Takeru nodded.

Eiyu glanced at them. "Okay."

Gin, Areku, and Kandai waited patiently in the room they were told to go to. "I wonder who we will get," Areku said. He looked at Gin who was looking out of the window. She seemed to be nervous, as always. "Gin, you don't have to worry anymore. Our training starts today. We'll be working together, so try to have a little more courage."

"I'm sorry, Areku. I'm just nervous. Once the team is decided, it's for life. We will be friends for the rest of our lives, right," she asked.

"Sure thing," Kandai said as he nodded to her. "Friends for life is a great way to start. I'm sure we'll do well."

The door opened slowly. A tall man with black hair tied into a pony tail entered the room. He looked at the students lazily. "You guys are on my team. My name is Shikamaru Nara. My specialty is the Shadow Possession Jutsu. I'll be training you guys to enhance your mental thinking along with pushing yourselves physically. It takes more than physical strength to overcome an adversary. You have to have brains, too."

"No problem there," Areku stated. "I'm great at problem solving."

"That's what I hear from your father," Shikamaru said. "Me and Kiba go way back. Your dad is tough in a fight and he uses his head. I expect you to do the same. Let's see… you are Gin and you are Kandai. I know both of your parents well. I was on a team with your mother Gin. And Kandai, I've worked with your father a few times on missions when we were first starting out. I expect all of you to uphold your goals and really push yourselves. Don't let yourselves down. I won't stand for it."

Gin blushed embarrassed. She nodded a little. "Shikamaru sensei I will try my best to overcome my shyness," she said softly.

"Don't worry, Gin. You have us to help you," Kandai said smiling.

"Good, today you guys are more than a team; you guys will be like a family. Each person in your team is important and viable to a mission and to each other. Never forget that," Shikamaru sensei said.

Daiya frowned as he stood in the room by himself. "This has got to be the stupidest idea I've ever seen. Why in the hell do they have me standing in this room by myself? Apparently these Leaf ninja assume I'm not good enough to go on a team." He crossed his arms, annoyed.

"Actually, you are on a team," a voice said from nowhere. Daiya whirled around, his eyes wide. "It's just you can't see anything from your point-of-view. If you change it a little, the reality around you looks different." Daiya watched as a boy with black spiky hair formed out of the wall. He shot back into a fighting stance. "Take it easy, kid. You're on my team. You must have forgotten who I am. I'm the jerk who made you do the transformation jutsu on the final. My name is Ryu Yuhi."

"If I'm on your team… whose team is it," Daiya asked slowly. He watched the door open behind him. A tall man with black hair entered the room. It was the same man who had stood up and showed him that he wasn't carrying any weapons yesterday. "You. I'm on your team?"

Sasuke Uchiha entered the room slowly with his hands in his pockets. He nodded. "Pleased to meet you, Daiya Eimino. I will be your trainer for the next few years. My name is Sasuke Uchiha. That is Ryu. This is Hire. They will be your teammates."

Daiya watched as a girl with long black hair entered behind Sasuke sensei. The expression on her face told him she wasn't pleased with the certain circumstances she had been issued. Her attitude was snobbish and defiant. She was already coming up with ways to mess with him – he could tell.

"Ryu is a genjutsu user. That's why he scared you half to death coming out of the wall," Sasuke said annoyed at Ryu. Ryu only smiled and waved. "Hire specializes in Ninjutsu. And as I've heard, you are as impressive as any student coming from the Academy. I expect all three of you to treat each other with respect. I don't tolerate defiance well." Sasuke closed his eyes. "Ryu, don't mess with Daiya. If he gets the better of you, you'll be embarrassed."

Daiya turned his head to see Ryu stopped in motion. The older boy was behind him, hands raised, in an attempt to grab him. Daiya didn't know how to handle this. The other kids had left him alone the entire time he had been living in Konoha. This guy wanted to play. He thought that odd for someone of his age. Daiya moved back a few feet, eying him.

"Oh, don't be like that," Ryu said casually. "I won't hurt you, you know. It wouldn't be fair." He leaned towards Daiya, whispering, "The only one I wish to hurt is Hire. And between me and you, she has it coming." He could tell Daiya didn't know what to think of him. Sasuke sensei had already warned him about Daiya's temper. He smiled at the boy.

Masaru yawned. "I wish I could have taken the day off. Yesterday was a mental strain with all of the trickery. I never knew my dad had it in him to make the test so hard." He laid his head on the table.

"Masaru, it wasn't that hard of a test. It was only the simple deduction of reasoning," Yanagi said. She shook his shoulder. "Wake up! What will our new sensei say if he catches you asleep? It's like a job. You have to be willing and ready."

Idai looked at his two teammates. He was stuck with Yanagi Lee and Masaru Uzumaki. All he knew about Yanagi was that she was loud and had a lot of energy. Masaru seemed to be the calmer of the two. The boy was the son of the Hokage. Idai wondered who his trainer was going to be. Gai told him to do his best before he had left that morning. He couldn't fail.

The door opened. A large white canine entered the room sniffing around. The kids all eyed the dog, and then jumped onto the table they were closest to. Akamaru tilted his head at Yanagi and Idai who were both watching him carefully. He grunted and padded into the room. Following after him was Kiba Inuzuka. The muscular man looked at the three kids with his slit eyes. "You guys are a jumpy bunch. Akamaru isn't going to hurt you. He's my companion."

"So, you work with a dog," Yanagi asked. "Wait… I know you. I've heard your name before. You're Areku's father! The boy that sat below me at the Ninja Academy," she said pointing at him.

"Yes, you're correct. I'm Kiba Inuzuka. I'll be your trainer and friend for the next few years. My job is to prepare you for the road ahead, so let's work hard together and help each other out, okay," he said, more so directing it at Idai. Idai was watching him intently, his orange eyes not faltering.

"Friends…? We're supposed to be… friends," Idai said lowly. He didn't understand. When he was living in the sound village, the ones that worked together did so because they had to. They weren't friends.

"Well, I would like to be your friend," Kiba said watching Idai. "Friends aren't such a bad thing. They help you learn and fight your battles. Without friends, you can't achieve your goal, or make it through life. It's kind of boring being alone," he said smiling at the boy.

Masaru looked to Yanagi. "What's going on? How come they put Idai with us? He refuses to work with anyone."

Idai glared at Masaru. "Don't act like I can't hear you. My hearing is way better than yours." He watched Masaru look at him with his white eyes, his brow raised. "I'm a sound-nin," he said gritting his teeth.

Kiba walked up to Idai. He stood in front of Idai so he couldn't see Masaru. "No, you are not a sound-nin, Idai. As of today, you are a Leaf-nin. It is important to respect each other. Masaru, I won't have you whispering about others on my team. Nor, will I have Idai threatening anyone. Do you two understand? We must work together. Without each other, we cannot exist. You will understand what I mean in the training ahead."

Idai looked up at Kiba. Kiba wasn't threatening him. No, the man was speaking to him calmly and rationally. Gai had talked with Idai last night about listening to his trainer; that whoever he was going to work under was there to help him. This man also had a son that was being trained, too. Idai didn't fully understand. Why would anyone worry, or care about him?

Kiba knew Idai didn't understand. He reached his hand up towards the boy and ruffled his white hair. There was nothing that could be said. Idai was going to have to trust him on his own; it couldn't be forced. "Now that you three know what I expect of you, let's go train for a bit. Whatever you three have to prove, will be proven to each other in your training. There are no exceptions."

Yanagi nodded. Masaru blinked. Idai only stood his ground, his mind thinking about how he was going to do that.


	22. Chapter 22

**V 3 Ch 2**

**The Hot springs Vacation Part I**

Onari tilted her head as she watched Takeru put his clothes into a backpack. Why was Takeru doing that? She inched closer looking into the bag. He turned around to go through some more clothes. Onari reached into the bag taking Takeru's clothes back out. Yes, the clothes fit. Was it a game to see how many things he could put in there? She wanted to try. Onari started to stuff all sorts of objects into the bag. She added pencils, books, some other clothes, and even Takeru's pillow. It wouldn't fit. Onari eyed it. She started to squish it in the bag. Satisfied with her results, she put on Takeru's shirt. Onari also found a pair of his shorts and put those on. "Onari Takeru," she said as she put the straps of the backpack over her shoulders.

Takeru turned around. "Onari, what are you doing?" Onari had the backpack on the front of her body. She was even wearing his clothes. "You took my clothes out? 'Ri, I'm trying to pack." Takeru reached forward tugging his shirt off of her. He opened his backpack. "'Ri, stop putting other things into the bag. What is in here?" He took out all of the objects she had crammed into it. "Wait- Onari, are you wearing my shorts?" Takeru blushed as Onari lay onto her back and lifted her legs for him to pull them off of her. "'Ri, just take them off."

"Takeru, you have a visitor," Izumi said from the front of the house. She greeted Ryu as he took his shoes off. "He's in his bedroom. It's the first door on the right down the hall."

Ryu sat his backpack by the door. He was kind of uneasy about being in Sasuke sensei's house. Takeru had told him he wanted Ryu to leave with him and Sasuke. What had gotten into Ryu? He normally stayed to himself.

Ryu walked down the hall slowly as he looked around. It was a traditional Japanese house for the most part. Ryu tilted his head as he listened to Takeru complaining about something. He could hear him struggling with something, too. "Hmm?" A girl with long black hair shot out of the room to his right, her feet sliding on the floor as she 's going on?

"Ri! Get back here with my shorts," Takeru yelled as he chased after her. He slid on the floor and went straight down the hall. She was darting into her room trying to avoid him the best she could. "Don't assume I can't get into a girl's room!"

Ryu tilted his head again. "So are you two playing dress up?" He looked at Takeru as the younger boy turned his head to notice him, his hands already on the doorknob trying to turn it. "Morning, Uchiha."

"When did you get here," Takeru asked. He walked towards Ryu. The older boy had his gaze focused down the hall.

"Oh, about the time your little friend came running out of the room," Ryu said. "You told me to come here remember? You said you wanted me to leave with you and Sasuke sensei. I don't know why though."

"Yeah, I know. For someone older, you sure aren't bright," Takeru said. He laughed. He ran at Ryu and jumped onto him. Ryu fell back, his head hitting the floor. "You really don't know how to play, huh? How are you supposed to get to know anybody if you keep to yourself all of the time?"

Ryu propped himself up with his elbows. "I'm too old to play, Takeru. Genin are supposed to be mature and set examples." He looked away. "Hi," he said to the girl who was watching him from the other room.

"If that was true, you wouldn't act the way you do, you big goofball." Takeru looked at Onari. She was watching Ryu with shaky eyes. "It's okay. He's a friend like Saori, Ri." Takeru turned his gaze back to Ryu. "Point to yourself, Ryu, and say your name. Don't tell her your surname. Onari won't understand."

Ryu lifted his arm and pointed to his head so the girl could see. "Ryu," he said lowly. The girl titled her head a few times, her yellow eyes watching him all the while. "She's not very friendly, is she?"

"Onari is just cautious. She was like that with Saori when she came over. However, you're not a girl, so it might take her longer to get used to you," Takeru said. He glanced at Onari before smiling mischievously at Ryu. "So since you're so much more mature than me, I guess this won't have any effect on you." Takeru smacked Ryu hard on the top of his head. He got up quickly and took off running. "Ri, Ryu's it," he yelled as he grabbed her wrist, tugging her. The girl got this horrified look on her face as they both took off running down the hall.

Ryu sat up fully. He crossed his legs. "I guess I need to go teach the baby a lesson." Ryu sighed as he got up. He cocked his head to the left and right, cracking his neck. "You better run, Uchiha! Payback is coming," he yelled as he ran down the hall after Takeru.

"Quick, Ri, in here," Takeru said as he grabbed her arm. He pulled her into the bathroom. "Ryu doesn't know his way around the house so we have the advantage." He smiled at her.

Onari didn't understand. "Takeru game?" She watched him nod. "Boy chase Onari Takeru?" He nodded again. "Who boy?"

"Ryu's a friend of mine. He's on dad's team. Dad trains him. Don't be scared of him, Ri. Ryu's an idiot," Takeru said petting her head.

"Onari no understand. What idiot," she asked.

"I don't think now is the best time to explain that," Takeru said whispering as he put his hand over her mouth.

Ryu walked the hallway slowly. He wondered how big this place was. No one ever came to the Uchiha compound. He had heard about something awful happening here a long time ago. Most of the houses in the area were deserted.

Ryu tilted his head trying to think. Maybe it wasn't going to be as easy as he though to find Takeru and Onari. They could easily run to another building and he'd never know. "Come out baby Uchiha," he said teasing. Ryu snickered as he heard movement.

Takeru held onto Onari's wrist as he moved away from the main door. If Ryu saw their shadows through the paper Mache they would lose. Onari had no idea what was really going on. Takeru moved her out of the front entrance where the clothes were stored into the other section where the actual bathing area was. Big mistake.

Onari turned her head around to look behind herself as Takeru remained focused on the doors. Her heart started to race. "Takeru Onari no like water," she said rather loudly as if the water was fixing to grab onto her.

Takeru turned around. "Onari, he'll hear you!" She was pointing at the tub frantically and trying to push Takeru at it to make it go away.

"Takeru Onari no like water," Onari started to say over and over getting louder by the second.

Of course, Ryu was drawn to the noise. He walked into the bathroom looking around. "Something tells me the game is over. I wonder if I win regardless of the commotion." He opened the other door and found Takeru trying to calm Onari down. "Takeru, she's afraid. Let her out." He grabbed the boy by the collar and yanked him backwards. Onari came flying out of the bathing area. Ryu watched as she threw herself up against the wall eying the bathtub. She was breathing hard as if she had battled something and lost. "Are you okay?"

"I thought this was a good place to hide. I forgot about her fear of water. If mom catches me in here, she'll kill me," Takeru said.

"Your mom is scarier than Sasuke sensei? Wow, that's interesting," Ryu said smiling. He turned his gaze to Onari. His eyes fell on the slash marks that were on her face. "Do you want me to go beat it up for you? I'll punch it and make it beg for mercy," he said smiling.

Onari turned her gaze to Ryu. She had forgotten about the older boy she didn't know. "Ah! Onari no remember boy Ryu!" she moved back some watching him.

"I'm not going to hurt you, you silly girl," Ryu said. Onari kept her distance from him. "But you don't know that do you? You're very cautious for a girl your age. However, if you're too cautious, you will miss out on a lot of things, right?" Onari tilted her head.

"You're wasting your breath," Takeru said softly. "She doesn't understand everything you've said, Ryu. Her vocabulary is messed up."

"Takeru and Ryu, it's time to go," Sasuke said loudly. He had no idea where they were. "Let's move. We have others who are waiting on us."

"Well, time to go," Ryu said. "See you later, Onari." He waved at the girl as he walked casually out of the bathroom.

"Behave while we're gone, Ri. If you're really good, when we get back, I'll take you out," Takeru said as he glanced at her. The girl walked after him.

"Takeru where go," Onari asked.

"We're going to the hot springs with all of the students who passed the Academy finals," Takeru told her. "I'll be back in a few days. You and mom get the entire house to yourselves." He left the bathroom to grab his backpack.

Onari ran down the hallway. She went straight for Sasuke as she passed Ryu. "Sasuke Onari take Takeru test to go with Takeru!" She pointed at Takeru as he came out of his room.

"Sorry, firebird, you have to stay home," Sasuke said looking down at her. "This trip is only for the teams that were formed as of a few days ago." He watched her trying to understand.

"Onari go Takeru," she said softly. "Onari take Takeru test to go." She hadn't been separated from any of them before for a long period of time. Why were they leaving? Why couldn't she go? She trained hard with Neji. He even said she was improving. "Sasuke Onari go Takeru."

"Aw, that's cute. She's attached to you," Ryu said to Takeru as he walked up behind him.

"Ryu," Sasuke said sternly. The boy kept his mouth shut. He looked back at Onari. "Onari, you can't go. I'm not punishing you. This trip is so the students can get to know each other. They have to learn to work together and trust each other. If I were to bring you along, you might react badly to the other kids. You don't know them. They don't know you. If you do well with Neji, then I will consider letting you go on a trip in the future. Is that okay?"

Onari nodded slowly. She didn't like being left alone. Izumi was going to have to walk her to the Hyuga compound for training while Sasuke was gone. And she normally stayed glued to Takeru when he got home.

"Don't worry, we'll have a girls night out while the boys are gone," Izumi said putting her arm around Onari. "I'll even let you jump on the bed and stay in your pajamas all day if you want." Onari glanced at her.

"You're not going to be alone. Izumi will still be here," Sasuke said. "But it's probably because Takeru is going somewhere you're not."

"Why would she want to go with us when we're going to be surrounded by water," Takeru asked.

Onari looked at him. "Onari no like water Takeru," she said loudly. She pushed him away from her. "Go water Takeru! Onari stay with Izumi!"

Ryu started laughing as he followed Takeru out the door. "I think I like her. She's funny."

Sasuke shook his head. He waved at his wife. "We'll be back in a few days. Don't destroy the house."

Izumi smiled. "What does he think we're going to do while they're gone," she asked as she looked at Onari. "I've got dibs on the bed!" Izumi shot past Onari. Onari started to run after her.

"Onari on bed, too, Izumi!"

"I like your family," Ryu said as they walked towards the gate entrance to Konoha. The other teams were already waiting on them. Ryu singled out Daiya easily enough. He was standing by himself, refusing to be near anyone.

"Why do you like my family? They're nuts," Takeru said. "Ever since Onari has come into the picture, our house has become rather lively." His dad was walking ahead of them.

"The reason I say that is because it's only me and my mom. I don't have anyone to do things with. My mom stays pretty busy and I try not to bother her," Ryu said as he kept his eyes focused straight ahead.

Takeru looked up at him. "You've been alone a long time, huh?" Ryu nodded slowly. "Well, once Onari gets used to you, you'll have both of us."

Ryu glanced at him. "Takeru, why are you the way you are?" The boy had a confused look on his face. "I would like to know."

"I don't understand what you're trying to say," Takeru said.

"I am puzzled by the type of person you are. You're sincere and understanding. That's not what I expected Sasuke sensei's son to be like," Ryu said.

Takeru looked at Ryu sadly as he tried to figure out the older boy's emotions. He thought Ryu was a loner by choice. There was more to it than that. Takeru supposed Ryu stayed by himself all of the time so he wouldn't interfere in anyone else's lives. He thought that was sad. Ryu was lonely. Takeru could tell. "What did you expect me to be like?"

"On the contrary, I thought you'd be more like your father," Ryu said. "He doesn't speak about his family. I had no idea what any of you were like so I only had my imagination to go on."

"It's just running rampant isn't it," Takeru said as Ryu smiled.

"Pretty much," Ryu said as his mind started to wander in several directions all at once. Him and Takeru stopped behind the group of kids. Ryu stared at the ground. He felt like he was opening himself too much to the younger boy. It was his problem. He had to deal with it the best he could.

Kiba whistled to get everyone's attention. "Listen up kids. We're going to leave shortly for the hot springs, but first we need to lay down some ground rules." Akamaru looked at all of the students checking them out. He made his own gruff comments as Kiba looked down at him.

"You guys will be assigned a buddy to be responsible for. This is for your own protection and theirs. There are only four of us and twelve of you. It helps take some of the pressure off of your trainers. We expect everyone to behave and follow directions. No one is to leave the hot springs unless they want to answer to the Hokage. That is the most important rule. Is that clear," Shikamaru stated.

"Maybe someone should explain to them why they have to be partnered with someone," Sasuke said.

"The reason you will have a partner is to get to know someone that is not on your team. All ninja must work together. If you cannot respect one another or work well with another person, then missions fail and we end up failing the ones we love and protect," Lee said.

"The buddy system will change each time we take trips. The trips are going to be a privilege for students who train hard and do well," Sasuke said. "If any of you have issues with someone out here, I suggest you leave those at the gate. It won't be tolerated. Your buddies have already been assigned."

"What? Who are we getting stuck with? I thought we were just going to enjoy ourselves," Masaru said complaining.

"Stow it," Sasuke said harshly. He took one look at Masaru and the boy shrunk back. He wasn't going to let anyone get by with anything starting right now.

Lee took out the scroll where he had written down the pairings for the students. He unraveled it. "I suggest all of you take it easy and get to know each other. It's a full day to the hot springs. Let's see… Kandai, you are paired with Saori. Hire is paired with Gin. Areku is paired with Ryu. Takeru, you're with Daiya. Eiyu is with Masaru. And Idai is with Yanagi. You all might as well get used to each other."

"Time to head out," Kiba said. He started to lead the front of the group with Akamaru by his side. Shikamaru and Lee took the side positions while Sasuke brought up the rear.

"Well, this ought to be interesting," Saori said. "I wonder what the sleeping arrangements will be." She started to yawn, covering her mouth.

Kandai smiled. "Don't they normally put boys and girls in separate rooms?" He caught Saori's yawn. "Are you still tired?"

"No, I shouldn't be. Long speeches always bore me to death," she said laughing.

"So you are Idai, right? You're awfully quiet. Is there something on your mind," Yanagi asked.

"I don't talk much," Idai said. He didn't look at her. He knew he was supposed to get to know her. Gai had had another talk with him while he was packing that morning. It was what the trainers wanted. It was what the Hokage expected of the students.

"You could try, couldn't you? Even though we are technically on the same team we have to be friendly with everyone. Working together makes sense, doesn't it," Yanagi asked.

"Are you being friendly to me because they told you to, or because you follow your own head," Idai said kind of lowly.

Yanagi reached up and pushed his head forward. "You need to stop being a stick in the mud. I am always friendly. It's not my fault that you have a wall up."

Ryu glanced at Areku as they walked with the group of students. The last time he had seen Kiba sensei's son was when he and Takeru had ran into Saori that day. Ryu and Areku didn't get along then. He doubted they would now. It's bad enough I get held back. It's even worse I got put on a team with Hire's snobby butt. That Daiya kid doesn't help matters either with his attitude. Ryu sighed. He had to walk on eggshells around Daiya until they could get the boy to drop his guard some. Ryu thought it was impossible at this point.

"You could at least apologize for the way you acted," Areku said matter-of-factly. "Amazing how someone of your age and experience regards others." Ryu twitched his eye. Two points for me. Zero for Ryu. He smiled satisfied.

"Um, so you are Ms. Hire," Gin said softly. The older girl gave her the type of cold look that made her move away. Gin wondered what was wrong. Hire was unhappy about going to the hot springs with a bunch of kids she figured.

Hire stuck her nose into the air as she adjusted her backpack. "Yeah, I am. I'm more advanced than you so I don't tolerate children. Stay out of my way little girl. Just concentrate on your friends."

"That girl must have done something to be held back. If she's so great then wouldn't she already be on missions with the adults instead of requiring more training," Masaru said. He narrowed his eyes at Hire's back.

"I don't like that girl," Eiyu said sternly. "Her attitude is not workable. I refuse to let someone like that think they are better than me. I would like for her to prove it. Actions say everything."

Daiya kept his distance from the other students. He was paired with Takeru, his sensei's son. Daiya glanced at the other boy. He couldn't tell if Takeru was watching him or not because the boy was walking on his right. Daiya could only make out blurry colors with his right eye. It was partially blind thanks to his birth mother. He scowled.

Takeru wondered why Daiya was so resentful towards others. Was he afraid of everyone? Takeru had to be cautious. Saori had mentioned that Daiya was sensitive about familiarity; about the way he was approached. But if Takeru could get Ryu to open up some, wasn't Daiya just another challenge for him? "Watch out for that hole," Takeru said.

Daiya started to search the ground. He didn't see a hole. There wasn't anything on his left. If it was on his right, he couldn't tell. He felt his body run into something. Daiya looked down to see Takeru's arm in front of his abdomen.

"It's in front of your right foot," Takeru said. "Move a foot over to avoid it," he said softly. He took his arm down. Takeru figured Daiya had vision problems, but he didn't know how extensive it was. The scar over the other boy's right eye told him something awful must have happened.

Daiya moved around the hole in the ground. Takeru had stopped him from twisting his ankle. He caught up to Sasuke sensei's son. "Why did you warn me?"

Takeru raised a brow. "Which is more embarrassing? Falling in front of everybody or having to be carried?" He smiled at Daiya a little.

Ryu glanced behind him to see Takeru trying to adjust to Daiya. Oh, good luck. Areku wasn't paying anyone any mind. His eyes were in the trees. Why did I get stuck with nature boy? Ryu tripped over a fallen branch. He tried to regain his balance, but ended up losing it as he hopped on one foot. Ryu fell backwards onto his butt. He gritted his teeth. A tear came out of his eye. Ryu moved his hand underneath his rear to pull out a sharp rock. He looked at it hatefully and threw it.

"Alright, who's going to kiss Ryu's butt," Saori said loudly. "The poor baby fell down and hurt himself." That statement got a few laughs.

"Ryu, watch where you're going," Sasuke said as he lifted the boy up under the arm.

"I think falling is more embarrassing," Daiya said. The look on Takeru's face told him he hadn't expected Daiya to actually answer him. He looked away. Daiya felt out-of-place. He closed his eyes regretting voicing his thoughts.

"Hey, let's all sing a song while we walk all the way to the hot springs," Yanagi said.

"How about we play a game? It's called 'let's see who can stay the quietest the longest'," Eiyu said.

Yanagi narrowed her eyes. "Eiyu Hyuga, you're a pain in the neck. You don't know how to have fun. Would it kill you to be nice?"

"I'm not an unpleasant person. You just don't understand me. I'm also not childish like you are," Eiyu countered.

"Isn't saying something like that a form of childishness in itself," Masaru asked Gin. The girl smiled at him embarrassingly as Eiyu gave him a dirty look. Masaru twitched his eye at Eiyu.

"You three knock it off," Shikamaru said. "We don't need any arguing. If I have to separate you guys, you'll spend your vacation inside the entire time we're there."

"What exactly is our sleeping arrangement? Aren't boys supposed to be apart from the girls," Hire asked annoyed with the whole situation. "Obviously we don't have a female trainer here to watch us while we're at the hot springs." These males and their incoherent way of thinking.

"Everyone is sleeping in a large room. Trainers and students will be together the entire time. One thing that will blow your mind, Hire, is that the hot springs is a co-habitat environment. Everyone gets in together," Kiba said as he grinned at her rather evilly.

Takeru's eyes widened. He blushed badly. He was going to see Gin, Saori, Hire, and Yanagi wearing nothing more than a towel. His mouth twitched.

Daiya glanced at him. "What is wrong with you?" Takeru's face was really red.

"Takeru, we brought bathing suits you pervert," Saori said. "Do you honestly think I would be caught dead in nothing more than a towel around my dad and a bunch of boys?"

Ryu smirked. "You'd probably turn us all to stone." He started laughing. A rock hit his head. He rubbed his forehead. "Man, you're mean for a girl."

"And you're clumsy for someone of your age," Saori shot back.

"Oh, that's entirely gullible of you, Takeru. You really thought you were going to see someone naked," Eiyu said. "Disgusting."

"I'm not a pervert," Takeru said defensively. "You guys shut up!" He moved away from the ones teasing him. Takeru looked away as he walked. How was he supposed to know what the arrangements were? He'd never been to the hot springs before. He rarely left Konoha. His dad was overprotective of him.

Daiya was watching Takeru. He's sensitive to what others say to him. He walked up behind his partner and put his hand on his head. Daiya turned Takeru's head forward. "If you walk into a tree, they'll only have another reason to taunt you."

"There's water ahead," Idai said cocking his head. He could hear the sounds of rushing water faintly in the distance. It sounded like it was coming from below where they were positioned.

"Your hearing is as good as my sense of smell," Kiba said to Idai. "We're going to have to figure out if there is a way to cross it when we get there." The boy looked away when Kiba spoke to him. Oh, come on, kid. It's not a bad thing.

The group came upon the edge of a cliff with a muddy slope. Down below the cliff was a river rushing over the rocks. The kids looked below then at the slope. "We can't go across. The gap is too big. Looks like we're going down the slope," Sasuke said.

"There has to be a safe way to do this. One wrong move and someone could break their leg," Shikamaru said as he looked at the loose rocks embedded in the muddy slope. "Maybe we should escort them down one at a time?"

"They have partners, don't they? Maybe now is a good time for them to start learning to trust one another. They can begin by helping each other down the cliff," Kiba said.

"I agree," Rock Lee said. "Now would be a very good time for them to learn." He walked up to the cliff and looked down below. "The drop isn't the problem. It's the footing." He turned around. "I'll go first. One pair will come after me. So if anyone does lose their footing, I'll catch you." Rock Lee shifted his body as he stepped onto the edge of the cliff and let himself slide down. He put his arm out, tilting so his body was leaned against the slope. He slide all of the way down without a problem. Lee's feet hit the ground. "Alright, a pair of you guys can come down," Lee called up to the group.

"Come on," Eiyu said to Masaru. Both of the boys took one look at the drop then at each other. Masaru was the first to carefully put his feet over the edge. He held onto Eiyu as he got his footing. Eiyu inched as Masaru moved before he placed his feet onto the muddy slope. Carefully they started to make their way down. Eiyu didn't dare attempt to slide like Lee sensei had. He kept his feet implanted into the earth as Masaru moved below him. The boy was holding tightly to his hand. Good thing, too. Masaru took a wrong step and his feet went out from underneath him. Eiyu leaned back and held onto him with all of his strength. Masaru kicked his legs as he tried to grab hold of the earth. He finally got it and Eiyu decided to move again. The two boys finally made their way down to Lee without falling. They moved aside so someone else could come down.

Ryu and Areku were next. Ryu decided to go first to act like a guard to keep Areku from sliding down the slope. He placed his feet onto the shaky soil carefully. It was hard to glue his chakra to it because it was uneven dirt. He turned his head to look at Areku and held out his hand. "Come on," he said lowly. Areku grabbed onto his wrist and they started to make their way down. The footing was the most difficult part of going down, Ryu had to agree on that. Areku was pressed up against him as they cautiously moved to the ground below. Both of them hopped off and stood behind Eiyu and Masaru.

"I guess we can go next," Takeru said. He tugged Daiya on the wrist. The boy followed him cautiously to the edge. "I'll go first okay?" Takeru placed his foot onto the loose soil. Daiya was right behind him edging onto the spot where Takeru had moved from. He looked down. The drop didn't look that bad, but then he looked at how small Lee sensei and the others appeared. Daiya swallowed.

Takeru edged more down the slope, his feet feeling around. Daiya bumped into him. He glanced at Daiya. The boy was constantly looking below. "If you keep focusing on it, it'll meet you face first," he told him. Just as he said it, the ground gave way. Daiya and Takeru started to fall as the loose soil started to crumble. The others below them started to run out of the way as a chunk of the cliff came down.

"Takeru! Daiya," Sasuke yelled as the two boys started to fall. They were in mid-air. Lee was standing below them, his arms open to try and catch them. There was no way to get back up the cliff now.

Saori's eyes widened. She ran towards the cliff, aimed her chakra strings at a branch from a tree and shot her strings over it and towards the two boys. The strings went straight for their legs, wrapping around them. She snagged em. Takeru and Daiya were upside-down looking around bewildered. Saori slid as she tried to keep her balance with their weight. She gritted her teeth. "Thanks for jinxing that, Takeru," she said tensing her arms.

Saori gasped as Sasuke came up behind her. He put his arms around her waist to help with the weight of the two boys. "Alright, how am I supposed to get them down? My chakra strings don't reach that far."

Takeru didn't seem to mind hanging upside-down as much as Daiya. He pushed on Daiya a little so he could sway some. Takeru started laughing. "This isn't half bad," he said smiling as Daiya looked at him like he was crazy.

"Takeru," Saori and Sasuke both said at the same time. "Stop playing around."

Saori looked behind at Sasuke sensei. "Oh, that's just frightening. We said it at the same time."

"Tell me about it," Sasuke said. He looked from Saori's chakra wires to the two boys dangling. How were they doing to get them down?

"Um, I can possibly make them a ladder," Gin said shyly. She blushed as Sasuke sensei looked at her. "I like to use plants a lot," she said trying to explain. Gin walked towards Saori and Sasuke sensei. She looked over the side of the cliff. "I don't know if I can make the ladder this high, Sasuke sensei."

Shikamaru walked over. "I have an idea. Saori's not going to be able to hold them much longer. I can tell by the expression on her face that her chakra is being drained by their weight. We're going to have to let Saori drop em."

"Dad, we can't drop them! They'll get hurt," Saori said. She looked at him like he was nuts.

"Hold on, Saori. Instead of Gin making a ladder, lets see if you can make a basket out of vines to help catch them. Think you can do that instead," Shikamaru asked Gin.

Gin pondered. "I don't know Shikamaru sensei. I've never tried it before."

"Could we get down some time today? The blood is rushing to my head," Daiya said with his arms crossed. They all turned to look at him as Takeru started to push on him a little to make him sway. Daiya flipped his head around, stuck his arm out, and shot Takeru an electrical current through his finger. The younger boy yelped. "Do it again," he warned.

"Takeru, stop messing with him," Sasuke warned. His son was in the process of trying to hit Daiya. The boy stopped.

Gin formed hand seals as she closed her eyes, concentrating. She didn't know what vegetation was below her. A ladder might be impossible if she couldn't find the necessary plant life. Her mind searched the foliage under the earth. She found a few doable pieces of an old tree to help form the plant basket.

Lee and the others watched as plants started to grow out of the earth. The plants were growing rapidly around each other to give the basket support. The basket kept forming into a large oddly shaped bowl. "That will do, Gin," Lee yelled up to the girl.

"Saori, you can drop them now," Shikamaru said. His daughter was straining to keep a hold on the boys. Takeru and Daiya both looked at him in horror as Saori flicked her wrists upwards, the chakra strings detaching. Both of the boys yelped as they fell through the air and landed into Gin's basket.

"Ow," Daiya said. Takeru sat up shaking it off. Daiya looked at him with a stern gaze.

"Lighten up, Daiya," Takeru said. He had gone past the line of familirty in the time it had taken them to get where they are. Takeru crawled over the side of the basket and tumbled onto his side.

Sasuke let go of Saori. The girl was exhausted. It was a good thing she had been quick to react, or the two boys might have gotten more than a broken leg. He reached up petting her head. "Good job."

"The question is, how do we get down now," Kiba said as he looked at all of them. There was no earth for them to slide on. It had fallen at the worst time. "This is turning out to be more of a predicament."

"Yeah," Shikamaru said. He was thinking. His eyes fell on Hire. "Aren't you the one on Sasuke's team that can shift mud?" Hire looked at him nodding slowly. He could tell this girl had an attitude problem worse than anything he had ever seen. "Do you think you can form something to help everyone down?" It was like pulling teeth.

Hire snuffed looking away as she crossed her arms. "I suppose I could, but I was having fun watching you guys figure things out for yourselves." Hire started to form hand seals, closing her eyes quickly as if she couldn't stand to look at them. The mud that had fallen below them shot into the air. It started to form into a shoot. "You better go now before I change my mind."

Sasuke shook his head. "I just had to get her on my team," he said lowly. He wasn't any happier about Hire being held back, either. Ryu was one case that needed extra direction. Hire, on the other hand, was a difficult to begin with. She chose not to listen to her trainer and she was a handful. Her previous trainer, Saijito, had had a time with her. Now she was Sasuke's burden. "Alright you guys, quickly now." He pushed Saori first.

"Oh, no. This is going to be the worst ride I've ever had in my life," she said as she looked over the drop. Sasuke got behind her and put his arms around her they started to slide. Saori closed her eyes. She leaned back and grabbed onto his legs. They soon hit bottom. Her heart was racing. "Please, let's not do that again."

Sasuke brushed off his clothes. "It wasn't that bad." Saori gave him this sick expression.

Kandai and Gin chose to go next. Kandai sat down first as Gin put her legs around his hips. She hid her face into his back as they started to slide. Kandai smiled at her and petted her head to assure it was going to be alright. The mud slide was really slippery so they went down faster than he thought. At the last moment, Kandai got worried and he ended up coming off the slide onto his stomach. Gin landed onto his back. "Are you okay, Kandai," she asked. He nodded. "Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't get scared until the last minute."

Shikamaru signaled for Yanagi. "Let's go, Yanagi. You're next. We'll even bring along Akamaru." The dog came up behind Shikamaru and Yanagi.

"This is going to be fun," Yanagi said as she looked up at Shikamaru sensei.

"I doubt it," Shikamaru said as Akamaru sniffed his ear. "Knock it off, Akamaru." It was bad enough the dog had to go with them. They started to slide. Yanagi raised her hands above her head. Shikamaru gritted his teeth. This was insane. Akamaru's claws were sunk into the slide as he slid behind them. They came off of the slide fast, toppling over one another. "Could someone get the dog off of me," Shikamaru said as Yanagi crawled out from underneath him.

"Idai, we're next," Kiba said. The white haired boy looked up at him, afraid. "Hire has to go last. She's the one controlling it." Kiba walked towards the boy. "Or is it something else?"

Idai looked up at Kiba fearfully. Gai had told him to be good, to listen to his new trainer. Idai didn't trust anyone. He was afraid of everyone around him, regardless of how old they were, or their gender. Every one of them were capable of hurting him. "I-I'm… sc-scared," he said looking down, not believing he was admitting that to Kiba. The man had first met him and wanted to be friends. It was an offer he had never had before.

Kiba kneeled in front of him. "Are you afraid of me?" He watched Idai slowly shake his head.

"No,… I'm afraid of that… girl," he said nodding his head towards Hire. "Sh-She has cruel intentions. She could drop us." He watched as Kiba stood up. Kiba looked behind them at Hire. There was something about Hire that hit home with Idai. He knew the kind of attitude she displayed and what her real intentions were. He had seen it when he was smaller, when he was still living in the sound village.

"She won't mess with you. I know about her, too," Kiba said as he watched Hire gesture for them to go. He put his arm around Idai protectively. Kiba led him to the mud slide. He sat down first, gesturing for Idai to wraps his arms and legs around him. "If Hire even thinks of dropping us, Sasuke will put her in her grave," he said seriously. "One thing I've learned in my days as a Jounin is you don't piss off a Uchiha." He started to slide with Idai grabbing hold of him. The boy had his face buried into his back. Kiba couldn't blame him. Soon they touched ground neatly. It appeared the others had had a rather messy landing. All of their clothes were filthier.

"That took longer than I would have liked," Hire said disgustedly. She brushed off her hands then sat onto the mud slide. "Someone is going to be washing my clothes for this!" As she slid down the slide, she let her chakra go. The slide started to crumble behind her with each way that she went towards the ground. In a few seconds she was already at the bottom. She landed neatly. "You guys owe me for that," she said walking off as they stared at her.

"I feel sorry for the man that gets stuck with that woman," Daiya said rather loudly. Everyone around him started laughing. He turned around alarmed. Even Sasuke sensei was laughing at him. "What did I say?"

"Something so truthful and daring that no one else had the guts to say," Ryu said. He ruffled Daiya's messy hair. "You don't seem to be too afraid of us now. Are you sure you weren't aware that your guard dropped just a little?"

Daiya tilted his head. He hadn't been aware of it, no. When did that happen? Was it when Takeru had warned him about tripping? Or when they were dangling upside-down together? He didn't know. It was lowered alright. Daiya didn't feel like raising it again, just yet. "How much farther is it to the hot springs, anyway?"

Ryu pondered. "I think we're half way there. I haven't been in two years. The trainers have been trying to get us out of Konoha more so that we can rest in between exams and training. It's a nice break. You'll like the hot springs. Lots of water. And since you're a lightening user, you'll probably have the time of your life electrocuting people. Takeru is a good one to target."

"I heard that, Ryu!" Takeru punched his arm. "He already shocked me once! Why doesn't he shock you instead?"

Daiya didn't understand. "You want me to shock him?" Takeru seemed to be taken off-guard with that question.

"He didn't mean for real," Ryu said. "You're kind of to-the-point and blunt, aren't you?" Daiya nodded. Ryu didn't think Daiya knew what other way to be. "It must be nice saying anything without fear. I don't dare do it. I get in enough trouble on my own without even speaking," he said smiling at the younger boy.

"Hey, dad, when we get there can we make a fire and roast fish, or something," Yanagi asked. She walked up beside her father. Yanagi bounced on her toes as she walked.

"I don't know. We'll see. It depends on how late it is when we get there. That cliff has us off schedule," Rock Lee said.

"Roast fish," Idai said repeating what he had heard. "You roast fish at a hot springs?" He didn't understand.

"Some do. Others roast potatoes, or marshmallows to enjoy themselves," Kiba said. "You've never been to a hot springs huh?" Idai shook his head. "I'll have to get onto Gai about taking you out more. You can't sit at home all of the time staring out the window."

Idai wondered how Kiba sensei knew that that was what he did every weekend and almost every night? Idai had no friends. No one wanted to have anything to do with him because he was a sound-nin, or was. He was a sound-nin. Now he was a leaf-nin.

"I just want to put my tired feet in that nice, hot water," Saori said to Gin. She kept walking with Gin by her side. "And if we feel like it, we can dunk that Hire girl under the water. I think everyone would appreciate it." Gin laughed softly.

Masaru and Kandai were playing rock, paper, scissors. So far, Masaru had won three times and Kandai had won five times. "How come you're so good at this game? I can't beat you very well."

"I don't know exactly," Kandai said. "I've never played it before. Eiyu is only interested in training and learning about weapons. We never played much together growing up. This is kind of fun."

"That's kind of odd since you two are twins," Areku said from behind them. "I thought twins were supposed to do things together. I thought they had the same interests."

"We're two different people," Kandai said with his happy-go-lucky attitude. "Me and Eiyu don't right. It's rare for us to, but our interests are not the same, no. He's more serious than I am. I'm more carefree, if you want to put it that way."

Eiyu was reading his weapons book. He would glance up at it every so often to avoid running into a push, or tree. His mind was completely focused on learning the tools a ninja used for martial arts training.

"This group is something else. I guess that's to be expected every time we train new students," Shikamaru said to Sasuke. "Every one of them are so different from the other, but this group seems to get along better; with the exception of Hire, of course."

"I don't know what I'm going to do about that girl. Her attitude is so bad she barely listens to a word I say. I can't tolerate her defiance. It will probably come to a point where I'll lose my temper with her," Sasuke said.

Shikamaru chewed on his toothpick. "It sounds like she needs a good swift kick in the rear. I couldn't imagine having to train a hardheaded girl like that. She acts like she's better than everybody else and she's wasting her time."

"It'smy time that she's wasting. I only agreed to take her on so that Onari could be put on Lee's team in the future," Sasuke said. "I was thinking about switching Hire with Saori. Saori is stronger and she needs the type of direction that Lee can't give her. She needs to focus more on her ninjutsu."

"You're thinking about Onari coming in to train with the others," Shikamaru asked.

"You should see her, Shikamaru. That girl is nothing like what we remember," Kiba said smiling. "Sprout is learning to punch and kick with force like Neji has been instructing her to do. She trains all day with Neji and Sasuke takes up time with her when he goes after Takeru."

"You're kidding," Shikamaru said. "Onari is a fast learner, isn't she? She amazed me those few days I was alone with her on top of that mountain. I can't imagine how strong she's going to get in the next year."

"She may even surpass most of the students here," Sasuke said seriously. "The only thing holding her back is her language skills, reading, and aggression. She's too forceful. When Onari goes for something, she goes for it, not thinking about the consequences. That girl sent Neji flying a few days go. I showed up to get her and he had bruises all over his arms where she had kicked him across the Hyuga compound into a small building they use for storage."

Kiba's eyes widened. "It sounds to me like the Uchiha aren't the only ones to watch out for." He petted Akamaru.

Izumi formed Onari's wet hair into a statue as they sat on the seats in the bathing area of the bathroom. "Ta-dah! It's a work of art! Want to do my hair?"

Onari stood up. She started to form Izumi's long white hair into a tower. She patted it with her hands and stuck her tongue out at she tried to get it just the way she wanted.

"Wow, you got it really tall," Izumi said impressed. "What do you want to do tomorrow? We can train, go shopping, go out to eat – do something to get out of this house."

"Onari go shopping with Izumi," she said softly. "Onari get Takeru present." She said as Izumi washed the soap out of her hair.

"That's a really good idea," Izumi said. "I haven't bought Sasuke anything in a long time. We mainly just worry about you guys. We can both pick out something they would like. It'll be a day of haggling and bargain shopping, for sure!"


	23. Chapter 23

**V 3 ch 3**

**The Hot springs vacation part II**

"If I was a duck and you were a tree, could I come up and see you? We could both stare at the sunset together as the clouds went by. I could lay in your branches and ruffle my feathers. And as the seasons changed, you would shed your leaves. I will fly south and hopefully return, to those branches that I knew so tenderly when I was young," Yanagi sang softly. Gin smiled at her. "My mom used to sing that to me when I was little. I don't quite understand it, but I like it," she said.

"The song represents the duck's longing for its real home," Idai said out of nowhere. He turned his gaze away when Yanagi and Gin looked at him. "Sorry," he said softly. He had no right to say anything to them. They didn't know him. He found himself moving closer to Kiba sensei.

Kiba looked at his student sadly. He lifted his rough hand and put it on the boy's head, petting. Idai tensed for a second before looking up at him with his orange eyes. "It's okay. They're not going to hurt you. You have to push a little to get others to notice you. It's not necessarily a bad thing, Idai."

Idai glanced back at Yanagi and Gin. They were enjoying each other's company so much. He didn't know anyone out here that would talk to him. He was a loner. Idai lowered his head to look at the ground as he walked. He wished he would have stayed back in Konoha with Gai. Gai did things with him when he was home.

Saori walked backwards until she caught up with Takeru, Daiya, and Ryu. She smiled at Takeru. "So are you okay from earlier? That little drop scared you, didn't it?"

Takeru looked at her seriously. "The only thing that scared me was how quickly you let us go." He eyed her.

"Sorry, but dad told me to. Gin already made that basket for you two to fall in to. My chakra was getting low. I can't hold objects long. The strings are mainly used to control Rose," Saori said.

"What is Rose," Daiya asked. He looked at Takeru for an explanation. Saori was watching him as she walked.

"Rose is her puppet. She is a puppet master," Takeru said. "Saori controls puppets to use in fights. They're tools that can be molded to the personality of the user."

"I don't understand," Daiya said. He glanced at Saori. This was the most he had ever talked to anyone before. He tried to hide his face from Saori by moving to the other side of Ryu. She was still watching him.

"Why are you guys talking about me like I'm not here? Rose is my puppet, yes. She does what I want her to do. If I want her to be cruel, I can hide her, use the weapons she has on her, or even toy with an opponent like a cat after a mouse. Puppets are just large dolls that hide contraptions on them for a ninja to use against someone. What they hide is part of the mystery in a fight," Saori said. "You're afraid of me aren't you?"

"No," Daiya said. "I'm not afraid of anyone. I don't know you."

"Well, you can't possibly get to know me hiding on the other side of the large turkey that is walking next to you," she said about Ryu.

"I am not a turkey," Ryu said annoyed. "I'm an ostrich." He laughed as Takeru started to laugh.

"You two are quite odd," Areku said as he glanced at them. "I've never seen someone who can turn around a tease and just laugh at themselves before." He glanced around at a few birds in the trees around them.

"It must be nice growing up without someone teasing you constantly," Ryu said. He turned his gaze away from Areku's. Ryu didn't like others noticing anything about him, in particular. Yes, he had a habit of turning things around to where they were less threatening. It was his way of dealing with it.

Takeru didn't like the way things were going. Ryu was constantly withdrawing every now and again to his own thoughts. The boy looked up at his friend. He could tell by the look in his eyes that his thoughts were focused on the past. Takeru had to get his mind on other things. How was he going to do that? I could light his pants on fire. No, that would get me in trouble. I could have him chase me. No, everyone would get mad at us weeding in and out of the group. He tried to think.

"Hey, what's up with that kid from the sound village," Saori asked quietly. "He's sticking awfully close to Kiba sensei. Is he afraid of something?"

Ryu looked at Idai. "He's like Onari. Cautious. I don't blame him. I don't know what kind of past he's had, but it's apparent it wasn't a good one. If I remember, I think Anko found him. I don't know where or how she got him to come back to Konoha, though. No one knows anything about him."

Daiya looked at Idai. The boy with white hair was constantly watching Yanagi and Gin laugh and talk. "I know what happened."

Saori, Ryu, and Takeru looked at him.

"Idai was abandoned," Daiya said seriously, trying to keep his voice low. "I saw him in the hall at the Academy when he had first arrived. His clothes were filthy and he was scared of me. He had been crying and wouldn't look at me. I didn't get a chance to find out anything. That was when Anko came out of the room and Gai sensei took him."

"What else are you hiding in that head of yours," Saori asked. Daiya looked at her with a blank expression. "It's always the quiet ones that know everything."

"No one talks to me. All I do is think. What else is there to do," Daiya said.

"Make them notice you," Saori said crossing her arms. "You can't sit on the sidelines watching everything pass you by. You have to get up and attack it."

"You're really rough around the edges," Ryu said to Saori. "Kind of like a stray dog chasing a home." Saori's eyes went wide.

"Ryu, you insensitive -," she paused. "I am not! I say what I think! Why is it bad for a girl to do it," she said highly annoyed.

"Simple. Advice is good and bad. If someone chooses to follow it, then they ask for it. You shouldn't give advice that someone isn't willing to listen to. I never give advice unless I know it will help someone. You need to think before you speak," Ryu said walking away from her.

"What was that about," Takeru asked. Saori turned her head away. She walked away from him and Daiya. Saori was hurt. "Man, Ryu keeps hurting her feelings. I know Saori meant well, but he doesn't."

"He is right, though," Daiya said. "Saori talks too much. She is younger than me and shouldn't be giving advice. She knows nothing about me. Neither do any of you."

Takeru turned to look at him. "I'm trying to get to know you. It's like you're here, but you're not. Kind of like Ryu. Both of you are standing on a pillar and I'm having to wave and jump around to get your attention. No matter what I'm doing, the both of you keep looking off into the clouds."

Daiya didn't answer him. He knew what Takeru was getting at. It wasn't that easy to get to know someone. He knew Takeru was trying. He didn't know why though. It couldn't possibly because Takeru wanted to be his friend. No one had ever tried to get to know him before. So why start now?

"Takeru," Sasuke said from behind him. The boy glanced at him. Sasuke waved him over. "Come here."

Takeru let the others pass him as his father walked towards him. Sasuke tugged him to start walking with him. Had he done something wrong?

"I know you're trying with Ryu and Daiya. Ryu has opened himself up some since he's been talking to you, but Daiya is not going to be that easy. Both of them are different. You can't approach both of them at the same time, or in the same way. Do you understand what I'm saying," Sasuke asked.

Takeru looked away. "I like Ryu. He's a lot of fun, but it's like he doesn't believe what I say. Daiya isn't a bad person. He thinks I am, though. I can tell by how he looks at me and answers me. Why is he so reserved?"

Sasuke tilted his head, thinking. "Daiya comes from a horrible past that I can't tell you about. He has to. If you are patient with him, then he will open up to you. But until he does, he's not going to let you in. Someone that comes from an environment that has denied them the right to be cared for, loved, or appreciated, is going to think twice about their actions and what they say to everyone. Everyone is seen as an enemy to that person."

Takeru closed his eyes. He had no idea that it was that bad for Daiya. Sasuke told him to be patient, but Takeru wanted to get to know Daiya now. He wanted to play with him like he did with Ryu. "Why can't they both just give me a chance? I'm not trying to hurt them," he said softly.

Sasuke raised his hand. He put it on his son's shoulder. He knew what was wrong. Takeru had found something inside of Ryu and Daiya that he wanted to grasp; something about those two were appealing to Takeru. Sasuke blamed the way his son was feeling on himself. He sighed. It's my fault. I know why Takeru is seeking those two out. He wants a brother – someone he can look up to; relate to. I don't know if Daiya and Ryu are willing to give him a chance or opportunity like that. Both of them are loners. It's not easy for a loner to accept others. Takeru is too young to understand this right now."Takeru, if you truly want them to notice you; accept you for who you are, then you have to be willing to accept them for who they are. Not just what you see at face value. You have to accept them for their strengths, weaknesses, flaws – whatever it may be."

Takeru thought hard about what his father said. He wanted Ryu and Daiya to like him. He thought they were both cool, even though, they didn't see it in themselves. Daiya had always stayed to himself in class and when they did learning exercises. He didn't say much unless it was to stop someone else from making a fool of themselves. Takeru looked at him sadly. He accepted everyone for who they were. He didn't have a problem with anyone he knew, not even Eiyu. And Eiyu was pretty serious all of the time. He nodded slowly.

"Can we take a break? We've been walking for hours," Hire said as she moved away from some of the kids. They were walking too closely. She looked at her nails. "At least a bathroom break or something," she said making demands.

"How about we find a pond or lake to throw you in," Yanagi said rather bluntly. "You need to cool off. It isn't nor our fault your stamina isn't as good as ours. She stuck her tongue out at Hire.

Hire shot her a cold stare. "If I were you, I'd be more worried about who you slept near tonight. You just might need a bodyguard." She smiled evilly at the pink-haired girl.

"You won't touch her. Or I'll pull the same move on you that I did at the New Year's festival," Saori warned. She saw Hire twitch. The older girl shot her a glare so cold Saori could feel the wind change temperature. "I don't back down, so whatever you wish to challenge, throw it."

Sasuke looked at Saori. "Shikamaru's daughter is kind of spunky and threatening like her mother." Takeru nodded slowly.

"Saori, calm down. There won't be any fighting while we're here. I wasn't kidding about earlier. If you guys wish to fight, it'll be the last trip you ever make," Shikamaru said. He reached over, putting his hand on her head. "Now is not the time to be demonstrating your abilities. Save it for training."

"He may have said something about fighting, but there's nothing about a prank, or two," Ryu said snickering. "Hire does have it coming." He raised his eyebrows at Daiya. Daiya only looked at him with his usual blank expression.

Kandai tugged on Masaru. "Reach inside of my backpack. I have a few dumplings in there. You can have one if you want."

Masaru walked behind Kandai. He flipped open the boy's backpack. "A few? How many are in here? You were supposed to pack clothes, too, you know. He took one out. Thanks."

"Eiyu, are you hungry? I brought some of mom's dumplings. I think I have enough for everybody," Kandai said. "I just kept putting them in."

"Kandai has food for everybody, so now can we rest," Hire said.

"I think so, but Kandai hasn't offered to feed everyone. It's rude to assume he will," Lee said. He was trying to teach that girl some manners.

"I don't mind," Kandai said. "I brought enough for everybody. I even have some for Akamaru. If everyone is hungry we can stop." He smiled.

"Kandai, I think he was trying to teach Hire a lesson," Masaru said as he munched on his dumpling. Kandai only looked at him. He didn't catch that. Masaru sighed.

Everyone stopped where they were. They all sat down. Akamaru laid down breathing hard. They had been walking for hours without stopping. The kids seemed to enjoy their break. "We can rest for an hour or two. As long as we don't stop anymore, we'll get there around sunset," Kiba said. He took his dumpling from Kandai. "Thanks."

"It needs hot sauce on it," Takeru said as he bit into the dumpling.

"Takeru Uchiha, you can't put hot sauce on everything," Sasuke said. He ruffled his son's hair. "You're going to make yourself sick one day."

Saori sat next to her dad. She leaned up against him as she ate. She was watching Ryu out of the corner of her eye. Ryu was sitting by himself. He wasn't eating. Was it because he didn't want anyone to see his real face? Saori watched him turn away then started to eat. Yep, that was the real reason. Her eyebrow twitched.

Idai tore his dumpling in half. He was cautious about getting something from someone else. He knew Kandai meant well though. I guess they're not all bad. He looked at it. "What kind is this?"

Kiba sniffed the air. "I think you have a sweet dumpling. They came in all kinds of flavors. TenTen must have made a bunch of different kinds so we wouldn't get all the same. That was really nice of her. I've got a meat dumpling myself."

Idai looked at the other dumpling he had. He tore it in half, too. He held his hand out to Akamaru. The dog sniffed it then took it. At least Akamaru likes me.

"Oh, man, I forgot I have drinks in my backpack. Dad has my clothes," Yanagi said. She rummaged in her bag. "I can't remember anything. I have… let's see… flavored water and plain water. The flavored water I have is peach, strawberry, and … grape."

"Yanagi, can I have peach water," Gin asked. Yanagi handed it to her. Gin thanked her.

"Why don't you guys hold up your hand for who wants peach water first," Shikamaru said. "That way Yanagi can go ahead and hand them out."

Yanagi counted. "Okay, Areku, Eiyu, Saori, Kiba sensei, and … Hire." Yanagi handed them out until she got to Hire. She threw hers.

"Alright, who wants Grape," Shikamaru asked as he raised his hand. He saw Takeru, Kandai, Lee, and Ryu raise their hands. "Now who wants Strawberry?" Masaru, Idai, and Daiya raised their hands. Idai glanced at Daiya. The boy from the lightening country turned his head away instantly. "That means Sasuke wants plain water, Yanagi."

Yanagi handed everything out. She sat back down. "I wonder what other things there are to do when we get there," she said rubbing her eyes. She lay back onto her backpack.

"They usually have games in one of the rooms," Eiyu said as he ate his dumpling, his eyes focused on his weapons book. "At least that's what I hear."

"Eiyu, we went to a hot springs when we got accepted to the Academy," Kandai said smiling at his twin.

"Is that where we went? I don't remember," Eiyu said flipping through his book. He munched some more.

"If he took his head out of that book, he might notice were he walks," Ryu said laughing.

"Oh, you're one to talk," Hire said as she drank some of her peach water. She watched Ryu narrow his eyes at her. "I'm not scared of you," she sang back.

Takeru yawned. He rubbed at his eyes. It was a long walk to the hot springs. This was the first time he had left Konoha with a group, or on a trip. His father had never allowed him to journey before. Takeru thought his father was very over protective of him.

Sasuke put his dumpling into his mouth as he placed his hand on the side of Takeru's head. He pushed him over towards his leg. Takeru flopped over, his eyes staring off. Sasuke played with his son's hair as he ate. He didn't expect Takeru to not be tired. It was a long trip.

Everyone rested for almost two hours. Eight out of twelve students fell asleep onto their backpacks and on each other. Shikamaru was the only trainer that had fallen asleep. His head was leaned against his daughters as they slept comfortably against a tree.

Ryu yawned some. He glanced around to see who was awake. Sasuke sensei, Kiba sensei, Lee sensei, Idai, Hire, and Daiya were all awake. Idai was petting Akamaru and keeping his distance from the other kids. Ryu wondered why the kid from the sound village was glued to Kiba sensei. Daiya was forcing himself to stay awake. He could see the fatigue playing on his new teammate. He's going to have it rough in the next few hours. Hard headed guy like that. Hire, of course, was rubbing her feet and taking a load off. Ryu's eye twitched. What I wouldn't give for her to trip a few times before we get there. He smiled slyly.

Sasuke caught Ryu's smile. He's planning something. I know he doesn't like Hire. I don't like her, either, but there isn't going to be any fighting on this trip. In fact, I think Ryu needs a taste of his own medicine. Sasuke thought for a moment. He waved at Kiba. "Come here."

Kiba got up. He walked over to Sasuke and kneeled. Takeru was sleeping on his father's leg. "What's up?"

"Look at Ryu." Kiba glanced at the boy who was sitting there smiling and watching Hire. "See how unnatural his smile is when he's looking at her? He's planning something. I think we need to teach Mr. Yuhi a lesson," Sasuke said lowly.

"And what do you have in mind," Kiba asked. Sasuke signaled for him to bend down. He raised a brow as Sasuke whispered his plan into his ear. Kiba started grinning. "Sasuke, you're mean. Alright, I'll help. He could be taught a lesson. Hire needs one, too, but I think Yanagi and Saori might be coming up with something regarding that. We'll have to keep Shikamaru and Lee occupied, or we'll get in trouble."

"That shouldn't be a problem. Shikamaru doesn't like to be bothered. Lee will have his hands full; I guarantee it, with some of the students. Yanagi takes up his time, too. Just don't let anyone know we're up to something," Sasuke said.

"Yeah, yeah," Kiba said. He walked back over to Idai. The boy was lying down with Akamaru watching the dog. "Do you like dogs?"

"I don't know… I've never had a pet. Akamaru's a nice dog," Idai said rather embarrassed at how he was freely speaking to Kiba sensei. He scratched the white dog's ears. Akamaru leaned into it.

"Alright, you guys, it's time to get up," Kiba said. He hoisted his backpack. "Up and at 'em, Akamaru." The dog got up complaining. "We need to get there before it gets dark. I'm sure these kids will want to get a move on just to relax for the next few days."

All of the kids got up brushing themselves off. They slipped their arms through their backpacks and rubbed the sleep out of their eyes. The twelve students, four trainers, and one dog from the Hidden Leaf Village resumed their journey to the hot springs. Nothing was going to stop them from getting there by sunset.

"We finally made it! Alright, let's go down to the hot springs and get in," Yanagi Lee said excitedly as she threw down her backpack into the room. She started to rummage for her bathing suit.

"Hold on, Yanagi. First, we need everyone to put their backpacks up against the wall," Sasuke said. "Once you guys do that, pick out your swim wear. I don't want anyone running out there. The rocks are slippery. Please be mindful of the other guests that are here. If you guys cause a commotion, they'll ask us to leave. Understood?"

"Yes, Sasuke sensei," the entire group said. They all put their backpacks against the wall. Everyone was excited about getting into the water. The girls went to change first. There were only four of them. The boys were last.

Daiya watched everyone rummage for their clothes. He wasn't about to let anyone see him in his shorts. He sat down against the wall, away from everyone else. If he took off his shirt, everyone would see the scars all over his body. The less they knew about him, the better.

Takeru wondered why Daiya was the only one not going. He walked over to him. "You don't want to go with the others?" Daiya shook his head. "Why not? The area is big enough. No one is going to bother you."

Sasuke knew something was wrong. He thought back to what Kurenai had informed him about Daiya the day the teams were assigned. He walked over to him, too. "Daiya, you don't have to wear just shorts in the water. Some people are funny about how others view them. See Gin? She's wearing a shirt over her bathing suit. You can wear one, too, if you have to." Daiya looked up at him. For a glimpse, Sasuke caught a sample of who Daiya really was. "Do you need me to loan you one of my shirts?"

Daiya nodded a little. Why was his trainer nice to him? Sasuke sensei was more understanding than anyone he had been around. Kurenai sensei often gave up on him in class. He knew he was a difficult kid.

"Alright, well, I'll just loan you a shirt. You can wait and change when the others are through," Sasuke said. He walked over to his backpack to retrieve a shirt for Daiya. He was trying to push Daiya a little in order to get him to interact.

Eiyu and Kandai were both on the way to the hot springs. They passed an old couple that was playing cards in the game room. Just as their father had taught them about respect, they both bowed slowly and held it. The old couple was thrilled that the two Hyuga twins had such decent manners.

Gin and Yanagi were the first into the hot springs. Gin was holding onto Yanagi as she got in. The water was really hot. She almost slipped. It was a good thing Yanagi had a hold of her. As they sat down against the back wall, Gin lifted her feet out of the water to look at them. "Yanagi, what do you think the sleeping arrangements will be like?"

Yanagi turned her head to look at her. "I don't know. They might put two of us to a futon, or three. It depends on how many large futons they have. Some of the kids might have to sleep with the adults if there aren't enough."

"They better give me a futon to myself," Hire said snobbishly. "I'll even pay for it if I have to." She moved into the water at the same time Masaru did. She went to the right side of the hot springs away from the others.

"If you don't have enough money to get a futon, I'll just take up a donation," Masaru said seriously. Yanagi and Gin started laughing. "Who wants you rubbing all over them in the middle of the night anyway?"

"She has a disease," Ryu said smiling under his face mask. "If you don't watch out, she'll give it to you." Ryu felt a disturbance in the natural order of things. He slowly turned his head around. Standing behind him was Kiba sensei.

"Ryu, if I were you, I'd be more worried about the ghosts that haunt the area," Kiba said. He had to do this just right – just enough to spook Ryu. The boy was looking at him like he wasn't interested in what he had to say. "Furthermore, aren't you going to take off that face mask?"

"I never take it off," Ryu said. "Never." He planned on sleeping in it, avoiding others seeing him eat; you name it.

"It's because he's so ugly under it that we'll all be killed on the spot," Hire said matter-of-factly.

Gin looked up at Kiba sensei. "Kiba sensei, there are ghosts in this area?" She looked up at him fearfully. "Me and Yanagi had our fortunes told by Kurenai sensei at the beginning of the year. Will the ghosts bother us?"

Kiba smiled sweetly to Gin. "No, sweetheart, they only like to bother single males that don't believe in them. See, there was a lady who died around this area a long time ago and,-" he broke off. He looked behind him to see a few of the students watching him.

"There's a ghost that haunts the hot springs," Saori asked. Shikamaru was inside relaxing in the game room. Kandai and Eiyu were playing a quick came of cards with the elderly couple they had met.

Takeru walked outside with Daiya following him. Daiya had to borrow one of Sasuke's shirts. It was a little big on him. He tilted his head as he caught onto Saori's question. Idai was coming out with Akamaru. The boy from the sound village was staying pretty attached to the dog. Akamaru didn't seem to mind. He looked up at the others.

"Do you guys want me to tell you the story about the lady who used to come here," Kiba asked rather nonchalantly.

"Sure," Yanagi said. "I'm not afraid of ghosts. Most of those stories get mixed together and edited over the years." She smiled at Gin. "No worries, Gin! We have Kiba sensei to protect us from monsters!"

Gin blushed as she looked at Kiba. "Will you protect us from the ghost, Kiba sensei?" She looked at him thoughtfully.

"Y-Yeah," Kiba said. It's not even a real story. I'm just making it up as I go along to scare Ryu. "So do you guys want to know what happened to her?"

Saori got into the hot springs. She sat next to Yanagi, eying Hire. I hope Hire wets herself over this. Ghosts don't care how strong you are, you can't hurt them.

Takeru tugged on Daiya. They both sat on the rocks that were near the hot springs. Takeru pointed at Kiba. "This ought to be good. I bet it'll scare the girls so bad they'll have to sleep with Kiba sensei," he said smiling.

"I don't believe in ghosts," Daiya said. "The dead are only tormented by their own actions." Takeru twitched his mouth at Daiya.

Kiba sat on the edge of the hot springs. He put his legs in. Kiba placed his hands on his legs for dramatic effect and told the story in a low voice, but just enough so he could be heard over the water. "A long time ago, there was a woman that used to come to this place. She was a beautiful lady with long, brown hair and dark eyes. She was as pale as a winter's rose and her voice was as sweet as a songbird's. Her name was Ume," he said taking the name of a comrade. He was making the lady up as he looked around at his students. Kiba didn't think he was doing so bad. He had the girls' attention.

"What happened to Miss Ume," Gin asked.

"Well, Ume was in love with a man that came from the Sound Village," he said glancing at Idai. Idai looked up at him quizzically. "The man's name was Akeno. Akeno and Ume had met when Ume's father had captured Akeno. At this time, the Sound Village was at war with the Mist Village. As a prisoner, Akeno was confined to a room. He was only allowed one visitor three times a day for meals. He was in the process of being questioned as he was detained by the Mist Village.

Ume wanted to see the man named Akeno who had killed her brother. She pleaded with her father to look upon the face of the man who had no voice. The villagers all regarded the man from the Sound Village as a cruel individual that would snare their souls and take them to the underworld. Regardless of what the others were saying about him, Ume had made up her mind to go see Akeno. At this time, she did not know his name. She only knew that her father had brought him back to redeem justice upon his clan.

As night had fallen, Ume switched places with the woman who brought Akeno his food. She placed a sleeping lixor into the woman's drink and slipped off into the night. As she walked the streets of the Mist Village, Ume, kept her head lowered in mourning for the ones who had died.

It wasn't much trouble for her to get past the guards. They did not recognize Ume with all of the clothing she was wearing. As she slipped into the room where the prisoner was held, she placed the plate of food onto the small table. A young man with long white hair and orange eyes was watching her from a bed in the room.

Ume stood up abruptly. The man had made no sound. She questioned the man his name. He could not tell her. She asked him why he did not speak when she wished to hear his side of the story. He gestured to his throat. There was a scar upon it that issued his voice had been cut out long ago. Ume felt sad for the man. She told him her name was Ume. Ume took out a scroll and asked the man if he could write his name for her. She told him she wished to learn who he was, rather than to treat him so undignified like an animal in a trap.

The man smiled kindly at Ume. He took the scroll from her and gave it back, rolled up. The guards signaled for Ume to leave. She had spent long enough in the room with the man. Once Ume had changed back into her usual clothes, she had slipped back into her room. As she unraveled the scroll, she read the name 'Akeno'.

Ume went to see Akeno each and every day. And each and every day, she relieved the server of her duties. No one was the wiser. Soon Ume fell in love with Akeno. Unlike men that spoke with their tongues, Akeno spoke to her with his eyes. She saw something in him that the others in the village were not able to see. When it came time for Ume to ask the man if he had killed her brother, she learned that Akeno's death sentence had been made." Gin gasped. At this point, Yanagi had her hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes. Saori was watching him intently. Takeru and Daiya, too. Ryu stood in thought, his head cocked towards Kiba. Everyone was listening. Even Sasuke had came in behind him with Eiyu and Kandai.

Kiba continued. "Not bearing the thought of seeing Akeno killed for something he didn't do, Ume chose to defy her father and his men. She made her way to where Akeno was being held and fought the guards. As she slipped into the room to retrieve him, Akeno looked up at her fearfully. He thought that Ume was sent to kill him, but she kneeled in front of him, her head lowered, to show him that she was sincerely trying to save him.

Akeno took Ume's hand and they fled the Mist Village for their lives. Over the next few months, Akeno's love for Ume grew. Ume came to know him through his actions and the kindness in his ways. She didn't believe for a moment that everyone from the Sound Village was evil. She only understood Akeno as being a kind individual who had no voice to object another's accusations.

Ume and Akeno came to this very area to rest their bodies and minds. They stayed here for a few days at these hot springs getting to know one another; their love growing each and every day. At night, Akeno would play a beautiful song on his flute for Ume. It helped her get to sleep and comfort her. One night, the guards from the Mist Village found them." Yanagi and Gin both gasped.

Kiba looked around. Everyone was so into his story. "Akeno fought the guards, trying his best to protect Ume from a horrible fate. He killed two guards, but three were upon him holding him down as he struggled. Another guard came out of the woods and raised a weapon at Ume. Ume tried to defend herself, but it was to no avail. She was killed on these very grounds. The guard that killed her removed his mask. It was her father. He told Akeno that Ume was no longer his daughter because she had chosen to fall in love with a man from the Sound Village. This caused Akeno to erupt. He fought all of the guards, including Ume's father. They were all slaughtered.

Akeno picked up Ume's body and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. Her love for him was a treasure that he didn't deserve; something he had never asked for. He buried her somewhere in this area. It was many days that he mourned for his lost love. In those days that came, each night, Akeno played his flute for Ume, to calm her spirit and keep her at peace, his tears falling upon the ground.

No one knows what happened to Akeno after he left the area. Some say they saw a lonely ninja from the Sound Village wandering the countries, searching for a purpose to exist. Others say he died of a broken heart and his soul wanders the hot springs with Ume's, both of them trying to find one another. So if you guys see a lady in white, it might be Ume searching for Akeno," Kiba said. The kids were all really quiet. Kiba looked around. Ryu was listening so hard he was tilted.

"That's so sad," Yanagi said. "I wish I had been around to help Ume and Akeno fight those guys! No one deserves to be treated like that! Love is a beautiful thing," she said as she jumped up into the air. She slipped on the bottom of the hot springs and fell.

"Yanagi, are you okay," Masaru asked. The girl nodded. "Don't do that again. You might hit your head."

"A traitor is a traitor amongst a clan," Hire said. "They got what was coming to them." Everyone started splashing water at her.

All of the kids got into the hot springs. Kiba got up. He walked towards Sasuke with a smile on his face. "I had no idea they would be listening to me that intently," he said lowly.

"Where did you hear that story," Sasuke asked.

"I just made it up as I went along. Can you guess who Akeno and Ume are?"

Sasuke looked around. "I'm going to say Ume is probably Gin and Akeno is Idai." Kiba nodded. "That was quick thinking, Kiba. Good job. Now let's get read to scare the pants off of Ryu."

"Hey, guys we're going to go lay the futons out for tonight. You guys go ahead and figure out who you're sleeping with. There will be three to a futon. Discuss it amongst yourselves," Kiba said waving. He could hear the kids grumbling as he went inside.

"Alright, kids, it's time to go to bed," Lee said issuing them in. Everyone was finished brushing their teeth at this point. "Who is sleeping where?"

"Gin and Saori can sleep with me," Yanagi said. She didn't want Hire to sleep with her. She couldn't stand her. The three girls got into the bed.

"Takeru and Daiya can sleep with me," Ryu said nonchalantly. He didn't care. His futon was the farthest up against the wall on the other side of the room.

"Idai and sleep with me and dad," Areku said. He figured his father was trying to get everyone close to the guy from the sound village. Areku knew for a fact that story wasn't real. His dad had told him it wasn't. He was good at keeping secrets.

"We always sleep together," Eiyu said about him and Kandai. "We can take Masaru." Masaru was fine with that.

Hire was the only odd one out. She pouted. "How come no one wants me to sleep with them? I guess that means I get a bed to myself."

"Not so fast, Hire. You have to sleep with a trainer," Sasuke said. The girl looked at him wide eyed. "Kiba's bed is taken, but mine and Lee's isn't. Decide which one you'd rather sleep next to."

Hire looked from Lee to Sasuke. "I'd rather sleep outside," she said under her breath. She crossed her arms.

"That can be arranged," Lee said disgusted with the girl's attitude. "Just for that, you can sleep on my futon. Shikamaru will sleep next to Sasuke." Hire stomped the floor with her foot.

Sasuke and Kiba waited until everyone was asleep. They both planned to scare the pants off of Ryu. Kiba had already learned that Ryu got up at a certain time to go to the bathroom every night. Sasuke had been Ryu's trainer for a few years and knew the boy well. Just as planned, Kiba waited until he knew the timing would be right.

Ryu glanced around cautiously as he left the sleeping room where all of the students lay. He eyed each and every individual before going to the bathroom. He twitched his eye at Saori asleep then crawled over Takeru and Daiya. He tip toed past everyone in the room.

As he walked down the hall, his feet padded on the wooden floor. Ryu glanced around. This place was eerie at night. Earlier, Kiba had tried to scare them with a ghost story, but Ryu wasn't buying it. He must think I'm a baby, or something. Ryu kept walking down the hall. Suddenly, the lights went out. It's just a blown bulb. No big deal. Kiba's so full of it. He walked farther down the hall and went to the bathroom.

Ryu exited the bathroom. He started to walk down the hallway back to the room. A figure in white was looking at him. His eye twitched. You have got to be kidding me. "I'm not falling for it, Kiba sensei. You might as well knock it off." "Knock what off," a voice said from behind him. Ryu turned around. Kiba sensei was looking at him oddly. Ryu's eye twitched. He turned back around. The white figure was right behind him. Ryu's eyes got wide as the figure lifted the sheet and said, "BOO!" really loudly. Ryu fell over, his heart racing. "Ah! Son of a -"

Kiba looked at Sasuke. "Wasn't that kind of mean to play a trick like that on your own student?"

Sasuke lowered the sheet. "Nope, he's given me hell all year.""


	24. Chapter 24

**V 3 ch 4**

**The hot springs vacation part III**

Masaru Uzumaki ran quickly to find a hiding place. Where can I hide? He looked around the area. This is impossible! There are only trees and rocks out here! He skidded on his feet. He had to hurry. He could hear Kandai getting close to fifty.

"Masaru, find somewhere to hide! Kandai just reached forty-five," Eiyu said. Eiyu hid behind a trash bin. He watched as Masaru decided to hide on the other side of the building. "Oh, that's original."

Takeru shook his head. "He's going to get found out." At least he was hiding behind a tree. If Kandai found him that quickly he still had a chance to run to base. Base at the moment was Lee sensei sitting on a bench outside.

"I haven't played this game since I was a kid. This is fun," Yanagi said as she hung upside-down on the ceiling.

Ryu lifted his finger to his lips. "He's moving through the inn. Shh, or he'll find you," he said from behind a door. As tall as he was, he couldn't fit into the cabinets like some of the students, or hide successfully under the tables. He was participating though, as lame of a hiding place as he had.

"It's a good thing we told the innkeeper about the kids playing a game. She didn't seem to mind," Shikamaru said from under a low table. "Although, I don't know why we had to be involved."

"It helps to bond with them, genius," Sasuke said from behind an antique vase. "I'm surprised she said they could hide wherever they wanted as long as they didn't run into the other guests." He listened for Kandai.

Areku was hiding in a closet in one of the spare rooms. He covered himself with linens, his ears trying to hear Kandai moving around. Kandai won't find me in here. He has two floors to search, outside, and we can still move around if we hear him coming.

Gin peeked out from the kitchen. She saw Idai trying to find somewhere to hide. "Idai," she called. She waved him over. "In here." He looked at her baffled as he walked towards her. Gin tugged onto his wrist and pulled him down to duck below the window. "Kandai doesn't know where anyone is. The innkeeper said we have the whole inn to hide in." She smiled at him.

"Why'd you want me to hide in here with you," Idai asked. He was wary of the other students. Gin smiled at him. She touched his nose. He blushed slightly.

"You needed a place to hide, silly. We can escape from Kandai out the back way, too," she said softly. She watched him as he stared at her.

"You guys keep it down," hire said from a cabinet. Idai and Gin looked at her. "The whole point of hide n' seek is to not be caught." She closed the door.

"You're one to talk," Saori said showing herself. She was hiding in a large container used to hold grain. "If he comes in here, I'm telling him where you are!"

"I have the worst hiding place," Daiya said lowly. He couldn't find anywhere good to hide. Apparently, neither could Kiba sensei. Daiya was hiding under the game table with his arms crossed as he lay on the floor.

"Me and you both, kid," Kiba said disappointed. Daiya was watching him as he hid behind a samurai statue. Kiba was too big to fit anywhere comfortably.

Kandai started to walk through the inn quietly. He knew where the normal hiding spots were. Was he supposed to look everywhere? He tip toed from vacant room to vacant room, checking.

Kandai checked under the tables, in the cabinets, and even in the closets. He smiled. He prodded a large mass under some linen. "I caught you first," he said happily. "You're out."

Areku raised his head. "Man, I didn't think you'd check the rooms first." He hopped out of the closet. Kandai smiled at him. "Since I got caught first, I'll give you a tip: check outside, too." He walked back to the room they were all staying in.

Kandai moved downstairs. He glanced around. He didn't see anyone yet. Let's see, if I was hiding, where would I hide? There's the kitchen, game room, outside… Kandai smiled more. He quietly moved to the game room. "Daiya's out! Kiba sensei, too! You guys couldn't find anywhere to hide huh?"

"Nope," Daiya said. He crossed his arms annoyed with the childish game. He didn't care to be involved. Daiya walked off from Kiba sensei and Kandai. He went outside to sit by himself. This was pointless to him. He didn't know why he agreed to participate anyway.

"I think Daiya's a sore loser," Kandai said. He looked at Kiba sensei. Kiba sensei guessed he was. Kandai took off to explore the rest of the inn.

Ryu's nose was itching. He lifted his hand to scratch it. How long is this going to take? Now it's getting boring. Standing here is no fun.

Kandai moved slowly into a particular room. He looked at the door. It wasn't against the wall entirely. Someone had to be behind there. He bumped the door with his foot. "I found you. Come out," he said. He watched as Ryu, the tall kid, from Sasuke sensei's team stepped out. "Sorry," he said.

"Yeah, no big deal," Ryu said. "There's nowhere to hide for a tall person anyways." Ryu put his hands in his pockets. He looked around the room. When Kandai tried to figure out where he was looking, Ryu glanced up at Yanagi. She still hadn't been found out. He put his finger to his lips. As long as she was quiet, she had a good hiding place.

Kandai walked off to search the rest of the inn. This time, he went outside. He looked around. There was no place to hide out here practically. He saw Lee sensei sitting on the bench mediating. They had all agreed for Lee to be base. There has to be someone out here. They would have a better chance of getting closer to Lee sensei if they were. He thought for a moment. I've found Areku, Kiba sensei and Ryu so far. Kandai started to search outside.

Takeru saw Kandai searching. He had to move. If Kandai saw him, his only option was to run towards Lee sensei. Kandai was faster than him, too. He moved around the tree slowly, pressing his back up against it, inching. Takeru stopped. He looked around the tree. Kandai was searching the hot springs to see if anyone was hiding in the water. Why hadn't he thought of that? He was glad he didn't. Kandai would have already found him.

Masaru peered out from behind the building. He had to move. He and Takeru had poor hiding places. He started to tip toe behind Kandai. Lee sensei was watching him, not saying a word. Careful, careful. Masaru froze. Kandai's head moved. Oh, man, he's fixing to turn around. With a panic, he darted towards Lee sensei.

Kandai heard movement behind him. He whirled around to see Masaru trying to make a run for it. Kandai went after him quickly. He came up behind Masaru as the blond haired boy came within a few feet of Lee sensei. "Masaru's out," Kandai yelled triumphantly as he smacked him on the back of the head.

Masaru fell over onto the ground. "Darn it! I was so close to base, too," he said as he sat up rubbing his head. "Did you have to hit me so hard?"

"Sorry," Kandai said. He glanced over his shoulder. "I saw that Eiyu!" Kandai went after his brother as Eiyu took off running away from the trash bin he had been hiding behind. Eiyu slid on his feet and went running inside. Kandai was hot on his tail. If Eiyu made it to the room they were staying in, Eiyu would be safe and Kandai couldn't get him.

Eiyu ran as if his father was chasing him. He flew up the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him. Kandai was gaining on him. Eiyu saw Areku in the room they were staying in. The doors were wide open. As much as he didn't like to admit it, Eiyu needed help. "Areku, help!"

Areku stood up and made his way to the door. He stuck his arms out for Eiyu to grab onto. Eiyu jumped for Areku's hands just as Kandai jumped to smack Eiyu and tag him. Areku latched onto Eiyu's wrist and threw his body back. Eiyu came hurdling through the room and toppled over Areku and the futons on the floor.

"You guys cheated," Kandai said as he got up off of the floor. "You're supposed to get there on your own, Eiyu." He pouted as he looked at his twin.

"Nobody said anything about that. Stop being a poor sport, Kandai," Eiyu said seriously. "Just because I got away doesn't mean anyone else will. You still have a lot of people to find. That includes Takeru, Saori, Hire, Idai, Shikamaru sensei, Sasuke sensei, Gin, and Yanagi. You better search everywhere, too. Some of them are hiding in really good spots."

Kandai turned around to find the others. He didn't like the fact that Eiyu had cheated. There was nothing to do about it now. He wondered where the others were. Shikamaru sensei and Sasuke sensei were adults so they were going to have trouble fitting into small spaces. Kandai searched his memory for the objects he had seen when he was in the other rooms. He had a photographic memory. I know where they are!

Kandai ran down the stairs. He went back into one of the larger rooms. Kandai wondered if he should wait and tell them he had found them, or go ahead and get them out of their spaces. He knew someone was behind the vase. It was cramped hiding like that for an adult. "I'll be nice and go ahead and get you out, okay? Someone is behind the vase," he said. Sasuke sensei stood up. "I didn't think hiding behind there would suit you, sensei." Sasuke pointed at the low table. "And… someone is under the table," Kandai said as he crouched, placing his hands on his knees. He found Shikamaru sensei.

Shikamaru chewed on his toothpick. "He told on me didn't he?" He watched as Kandai nodded. "Sasuke, you're not very fair."

"You said you didn't want to play. Just think of it as me saving you for the remainder of the day," Sasuke said glancing at him. "Who haven't you found, Kandai?"

"Hire, Gin, Yanagi, Takeru, Saori, and Idai," Kandai said.

"Try searching the kitchen. You've been outside and covered the game room already. I heard you find Daiya and Kiba. Remember: check everywhere. If it looks like someone can't fit some place, think again. You'll be amazed who can fit in a tight spot," Sasuke said.

Kandai nodded. He went to the kitchen. If he opened the door, they would hear him. Kandai looked at the little window. He wondered if he could fit through it. Kandai put his hands on it and lifted his body up. Oh, look who I found. Right below him was Gin and Idai. He smiled. "You two better start running," Kandai sang.

Gin looked up. She gasped. Kandai was right above them. "He found us," she said. Gin got up as quickly as she could. She and Idai started to take off through the kitchen towards the back door. She tripped.

Idai swooped down like a hawk and picked Gin up. He glanced over his shoulder to see Kandai's feet touch the floor. The boy with long brown hair had crawled through the window. Idai went out the back door. He had to think quickly. Lee sensei was base, but Kandai was going to attempt to stop them from rounding the corner and reaching Lee. Idai had an idea.

"Hang on," Idai said. "We're fixing to pull one over on Kandai." Gin blushed as she held onto him tightly. Idai started to run faster. He held onto Gin with one hand and unsheathed his sword with the other. Idai took the sword and rotated his wrist behind his legs. Idai jumped with Gin. The wind that was created sent them flying into the air towards the roof of the inn.

"You guys are cheating," Kandai said as Idai's feet touched the roof. Kandai ran at the wall of the inn, glued his chakra to it and started to run up the side. "I'm not letting you two get away that easily!"

Gin held on for dear life as Idai started to run on the roof. She was slightly scared at how persistent Kandai was and how determined Idai was to getting away. Gin squealed as Idai's feet slipped on the roof. They slid a few feet before he regained his balance. "Idai," she said burying her head into his shoulder.

Idai looked down. He had forgotten he was carrying her. Idai's heart started to thump wildly. He was carrying a girl. In fact, he was touching another person. Idai blushed badly.

"You're not faster than me," Kandai yelled from behind them. He started to speed up. Idai was trying his best to get away, but the boy with white hair was weighed down with Gin. Kandai jumped his hands outreached to touch Gin. If he couldn't get Idai, he could get her. Just as he leapt, Idai threw himself onto the roof. Kandai went flying over them.

Idai wasn't about to let Kandai win. He avoided others pretty seriously. However, despite the fact that this was a game, Idai was taking it like a training exercise. Regardless, he didn't have the heart to drop Gin. The girl had managed to speak to him, as shy as she was. He didn't quite get why she did, but he was kind of grateful. So far, only Kiba sensei and Gin wanted to speak to him.

Idai made sure Kandai was alright before he took off. He leapt over the arch of the roof and started to slide down the roof towards where the room was. He held onto Gin tightly as she put his hand out to slow himself down. Idai swung into the room through the window. They had made it. Kandai wouldn't be able to tag them now.

"That's an entry I would have never thought of," Eiyu said as he looked at Idai and Gin. He was surprised to see the kid from the sound village holding Gin. Idai was normally a loner for the most part. "I see you're taking things better than you were before."

Idai glared at Eiyu for pointing that out. He set Gin down before he walked to the other side of the room and sat. Idai wasn't about to speak to Eiyu. He looked away, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.

Areku raised a brow. "Why do you always act like that? Eiyu wasn't being mean to you, but you're treating it that way." Idai didn't look at him. "It's no wonder you don't have any friends." He walked out of the room with Eiyu. They weren't about to deal with Idai.

Gin looked at Idai sadly. She walked over to him. "Idai?" He was staring off away from her. She sat down. Gin reached for his hand. Idai snatched his hand away from her. She tensed. "I-Idai..?"

Idai didn't want to be touched. It was bad enough he thought Gin, or anyone else wanted to talk to him; be friends with him. "Leave me alone," he said lowly. The anger in his voice was there. She heard it. Gin moved away from him. He remained sitting in the room with his eyes averted from the girl. She was still glancing at him, but he wouldn't speak to her.

"The game is over," Takeru said as he walked into the room. The atmosphere in the room made him stop. Idai was on one side of the room and Gin was shyly watching him. "What happened?" Idai gave him a nasty look. Takeru raised a brow. "Okay, has anybody seen Yanagi? Kandai gave up trying to find everyone."

"No, I don't know where Yanagi hid," Gin said softly. "Why did Kandai give up? He was enjoying himself."

"Because someone wouldn't let Kandai get them. Kandai ended up falling and sliding on the roof. He's covered in bruises," Eiyu said angrily. He walked into the room glaring at Idai. "What did you do to my brother?"

Takeru looked at Idai. Idai wasn't saying anything, nor was he trying to get out of Eiyu's accusations. Eiyu started to move towards Idai. Takeru shot in front of him, putting his arms up. "No, Eiyu! They told us not to fight while we're here! I don't know what happened, but you can't touch him, nor can he touch you! If you fight with Idai, they'll send us to the Hokage when we get back to Konoha!"

Eiyu narrowed his eyes, snarling. "That idiot did something to Kandai!" He was on the verge of not caring what happened if he pummeled Idai. "No one touches my brother! Kandai doesn't do anything to anyone," he shot back.

Takeru was trying really hard to not let Eiyu get a hold of Idai. He knew how strong Eiyu was. "Eiyu, calm down!" He looked back at Idai. "Did you mean for Kandai to get hurt?" Idai wouldn't look at him. "Did you, Idai?"

"No," Idai said lowly as he looked at Takeru.

Eiyu moved forward, but Takeru put his hands on his chest to block him. "Move, Takeru. That guy doesn't care about anyone but himself!" His anger was really showing.

"Perhaps he is like that because no one else has bothered," Ryu said from behind them. Eiyu glanced at him. "I spoke to Kandai about what happened. Idai was only trying to get away from him – nothing more. He didn't mean to send Kandai falling like he did. And in saying so, I think you need to calm down." Eiyu narrowed his eyes. "I do have authority to make you, just so you know. I'm the oldest here. Before you go jumping around yelling to the top of your lungs in anger, stop and look at Idai's face. He has not bothered to get up and fight you. Whatever accusations you're throwing at him, has not affected him. Sometimes, when others get the wrong idea about someone, the only option is to remain silent because their ears fail to listen."

Kandai walked into the room. His arm was bandaged. "Eiyu, I'm alright. Idai didn't mean to do it, you know," he said smiling at his twin. "Please calm down. If you act hotheadedly, you'll be sent to the Hokage. Father wouldn't be happy."

Eiyu gritted his teeth, his eyes still on Idai. The boy was not looking at him. "Fine," Eiyu said. He turned around and stormed out of the room.

Kandai looked at Idai. "Idai, I know you didn't mean it. I'm sorry for how Eiyu acted. He's like dad, so he's a little hot tempered." Kandai forced a smile at Idai.

Idai glanced at him then looked away. "I'm not worried about him. I didn't mean for you to fall like you did. I was only trying to get away. I have no reason to hurt anyone unless they come at me first," he said lowly. "Now leave me alone."

They heard a yelp from below the stairs. "We found Yanagi," Saori called. "She fell on Daiya," she said laughing.

Yanagi groaned. "I'm sorry, Daiya," she said. "I thought the ceiling was a good place to hide." She rolled off of him.

Daiya laid flat for a minute. "What do I care? It's only my spine. I only need it to walk."

"She didn't kill you. Get up, lazy bones," Saori said as she prodded him with her foot. "The ceiling was a good place to hide though. We couldn't find you for a while," she told Yanagi. Yanagi only slightly smiled.

They all sat at the low tables in the private rooms that were reserved for the students from Konoha. Since there was such a large group of the students, they had to reserve two rooms. The rooms were only large enough to allow movement around the tables and to sit. There was a trainer at each table so the students could be monitored and kept out of trouble. Everyone had already ordered their food.

Rock Lee was at one end of the low table with Kiba on the other end. The students that were included in their group were Idai, Saori, Takeru, Masaru, Hire, and Kandai. They had to split the students to keep Idai and Eiyu from fighting. Kiba had heard what happened earlier and it was better at this point, to let the feud die out on its own. Eiyu would calm down in time. Idai seemed to be letting it get to him. He had stayed in the room until it was time to eat and was avoiding everyone's glances.

Takeru was looking around the table. He was sitting next to Saori and Masaru. Across from him was Hire. To her right was Idai and to her left was Kandai. Everyone seemed to be thinking amongst themselves. "Why is everyone being so quiet?"

"I don't know. I hope it's not about earlier," Kandai said. He looked at Idai. Idai wouldn't look at him. Although, I think it is.

"Guys, misunderstandings happen. There's no reason to keep your mind focused on it," Rock Lee said directing it at Idai. "It doesn't do any good to try and change the past. You kids need to focus on the future ahead. Training is going to be intense from here on out. It is important that all of you get along."

Idai started to stand up. He knew what was happening. They weren't going to leave him alone about it. He hadn't meant to hurt Kandai. Kiba sensei pulled him back down. Idai sat down hard.

"Sit down, Idai. You're not leaving the group. You've been sulking ever since early this afternoon. It's time you put it behind you and move on," Kiba said. He wasn't going to let his new student get past him like that. He had promised Naruto that he was going to make sure Idai tried his best and that he overcame his own fears. It wasn't good for Idai to let things get to him.

"If you're going to let it bother you that much about someone falling, you need to learn to take your mind off of it," Hire said. She passed Idai the sake bottle. "I'd love to see you drunk," she said laughing.

"Hire, that's not an answer," Kiba said. "No one is drinking themselves to waste away in their own thoughts." He grabbed the bottle.

"Idai, no one's mad at you," Takeru said leaning forward. "Eiyu doesn't get along with anyone because he's stubborn. I've known him most of my life. He's just like his dad," Takeru said smiling at Idai. Idai looked up at him with a hard gaze. "Oh, don't be like that. Things will get better."

Saori reached forward to grab two fortune cookies. "How about we see what's in store for you?" She passed Idai a fortune cookie. "Open it. Let's see what it tells you."

Idai looked at it. "It won't say anything good. " He eyed it hatefully.

Takeru took a fortune cookie. "No it won't. You have to think positive. That's part of your problem. You're too wrapped up in yourself." He opened his cookie. "Mine says: Keep pursuing the thing that is most important to you. See? It's not bad."

Rock Lee reached for a fortune cookie, too. He knew what Takeru and Saori were up to. He cracked it open, pulling out a piece of paper. "If anything is possible, the possibilities are in your favor."

"Oh, what the hell," Hire said. She took a cookie and passed the rest out. She broke hers in two. "Keep your mind open instead of your mouth." Hire twitched her brow.

Kiba started laughing. "That's pretty accurate," he said. "Idai, open yours," he said grinning.

Masaru was watching everyone. "Buddha himself must have written Hire's fortune down." That got the biggest laugh out of Takeru and Saori. Takeru was bouncing around laughing. "I'll open mine, I guess." Masaru slammed his fist on it. The cookie cracked open. "Regardless of what happens, always try your best."

"That one's pretty good," Kandai said as he opened his fortune cookie. "If rain falls, open your mouth to drink." He stared at it. "I don't get that one."

"It means instead of looking at a bad situation as it is, turn it around," Idai said lowly. He glanced at the group. Idai tensed as they stared at him.

"You're pretty good at riddles," Kandai said. "What else are you good at?" Idai shook his head. "You're good at other things. I know you are."

"Alright, Idai, I'm opening mine just to prove to you that fortunes are not always bad," Saori said. She snapped hers open. As she placed a bit of cookie in her mouth, she read it. "Love overcomes what hatred cannot." She smiled at him.

"I'll go next since Idai is hardheaded," Kiba said. He ripped open the cookie. Taking out the piece of paper carefully, he laid it out. "In order to understand the beauty of a rose, you have to prick your finger." Kiba just stared at it. "Well, I don't get that one."

"It means to understand someone fully, you have to take that person as they are: good and bad," Idai said softly. The others were watching him. He cracked his fortune cookie open to be fair. "The more you push, the more noticeable you are." He folded his arms and put his chin on his arms.

"What does that mean," Masaru asked. "If you push something away, it moves." He started to munch his cookie.

"It means that when you don't want to be noticed, you are making yourself more noticeable because you are causing such a scene," Hire said. She drank some of tea. The food was here. Everyone started to eat.

Kiba leaned towards Idai. "Idai, eat something. You can't let Eiyu get to you. You did nothing wrong earlier. You just need to learn to plan out your moves instead of just going for it." Idai was picking at his food. Kiba reached up, ruffling the boy's white hair. "Eat, Idai. You won't leave the table until you do."

Idai looked up at him. "You mean I'll have to sit here all night?" Kiba nodded. Idai sighed as he looked at the plate. "But…"

"No 'but's," Kiba said. "Eat. Tomorrow is our last day here. You're going to need your strength. Eat," he said again.

Idai picked up a few pieces of beef with his chopsticks. He forced it into his mouth. If he sat here all night the others would tease him about it.

"That stuff smells funny," Areku said as he covered his nose. "What is that?" The scent was so strong he couldn't take it.

"I think it's sake," Shikamaru said. He moved it away from Areku. Areku had a sensitive nose like his father. "I don't know why they brought this in. We're not going to drink it."

"I think they have a bottle on every table," Sasuke said as he slapped Ryu's hand away from his plate. He eyed the Genin. "Ryu, eat your own."

"Why does no one believe in sharing," Ryu said. He crossed his arms. He had ordered something he wasn't sure of. "At least you can identify yours."

Eiyu looked at Ryu's plate. "Why didn't you order something that you were familiar with? I don't even know what that is." He watched Ryu poke at the plate. Ryu ducked behind the table as the stuff in the plate popped an air bubble.

"It's Sasuke sensei's fault. He always tells us to try different things. So... I did. And now I've got something I can't eat," Ryu said eying his trainer. Sasuke looked back at him seriously.

"Since when have you ever listened to anything I've said before," Sasuke said. He watched Ryu look away instantly. "It's chicken, or… beef," he said trying to decipher what was on the boy's plate.

"I think it's seafood," Yanagi said. "It's pink." She laughed some as Ryu sniffed it. The look on his face caused her to move away from him as if she could smell it.

Daiya raised a brow. "Poke it hard. If it moves, or makes a noise, send it back. Quit being a baby about it." He glanced at Yanagi as she caught his eye.

"Ryu, just eat it. You don't even know what it tastes like," Shikamaru said. He watched as Ryu pondered that thought. "Certain types of food aren't identifiable, but they taste alright. It might be a new dish of some sort."

Gin watched as Ryu turned around. He wasn't willing to show them what he looked like underneath his face mask. She didn't blame him. It was a secret. Ryu reached his hand around and grabbed some of the food with his chopsticks. "I don't think I would eat that," Gin said softly.

Ryu stuck the food in his mouth. His eyes went wide. What the hell is this? It's like limp, cold, flesh. Ryu felt sick. Where was a napkin or something? He reached behind him, slamming his hand all over the table, trying to find one. He had to spit it out.

"Ryu, what are you doing," Sasuke asked.

"I think he wants to spit it out," Areku said. He watched as Ryu nodded quickly. Areku handed him a napkin. Ryu spit out his food.

"Well, what was it," Daiya asked. He watched Ryu cringe. The older boy was slightly gagging.

"It tasted like something dead," Ryu said as he turned around. His face was pale. He shuddered hard.

Eiyu offered Ryu half of his. "Send it back. You tried to eat it." Ryu gladly took half of what Eiyu had.

"Hey, sake's not half bad," Yanagi said as she giggled. They all looked at her. Her cheeks were slightly red. "It's a bit on the strong side though."

"Yanagi Lee! Put that down," Sasuke said. He reached forward to grab the bottle. He shook it. "How much have you had?"

"I don't know. I was only going to try it. I thought it was going to be nasty, but it's pretty good," Yanagi said giggling more.

"Oh, no, that's all we need. Lee's daughter gets drunk in our care," Shikamaru said. "He's going to kill us."

"Tell him I fell on it," Yanagi said. She smiled at Daiya. Daiya was watching her intently as he sat next to her. "Hey, Daiya, you're really cute." Daiya froze.

"Oh, yes, I'm sure he'd believe you fell onto a bottle of sake, Yanagi," Eiyu said as he continued to eat. Yanagi had her arms wrapped around Daiya's neck and was leaning into him hard. "Stop embarrassing yourself."

Gin blushed. "Yanagi, I think you're making him uncomfortable." Yanagi started to rub her cheek on Daiya's. Daiya couldn't move.

Daiya's face was so red, he felt like he was going to explode. Why is this girl touching me? She's drunk. He twitched slightly. Somebody get her off. I can smell the sake all over her breath. Daiya's heart stopped as Yanagi kissed his cheek in front of everybody. He fell backwards. She landed on him, giggling.

Shikamaru shook his head. "Alright, Yanagi, before you kill Daiya of embarrassment, you're going to bed." He got up. Shikamaru lifted the pink haired girl off of the boy from the lightening country. "Say 'good night', Yanagi."

"Good Night, Yanagi," Yanagi said rather loudly waving as she giggled.

"Is he dead," Areku asked as she peered over the table.

"No, just embarrassed," Sasuke said. "Ryu, stop prodding Daiya with your foot," he said sternly. Ryu looked at him smiling.

Man, my stomach is killing me. What do these people put in their food? I knew this place was cheap the second I walked in. They could have taken us to a nicer hot springs. Hire walked to the bathroom. Everyone was outside enjoying themselves bathing under the stars. Good grief. She heard her stomach make terrible noises. Good thing I'm the only one up here. Hire went into the bathroom once she checked the hallway for no signs of life.

"I beat you fair and square. Stop complaining about it," Takeru said to Eiyu. "You can't win all of the time."

"I usually win all of the time," Eiyu said annoyed with his game of cards against Takeru, Ryu, and Daiya. He crossed his arms as they moved up the stairs. "Are we still going to explore later?"

"Yeah, it'll be fine as long as we don't go too far off," Ryu said. "I already asked Kiba sensei if we could. He said he didn't care as long as he went with us. No one else is supposed to know or he'll get in trouble."

"Why are we going off anyway," Daiya asked.

"Kiba's going to teach us how to track in the dark," Takeru said smiling. "Oh, I don't usually call Shikamaru or Kiba sensei. I've known them most of my life. I only call Eiyu's dad Mr. Hyuga because he's so proper and formal," he said smiling. "Dad said I had to."

The four boys made their way to the top of the stairs. A terrible sound hit their ears as they started to walk down the hall. Ryu flung backwards as if something had jumped out at him. His arms went up and he fell backwards.

Takeru's eyes widened. It sounded awful. Someone was in the bathroom making the worst sounds he had ever heard in his life. Takeru Uchiha looked at Daiya and Eiyu for an explanation. "What the heck is that?"

Eiyu was so serious, it didn't affect him. He only stood his ground, his ears picking up the noises that were being made. "It sounds like someone is sick," he said softly.

Daiya turned around and moved quickly away from the bathroom as a huge drop was heard throughout the hallway. He thought someone was killing someone else in there. He moved behind Eiyu, watching.

Ryu sat up. He sniffed. His eyes about exploded. Ryu lifted his hands up to cover his face mask. "Move!" He went running back down the hall. Eiyu grabbed him on the back of his vest to stop him from rolling down the stairs. Ryu shook his head. "That is not natural!"

"Who in the heck is in there," Daiya asked. They ducked low as the door to the bathroom opened. All four watched as Hire came walking out. Daiya reached forward, cupping his hand around Takeru's mouth as Takeru started to laugh his butt off. Ryu was standing there baffled.

"If she finds out we're standing here, nothing good will come from it," Eiyu said quietly. He tugged on Ryu to start moving back down the stairs. Ryu wouldn't budge. Just as Hire walked off, the smell from the bathroom started to drift down the hall. Eiyu quickly raised his hands to cover his mouth and nose.

Daiya felt sick. "Oh my,-"he trailed off. The smell was over powering. Daiya tugged on Eiyu to start hauling tail. He ran down the hall and down the stairs with Eiyu behind him. Takeru was being carried by Ryu. All four of them ran as if their life depended on it.

Once the coast was clear and they felt well enough, they fell onto the floor in the game room. Takeru was still laughing. Ryu looked sicker than ever. His face was so pale he looked like the ghost from the story Kiba sensei had told the night before. Eiyu was coughing his head off as Daiya covered his face with his hat.

"I don't know who went into the bathroom, but the least you could have done is a courteous flush," they heard Masaru yell from upstairs. All four of them started laughing so hard they couldn't breathe. Masaru was yelling for the innkeeper. The innkeeper went up the stairs in a hurry. "I think someone killed a family of skunks in the bathroom," they heard him tell her. Takeru was laughing so hard tears were coming out of his eyes. Daiya was covering his face, trying not to laugh. Eiyu was kicking his legs, with his face on the floor, laughing. Ryu was holding onto his sides. Suddenly, they froze. Hire came walking in. She eyed them before she walked off into another part of the inn.

Ryu glanced around the doorframe. Did he dare? He did. "Hey, Hire, Masaru said next time flush the toilet a few times! The innkeeper is after you for animal cruelty!"

"No, Ryu, she'll know that we know," Takeru said waving his arms around. They all stared at Ryu. Hire stood in the doorway.

"What was that, spiky? You want to run that by me again," Hire said rather threateningly. She had her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed.

"He said, next time, flush the toilet a few times," Eiyu said as he sat up. Hire went after him. Eiyu got up and took off running.

"RUN, EIYU," Takeru and Ryu yelled after him.

Daiya coughed a few times. His sides were killing him. "You guys are weird," he said softly. He slightly smiled at them as they watched Eiyu run past the door again with Hire on his tail.


	25. Chapter 25

**V 3 ch 5**

**The hot springs vacation pt 4**

The early morning twilight crept upon the hot springs as birds started to take flight to find food for their young. Clouds overheard blanketed the sky in purples and blue hues from the late night hours. The water from the hot springs caused steam to rise in the air near the rocks. A lone figure walked past the water staring at it for a moment. He thought about getting in, but he knew it wasn't going to be long before everyone was up.

Idai needed solitude away from the other children. He was fortunate at this point that he had avoided a fight with Eiyu Hyuga. He was also reluctant that his dreams hadn't been too terrifying as of late, to wake anyone around him. It would be cowardly of him to scream in the middle of the night like he normally did. The visions he saw played on his mind constantly. He wondered if Kiba sensei knew. Idai wasn't really sure Gai had told Kiba anything. He hoped not.

He wasn't supposed to leave the hot springs. Shikamaru sensei said they were to remain on the property of the inn. Idai could care less about getting into trouble. He had to find peace for himself amongst all of the strangers that he was around. Idai walked for some time away from the inn until he found a secluded enough spot. He took out his flute – one of the only things that belonged to him. Idai placed it towards his mouth and began to play a sweet, sad song.

The boy from the sound village vaguely remembered anything regarding his parents or what it had been like to live there. He was sure at some point; he had been loved and had a home. However, now he felt like a stranger living amongst faces he had known for years.

Idai played his flute, moving his fingers over each and every hole, his lungs breathing out air at the right octaves on the flute. He didn't know where the song had come from. All he knew was that he remembered it from somewhere. He loved music. Playing the flute let him escape the environment around him. He needed desperately to find himself.

Idai closed his eyes as he played. The sounds he heard were of nature around him. As he played the flute, he tried to incorporate the birds crying overhead into his music. The sounds of the hot springs echoed up to his ears from below the hill. He let the world drown out leaving him mixed inside of himself.

Gin turned over in her bed. Yanagi was sleeping hard next to her. Saori was on Yanagi's other side comfortably wasted away in her dreams. It was fairly early in the morning. She rubbed her eyes and glanced around the room. Last night had been great. She had learned to cook a new recipe the innkeeper let her try. It was sweet of the old woman to spend time with her.

As Gin rolled over, she stretched out her limps. A beautiful melody came to her ears. The sound was intriguing and sad. She got up. As if the music was calling to her, Gin walked out of the room into the hall. Her small feet padded neatly on the wooden floor. Where is that coming from? Whoever is playing it sounds so sad.

Gin walked down the stairs quietly, her hand trailing on the rail. She stopped at the end of the stairs and looked around. She was the only one up. Everyone was fast asleep at the inn. Gin didn't bother to put on slippers as she walked out to the hot springs. The steam was rising above the water causing little clouds to form in the air.

The music kept on, its sweet melody floating to her ears. Gin started to follow it. She took one last look at the hot springs before making her way up the hill. The sounds from the flute were calling her sweetly as he bare feet touched the cold grass. As she moved closer, Gin closed her eyes. She could see pictures forming in her head. It was as if she was following a riddle that needed to be unlocked.

Gin came closer to where the flute was being played. She stopped short, peering around a tall thick bush. Her blue eyes fell onto the person playing it. Gin's hand moved up to her chest, clutching onto her pajamas. Idai was sitting calmly playing his flute, his eyes closed, and body softer than she had ever seen. He's the one playing that song? It's so sweet and sad. I wonder if he always feels alone because he is a foreigner to us.

She didn't know if it was wise of him to see her standing there. Gin ducked low in case Idai chose to open his eyes. She watched his fingers move down the flute. He was moving so flowingly with the melody he was producing. Gin blushed a little as her eyes remained focus on his face. Idai was older than her by two years. He had a boyish appearance for his age. The more Gin watched him, the more she couldn't take her eyes off of him.

Idai kept playing his melody, not opening his eyes as the sounds soothed his mind and heart. He fell away from the void he was in, into a warm place where memories flowed and time stood still. Idai saw rivers running through mountains. He wondered what place it was he was remembering.

The water flowed amongst the rocks, the noise causing him to stop and look at it. As he moved closer to the water, he saw a familiar face. Was that him? The small boy's orange eyes were looking back at him through the clear water. Idai reached his hand down to touch the cold water. His face was filthy. Even his hair was dark gray. Idai cocked his head to view himself better.

How did I get like this? Why are my clothes torn and messy? Where is my mom or dad? Do I have a mom or dad? Idai trailed his fingers in the water. A few leaves passed him. What was on the other side of the river? He had never been over there before. There was no one around.

The wind blew through the trees as he stepped into the icy water. His shoulders started to shake. Idai grimaced at the chill that was coming over his body. He wanted to know what was on the other side of the river. There was nothing behind him but trees. Maybe my parents are on that side. Idai started to wade through the icy water. His feet sunk into the bottom of the river. As he walked on the bottom, he kept his face lifted upwards, his eyes focused on the clouds above him. The birds were flying over head.

Idai was trying to follow them. It was getting harder to keep his feet on the bottom of the river. The water was coming up to his neck. Despite how deep he was going, he kept his eyes focused on the birds echoing their beautiful cries in the sky. Do I know how to swim? I don't know if I do. Idai held his breath as the water went over his head.

Idai blindly kicked his legs in the water, his arms in front of him, searching for anything to grab onto to. He wanted to hear the birds. He wanted to follow them. Idai started to kick more, his arms finding something to grab on to. A large rock was in front of him. His small hands groped at the slippery granite. Idai's head popped out of the water. He searched the skies for the birds he had seen. They were disappearing from his view. "Wait," he called.

Idai started to kick his legs more, trying to swim fast enough to see where they were going. He was getting tired. Every bone in his body was aching with his muscles. What was he thinking at his age? He was too young to be swimming across a river. Idai didn't care. He had to know where the birds were going. He wanted to be with them. He wanted to sing with them and listen to their beautiful cries.

After some time, he managed to fall on the bank of the river. Idai looked up tiredly to see the birds disappearing from his view. "No, wait," he said tiredly breathing hard. He reached his small hand up, but the birds wouldn't wait. Idai lay there for a while. He couldn't feel his legs. They were numb from the cold water flowing over them. He was weak from hunger and walking so far by himself.

Voices echoed around Idai as the day started to drift away. He looked around. "Who's calling me? Are you my mom?" Idai looked around more to see where the voices were coming from. He saw no one. He was alone in the woods. The only noises he heard were his own and the sounds of the river. "Who are you?" No one told him.

Idai saw flashes in front of his eyes. He cringed. The flashes came again. Pictures of people screaming came at him. He tried to close his eyes, but the faces were still there. Idai heard them screaming at him, calling his name. Who were they? He couldn't get away from them.

Idai dragged his cold body away from the water, placing his hands over his head. "Shut up! I don't know who you are! Leave me alone!" He continued to yell as the twilight hours came into view. The voices began to die away as he yelled at them to stop. Idai looked up to see a woman standing in front of him with purple hair. She was watching him with wide eyes. Who was she? Was she his mother?

The woman came towards him. She crouched low asking who he was. At first, he didn't say. He asked the woman who was yelling his name. She didn't understand. "The voices won't leave me alone. Can you make them stop," he asked her. She said she didn't know what voices he was referring to. Her name was Anko. Anko had heard him yelling through the forest. She thought he was injured and came to see what was wrong.

Idai looked up at her as she lifted him up, carrying him away from the river. "Where are we going? Are you taking me home," he asked her. Anko shook her head. She said that Idai would not be returning to where he came from. Anko told him he would go back with her to find a better place to flourish. Idai looked up into Anko's face. He was tired. The last thing he saw was her smiling at him thoughtfully as she carried his cold, wet body away from the river.

Idai opened his eyes slowly. Was that a memory of his? He knew the face he had seen. It was Anko's. She was a proctor at the Hidden Leaf Village. When he was younger, she had found him in the woods far from the sound village. He had left because his mother had outcaste him. Idai's eyes wavered as he took the flute away from his mouth. He didn't like the sound village. They didn't want him.

Gin was watching Idai with a fixated gaze. There was so much she didn't know about him. Idai didn't let anyone in. She wished he did. Gin gasped softly. Idai got up. He was walking towards her. She had to hide, or risk getting caught. Gin formed quick hand seals in front of her body. The bush that she was near grew towards her rapidly. It formed around her quickly, hiding her. Idai walked past her not noticing that the bush had changed shape. Gin peered out from the small thin branches as he started to walk down the hill. Her blue eyes sought after him until he disappeared from view. She had to get back quickly before everyone would wake up.

Idai got back to the hot springs just in time. He saw Kandai and Areku sitting at the table in the game room. They didn't seem to notice him already fully dressed out in the open. He glanced behind at the hill he had just walked down. Idai hid his flute back into his shirt. His orange eyes looked around. Surprisingly, he saw Kiba sensei walking beside the inn with Akamaru. He slowly turned around and walked towards them.

Gin thought Idai had seen her when he had glanced up at the hill. She had to throw herself behind a tree to avoid his gaze. As she tripped coming down, she landed on her side hard. Gin gritted her teeth. She sat up, rubbing her arm. There were cuts on it from the first dive she had taken. "Ow," she said softly, rubbing it.

"Gin, what are you doing out here so early," Rock Lee asked yawning. The girl looked up at him afraid. Did I catch her doing something she wasn't supposed to? He walked over to the girl and kneeled. "Did you hurt your arm?" She nodded. "Well, lets go put some ointment on it, okay?"

Gin got up with Lee sensei to go attend to her arm. She glanced at Idai. He was petting Akamaru and running around with the dog. Gin smiled sweetly at him when he glanced over towards the hot springs. She wondered if he saw her when she went inside.

Areku sat with his arms crossed looking out of the window to the room they stayed in. He saw his father outside with Akamaru. His gaze stopped on Idai. He wasn't happy with what had happened with Idai and Eiyu. There was something mysterious about Idai that was going on. It was more so with him than with Daiya, the other foreigner that was in their midst.

Areku watched as Akamaru chased Idai some around outside. Idai was avoiding Akamaru pretty easily. He didn't know if he trusted Idai or not. The boy from the sound village had taken to his father quite well. It was odd to Areku. Kiba was his father, not Idai's. He wondered for a moment what Kiba had said to Idai that made him trustworthy like that.

Saori peered over Areku's shoulder. "What are you looking at?" He looked back at her with a serious gaze. "Do you want to go down and eat breakfast with me? I don't know where Gin is. I've been trying to find her all morning," Saori said smiling at him.

"Sure," Areku said. He got up to walk with Saori down to eat. He glanced at Yanagi. "I can't believe she's still asleep. I guess sake will do that to you."

"Yanagi had sake? When? Last night," Saori asked. Areku nodded. "If Lee sensei finds out, she's going to be in trouble. I don't know why they put the bottles on the tables. They did that to us, too, but Kiba sensei took it away. Hire was trying to get Idai drunk."

"You don't say," Areku said as they walked down the stairs.

They walked into one of the smaller rooms. Masaru, Gin, Hire, Sasuke sensei, and Ryu were already there eating. Sasuke was drinking a cup of coffee. Hire was munching on fish as she read a book. Masaru and Ryu were yawning hard trying to wake up. Gin was calmly sitting in thought with her chopsticks in her mouth. "Gin, I looked all over for you. Where were you hiding," Saori asked as her and Areku joined the group.

Gin looked up as if she'd been caught. She looked away blushing. "Oh, I'm sorry. I got up earlier than I thought this morning. I didn't want to disturb anyone else, so I came down early."

Areku noticed her nervousness. He didn't want to say anything in front of the others. She must have done something she wasn't supposed to, or heard something. He didn't know which. Areku glanced at her. Gin was blushing badly. He watched a small smile come to her face as she looked away. He wasn't going to ask her just yet what was going on.

Yanagi came bouncing down the stairs with Kandai following her. They were going outside to play Hana Ichi Monme. Yanagi signaled to Kandai. "Hey, let's see if everyone wants to play with us. I'll go see who's eating breakfast, okay? You can go see who's awake. I think Daiya is still asleep as well as Shikamaru sensei."

Kandai smiled at her. It was the last day that they were going to be at the hot springs. He padded off to see who he could find. Outside he found Kiba sensei and Idai with Akamaru. "Hey, we're going to play Hana Ichi Monme, do you guys want in?" They both stopped to look at him. "Come on, Kiba sensei. You can be on my team."

Kiba thought a moment. "I haven't played that game since I was a little kid. Who has the other team?" He looked at Idai smiling. He wanted the boy to join in. Despite how things were, Idai needed to include himself.

"Yanagi went to see who is eating breakfast. I think Daiya and Shikamaru sensei are still sleeping. I'll wake them up in a little bit. Idai, whose team do you want to be on?" Kandai smiled at him. The reason they were playing a game was to have fun and to simply put all of the bad vibes behind everyone. Everyone needed to get along.

Idai normally stuck to Kiba. Right now, despite Gai, he was the only one Idai trusted. Kiba didn't yell at him or look at him badly like some of the adults or students. He moved closer to Kiba watching Kandai. He wasn't really sure about being on Kandai's team because of Eiyu. The events from earlier still bothered him. "I… I'll go with Kiba sensei," he said softly averting his eyes.

Kiba reached up to ruffled the boy's white hair. Kandai took off to see who else he could round up. "I think Kandai is trying to be your friend, Idai. He's a really nice kid. He doesn't hold a grudge against anyone for any reason. Give him a chance. He's nothing like Eiyu. Eiyu is sterner, for sure."

Idai slowly nodded. "What is this game we're playing anyway?" Kiba tilted his head at him. "I've… never played a game besides what we played the other day," he said rather embarrassed.

"Okay, Hana Ichi Monme is a game where you have two teams who face off parallel to each other. Each team swings their arms and sings a song. They decide which person they want to go first. You play rock, paper, scissors to see if you can beat the other person. If the other person wins, you have to go back. The person that wins has the decision to pick a member off of your team. If the other team gets more players than your team has, they win the game. After the game is over, the team that wins sings, 'We're so happy we won, Hana Ichi Monme'. The team that loses sings, 'We're so upset we lost Hana Ichi Monme'. Understand?"

Idai nodded. "That's all you do? It… doesn't seem hard." He walked with Kiba to where Yanagi was outside. She was on the other side of the inn in an open area.

"This is going to be so much fun," Yanagi said. "I love this game! We haven't played it in a very long time. You guys are on Kandai's team right? Kandai went to go wake up Shikamaru sensei and Daiya. They've been sleeping too long," she said. "Idai, you and Kiba sensei are over there with that group. My group is in front of yours."

"Alright, come on Idai. We have to hold hands with our teammates," Kiba said. Idai looked up at him shocked. "It's not that bad. Let's see… who is our team?"

Idai stood still. Their team was Hire, Gin, Eiyu, and Areku. Eiyu was on Idai's , no. I hope I don't have to hold hands with him. He'll probably crush my wrist or something for yesterday. He sighed depressingly.

"Okay, everybody line up! Shikamaru sensei is on Kandai's team and Daiya is on mine! Everybody has to hold hands now! Hire, you can wipe that smirk off of your face! Masaru, girls don't have cooties! Grow up! Sasuke sensei, I saw that," Yanagi said loudly. "Whoever has the most people on their team from the others first, wins the game! We won't take any prisoners! This is for keeps! Whoever loses has to put up all of the futons by themselves and clean the room before we leave for Konoha! Is that a deal? Alright! Let's win one for the team!"

Ryu sweat dropped. "Yanagi is too perky in the morning," he said lowly. He watched the girl instructing everyone to hold hands.

"That's not the worst of it. She picked her dad to be on our team," Masaru said. He held out his hand for Saori to take it. "All I have to say is I don't want to pick up all of the mess we made in that room. We better win."

Idai didn't know whose hand he was going to get. He knew he was going to stay as close to Kiba sensei as he could. He didn't want to take Eiyu's hand, he knew that. Areku was not a good choice. Areku didn't like him. He looked down the line. He didn't feel comfortable with Kandai and Hire was a big red flag. Idai slowly reached for Gin's hand.

Gin gasped as she looked to her right. Idai was holding her hand for the game. She started to blush so badly her face turned red. Kiba sensei was standing on the other side of Idai. Gin swallowed hard. She lifted her left hand out for Kandai to take it. She looked down the line. The order went as follows: Kiba sensei, Idai, Gin, Kandai, Shikamaru sensei, Areku, Hire, and Eiyu. She looked at the other team. The other team down the line in front of Kiba sensei was as follows: Daiya, Ryu, Takeru, Sasuke sensei, Yanagi, Lee sensei, Masaru, and Saori.

Both of the teams started to sing as they swung their arms. Once the song was over, they debated about whom to send out to duel in rock, paper, scissors. Kandai's team chose to send Hire first. Yanagi's team was still debating.

"Hey, guys who are we sending to go against Hire," Yanagi asked. "Somebody needs to beat that girl!" She looked at the guys.

"I'd say send dad, but that might be a bit wrong," Takeru said laughing.

"Oh, what the heck. I'll go up against the old mud goblin," Ryu said. "If I lose they'll just snatch one of you guys for their team." He let go of Daiya and Takeru's hands. He walked up to Hire smiling like a goofball, his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, you're first," Hire said. "Let's get this over with. I'd rather duel someone else and just quit with this foolishness." She started to move her hands around. Hire was watching Ryu. They both stopped at the same time. She had scissors. Ryu had paper. "Hah! I win! You lose!" Ryu walked back to his team shrugging. "Who are we picking from their team," she asked as she turned around.

Kandai's team debated for a moment. "We'll take Lee sensei," Kandai shouted to the other team. Lee sensei let go of the hands he was holding and walked over. Hire walked back as well. "We'll send over… um… Idai next."

Idai walked forward. He was embarrassed standing in front of everyone like he was. He wondered who he was going to go up against. He averted his eyes as he saw a pair of feet come towards him. Idai glanced up to see Daiya standing in front of him. Idai didn't know why but he smiled at Daiya. The boy was a foreigner like him. He was also the same as him, wasn't he? Daiya only looked back at him with his same expressionless face.

Daiya started to move his hands. He didn't know why Idai had smiled at him. Daiya stopped his hand. He had rock. Dammit, I lost. Idai had paper. Idai had won. Daiya walked back to his team.

Kandai talked with Kiba sensei lowly. He smiled. Kandai turned back to face Idai. Idai was looking at him shyly. "We're going to let Idai call someone over."

Idai's eyes got wide. He had to call someone over? Wasn't it supposed to be decided by everyone? His heart started to race. "I… have to… call someone over…?" He looked at the line in front of him. Idai bit his lip.

"Idai, pick someone! It's not going to matter," Yanagi said. "Why are you acting so embarrassed about it?"

Sasuke was watching Idai. Idai's eyes were moving up and down the line, but they kept stopping at a certain point. He's embarrassed. I think he wants to call Daiya over. He might be singling out Daiya because Daiya is a foreigner like he is. Sasuke was right. Idai finally managed to call Daiya over.

Yanagi looked down the line. She had already lost two members of her team to Kandai. "I'm sending… Sasuke sensei over!" She nodded. The other team sent Kiba sensei to battle Sasuke sensei. "Oh, this ought to be good. They're both competitive."

Sasuke stood smirking at Kiba. "How's it going, Kiba? Ready to battle?" He stood his ground and started to move his hand.

Kiba was smirking back at him. "Bring it on," Kiba said. He liked challenging Sasuke. It was interesting to see who was going to win, even if it was a game. Kiba's hand stopped. He had paper. He looked up. Sasuke had scissors. "Darn it," he growled.

Sasuke loved to get Kiba. He smiled at him. "I win this round," he said as he went back to his team. Yanagi's team chose to take Eiyu.

"Shikamaru sensei and Saori are up next," Yanagi shouted. This was going to be even better! Father against daughter! She wondered if Shikamaru sensei's brains were going to outmatch Saori on this round. Yanagi jumped around.

"Dad," Saori said confidently at him. She smiled. "Ready to fight me for this round?"

Shikamaru smiled at her as he stood in front of his daughter. "You think you're going to win against me huh? You're just like your mother. Alright, moment of truth you little rascal. Head's up!" Shikamaru and Saori both started to move their hands constantly. They both stared at each other and stopped. Shikamaru had rock. Saori had scissors. "Sorry, baby girl, rock crushes scissors. Who are we calling from their team?"

Saori walked back to her team as Masaru was called over to Kandai's team. She didn't feel bad about losing to her dad. He trained her well in thinking and deciphering riddles and puzzles. Her dad was a very smart man. However, this was a child's game and there was only luck involved.I'll get him next time.

Next up from Kandai's team was Areku. Yanagi's team sent Takeru up. Takeru smiled at Areku. Both of the boys started to move their hands in motion as they kept their gazes matched. Areku stopped his hand at the same moment Takeru did. "I win this round, Uchiha," he said smiling. "We pick Sasuke sensei," Areku shouted back to Yanagi. Sasuke sensei left his team to go over to Kandai's.

Yanagi swore under her breath. The teams were getting harder by the round. It was only her, Saori, Ryu, and Takeru left. They were a small bunch. "I don't know how this happened. We must not have good luck today, or something. Either that, or someone has bad vibes!" She looked at Ryu. "It has to be you!"

Ryu blinked. "I don't have bad vibes. My vibes are neither good nor bad, woman. Maybe it's Saori. She's often disgruntled and unsatisfied."

Takeru froze. "I don't think I would have said that," he said lowly to Ryu. Sure enough, he glanced over at Saori.

Saori clenched her fists. "Ryu Yuhi, I swear! You're a work of art! How dare you say something like that to me?"

"It's true isn't it? I mean, right now, at this very moment, you're disgruntled and unsatisfied," Ryu said laughing as he pointed at her.

"Yeah, but you caused it, you big turkey," Takeru said.

"Hey, you guys stop fighting. We need to finish the game," Kiba said. He saw Ryu laughing and how mad Saori was getting. Those two are impossible. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Ryu likes to get that girl's attention.

Takeru was out in the open again. Kandai's team had sent over Lee sensei. He smiled at Rock Lee, his new trainer. This was going to be interesting. Student against teacher. Lee and Takeru started to move their hands fast. Takeru was trying hard to try and figure out what Lee would pick. Takeru's hand froze on paper. Lee's hand was on rock. "Hah! Paper covers rock! I win," he said happily.

"Idiot. He would pick a symbol that was his own name," Shikamaru said under his breath. He shook his head as Idai was called over to Yanagi's team.

Kandai's team picked Gin to go next. The bashful girl stood out in the open as she waited. She bit her lip as she watched the other team debate. Gin would love to have Idai standing in front of her. She blushed at the thought. So far, it had been a wonderful morning. She had heard Idai play his beautiful music and even held his hand. Gin opened her eyes to see Ryu standing in front of her. She bowed embarrassingly. Both of them started to move their hands. Gin stopped her hand at the same time Ryu did. Gin chose scissors. Ryu chose rock. Rock beat scissors. Gin lost. She went back to her team apologizing.

Yanagi congratulated Ryu as he went back into line. "We'll take Shikamaru sensei," she shouted to the other team. As Shikamaru sensei got in line they all debated again about who to send. Yanagi figured sending Saori up again was a really good choice.

Saori and Hire walked out into the open together. She scowled at the dark haired girl standing in front of her. If she was going to beat that girl now was the chance! Saori didn't like her what-so-ever. She hated how snobbish Hire acted all of the time. "Ready, fat butt?" Hire narrowed her eyes. "Can't speak? No problem. Call it!" Saori's hand stopped at the same instant Hire's did. Saori picked paper. Hire picked rock. "Paper covers rock. You lose!" Saori walked back triumphantly. She received two high-fives from Yanagi. Neither of them liked Hire much.

"Guys, this needs to be the last round, or we'll be here all day," Shikamaru said with his hands cupped over his mouth. They all agreed. "Alright, who's up next?"

Yanagi's team chose to send Yanagi since she hadn't gone yet. She was faced with Kandai. "This is the way it should be. The two team leaders standing off in the face of battle! Ready to try and beat me," she said challenging him.

Kandai only smiled at her. It's not like we're really at war, Yanagi. It's just a game. He started to move his hands fast. They both stopped at the same exact moment. Kandai slowly looked at Yanagi's hand. She had scissors. He had paper. Yanagi had beaten him. "Well, you may have beaten me for now, Yanagi, but my team has more players than yours. You win the battle, but not the war."

"We're so happy we won Hana Ichi Monme," Kandai's team sang to the top of their lungs. Some of the kids were happier than others about winning. "We're so upset we lost Hana Ichi Monme," Yanagi's team sang back. Everything was said and done. Yanagi's team had to clean up the room in the morning.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. The students were already set to go back to Konoha the following day. Most of the teams were discussing training sessions and coming up with partners to pair up with for personal sessions on the weekends. Everyone seemed to be worn out from playing games and chasing each other. A few of the students had managed to get closer and to enjoy the buddies they had been set up with.

Yanagi sat outside on a bench. She was staring off at the clouds in the sky. The sky had already changed to late afternoon on her. She had enjoyed everyone she had managed to talk to while at the hot springs. The one person she wanted to get to know was someone that wasn't on her team. He was standoffish as he could be. Yet, Yanagi thought he was pretty cool. Daiya had been spending a lot of time with Ryu and Takeru lately. She thought it was sweet of them to take Daiya in under their wing. The boy needed to make friends.

Another person that she was unfortunate to have missed speaking with, was Idai. Idai stayed close to Kiba sensei the entire time they were there. She wondered if he was scared of everyone because of what occurred the other day. Yanagi wasn't really sure. Idai, like Daiya, was a foreigner. He probably feels out of place. I don't blame him. I would feel out of place, too, if I was a loner and at another village where I had to make friends and train. Idai isn't all that bad. I think he's highly misunderstood.

Masaru walked towards her. "Hey, do you think we should talk about training with Idai? He's spent more time with Kiba sensei than we have while we've been here." He sat down next to her as they looked at the water flowing in front of them in the hot springs.

"I'm not sure," Yanagi said. "Masaru, I think Idai is afraid of everyone." She looked at him sadly. Her smile faded.

"Why do you think he's afraid of everyone? He stays to himself so much no one knows anything about him," Masaru told her as he looked back at her with his white eyes. He picked up a rock and threw it at the water. It didn't even hit.

"Well, Idai is a loner. No one has given him the chance to speak, or show who he is," Yanagi said. "I think since we're his teammates, he should get to know us, but we can't force him. Do you remember when we were at the Academy and how he used to sit avoiding everyone' gaze? Kurenai sensei had a time with him and Daiya both. It was hard for her to get them to participate. Neither of them trusted anyone. In fact, we should get him to open up," she said, her smile returning.

"I agree with you, but how are we going to do that exactly? If you push someone too much, they don't appreciate it, Yanagi. Some of us have secrets to who we are and only allow certain people in on them. Maybe we aren't the ones he wants to let in," Masaru said. "I know it's hard for you to not get along with everyone here. You and Kandai don't know an enemy amongst us. You two get along with everyone here, but it's not like that with everyone. Idai may be lonely, but we can't force him to speak to us."

Gin heard some of the conversation as she stepped out towards the hot springs. It wasn't bathing time yet, so they could freely move about. "Idai isn't so bad," she said softly remembering that morning. They both looked at her. "The reason I couldn't properly answer Saori this morning was because Sasuke sensei was sitting at the table. I did get up really early, but I didn't stay at the inn to wait on everyone else to get up."

Masaru padded the seat neat to him for her to sit down. "It's not like you to go against what a trainer says, Gin. You're too nice and obedient," he said as she sat down. "If you weren't here, where did you go?"

Gin blushed as she looked at the hill. She raised her hand pointing to it. "I heard the most beautiful sad melody. It's what woke me up. Someone was playing a flute to his heart's content. I couldn't help myself. I had to know who it was; where the sound was coming from. I followed it up to that hill. At the top of the hill, I saw Idai sitting next to a tree playing his flute. He seemed to be lost in himself. I… I feel bad for watching him secretly, but if he had found me there, he would have been angry with me. I don't want Idai to dislike me. He's a very beautiful person inside. I wish he knew that."

Yanagi was watching her friend speak from her heart. "Gin, you like Idai," she said softly. Gin blushed even more, looking away. "It's noticeable in how sincere you talk about him. I won't tell anyone. I'm not cruel like that. Masaru won't either. We respect you too much to betray you like that."

Masaru nodded. "You held hands with him when we played Hana Ichi Monme. He picked you Gin. Out of everyone there, he chose to hold your hand. Why do you think that is?"

Gin swallowed. "I think he chose me because he had a quarrel with Eiyu. He wouldn't have felt comfortable holding hands with Kandai, or Areku. And no offense, but no one likes Ms. Hire. She's mean. I know Idai chose me because I was last." Gin tried to smile, but it didn't form on her face.

"Maybe he chose you because he felt more comfortable with you than the other students," Kiba sensei said from the doorframe. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. You weren't the only one there, Gin. Shikamaru was also a choice. Idai didn't go to Shikamaru. He went for you. From what I've seen and what he's told me, Idai thinks you're the type of person he doesn't fear out of everyone here. He doesn't see you as a threat as he does with everyone else."

Gin didn't know how to take that. "Does he think that way because I'm like I am, or because I haven't really spoken to him before? I know Idai is not a bad person. I could never think of him that way. He's lonely and sad. I would be, too, if it was me living somewhere that I was unfamiliar with; where no one tried to get to know me."

Kiba looked down at her. He kneeled beside her looking up into her face. "I don't think Idai means he views you that way because you are weak, or nonexistent. I know he is afraid of the others here. He has had quarrels and terrible looks headed in his direction since he came to the Hidden Leaf Village. Everyone has been biased against him because he comes from the Sound Village. Everyone, but you. You've never looked at anyone with hatred, or spoke ill of another person, Gin. Whether you realize it or not, you have a good heart. Even though Idai can't see it just yet, he can hear it."

Gin blushed so badly she felt her face was on fire. Her eyes widened. Was her heart calling to him? "Kiba sensei?" He kept his eyes on her. "Thank you," she said softly. She felt better. He reached up to pet her head.

"Just try to reach out to him, alright? Idai isn't a bad person, like you say. He is lonely. The reason he hangs around me so much is because when I first met him I told him I was there as his friend, not his trainer. I don't view my students as 'students'. It's more important to have friends and companions than it is to have a good trainer," Kiba said. He got up. "I expect Masaru and Yanagi to pay more attention to their teammate. You two have been preoccupied with others up until this point, but after today, you three are a team." Kiba left the three students sitting on the bench.

Masaru walked up behind the white haired boy. Idai was sitting at a low table staring off into the night. He wondered if it was wise to ask Idai to accompany the group to the hot springs one last time. Idai had been staying away from everyone up until now. Kiba sensei was right. After today, they were a team. They had to get to know one another. It wasn't just Kiba's lecture that had made Masaru think. The thing that worried him was what if Idai was like his father? Masaru's heart sank. He had heard stories from his mother about how his father had been ignored like that and everything Naruto had gone through. Masaru felt bad that he hadn't noticed Idai's struggling until now. I'm not as smart as I think I am.

Idai felt someone behind him. He whirled around quickly. Masaru Uzumaki was standing behind him smiling. Idai's guard went up. This blond haired boy was the son of the Hokage. He was also Takeru's childhood friend and Idai's new teammate. Idai remembered what Masaru had said about him the first day they were assigned to Kiba's team. He furrowed his brows. "Why are you here," he asked lowly.

Masaru sat on his knees behind Idai. He felt bad about everything. He did. He had to admit it to Idai right here and now. "Idai, I'm really sorry for being as stupid as I am." Idai just looked at him oddly, not understanding. "I didn't mean what I said when I first met you – the day we got our teams. I… just now realized that you're like my father. My father was treated the same way you are. It wasn't up until now that I realized that."

Idai didn't understand at all. The Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village had gone through the same thing he had? Was Masaru serious? Idai was outcaste from everyone. They didn't want him. If what Masaru was telling him was true, why did it take so long for the blond haired boy to try and get to know him? "You're just saying that," Idai said as he turned around.

Masaru looked at him sadly. He placed his hand on Idai's shoulder. Idai slowly turned around. "No, I'm not actually. My father is very special to me. He had to go through a lot of things by himself, but he did manage to have a friend who challenged him all of the time – made him push more to prove himself. Do you know who that was? Sasuke Uchiha. They both needed each other, but it took them a while to realize it. My father made a few loyal friends when he was younger, but it wasn't until they learned to band together, did they all realize it. Sometimes we guys aren't as smart as we think we are. I'm no exception, Idai. I want to be your friend, but I can't force you."

Idai's gaze softened. "Did someone tell you to say that to me?" He was hurt actually. Someone must have put Masaru up to it. Since when do kids his age talk so sincere and nice? Everyone he knew kept to themselves. They never included outsiders in their cliques.

Masaru shook his head. "No, no one but maybe Takeru knows I talk like this. I just play around too much. I'm too much like my dad. You should only say something important when it's at the proper time for it to be said. Will you allow me to be your friend?"

Idai looked at Masaru differently. He weighed it out for a little while. Masaru didn't harass him, or object to Idai not responding. The blond haired boy only sat patiently waiting. "If I say 'yes', what… happens?"

Masaru already took that as a 'yes'. He grabbed Idai's hand and forced him to stand. "As my new friend, you have to be inducted into Kiba sensei's team properly. And that means we scare the pants off of Yanagi while she's changing!" Masaru tugged on Idai.

Idai had no idea what that entailed. He was led up the stairs to the bathroom. Masaru jerked a thumb. He could hear Yanagi mouthing off as the girls were changing for the last hot springs bath. "Masaru, what is that?" Idai watched as Masaru pulled a frog out of his pocket.

"Yanagi may act all cheerful and tough, but she's like any other girl that lives and breathes! She's scared of frogs!" Masaru put his finger to his lips for Idai to keep quiet. He gently opened the bathroom door. He made sure none of the girls had heard him. Just as Idai was going to object to throwing the amphibian in, Masaru threw it with sheer force. They heard the frog hit the wall with a huge thud. Within a few seconds there were screams of sheer terror. Masaru grabbed Idai's wrist again and told him to run! He laughed as they went flying down the stairs.

"Masaru Uzumaki! I know that was you, you foul loathsome boy," Yanagi said from the top of the stairs. "You wait till we get back to the Hidden Leaf Village! You are so in for it when we start training!"

Everyone was taking their last dip in the hot springs. All of the trainers and students were sitting quietly enjoying the hot bathe. Gin was calmly lifting her feet in and out of the water. Every now and again, she caught secret glances at Idai. Idai had made friends with Masaru. She was proud of him. Masaru and Idai where playing water sports – trying to squirt the other one with their hands. She sighed contently.

Saori had taken her hair down. She let it fall to her shoulders. It had gotten a lot longer in the past few months. She slid down into the water to let her hair get wet. Saori blew bubbles into the water absentmindedly. She looked up to see Ryu standing in front of her watching her. He had just gotten into the water. He was still wearing his face mask. "What…?"

"Where are your parents little girl? Do you want me to go find them for you? This time is only for the ninja students from the Hidden Leaf Village," Ryu said leaning down as he placed his hands on his legs to look at Saori. He was totally messing with her. "Children under the age of ten are supposed to be accompanied by their parents or a guardian." He smiled at her as her nostrils flared.

"Ryu, can't you leave that girl alone for ten seconds," Sasuke asked.

"If you were to ask me, I would swear that he is interested in Saori," Rock Lee said watching the pair.

"Why, Lee, that's so rash of you to make an assumption like that," Shikamaru said. "Even so, you might be right." He looked at how his daughter was getting mad. Ryu seemed to be enjoying himself.

"If he likes her, he sure is showing a strange form of expression," Daiya said out of nowhere.

Takeru looked at Daiya happily. "Well, if you liked someone, how would you tell them?" Daiya looked away.

"Girls don't respond to teasing," Areku said. "At least, not in a positive way," he said to the others. As if he knew. Areku had never been kissed before, or even hugged by a female.

"Ryu, why don't you go find something to do besides harass me," Saori said as she sat up. "I don't know what your problem is! You are always picking at me, or making me angry."

Ryu stood looking at her. He smiled more. He started to pat his legs. "Come on, little girl. Time to get out of the water. I'll be a nice guy and help you find your mommy." That did it. Saori Nara came out of the water so fast, Ryu had to slide backwards to avoid a swing at his face. He hopped out of the water in time for her to come after him.

Saori went charging at him. She had had enough. As Saori chased Ryu along the slippery foundation, she fell. Saori was equally embarrassed and hurt. She held onto her arm. Landing on it did not feel good at all.

Shikamaru got out of the water. He had to put an end to this. Even if Ryu was harmlessly teasing her, he knew his daughter. She was taking it to heart. "Ryu, stop now. I've had enough of this. Leave her alone right this second," he said forcefully. Shikamaru pointed to the water. "Get in and stay there, or go to bed early!" Ryu quietly went to the hot springs. Shikamaru kneeled. "Saori, look at me."

Saori shook her head. "I'm fine. I can take care of myself," she said at having her father defend her in front of everyone. Saori got up and left the area.

Sasuke made Ryu sit near him. "Ryu, that was uncalled for and you know it. If you actually like Saori, you need to find another way to express yourself, or me and you will have a rocky road ahead of us," he said sternly. Ryu looked away from him.

"I didn't mean for her to fall," Ryu said softly.

"Even if that is the case, she is hurt," Sasuke said. "When you tease someone excessively like that, you hurt their pride – among other things. You are about as hardheaded as Kiba." Kiba blinked.

Saori Nara went back to the room quietly. She dried her hair with a towel as she sat on the futon. I can't let Ryu get to me. I don't know what his problem is. Saori changed into her pajamas. Her hands came across the weapons summoning scroll she had won from Sasuke sensei. Rose. I forgot about her. I brought her just in case.

Saori opened the weapons summoning scroll. She formed ninja seals in front of her body to release Rose from the paper prison. The puppet popped into her view. "Let's see how Ryu likes my form of teasing." Saori hoisted Rose over her shoulder and walked back down the stairs. Everyone was still outside in the hot springs. I'm fixing to get the last laugh.

Saori crept behind the hot springs wall. She could hear everyone talking amongst themselves. They seemed to be enjoying themselves rather well without her presence. Saori got Rose ready for her opening act. No one could hear her as she stood behind the wall listening to every word. As Saori popped Rose's arms into place, she adjusted the puppet's head and body. This was going to be sweet.

Ryu was talking about her. Saori narrowed her eyes. She could understand some of what he was saying. Who was he talking to? Saori's eyes widened. Ryu was telling Takeru she was a selfish, hot headed girl. Oh, think that do you, Mr. Yuhi? She crossed her arms annoyed at him. Then she heard Takeru speaking to Ryu. Takeru was telling Ryu to not tease her so much because it upset her. Aww. Takeru is a sweet kid.

Saori went back to adjusting Rose for what she was going to do. She had to get Ryu back at his own game. It was the Nara in her. The Nara family always outwitted their opponents in battles. This was no different to thinks he's so smart because he's older than me. Well, age doesn't show everything. He's being held back and his maturity is the problem!

Saori narrowed her eyes again. Oh, that's it…. Ryu thinks he has me beat and finds it funny to upset me like that? He's sitting there telling Takeru the reason he picks on me is to show me how I need to handle my temper? You have got to be kidding me! Alright, Saori! Don't hold back! Saori placed a slip of paper with writing on Rose. She formed a few hand seals, concentrating. Quietly, Saori said, " Underwater marine jutsu!"

"Yeah, I know what you mean, but seriously, Saori needs to be taught a lesson," Ryu said. He hated to let Saori develop into an angry woman. "I'm not teasing her to be mean to her, Takeru. She needs to learn how to handle herself better, is all I'm saying."

"What is that," Idai said pointing to the water.

"Is it an otter," Gin asked. She looked at the water. A brown hairy thing was in the water.

"Maybe it's a dead rat," Masaru said.

"Masaru, don't say stupid things like that," Sasuke said looking at the boy.

"I think something's clogged in the hot springs," Areku said as the thing under the water seemed to be staying in one place.

"Whatever it is, it isn't bothering anybody," Eiyu said. "So just leave it alone. It's probably trash or something." He closed his eyes and leaned back.

"Eiyu, the trash is coming to the top of the water," Kandai said. Eiyu opened his eyes to look at where he was pointing. "It doesn't look like trash."

A large brown puppet popped up out of the water, its mouth open, arms flailing about, and eyes popping out of their sockets and twisting its face in horrible contortions. Everyone stopped and stared at the puppet as it burst above the water. It took about a split second for it to register in their brains that it wasn't supposed to be there. The guys started to jump out of the water, hailing tail. The girls screamed their heads off as the trainers jumped up unexpectedly to defend the students.

Ryu went tumbling in the water as he scrambled with Takeru behind him. Takeru fell over Ryu trying to get away from the puppet. Gin screamed her head off as Idai came at her to protect her. Eiyu and Kandai bailed quickly. Shikamaru and Sasuke stood up too fast and got dizzy from the heat of the hot springs. They both fell back down. Kiba and Lee were on their feet arms out ready to defend the students at will. Masaru and Yanagi were being crushed by Hire who had fallen on them. Areku had already slid onto the slippery foundation and hurt himself. Daiya was simply standing staring at the puppet in front of everyone.

Daiya tilted his head looking at the puppet curiously. Who did he know was a puppet master? He narrowed his eyes. Everyone around him was freaked out. He sighed. "You guys are weird," he said softly. He looked around to see all of the kids scrambling to get out of the water. Daiya waited until everyone was clear. The moment the trainers and students were out of the water, he lifted his hand at the puppet. The puppet was still spinning around, its face contorting to scare everyone. Daiya looked at it seriously, his face expressionless as always. "Lightening storm," he said softly.

The trainers and kids from Konoha watched as Daiya Eimino electrocuted the puppet that had popped out of the water. They all stared at him as the lightening erupted, flashing violently at the water and the wooden puppet that hovered. The puppet sizzled and smoked as he emitted his electrical currents onto it. Everyone watched as the puppet cocked its head. The puppet, Rose, burned in the air. It soon fell back into the water.

Shikamaru shook his head. "Saori Nara, you're in big trouble, rascal," he said to the top of his voice. He could almost see her cringe on the other side of the wall. "You have quite a bit of time on you for a while to repair Rose. Come get her and go to bed. Now!"

"Saori was the one who scared us," Gin asked. She looked to her right. Idai was sitting next to her watching Daiya. She blushed again not able to help herself.

"My guess is she was trying to get back at Ryu," Sasuke said popping Ryu so hard on the head the boy yelped. "Since you are the cause of all of this, you are going to have a hell of a time training after we leave!"

All of the students remained in the game room until it was time to go to bed. Saori looked at Rose. Rose had been electrocuted by Daiya. Her puppet looked even more misshapen than ever. Man, why is it I always end up overdoing it? She sighed. Saori curled up in the futon. Her father had meant what he said. She was definitely the first to bed, but she wasn't alone. Ryu was in his futon glaring at her. For good measure, Saori stuck her tongue out at him. "You started it," she said matter-of-factly.

Ryu rolled over. "Go to bed, Saori. I don't feel like getting in trouble with you anymore today." It was bad enough he was in trouble with Sasuke. If he got in trouble with Shikamaru again, he was majorily in for it.

Saori grumbled. She was alone with Ryu. Too bad she wasn't allowed to get up. "At least, call it a truce, you idiot. That's the smarter choice," Saori said.

"I don't need you to be telling me what I need to do," Ryu said. "Go to bed. I'm through talking with you now, little girl." He heard her slam her fist on the pillow. He smirked. I win.


	26. Chapter 26

**V 3 ch 6**

**Never underestimate your opponent!**

"Alright this is your official first training session with me. Today we're going to be training with Shikamaru's team. It's a good idea to familiarize yourselves with another team's skills and flaws. It increases the chances of holding off an enemy and also guarantees less screw ups," Lee said. He looked from Eiyu to Saori and to Takeru. "I know you guys are friends, but don't hesitate to take the other person seriously when training. It isn't wise to ease up on someone because you know them. A ninja is responsible for completing his or her mission successfully. We can't let our emotions get in the way when doing our job. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sensei," the three students said.

As if on cue, Shikamaru Nara came walking towards Rock Lee's team with his own. He held up his hand as he smoked a cigarette, his eyes moving from each person that was sitting on the log waiting for them. "Sorry we're late, but Gin got distracted." He stood still as his team lined up.

"She saw Idai," Areku said rolling his eyes. He didn't know what that girl's infatuation with Idai was. He wasn't sure he approved of his father taking the boy under his wing. Areku was jealous, actually. He gritted his teeth.

Gin blushed embarrassingly. She apologized a few times. Why did Areku have to tell on her? She didn't want the whole world to know she liked Idai. Gin noted the way his voice sounded when he spoke about Idai. I don't think he likes him at all.

Kandai waved to Saori. "Hey, Saori, think you have gotten better in your training since the hot springs?" He smiled at her kindly his white eyes watching her.

"You bet," Saori said as she hopped up. It wasn't just Areku and Kandai she wanted to impress. She wanted to impress her father, too. Shikamaru raised a brow at her enthusiasm.

Eiyu and Takeru just sat looking at each other. Takeru wondered if Eiyu was going to fight his twin. Eiyu was a more serious fighter than Kandai. He was afraid Kandai would give in to Eiyu. He supposed that's why Lee sensei wanted them to get to know each other's training styles. Ninja didn't stay in a team when going on missions. They often got split up and paired with others for a job.

Shikamaru looked at Gin. He had promised to turn her into a strong opponent. If she got easily distracted over a boy then what else was she going to be distracted by? He knew she had problems with her confidence. Shyness was not something doable by ninja standards. He was going to have to push her. "Gin is up first," he said. Gin looked at him in shock.

Rock Lee looked down his line of combatants. Who was he going to send against Gin?Shikamaru is challenging Gin to not limit herself. So I will do the same. "I will send Takeru to fight her," he said. The black haired boy stood up.

Gin stood in the training ring looking at Takeru. Takeru's main jutsu consisted of using fire at his opponents. How was she going to beat him? Plants burned in fire. She swallowed hard. Shikamaru told them to begin. Gin was hesitant. Was she supposed to come at Takeru first?

Takeru had to do it. He knew he had to. Gin was always shy at the Ninja Academy. He was going to have to break her out of her shell, or Gin was going to be doomed in her training. Takeru ran at her with his arms out. The girl stood in front of him with wide eyes. "Gin, you're supposed to defend yourself!"

Gin snapped out of it. Takeru was fast. She moved her body back as he came towards her, redoubling her footwork and shifting her weight to get out of his front assault. She took off running away from him. Takeru was chasing her. Gin started to perform hand seals at the same time Takeru was moving his hands. He was trying to nail her. Gin had to prove that she could defend herself.

Takeru's hands stopped on the sign for 'tiger'. "Fire jutsu," he yelled as he ran behind Gin. He said it loud enough for her to be aware that he was right behind her. Takeru took a deep breath, held it, and let it go. A large stream of fire erupted.

Gin went to the ground as fast as she could. She covered her head. A large stream of fire was being projected. She looked up to see the flames licking the space where she had been seconds before. Takeru was not holding back. Gin started to form hand seals as quickly as she could. Takeru was not going to let her recover so easily. He was a Uchiha. Gin had to concentrate hard. She didn't want Takeru to know what jutsu she was going to use against him.

Takeru kept his fire stream as active as he could. He wanted Gin to muster up her strength and fight him. Just as he was running out of air to keep pulling off his jutsu, a huge tree shot out of the ground in front of Gin. The tree was a massive oak. It grew in size and thickness reaching to the heavens as Takeru's fire was blocked. I'll be damned. She came up with a solution to protect herself.

As the tree grew, Gin got to her feet. Alright, Takeru. You may think I'm shy and that I can't defend myself, but let's see what your fire jutsu can do against nature. She hopped into the tree. Gin looked down at him. Takeru had no idea she was directly above him. His fire soon stopped. Takeru had run out of breath to pull it off. Gin closed her eyes. "Please, Mr. Oak, I beg of you guide me with the courage I need to defend my opponent," she said softly holding her hands in front of her body, concentrating.

Takeru looked around the base of the tree. Gin wasn't there. "If she's going to hide, I'm going to quit. It's supposed to be a training session." He turned around to look at his team and Lee sensei.

Eiyu stood up. He pointed at something in the training circle. "Takeru, you idiot! Don't take your eyes off of your opponent," he yelled at his comrade. Takeru's head flipped around at the worst possible moment. The tree that was in front of him was alive. A huge branch swooped down and swatted at him. Eiyu watched in painful horror as Takeru went flying to the other side of the circle. Takeru's body rolled and slid on the dirt.

Gin breathed out slowly. She didn't mean to hurt Takeru. He laid on the ground his form not moving. Oh, no. What have I done? I didn't mean to hurt him. She watched as Lee sensei and Shikamaru sensei came to the edge of the circle trying to see if Takeru was moving at all.

Saori came running over, too. She looked up at Gin. Gin was watching them in horror. The tree branch that hit Takeru was massive. Gin wasn't as weak as they all thought she was. "Takeru, get up! You can't let a piece of wood defeat you! Get up!" She watched Takeru's arm move. He was slowly twitching. "Did she only knock the wind out of him?"

Shikamaru was watching Takeru. "No, she hurt him. I don't know how badly. He shouldn't have taken his eyes off of her. Gin uses plants a lot to make up for the physical strength she lacks. Imagine getting hit with a house, Saori. That's exactly what Gin threw at him. I think she was trying to prove that she's capable of defending herself against him."

Gin sat on the branch, her hand moving up to muffle her sounds. Takeru was injured. She had done it. She hadn't meant to. Takeru wasn't getting up. His arm was moving, but that was all. Gin watched as Lee sensei hopped over the ring to check on Takeru. "Please, be okay," she said softly as a tear escaped her eye.

Lee bent down to examine Takeru. The boy had blood coming out of his mouth. "Takeru, look at me." Takeru weakly turned his head to look up at him. "Where did the branch make contact?"

Takeru felt terrible. His abdomen hurt worse than anything he had ever felt before. He coughed spitting out blood. "Daises shouldn't hurt this badly," he said trying to make light of the situation. Lee looked down at him baffled to why he would wish to joke at a time like this. "It… hit my abdomen," he said gruffly.

"Is he alright," Shikamaru called. Saori was watching Lee sensei and Takeru quite intently. Eiyu and Kandai were looking at them, too, but Areku was looking up into the tree, his eyes focused on Gin.

"I have no idea. His abdomen was hit hard by the branch, but I think it scrambled his brain. Takeru said that daises shouldn't hurt that badly," Lee yelled back to Shikamaru.

"Oh, he's an idiot," Saori said. She crossed her eyes. Boys were something else. Then again, it was Takeru, after all. Maybe Takeru is saying that so Gin won't feel so badly. I don't know whose going to end up with him, but she's going to be a lucky girl.

Lee bent over and hoisted Takeru up onto his back. "I didn't think today's training was going to be this intense. I guess you're going to the medic, Takeru."

Takeru grumbled. "Why did I have to get beat up on the first day? Especially by Gin Akimichi?" His father was going to scold him for not paying attention. It was the most important rule in ninja training. Younever look away from an opponent – no matter who it is.

"I'm going to go ahead and call it, Lee," Shikamaru said as Lee walked over with Takeru. "Gin wins this round. Although, she doesn't seem to be too happy." He looked up to see Gin hiding her face on the bark of the tree, her back turned towards them. "Could someone please go get her? We'll take a break before anyone goes in next."

Eiyu got up. He supposed he could go get her. He walked into the circle. Gin was crying. That was obvious. He climbed into the tree. "Gin, Takeru's not hurt that badly. You can come down." He crouched beside her. Eiyu could see the tears dropping onto the branch.

Gin kept her face hidden. "I didn't mean to hurt Takeru. I only wanted him to realize that I'm not as weak as everyone thinks I am. Everyone thinks I can't defend myself, Eiyu. I may not be physically strong as everyone else, but it's not everything. Shikamaru sensei said brains take more ability than physical strength."

Eiyu reached up petting her brown head. "Yes, that's true. It takes brains and physical strength to pull off jutsus of any kind. Some opponents are nothing more than brawn without brains. Others are more cunning and harder to get past. He is teaching you well. He's a good trainer, but… you shouldn't let it bother you when you win, Gin. Winning means you've done your job."

Gin turned around to look at him sadly. "Is Takeru going to be okay? I don't want him to think badly of me. I only wanted him to dodge the branch. I didn't know he was going to turn around like he did."

Eiyu nodded slowly. "He'll be alright. I think he's more worried about what Sasuke sensei will say regarding his lack of focus. Takeru made two bad decisions. One: he doubted your abilities. Two: he got distracted. Those are things you should never do when facing someone. You should always respect your enemy for their training and abilities. It helps you to learn and makes you grow stronger."

"Eiyu, do you think I'm dangerous," she asked shyly. She watched his confusion on the subject. "Using plants to do the work for me is cowardly. That's what some of the girls said about me at the Academy. They also said it wasn't natural for me to have that kind of power over nature."

"Those girls were idiots," Eiyu said. "It takes more focus to use the materials around you than it does to use the ones you are already given. Who can I use for an example?" Eiyu had to think a moment. "Ah, I know who. Look at Daiya. He harnesses electrical currents in his body right?" She nodded. "Well, the abilities he possesses are often associated with storms. He's able to use the natural elements around him and increase his power against an enemy. That's why he carries those metal rods in a case on his back. The metal rods he uses helps him direct the electrical currents and increases his attack distance. He can also use the metal on a person, or in a surrounding area to help pull off his attacks. Do you know of anyone else who is like that?"

"Hire uses mud that she finds in the earth to help mold her Minotaur," Gin said remembering. "It's some sort of creature that comes out of the ground to attack her opponents. It helps take the blows of an enemy and also distracts them long enough so she can plan her next move."

"Yes, that's correct, but who else can use something found in nature," Kandai said as he flipped over above Eiyu and Gin. He smiled at them as his long hair came down tickling Gin's legs. "Nature isn't all flowers, minerals, water, or air."

Gin blushed. Kandai was slightly teasing her. She looked up at him as he smiled at her. "Kandai, you're teasing me," she said looking away.

"Yes, I am," Kandai admitted happily. "I was wondering if you were going to catch onto who I was talking about." He laughed at her. "Idai uses sound to move an opponent back, or stop them from advancing. I've seen him use the swords he carries on his back before. He's really good." Kandai stopped as he noticed Eiyu's unhappy face. "Eiyu, please don't hold a grudge against him. He was only trying to get away from me. He was kind of protecting Gin."

Gin's eyes widened. She had forgotten about how Idai had hoisted her up and carried her as they ran from Kandai. She didn't know why Idai had done it, but he had tried to save her from Kandai coming in contact with her. At the time, Idai had viewed Kandai as a threat. "Kandai, is your arm still hurting you? I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to get away on my own. I think that's why Idai decided to help me."

Eiyu turned to face Gin again. "Gin, we don't think you're weak. Knock it off with that. We just want you to do the best you can for yourself. That's what friends want. If we didn't think you had any right to be a ninja, we wouldn't talk to you at all. We'd simply ignore you or let you stay depressed."

Kandai smiled a little. He was embarrassed at how direct Eiyu was. "I think Eiyu is trying to say that we don't like to hear you putting yourself down. He also means that if you want to reach your goals, you need to try harder – that's all."

"Are you three going to play 'Monkey in a Tree' all day, or can we train some more," Saori yelled to them. What were they doing up there? She tapped her foot impatiently. "I'm waiting!"

"We're coming, puppet girl," Eiyu said. He had picked up the nickname from Ryu. By the looks of it, it wasn't a welcomed nickname with Saori. She was stomping the ground.

As the three of them came off of the tree, the tree cracked. Eiyu and Kandai watched as the tree went back into the ground, reversing itself from its large form to that of a seedling once again. "So that's how you get rid of it," Eiyu said.

Gin smiled at him. "I didn't throw any seeds to use. Takeru's fire wouldn't let me move, so I managed to find one seedling in the ground around me. I had to think quickly, so I used what I had."

"That's quick thinking," Shikamaru said to Gin. He tapped the side of his head. "It's always important to use this when you think you don't have a chance against someone. Too bad Takeru didn't use his."

"Isn't that the child's blessing," Areku said as he stood with his arms crossed. "Takeru still thinks like a boy instead of a man." He rolled his eyes.

"That's not such a bad thing," Shikamaru said looking at his student. "Kids shouldn't grow up too fast. We place too much emphasis on becoming an adult sooner than remaining a child for the time allowed."

"I like Takeru. He has a good heart," Kandai said in Takeru's defense. "You shouldn't speak ill of him, Areku. Takeru would never hurt someone unless they became his enemy. He doesn't believe a person is capable of being cruel, or having those sorts of intentions."

"That in itself is part of Takeru's gullibility," Eiyu said. "We've known him for a long time and he's still a kid at heart. I know he's not old enough yet to understand. He has no idea the kind of cruel people that are out there. We'll all have to face them. That's why we train."

Shikamaru nodded. "That's right. No one knows what the future holds. The future is an uncertain thing. The reason we train is to protect each other. Always find something meaningful in life and hold on to it the best you can. If you let it slip through your fingers, it seeps into the ground and is never found again."

Saori looked up at her father. Is that why her father was always scolding her when she was being too pushy, or demanding? Was he trying to protect her? Was Saori that out-of-control with herself? Saori looked away at the training ring. "I guess I can go next, but I can't use Rose. Ever since Daiya fried her, her mechanisms aren't working properly."

"That will teach you about seeking revenge on someone," Shikamaru said turning into her father once again. He looked at her seriously. "You shouldn't let Ryu get you so easily. You need to have more self-control, Rascal."

"He likes her," Kandai said chirping to the opportunity. "That's why he picks on her." He looked at Saori smiling. "Boys are stupid like that. He's only doing it to get your attention. He might not know any other way to get a response out of you, Saori."

Gin wondered why Kandai was saying that. Did Ryu actually like Saori? They had fought at the hot springs quite a few times. She looked at Saori.

Saori looked at Kandai oddly. "Ryu doesn't like anybody. He's a loner. He prefers it that way. He only mildly talks to Takeru. "She started to think back to how Ryu had been approaching her lately. It was partly Saori's fault. She had first met him and wondered about him and was only trying to get to know him because he seemed... mysterious. Saori's face flushed. Did she like Ryu?

Shikamaru pushed Saori into the training area. "Go train with Kandai. You two can use this opportunity to understand how the other works." He didn't know if he was prepared for Saori dating. She was his baby girl. Shikamaru sighed as he watched his daughter stand in front of Kandai. I don't know if I'm able to handle the mere thought of Saori hooking up with Ryu. That boy is so unattached from everything around him.

Kandai smiled at Saori as he stood in front of her. "How are you going to fight me without Rose? You're a puppet master," he said. He watched Saori ponder for a moment.

"Just because I can't use Rose doesn't mean I'm at a disadvantage," Saori told her friend. "Rose is a ninja tool just like any other. I have other tools." She smiled at him slyly. Kandai was underestimating her. Didn't her dad just explain that that wasn't a wise move?

Kandai Hyuga ran at Saori with his arms behind him. When he came within range of the blond haired girl he moved his right arm out, swinging it towards her body, his palm face up to push her back. He wanted to see Saori could avoid the side hit.

Saori smiled as she saw Kandai coming at her. This was going to be an interesting demonstration. She knew his moves before he executed them. He and Eiyu fought pretty much the same. That was the problem with twins. Saori Nara smirked as she moved her body to the right suddenly to avoid his hit. Kandai kept punching at her with each of his palms. Saori dodged each hit. She flexed her hands out sending her chakra strings towards the ground. Kandai was not paying attention to her hand movements. He was too focused on trying to hit her body.

Kandai found it only fitting that Saori was as fast as her father when it came to avoiding a frontal assault. He turned his body, rotating as a blast of chakra came out in a whirlpool. Saori didn't expect that to happen. He watched as she came off of her feet and slid on her back.

Saori swore under her breath. Maybe fighting Kandai was not going to be that easy. However, her chakra strings were still in the ground. She shot them towards Kandai. The chakra strings moved through the earth then came rising up under Kandai's feet. She tensed her fingers, spreading them out causing the strings to latch onto Kandai's legs. "Got you now," she said. Saori pulled moving her arms back. Kandai's legs were pulled out from underneath him. He went to the ground and fell backwards.

Kandai was on his back before he blinked. His head hit the ground. For a moment, he blacked out. It was long enough. Saori was on top of him in a second, her kunai drawn and aimed at his throat. He blinked. She was taking it seriously.

"Sorry, Kandai," Saori said apologetically. "Unless you know how to get out of this without getting your throat slit, I win this round." She watched him just stare at her.

"I suppose you're right. I mistook you for being at a disadvantage without Rose. I didn't know you could still use the chakra strings," Kandai said. Saori moved back withdrawing her kunai from his throat. "Fair is fair. You win."

"He gives up too easily," Areku said. He was watching Kandai stand up. Saori was moved back, her weapon retrieved and put back into its proper place.

"He should have turned slightly and kicked her in the side," Eiyu said. He wasn't happy with his brother, either. Kandai had the bad habit of letting his opponent get the better of him. He glanced at Areku. "I suppose it's our turn."

Areku and Eiyu stepped into the training area. Areku was unarmed for the most part. Eiyu knew Kiba sensei had Akamaru for a companion and to help him fight in battles. He wondered why Areku didn't have a canine yet. "Areku, why are you fighting alone?"

Areku found the question odd. He raised a brow at Eiyu. "There isn't a dog available yet in our clan for me to choose. None of the females have had puppies. My dad is supposed to take me, eventually, to get one. I don't know when though. Why are you asking?"

"I just thought it was odd that you didn't have a pet, or companion like Akamaru yet," Eiyu said. He watched as Areku stayed poised. Eiyu hadn't meant anything by it. It was just that having an animal as a partner was a strong advantage.

"I assure you I can fight without a partner," Areku said lowly. He didn't know if Eiyu was taking him seriously or not. Areku narrowed his eyes. He went running at Eiyu throwing two kunai at his training partner. Eiyu threw two shurikan at the kunai. Areku watched as his kunai were deflected by the shurikan.

Eiyu moved back sliding as Areku came at him, his claws out swiping the air where Eiyu had been momentarily. Areku was strong physically like his father, even though, he didn't rely on it. He was the type of guy to rely on his head as well. Eiyu had to do something about avoiding Areku's razor sharp nails.

Areku came at Eiyu again. He lifted his left arm swiping an upper cut towards Eiyu's face. Eiyu moved back as expected. Areku twisted his body to the right, placing his hand on the ground as his legs came up. He started to rotate his body, his legs spread out to kick at Eiyu.

Eiyu tilted his spine backwards to avoid Areku's kicks. It was harder considering the other boy was coming at him as fast as he was. Eiyu had to move his legs out of Areku's arm reach and avoid the attempted blows at his face.

"How is Eiyu going to keep avoiding Areku? He's awfully fast," Gin said as she watched Eiyu get hit by one of Areku's kicks. Areku righted himself upright as Eiyu went flying. Gin gasped. Eiyu slid on his side away from Areku.

"Still think I need a partner," Areku said challenging the other boy. "I'm fine without a canine. Imagine what it would be like if I had one though." He ran at Eiyu. He wasn't going to let the boy get up. Areku threw a kunai at Eiyu's leg.

Eiyu saw the kunai coming. He had to react or it was going to get lodged in his leg. He placed both of his hands on the ground and then twisted his body insanely fast. Eiyu started to force his chakra out as he came off of the ground. The kunai that Areku had sent towards him was forced back. It clinked on the ground. "Nice try, Areku. Maybe you shouldn't underestimate me, either."

"Eiyu deflected Areku's kunai," Gin said amazed.

"That's the specialty our father teaches us," Kandai told her. "It's something only the Hyuga clan knows how to do. I wish I was as good as Eiyu."

Shikamaru bopped Kandai on the head. "Stop wishing and start doing. You give up too easily, Kandai. If you're going to be on my team, you must try the best you can. If you have a problem with strength, we can adjust that, but it won't be tolerated next time you fight in a training session."

Kandai blinked at the hit from Shikamaru sensei. He supposed Shikamaru was right. Why should Eiyu be better than him? Brothers often competed for their father's approval. Eiyu was recognized because he was stronger, not because he was older. Kandai was older than Eiyu by a few minutes. He watched as Eiyu and Areku called it a truce. They had been training most of the day with the other team. The day was getting late.

"Alright, you guys. That's enough for today. I'm going to go ahead and dismiss all of you. Lee probably won't be coming back with Takeru. He's probably going to be escorted home," Shikamaru said. "Gin, stop feeling bad about it. For the last time, it wasn't your fault. Takeru was not paying attention. It was his fault. You did what you were supposed to in order to outthink an opponent. You guys keep working hard and you'll reach your goal of becoming a Shinobi."

The teams split and everyone started to walk home. Saori looked up at her father as they walked to their house. She thought her dad was pretty cool, despite him being as laid back as he was. Saori smiled a little. Shikamaru reached up and pressed her head to his side as they walked. It doesn't matter how old I get, I'm still his baby. She liked that most about her dad. "Say, Dad, when we get home do you want to play a quick game of chess?"

Shikamaru looked down at her. "Chess isn't a quick game, but if you mean play until dinner is ready, I can do that." He petted her head absentmindedly before withdrawing his hand. "Your friend Gin sure took to heart what she had done to Takeru. She needs to be more worried about her training. I know she lacks confidence in herself. We need to try and push her a little," he told Saori.

Saori looked away. "Gin's always been like that. I think she's holding back a lot. I think she's afraid of hurting someone critically, or what others may think of her. She ought to be proud of the talent she has. Gin's a smart girl."

"That she is, but she needs to learn when to go for it, too," Shikamaru said. "I'd hate to see her hold back on an enemy and for her to get seriously injured. It's not just herself that she needs to protect. She needs to protect her team. I don't think she realizes that."

"Probably not," Saori said sulking as she sighed. Gin has to try harder, or dad is going to recommend she takes extra training from someone else. I can't exactly see Gin taking direction from Sasuke sensei, Lee sensei, or Kiba sensei. She'd be scared to death of Sasuke sensei. He's very direct. Lee sensei wouldn't match with her because she lacks strong taijutsu and force. Kiba sensei would probably encourage her, but he has Idai and she'd be distracted. It's a no-win situation. Gin has to do better for herself. I don't want to see her fail.

Eiyu glanced at Kandai as they walked to the Hyuga compound. "What are you thinking about Kandai? Usually you're talking about something," he said to his twin. Kandai was in thought, looking at the ground as they walked.

"I got in trouble with Shikamaru sensei," Kandai said softly. "Father won't be pleased." He didn't look at Eiyu. It was embarrassing that it was that noticeable that he wasn't trying hard enough.

Eiyu glanced at his twin. "It's not like you to get in trouble, Kandai. What did you get scolded for?" He watched Kandai avert his eyes totally, looking to the left as they walked down the road. "Kandai," Eiyu said forcefully.

Kandai sighed. Eiyu wasn't going to let him get away with avoiding the subject. "Shikamaru sensei scolded me for not trying hard enough. He said that if I wanted to be like you, that I needed to stop giving up so easily."

"Who said you wanted to be like me," Eiyu asked. He watched as Kandai looked at him a moment then looked away again. Kandai was walking slower than him. Eiyu had never seen his brother depressed before. Kandai was always so happy and calm.

"I did. I see how father looks at you," Kandai said. "He notices how hard you try. I'm not anything like you. I'm a different person. I want to achieve my own goals, not what is set for us." He didn't know what Eiyu would think of him saying something like that.

"Kandai, no one is asking you to do what they want. Father wants us to try hard and do what we have to so we can meet our goals. He isn't telling us what directions to take. I don't know why you think that. And I'm not sure why you admire me. I only train as much as I do because I have nothing else to do. You're well liked with the other students and they enjoy your company. I'm alone for the most part. No one understands me. At least, don't despise me for that, Kandai."

Kandai looked at Eiyu. Eiyu was walking with a sad face. He had caused his brother to open himself. He didn't know how painful it was for Eiyu. Kandai didn't realize Eiyu wasn't well liked. He thought Eiyu stayed by himself because he wasn't willing to get to know anybody. "Eiyu, didn't you have fun with Ryu, Daiya, and Takeru?"

Eiyu pondered. "I guess I did. All we did was talk a bit other than running from Hire." He didn't know what Kandai was getting at.

"If they didn't want you around, they wouldn't have spent time with you. I know Takeru is on your team, but Ryu and Daiya aren't. Takeru seems to be making friends with a lot of people and getting everyone involved with each other. He normally only talked to Gin, Masaru, and us at the beginning."

"It seems Takeru is wiser than I thought," Eiyu said. "I guess I could take my nose out of my book for a while and interact. It wouldn't kill me." Kandai smiled at his brother.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Ms. Izumi. Takeru had an accident during training today," Lee said as he took his shoes off at the entrance. He was carrying Takeru on piggyback. Takeru was embarrassed for sure.

Izumi looked at her son. "What did you do to yourself?" She watched him blush and turn away. "Takeru?"

"I didn't do it. Gin did," Takeru said. He didn't know what his mother was going to say.

"Gin? Gin Akimichi? The little shy girl from the Ninja Academy," Izumi said bewildered. "She beat you up?"

"Not exactly," Lee said as he stepped up. "Gin and Takeru were training together today. Gin tried to get away from Takeru's fire jutsu and formed a tree in the middle of the training area. When she did, she disappeared into the tree to surprise Takeru. Takeru turned around at the wrong moment and Gin swatted him with the tree's branch." Lee walked to where Izumi was pointing. He went into the room to drop Takeru on the bed.

"Ah, I see," Izumi said. "So a girl got you, Takeru. What would your father say about you ignoring an opponent? You know better than that." Takeru wouldn't look at her. He put his pillow on his face to hide. "How badly is he hurt?" Izumi wasn't exactly pleased with him either. They had taught him to never look away. It meant life or death in a fight.

"The branch hit his abdomen. He is heavily bruised, but there are no serious wounds," Lee said. "Takeru, I would advise you to take it easy, but that is for Sasuke to determine. He may not let you get by with what happened."

"I don't think he will," Izumi said. "Takeru's been training with me since he was able to comprehend the techniques. Sasuke took over when Takeru was five. There is no excuse for sustaining an injury such as this."

Lee nodded. A dark headed girl was peeking around the corner. He turned his full attention to her. The girl's hand was holding onto the doorframe, her yellow eyes watching all the while. She was very quiet. That is an unusual girl. "Hello," Lee said. The girl moved back quickly. He watched as she peeked around at them again.

Izumi looked up. "Onari, you don't have to be scared of Lee. He's Takeru's trainer. You can stop hiding around the door," she said softly.

Onari moved around a bit. She stood in the door far enough away from Lee. After all, she didn't know him. Onari looked at Takeru. "Takeru hurt?"

"Yes, he has a hurt," Izumi said choosing words the girl understood. "Don't jump on Takeru today. He'll scream like a baby."

Lee watched as Onari tilted her head left and right. He wondered why this girl spoke like she did. He was curious, but not enough to question Izumi outright about Onari.

"Takeru baby," Onari repeated.

Takeru took the pillow off of his face. "'Ri, I am not a baby," he said through his teeth. His mother just had to choose those kinds of words with Onari. Now Onari had picked up teasing. Great.

Onari lifted her finger. She pointed at Takeru. "Takeru baby boy. Takeru Izumi baby," she said smiling at him. Onari giggled her cute little laugh. He couldn't exactly move to do anything about it. She had the upper hand right now.

Takeru flopped back. "Thanks, Mom," he said sarcastically. Onari was still laughing at him.

"Oh, I forgot," Izumi said pounding her fist into her hand. "Lee, Onari is the girl we took in. She doesn't speak a lot of Japanese. That's why we have to choose what to say to her. It's a bit of a chore to get her to understand. I should have told you that from the beginning." She looked at his confused face.

Lee put up a hand. "It's alright. I kind of figured it out by listening to her talk. She talks really fast. I wonder why that is."

Onari looked around the room, her eyes darting everywhere. She was taking in everything around her. Her head flipped around as the front door opened. Sasuke was home. She ran off to greet him. As Sasuke took his shoes off, Onari tugged on his sleeve. "Sasuke, Takeru baby. Izumi say Onari no jump Takeru."

Sasuke raised a brow. "I'm guessing Takeru is hurt. At least, that's what I think you're trying to say." He walked with Onari to Takeru's room. He found Izumi talking with Lee. As soon as he entered to greet them, Takeru looked away ashamed. "What is this about Takeru being a baby?"

"Takeru got injured during training today. He looked away and it seems Gin Akimichi wounded him," Izumi said crossing her arms. It was not something to be proud of. Ninja never underestimated their opponents.

"I should be going," Lee said feeling the tension in the air. He waved to Izumi and Sasuke. He was going to say 'goodbye' to Onari but the girl darted down the hall to avoid him. He watched as she went into her room, but peered out to watch him leave. It will be interesting seeing how she interacts with the others if Sasuke can get her to do so.

Sasuke walked towards Takeru. He was still averting his eyes. "Takeru, look at me." Takeru shyly looked up at him. "As long as you've been training with me and your mother, you know better. The wound you sustained ought to teach you a lesson. You'll be allowed to remain in bed for the time being, but if this happens again, you will walk it off." Takeru grimaced. He must be in a fair amount of pain. I could make him endure it, but he needs to think about why he made such a poor decision.

"Onari, stop peeking in the room," Izumi said catching the girl. "Just for that, you can go outside to the garden. I'll train you until it's time for dinner. Baby Takeru won't be playing any today."

Takeru stared at the wall as his parents left the room. He was deeply ashamed at himself. It could have been much worse if Gin had made the tree apply more force, or if she had chosen another plant – such as a cactus. Gin could use any plant she wanted to aid in her fights. That was something he had forgotten about. She was a handy teammate for the others on Shikamaru's team. "I'm an idiot," he said softly.

Takeru slept for a while to work off some of the pain he was feeling. He wasn't able to get up for dinner so he had to wait until everyone was finished to eat. It was part of his punishment. He wasn't getting any special treatment from his parents. They were not happy with him.

Onari crawled towards Takeru's bed. He didn't even hear her come in. She balanced a tray of food on her head. Onari took the tray off and put it on the sheets. Takeru wasn't paying her any mind. She cocked her head at him. He was staring at the wall. Onari moved over to be in his view. "Onari better see than wall," she said looking at him seriously. Takeru looked at her sadly. "Takeru sad?" He didn't answer. "Takeru baby?" Takeru ignored her. Onari reached forward touching his face her eyes looking into his. "Izumi Sasuke no mad Takeru. Izumi Sasuke sad Takeru hurt. Takeru listen. Takeru look. Takeru take care Takeru, yes?"

Takeru wondered how he was one of the few people that understood the girl in front of him. Despite her broken speech and broken dialect, he understood every twist, every turn, and every dip that she issued to get her point across. He reached up to touch her cheek. They had gotten rather close in the past few months. Takeru played with her every afternoon and had bonded with her. Yet, Onari wasn't like a sister to him. She was something unexplainable. He didn't know what though. "Yes, Takeru has to take care of Takeru and Onari," he said softly.

Onari tilted her head at him. She leaned her cheek into his hand watching him. She was trying to figure out what he meant by him saying he was going to take care of her. "Takeru Onari baby?"

Takeru smirked. "No, 'Ri. You're mine," he said softly as he propped himself on his elbows. Takeru leaned towards her. Onari stayed remotely still as he kissed her forehead. The girl closed her eyes. He knew she didn't understand. And if his parents ever caught on to understanding, he was a dead man.


	27. Chapter 27

**V 3 ch 7**

**Hesitation and Aggression**

"Come on, Daiya, it'll be fun. I promise we won't harass you too much," Takeru said putting his hands up in a prayer. He was watching the boy he had been buddies with on the hot spring vacation. Daiya had opened up a little to him and Ryu. He was trying to get Daiya more involved with him because he wanted to be friends with him. Daiya had always stayed to himself at the Academy. Takeru didn't know why. He didn't know if he was afraid of the other students or if Daiya simply didn't trust anyone.

Daiya Eimino looked at Takeru Uchiha like he was crazy. "Why do you want me around? I don't really know you." He stood with his body tense, gray stormy eyes watching Takeru. Daiya was cautious of the other children. He had spent some time with Takeru on the vacation they took, but he didn't really know the boy. He stayed to himself like he always did in the past.

Takeru opened his eyes to look at Daiya baffled. "I like you. You're a nice guy. Why wouldn't I want you around? You're fun." He watched Daiya simply look at him blankly. There was no emotion on his face. Takeru didn't understand why Daiya was pushing him off. "Why are you so resentful of others?"

Daiya averted his eyes from Takeru. "I don't trust anyone. I have no reason to. And I'm not fun. I'm just myself." He didn't look at Takeru. He didn't know why the Uchiha boy was so nice or accepting of others. He wasn't used to that. No one had bothered to mess with him before. It was just chance that he had been paired with the other boy for the vacation.

"Daiya, in all fairness, you have to give someone a chance sometime. You can't be alone forever," Takeru said. "You are fun. You just don't see what I do." He smiled at him. Daiya glanced at him not understanding. "Come on, Daiya. It'll just be me, you, and Ryu. You know who we are," he said practically begging.

"Begging is pathetic," Daiya said bluntly with no emotion in his voice. "Why are you trying so hard to get me to go? I'm not exciting in any regards." He kept his hard gaze on Takeru.

"Why am I trying? You're my friend. Why shouldn't you go," Takeru said looking at him seriously.

Daiya's eyes softened. "I'm… your friend…?" He didn't know why Takeru had chosen to befriend him. At the Academy, Takeru kept to himself only speaking to a few other students he knew through his parents. Daiya had been found and taken to the Hidden Leaf Village shortly after his mother was killed. No one had bothered to take him in. He had lived on his own for the past seven years.

"Yes, you're my friend. It's not that hard to fathom, Daiya. I thought you were smarter than me. You talk like an adult. I'm not that hard to understand," Takeru said as he watched the boy.

"But… why am… I… your friend..," Daiya asked not understanding at all. He tensed more as Takeru stepped a few feet closer. Daiya watched the boy put his hand out to him. What was he supposed to do?

"Are you that afraid of me? You're older than me, right? I'm not going to hurt you," Takeru said leaving his hand in the air. He figured Daiya didn't understand. Takeru had never seen Daiya touch anyone. The boy from the lightening country avoided speaking to anyone and didn't meet anyone's gaze if he could help it. "You're supposed to shake hands. It's what people do to introduce themselves." Daiya was so cautious; he only stared at Takeru's hand. "Daiya, I promise I won't hurt you. You can fry me all you like if I do."

Daiya looked at Takeru's hand afraid. The last person who had touched him was his mother. She had abused him his entire life. Daiya was worried that if he touched Takeru that there was something else to follow – something bad. He slowly lifted his arm. His hand shook as he tried to force his fingers to outstretch. Takeru was only watching him, giving him a chance. Daiya didn't know if he could do it. He wanted to believe there was someone who did want to get to know him. Was Takeru that person?

Takeru was looking at Daiya's shaking hand. He's completely afraid of me. He's afraid to touch me. Did... something happen to him that causes him to be alone? Takeru made sure he didn't move a muscle. If he did, Daiya would become more afraid. Daiya's eyes were closed. His facial expression told Takeru that he was fighting himself. Come on, Daiya, just grab my hand. I'm not going to hurt you, but you don't know that, do you? I wish I knew why you are so afraid of others.

Daiya was getting angry at himself. He was stronger than this. It was only a hand. He could grab it. You idiot. He's not moving. He's not trying to attack you. Takeru isn't saying anything cruel. He's just standing there. Do it! Daiya swung his arm out to the right of his body then back to the left. Daiya's hand met Takeru's. Takeru was not hurting him. He opened his eyes slowly to look at the other boy.

"Okay," Takeru said smiling at him. He was proud of Daiya. It had taken major guts for him to overstep the boundaries he kept for himself. "You're my friend. And I'm yours." He looked at Daiya sincerely.

Daiya watched as Takeru shook his hand. "Wh-What does.. that mean exactly?" Takeru's hand was warm and had feeling to it. The Uchiha boy's grasp was firm, but not threatening.

"It means that I would do anything for you, stupid," Takeru said continuing to smile at him. "As my friend, it means you're entitled to mess up and get in trouble with me and Ryu." He laughed.

Daiya tilted his head slightly. Takeru was not letting go of his hand. Why is he so nice? I don't understand this type of person. Daiya watched as Takeru turned around. The boy still had a hold of his hand. Daiya slightly blushed.

Takeru pulled him gently. "Come on," he coaxed. "We're going to the river to practice water walking. I don't know how to do it yet. Do you? Ryu's going to train me on it. I'll probably fall in."

‑ Daiya let Takeru lead him. He didn't know where the river was. He mainly stayed in his single dorm room, or he was in a tree staying to himself. He had spent so much time alone that Daiya hadn't thought of exploring the other areas of Konoha. "Water walking? What is.. water walking?"

"It's a technique that lets you balance yourself on the surface of water with your chakra. Ryu knows how to do it because my dad taught him. He agreed to teach me and you. It looks easy, but it's not because water is always moving. You have to learn to adjust your chakra flow with the movement of the water."

Daiya's eyes remained focus on Takeru's hand attached to his. The boy was only leading him, but to Daiya it was something more. Takeru wasn't ashamed to be around him. Daiya absentmindedly squeezed Takeru's hand. He didn't want to be let go. He wanted to know Takeru was really there.

Takeru felt Daiya squeeze his hand. His eyes got a little wide at the surprise of it, but he smiled softly. Daiya didn't really want to be a loner. It was a choice that he had had to deal with. Daiya really wanted attention and to have others around him. Takeru kept his hand attached to Daiya's the entire time they walked to the river.

Ryu yawned softly as he sat on a small boulder, his chin in the palm of his hand. He had been training all morning by himself. His mother was a great Genjutsu user. He felt he needed to be as good as her. It was exhausting. He noticed two figures coming towards him. Ryu tilted his head. So he did convince Daiya to come. Takeru is an interesting kid. Daiya doesn't seem to welcome the idea of anyone getting close to him.

"Hey, Ryu, guess who I have," Takeru said happily. Daiya shrunk back hiding behind Takeru as they stopped. Ryu was watching both of them. "Daiya, Ryu isn't going to hurt you."

"You think he would realize that with us being on the same team," Ryu said. "You don't trust anyone. It's noticeable. I don't mind it, but it will only get in the way of you learning." He watched Daiya give him the usual blank expression he had become to know since the Academy Finals.

Daiya watched Ryu from afar. Takeru was standing in front of him glancing at him. "I'm not afraid of you. I don't understand you," he said seriously. Ryu was odd. He was two years older than Daiya and had free reign for someone with a parent. He didn't understand that at all.

"If you're not afraid of me, come here," Ryu challenged. He was testing Daiya. If the boy couldn't trust him as a team mate, then he wasn't going to be able to do what Ryu asked of him on missions, or during training sessions. He was giving his time freely to them to help them. Ryu watched as Daiya weighed out the situation. He was looking around to see if anyone was hiding out here with them. "No, no one is out here but us," Ryu said. "Come here, Daiya," he said calmly.

Takeru watched as Daiya lowered his head some only looking at Ryu. Daiya was hesitant like always. Takeru was used to seeing him like this. He was the same the entire time at the Academy. Daiya would only do half of his outside training if Kurenai sensei coaxed him a lot. "Ryu is Kurenai sensei's son," Takeru told him. He was trying to make him understand – to help ease the boy.

‑ "You're not a dog and I'm not threatening you. Don't lower your head like a coward," Ryu said calmly. He wasn't advancing towards Daiya or issuing any sort of aggression. "I know you're not used to anyone speaking to you, but you have to understand my position. I'm here to help train you. I'm not here to hurt you."

Daiya slowly walked towards Ryu. Ryu wasn't moving. He was only watching him. Daiya stopped ten feet in front of Ryu. "Better," he asked. Ryu waved him closer. Daiya swallowed. "Why do you want me closer than what I am?"

"How am I supposed to teach you if you can't see what I'm doing," Ryu said. His patience was starting to run out. It was different when he had first met Daiya. He was unknown to the boy, but Daiya had already had quite a few training sessions with Sasuke sensei. They were a team. Daiya had to trust him. "Look, kid, I'm responsible for your existence on the team. The least you can do is come here."

Takeru sweat dropped. "I don't think I would have put it that way, Ryu." He shook his head. Daiya wasn't advancing. Takeru walked towards them. As he did, Daiya's head flipped around to watch him. "Daiya, it's only me. " Daiya's eyes were wide.

"Daiya, don't look at Takeru," Ryu instructed. Daiya looked at Ryu again, but his eyes kept switching back to Takeru's movements. "I know you have trust issues, but it's time you get over them. Takeru is not going to hurt you. Neither am I. Face me like a man and let Takeru approach." Ryu wanted to see if Daiya could follow directions. Takeru was his friend and it was a shame Daiya didn't regard him fully as one.

"B-But," Daiya stuttered. Ryu was the leader of the team. Sasuke sensei had announced it a few days after Daiya had been added. Leaders were responsible for everyone on a mission. Daiya slowly turned around as Ryu's finger pointed to the ground and went in a circle. He had to do what Ryu said. Daiya could hear Takeru moving towards them. His heart was racing anticipating an attack from behind. Daiya closed his eyes; his breathing was quick and shallow.

Takeru looked at Ryu sadly. Daiya appeared to be having anxiety. Ryu shook his head. He wanted Takeru to keep moving. Takeru didn't know about this. Scaring someone wasn't going to help them learn. He didn't know if Ryu was trying to teach Daiya to trust them the hard way or what. Takeru kept walking until he was next to Daiya. Daiya's eyes were closed. Takeru reached for his hand. When his hand came in contact with his, Daiya gasped hard and tensed majorly. "Daiya," he said. The boy opened his eyes and turned his head slowly as if he were being punished. "It's just me."

Ryu got up. He walked over to Daiya and Takeru. Daiya wasn't pushing Takeru off and he was glad for that. He was only watching him. Ryu lifted his hand and placed it on Daiya's head. The boy jumped a little, but it was alright. "See? You have to learn to trust others. Friends don't hurt each other. Enemies do."

Daiya looked up at Ryu slowly. "Y-You.. are .. my friend…?" Ryu nodded. He felt the older boy pet his head. Ryu wasn't hurting him. Neither was Takeru. Friends don't hurt each other. Enemies do. Ryu and Takeru are not hurting me. "Wh-Why..?"

"Why am I your friend? Because it's better to have a lightening user who trusts you than one who doesn't. I don't enjoy electrical shocks," Ryu said laughing as Daiya quirked a brow. "Turkeys smell terrible when overcooked."

Takeru popped his forehead. "Daiya, he's kidding. That's not why. He's only trying to make light of the situation. Ryu is an idiot that way."

Daiya smirked. Ryu was funny. He liked that about the older boy. Ryu didn't like things to be too serious. "So… how much should we cook the turkey?" Takeru started laughing, but Ryu tensed. "Now I made a joke."

"Oh, you just wait," Ryu said looking at Daiya seriously. "Just for that, you can be first." He pointed to the river. "Start trying to walk on it, Daiya Eimino."

Areku sat outside with his father. The situation about how his dad had taken Idai under his wing kind of bothered Areku. He was jealous. Kiba was his father, not Idai's. Idai had Gai. Why was his father finding it necessary to include Idai in everything? There was a reason everyone stayed away from the guy from the sound village. It was because of where he came from. Not to mention that the entire time Idai had been at the Academy, he rarely spoke. The guy kept to himself and never looked at a soul. What was going on in that guy's head? Was he a spy for the sound village? Areku didn't know, but he knew that foreigners couldn't be trusted.

Kiba looked up to see the look on his son's face as he played with Akamaru. The old dog wagged his tail as he rubbed his head roughly. "Areku, what's on your mind?" Areku glanced at him before looking away all of a sudden.

"Nothing," Areku said as he looked away tearing up a stick. He was picking all of the leaves off before he started to crack it in his hands. It helped take his mind off of things. That was one thing. The other was he liked to be destructive. No one cared about twigs and sticks.

"Something is up because you don't usually look away when I talk to you. What is going on with you," He asked as he sat down beside his son. Areku looked away again. That told Kiba that his son was bothered by something. "I can't help unless you tell me, kid."

Areku sighed heavily. He cracked the stick a few times before he answered his father. "Why do you have such a strong interest in Idai?" He was jealous and it showed in his aggressive voice. It disgusted him.

Kiba put his hand on top of Areku's head. "Areku, look, no one likes Idai. I don't know if it's because he comes from the sound village, or because he's as different as can be. There is no reason for any of you guys not to get along. It doesn't matter whose team he's on, you all need to respect each other. If there is hostility amongst the twelve of you, than missions fail and the lives of the people in the hidden leaf village are threatened. We don't train and fight with no purpose. I work hard to teach others how to protect the ones they love. Idai is doing the same."

"Idai is not from our village. Sound-nin cannot be trusted. We were informed about foreigners that we go up against on missions and in battles. I don't trust Idai and I'm not going to lie about it. I have no reason to trust someone who is quiet and cannot look someone straight in the face. He is hiding something. I don't trust anyone that is strange like that. I don't even particularly care for that guy from the lightening country either. He is just as secretive as Idai."

Kiba sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "So you're telling me because someone is different, you won't have anything to do with them?" He looked at Areku with a serious gaze. "I didn't raise you like that, Areku. You need to be more appreciative of the other kids you train with. Everyone that is in training now came from somewhere different – different families- different walks of life. You can't hold it against Idai or Daiya for where they came from. Those two have suffered in the past and did not grow up with a loving family as you did."

Areku looked up at his father, watching him. "Why did they get taken in by people here? Why weren't they taken in by someone in their own country? We've never had foreigners before. Kurenai sensei told us about the other countries surrounding the fire country and how they each had their own agenda. I thought we were supposed to keep our guards up if we were ever attacked and to trust no one. We're ninja."

"Being a ninja doesn't mean we are ruthless individuals, Areku. We all have souls and hearts that abide us in making decisions to benefit the others around us. Idai and Daiya were not fortunate enough to have someone take an interest in them at critical points in their lives. Gai adopted Idai to give him a home. That kid is dealing with a lot under his belt – things I cannot tell you about because I was sworn as his trainer. I don't know too much about Daiya, but his past is just as horrible as Idai's. It isn't fair to hold things against them that you know nothing of, Areku," Kiba said seriously as his father. He didn't want his son to undergo this attitude of his and make it permanent. "You need to be wiser and have more respect for those around you." Kiba knew Shikamaru wouldn't tolerate such behavior out of one of his students.

Areku glanced at his father angrily. "How bad can their pasts be that doesn't let them associate with another person?" He broke the stick in his hands roughly before throwing it aside. It hit the dirt in front of him. He was fed up. No one could give him an answer. He had sought to try and find out more about those two guys, but no one told him anything. They were like some big secret that the village wanted to keep quiet about. He didn't like that at all.

‑ Kiba sighed heavily. "I wish I knew what has gotten into you. You act like you've tried to befriend them and were rejected or something." He caught his son's angry glance before he averted his eyes. "Is that what it is? Who did you try to befriend?"

Areku shook his head. "It's not important. I'm not on a team with either of them and I couldn't be happier about it." He stood up. His father pulled him back down. "Dad, I'm trying to let it go."

"Obviously not since you've let it get to you this badly, Areku," Kiba said sternly. "I don't know why you are worried about either of them. Is it because they are foreigners or because they are hesitant to get to know you?" That seemed to be the key point. Areku's shoulders relaxed. "The reason they are hesitant towards anyone is because they are foreigners in a place they know they aren't being accepted into. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Areku slowly nodded. "I guess so. I'm sorry I've been blinded by jealousy, Dad." He felt his father put his hand on his head. Areku looked up at him, not understanding.

"I know you don't understand. You have a family that loves you and wants you. Those two guys don't. It would be the same if it had been you and you were forced to live in an unknown country with strange people that wanted to get to know you. It would all be confusing and you'd be hesitant as well as guarded to who you could and could not trust."

"So should I keep trying, or not bother?" Areku didn't know which. The one he had tried with was Idai. Idai had looked away instantly when he spoke to him. Areku thought Idai didn't like him, but it wasn't until now, after he thought about it, did any of it make sense. He couldn't remember when he had seen Idai hanging out with anyone at the Academy. He felt silly to regard Idai as an enemy. He supposed his father was trying to reach out to Idai to make him feel more at home since no one had ever done it before.

"I would keep trying, Areku. If they don't recognize that you're trying to be friends with them, at first, they will one day. If you give up that easily on anyone, then maybe your efforts weren't strong enough," Kiba said. "Real friends keep pushing and trying despite the obstacles lay before them." Kiba stood up. "If you have to still get it out of your system, take Akamaru for a walk. He'll appreciate it. You two can cool off a bit before it gets dark."

Areku nodded. "Come on, Akamaru," he said to the old dog. Akamaru walked with him away from the house. Areku supposed he was acting a bit ridiculous about the whole situation. It was no different for anyone that was in the new teams. Everyone had to befriend one another and get along. He knew his father was right. His jealousy over Idai was childish. "Dad's right, Akamaru. I'm being stupid for holding it against Idai. I know I didn't think about what life had been like before he came to live here." Akamaru grunted and talked. "I know I'm being childish. I know I have to grow up." Akamaru grunted and agreed. "Well, now is a good time as any. I don't want to disappoint Dad. I know he likes Idai. He's only doing what is best for him." Akamaru spoke again. "Man, you're as bad as Dad. I understand that. I know I was acting like a child. Get off of my case, Akamaru." Akamaru said something gruff. "You will not! You tell him that and I'll get you for it!" Akamaru said something else. "You do and ‑

I'll tell him where you really were last week when he couldn't find you," Areku said as he narrowed his eyes. The dog retaliated and started to chase him. Areku yelled and ran from him. "Back off, Akamaru! You were asking for it!"

Daiya coughed as he shook the water off of his head. He had fallen into the river quite a few times until he had gotten the hang of water walking. He looked up at Ryu as he instructed Takeru to try harder. Daiya didn't fully understand the two in front of him. They had accepted him without hesitation. It was a first for him. Ryu was an odd sort of guy. He smirked as Takeru fell into the river again. Ryu shook his head at the boy. "Try harder, Takeru," he said softly.

Takeru was trying as hard as he could to balance on the water but it was rather difficult since it moved under his feet. He didn't know how anyone managed to do this. He yelped as he went in again. Takeru's teeth chattered. It was getting rather late in the day for them to keep training like this. "I am, but I can't get the hang of it yet."

"That's what practice is for," Ryu said as he watched Takeru come out of the water disappointed. Takeru was wringing out his shorts. "If you want me to start a fire, I can," he offered.

Takeru shook his head. "No, I messed up so I need to walk home in shame with wet shorts," he said as he looked away. Some techniques took longer than others, but he honestly couldn't get the hang of this one. They had been out here for hours.

"You will get sick," Daiya said. Takeru looked at him. He averted his eyes quickly. It wasn't usually his idea to speak up. "Sorry," he said rather softly.

"Daiya, who do you live with," Ryu asked. The boy from the lightening country looked up, surprised at the question. He looked away ashamed. Ryu didn't understand. Daiya's mood changed all of a sudden at the question.

Takeru noticed what was going on. He walked towards Ryu. "Ryu, Daiya has no family. No one adopted him when he came to the hidden leaf village. So far, me and you are the only friends he has," Takeru whispered. He looked back at Daiya. Daiya wasn't looking at them.

"Oh… I'm sorry, Daiya. I didn't know that," Ryu said apologetically. "If it makes you feel any better, I go home to an empty apartment. My mother is always gone. You can go home with me." Daiya looked at him shyly. "I don't bite. Turkeys don't have teeth," he said pointing to his mouth.

Daiya kept looking at Ryu with a sad expression. He closed his eyes. Daiya took off running away from Ryu and Takeru.

"Daiya, wait," Takeru said as he chased after him. "Daiya!" Daiya wasn't stopping. The boy ran as fast as he could to get away from Takeru. Takeru lost him. Ryu caught up to him. "I don't know where he went." Takeru sighed.

‑ "Did I say something wrong," Ryu asked. Takeru shook his head. "I was offering for him to visit. I know he's cautious of everyone. I didn't think he'd react that way."

"I know you didn't. No one knows what he's been through. I'm really surprised he let me bring him to train. Daiya is secretive for a reason. I just wish I knew what it was," Takeru said. He looked at Ryu. "It's not your fault, Ryu. I can see you're blaming yourself for it."

Ryu crossed his arms as he looked at the ground. "Daiya's on my team. I'm supposed to know about him so I can know what to do in certain situations. It baffles me that your dad doesn't know. "

"Maybe he does. I'm not sure. I'd hate to ask him. If he learns something about a student, usually it's kept hidden from the rest of us for a really good reason," Takeru said unhappily. "I'd like Daiya to smile. He needs to."

"Yes, he does," Ryu said agreeing. "I kind of want the same thing for him. He's a good kid. There's no reason for him not to include himself, is there?"

"Hey, you picked that up from me," Takeru said annoyed. Ryu smiled at him. "Which means… you… listen to me." Ryu nodded. "Man, Ryu, you are a turkey. You have me wondering all of the time if you really pay attention."

"It's my job. It's who I am. That way, you guys have no idea what I pick up," Ryu said laughing a little. "Anyways, it's getting dark. I'll see you later, Uchiha. Go warm yourself up before you do get sick." Ryu waved at Takeru as he walked off.

Takeru smiled a little. He was lucky to be friends with Ryu. Ryu was something else alright. He just wished he could get closer to Daiya. Daiya seemed to be hurting a lot.


	28. Chapter 28

**V3 ch 8**

**Behind the Mirror**

Daiya sat on his twin bed with his knees held up to his face, his arms wrapped around them. His face was hidden from view as if he was expecting someone to eavesdrop onto his secluded world. The boy from the lightening country kept to himself so much that his thoughts had grown quiet with resentment at the life he had. It was no one's fault for how things were turning out. He was a foreigner in the hidden leaf village. The other kids ignored him entirely; all but Takeru Uchiha and Ryu Yuhi. Daiya wondered why the two boys had tried to get to know him.

Daiya looked out of the window his gray stormy eyes seeing only clouds and foliage. It was a week ago that Takeru had taken him to learn water walking. He had picked up on it faster than the Uchiha boy. It wasn't that hard to him, but he was older than Takeru by two years. He wondered if Takeru had mastered it by now. Daiya had not spoken to anyone – not even Ryu, who was on his team. He wanted to avoid everyone for the time being.

The outside world seemed as forlorn to him as if he had been a fish trying to walk down the road. Things for him were as different now as they had been before. He was trying to do what he was supposed to on his new team, but it was hard for Daiya to take instruction from anyone. He didn't regard an adult as trusthworthy. The past that bonded him was a horrible and lonely one that ensnared his very being.

Daiya dug his nails into his legs as he tried to not remember anything from where he was raised. The loneliness, sadness, and anger he had felt the entire time he was a child echoed in his heart. It was still there. It was what prevented him from moving on. He wanted his feet to start walking with the other kids. Yet, each step he took made him fall. Daiya gritted his teeth as he felt his emotions swell inside of his chest. I just want a family. Why doesn't anyone like me here? Everyone looks at me as if I have something wrong with me.

The tears started to flow down his cheeks. It was the only time he allowed himself to let it go. Daiya never let anyone see him like this. He kept to himself for his own protection. The world outside was unknown and it held many obstacles and fears. Daiya choked on his sorrow, his mouth opening to where he gasped as his lungs demanded air. "What have I done to any of them," he asked no one in particular about why the other kids always stood away from him.

There was a knock at his door. Daiya tensed as he looked at the door as if it was a loathsome creature that was trying to eat him. He didn't move towards it. He only stared at the door, thinking whoever it was had the wrong room. Daiya gasped as the knock became louder. His body was immensely tense.

"Daiya, did me and Ryu do something wrong," Takeru asked. He knocked on the door again, louder. "Daiya? I know you're in there. No one has seen you around the village. I checked. Come on," he coaxed. "Please open the door."

Ryu looked at Takeru. "I don't know what's gotten into him. He won't talk when we train. He's been avoiding me a lot lately, too. He does what sensei says, but it's like his mind is elsewhere." Ryu looked at the door. "I could just go through it and scare the living daylights out of him." Takeru looked at him a little like he was crazy. "Daiya knows I'm capable. I scared him when I came through the wall at the Academy finals."

Takeru quirked a brow. "You did that? Ryu, I don't think scaring him would make him trust us more." He looked back to the door. "I wish he would come out. What could be bothering him?"

"I don't know. Daiya doesn't talk to anyone – about anything. He's very reserved. Something must have happened to him for him to be that way." Ryu tilted his head. "He is afraid of your father, Uchiha." Takeru looked at him confused. "When Sasuke sensei approaches Daiya to instruct him, Daiya moves back as if he is fixing to be attacked. There is fear in his eyes and a lot of misunderstanding."

Takeru looked at Ryu sadly. "The only things I know about him is that he was abandoned. He has no family and no one wanted him when he came to live here. That's why he lives in this sole room by himself. He's never spoken to anyone, really."

"Is that why you feel the need to befriend him," Ryu asked rather softly. He looked at Takeru seriously. Was it out of pity? He wasn't sure.

"No, not at all. Daiya seems to be a really nice person. I don't think he wants to be alone, Ryu. When I was trying to get him to let you train the both of us, he was really hesitant about it. He didn't understand why I thought he was my friend. " Takeru kept his eyes on the door as if he was seeing through it; as if he knew Daiya was looking at him, too. "I introduced myself properly and it took a lot of courage for him to simply shake my hand. He's afraid of us. I don't want him to be. I want him to be happy, Ryu. There's no reason for him to suffer. If I knew why he was, I'd stop whatever it is."

Ryu nodded slowly. "That sounds nice of you, Takeru, but Daiya may not be so quick to let you inside his head. I can only imagine what his previous life was like before he came here. The way we were often dictates how we are." Takeru looked at him slightly baffled. "You'll understand when you're older. And in saying that, it's not wise to keep aggravating him if he won't come out. He will on his own."

Takeru nodded slowly. "I guess you're right." He walked off with Ryu. It wasn't wise to beat the door down. That wasn't going to make Daiya open it. He knew that. Takeru could only hope that Daiya would come out eventually.

Daiya's back was to the door, his eyes wide. He had heard everything Takeru had said about him. He slumped to the floor slowly. Takeru wants to pro-protect me. He felt his heart flopping around in his chest. Daiya swallowed as he looked at the doorknob. It led to the outside world. He cautiously put his hand on it. Daiya closed his eyes, awaiting something awful as he turned it. The door clicked open.

Daiya opened the door a bit more, his head coming out. He stepped out of the room cautiously. The walls in the room protected him from harm. Yet, Takeru and Ryu were out here – somewhere. If he wanted to get to know them, he had to come out of his hiding place. Daiya gently shut the door behind him.

Areku and Gin walked through the forest searching for things Gin needed. She smiled at him as she looked around the forest, eying the different plants and trees. "So what kind of plants do you normally use in your jutsus?"

"I usually use trees and vines. Trees are really good when it comes to getting away and blocking someone from hurting you. Vines are great for keeping an opponent off the ground or away from you," Gin said shyly. "Areku, you're a really good friend to help me search. I appreciate you using your nose to aid me. It's much easier."

Areku smiled at her softly. Gin was a sweet girl. "No problem. I don't know why you haven't thought of it before. I don't mind smelling out the seeds for you. My dad has me tracking with him all of the time now. I'm getting better at it."

Gin put her hand on Areku's wrist. The boy was older than her by a year. Him and Idai were the same age. She tugged and pointed off into the distance. "See that tree over there? I normally go in that direction to find a lot of different plants and things for Yanagi. She likes to put them together in displays. Want to look with me?"

Areku nodded, his long ponytail hanging on his back. He walked with Gin to where she had pointed out the tree. He looked around. "This is a nice area. I can smell all sorts of plants and flowers here. It takes a while to sort through them though. What kind of flowers does Yanagi like to put in her displays?"

Gin thought a moment. "She likes to use irises. They are really pretty and bring your attention to it. I know she likes orchids occasionally and daffodils. I tried to find her some roses before, but I don't think they are in bloom. If they are, I don't know where to look actually."

"Roses are really sweet smelling. If there were any around, my nose would pick them up. They don't have a bland or mildly strong smell like the irises Yanagi uses. I'm trying to think where they usually grow. Sometimes they grow in a bush, or up like a vine. We can look for some, if you want," Areku suggested. "I don't have anything else planned for the day."

Gin smiled at him softly. "Areku, do you think a rose bush would grow in a dark place or a sunny area?" Gin wasn't used to using roses. One would think she had researched all sorts of flowers and plants, but she had her favorites. She mainly stuck to those in her training. Shikamaru sensei was trying to get her to expand her horizons a little and use other plants to help aid her in battles.

"Roses are pretty adaptable to most areas. They can grow beside water, in a sunny patch, near a shady spot, on a mountain, or a hill. They also come in a wide range of colors. I think yellow roses are exceptionally beautiful. Um, don't tell my dad, or Kandai I admitted that," Areku said rather embarrassed at the discussion of flowers and foliage.

"I thought flowers only came in red or white. Those are the only colors I've ever seen. Do they come in blue?" Areku nodded. "I'd like to find some blue roses. Blue is my favorite color. "

"It should be. It's the same color as your eyes," Areku noted. Gin blushed terribly and looked away at the mention of her eye color. "Gin, you don't have to be so shy about it. It was just an observation. Let's walk a ways and see if my nose picks up the scent of a rosebush." Gin agreed.

Areku stopped a while after they were further away from the village. He turned his head. A scent was on the air. One he knew. Gin noticed his posture. She looked at him wondering what was up. "I think I've caught the scent of someone we know. But why would he be out here?"

Gin searched the area thinking she would see who Areku was referring to. Her sight didn't hear it, but her ears heard something. She gasped lightly, her heart fluttering. A beautiful melody came drifting to her ears through the trees. "Idai," she said softly. The boy from the sound village was out here seeking solitude. She looked up into the trees squinting.

Areku watched as Gin looked up into the trees. She was searching constantly for his form, or where he could possibly be. Areku didn't understand why Gin was always drawn to Idai. He had had a bad run in with him at the hot springs. His eyes looked away for a moment. Areku tried to reflect on what his father had lectured him about. It wasn't fair for him to expect Idai or Daiya to be open to anyone. Both of them came from pasts that were hurtful. "Gin, why do you like Idai so much?"

Gin looked at Areku with her hand on her chest, holding onto her kimono. She was a bit taken aback by his question. However, she was trying to be a better person since she had been placed on Shikamaru's team. She smiled at him softly. "I think Idai is misunderstood. He is lonely and alone, for the most part. He is also from a foreign country and things for him are very different here. Everyone has treated him as if he doesn't exist, but I know he's there. He plays the flute really well. He is also caring and protective. Idai isn't a bad person, Areku. He gets on the defensive when he is accused as anyone else would when they know they haven't done any wrong."

Areku looked up at the trees again. He sniffed the scent on the air. Idai wasn't far. He was up high, for sure. The scent was being downcast through the trees as the wind came and bristled the leaves. "You're in love with him," he said softly. He glanced at Gin.

Gin's eyes became big and shocked. "How did you know?" She couldn't lie to Areku. He was very good at seeing past false realities and truths. He was very sharp.

"I notice how defensive you get when someone talks ill about him. It isn't right for another person to judge someone they don't know. I do agree with that. I know why you stand up for him now – even though, before I didn't. I judged him at one point, Gin. I'm very sorry for it. I don't know Idai like I should. I gave up after he snuffed me off once. I should have kept trying, like you had, but I gave up too easily," Areku confided in her. "Please forgive me for being an insincere idiot." He looked at her smiling softly.

Gin didn't know what to think of Areku admitting fault to her like he did. It had been wrong of the way he thought of Idai. However, Areku was a good friend and she knew he was passed his jealousy. She nodded to him. "I appreciate you telling me that, Areku. I know it's not easy to tell someone else when you're wrong."

Areku caught the scent. He knew where it was coming from. He reached down and grabbed Gin's wrist. "I know where he is now. Let's go pay him a visit," Areku said. Gin seemed to be highly embarrassed about approaching Idai like this. "You won't be able to get close to him, unless you try Gin Akimichi." He jumped into the tree with her. They hopped up and up until Areku stopped. He breathed in the air again to pinpoint it. "I found him."

Gin's heart started to race. She was going to see Idai. Now. Not when they trained, or by chance, but now. "Areku, we shouldn't disturb him like this. We might scare him," she said looking away. Too late. Areku hopped from branch to branch with her. She could hear the melody Idai was playing better. They were getting closer.

Idai had his eyes closed, his fingers moving flowingly across the metal of the flute. He was lost in thought, his tranquility his own as he played a tune from his soul. It was one with the nature around him. Ever since he had made friends with Masaru, they had hung out a little, but the whole thing was still relatively new to him. He was used to being alone. The trees around him bristled as the wind swept through them. He opened his eyes sensing someone watching him. Idai looked down below him to the branch where Areku Inuzuka and Gin Akimichi stood. He only sat watching them.

"We didn't mean to scare you," Gin said softly. Idai was watching them with a serious look. She looked down at her hands figeting. There had to be something she could say to him. "You play really well," she mustered to say. Idai was really cautious of them. His gaze wasn't threatening but it was rather serious.

Areku was watching this scene play out. Idai wasn't sure why they were out here like he was. "We didn't follow you, if that's what you're thinking. Gin is looking for a rose bush." He watched as Idai looked away all of a sudden. He hid his flute from view.

Idai tried to think. He didn't know why he was going to help them. Kiba sensei had told him to open himself a little so that someone could squeeze in. Of course, Kiba sensei had been laughing at him while he said it. Areku was Kiba's son. Last time Idai had seen him, he attempted to quarrel with him. Yet, Gin had never said anything against him. She was a shy girl he hardly knew.

"There is a rose bush by the waterfall," he said before glancing at them.

Areku grumbled. "No wonder I couldn't find the damn thing," he said regrettably. "Water masks anything that it comes in contact with. The scent has been throwing me off." He leaned down to whisper to Gin. "We shouldn't press our luck, Gin. Idai's guard is up. He's not taking too kindly to us right now."

Gin assumed it was best. It was better to take things slow with Idai. He was moving his gaze back to them every so often; not really believing they were still there. "Thank you for helping us, Idai," she said as she smiled at him. He was a bit surprised at being thanked. "Yanagi uses flowers in her displays. I've been trying to find a rose bush for the longest time. Now I can get her something different from orchids, irises, and daffodils." Gin and Areku departed to find the rose bush.

Idai watched them leave. "Why did that girl thank me..?" He didn't understand. The flute was lifted to his mouth again. He paused. "Gin's not so bad. It's Areku that I'm worried about." He started to play his flute again, but with a more happy tune. Areku scared him slightly. Kiba had been spending as much time with Idai as his own son. He was sure to come to war with Areku one day over it. Idai opened his eyes. He had to move his mind away from that matter. It wasn't going to do any good to harvest on it, or it would happen.

Daiya swallowed hard as he found Takeru and Ryu. They were sitting at the ramen stand waiting to order. He stood behind them tilting his head as he listened to Takeru scolding Ryu for aggravating the guy who cooked the food. Ryu, naturally, was not seeing any wrong in what he had done. It was the same as on Sasuke's team. Daiya wanted to get their attention, but he felt weird about it. He thought he was going to bother them. He looked away as he heard Takeru placing three orders for ramen. Why was he ordering three?

Ryu glanced at Takeru. The girl came back with three cups of tea. He smiled a little at the girl to be polite. "You can sit down, Daiya. We've already ordered for you," he said jerking a thumb to the seat beside Takeru. He figured Daiya would sit there instead of next to him.

Daiya looked up quickly. They knew he was there? Ryu and Takeru had ordered him food. His heart felt funny. Why were they being so nice to him? "I…. don't… have any money," he said gently. Daiya had no family or way of earning his keep.

Takeru turned around to regard him. "Daiya, we ordered

for you because we thought you were hungry. You've been locked in that room all day." Daiya's eyes went wide. "Yeah, sorry, but we had to keep an eye on you to make sure you were alright. I kind of figured you were in there. We knew you were looking for us, but Ryu decided he was hungry and we went on a wild goose chase for some stupid restaurant that doesn't exist anymore."

Ryu waved it off with his hand. He was annoyed at Takeru for bringing it up. "I told you I was sorry. I used to eat there when I was younger. I knew it had been a restaurant then. How was I supposed to know the man had a gambling problem and squandered away all of his savings? The guy had some seriously insane mouth watering bread in that place."

Daiya looked at Ryu. Ryu was still the same turkey as before. These guys were the real deal. Their moods and who they were was for all the world to see. They no more tried to hide themselves than Sasuke sensei trying to master his annoyance at Ryu's antics. He started to laugh at Ryu. "You guys are weird."

"Well, you're just as weird as we are – so sit down already," Ryu said turning around. "You don't have to pay us back for a meal. If we didn't want you here, we wouldn't have ordered you anything. We would have tricked Hire somehow into running you off." He smiled at Daiya as Takeru hit the back of his head. Ryu's head went forward. "Hey, watch it, Uchiha. I'm paying for it all. I could make you pay for your own."

"You wouldn't though. You make promises like I do and live by them," Takeru said as he patted the seat next to him for Daiya. Daiya cautiously approached the seat as if it would bite him in the rear. Takeru watched him sit down. Daiya was kind of tense. He really wasn't used to being this close to anyone. "Alright, food's here," Takeru said as the lady placed their orders in front of him. Takeru tilted his head. "Say, Ryu, what did you order us anyway?"

"Well, I got you shoyu ramen and Daiya has tonkotsu ramen. What's wrong?" Ryu noticed Takeru was looking at the bowl oddly and Daiya was not touching his. He had just put his chopsticks in his miso ramen.

"I.. don't like… pork," Daiya said. He tensed a bit expecting Ryu to get angry. He didn't know what Ryu's reaction would be. The guy was offering to pay for his meal and he was rejecting it.

"I don't like soy sauce in ramen. It's kind of heavy," Takeru said apologetically. "If it's all the same to you, can I get something else? I'll pay for it." He watched Ryu just looked at him. He flipped his head to watch Daiya.

Daiya's body language told him he was uncomfortable.

"Daiya, I'm not mad at you, alright," Ryu said looking down the bar at him. "If you don't like pork, you can get something else. I didn't know. You can have whatever you want. The same with Takeru, as long as, you guys don't burn a hole in my wallet."

"Ryu, we're at a ramen shop. All they serve is ramen, you cheap skate. We can't get whatever we want," Takeru said matter-of-factly. "How about I just have ramen with vegetables. "

"Can I… h-have ramen with just beef," Daiya asked. Ryu nodded. That wasn't so bad. The order was changed and everyone was happy. Daiya watched as Ryu and Takeru ate before he started on his own. Ryu was eating behind a menu. "Why are you eating like that?"

Takeru leaned towards Daiya whispering. "He's afraid the world will see his face and the Hokage will have to come defeat him to make the village safer." He laughed a bit before getting popped on the head by Ryu.

"That isn't it and you know it," Ryu said as he looked at Takeru with his red eyes. He slurped up a bit of ramen before he told Daiya why. He looked at him really seriously for someone whose eyes were the only things seen over the top of the menu. "The reason I keep my face hidden is because-," Ryu checked the area before he said anything. "I couldn't handle all of the girls flocking to me at once. I have to pace myself."

Takeru and Daiya's eyes twitched. They had fallen for it. Ryu laughed his butt off. He had gotten them pretty good. They were all serious and anticipating it. He lifted his face mask before he set the menu down. He was finished eating. "Don't be mad. You guys were asking for it. A ninja doesn't tell his reasons for why he chooses concealment."

"Maybe he wears it because he's so hideous under there that the plants in the village would die, the clouds would part, and the world would end if we saw it," Daiya said rather unemotionally. He looked at Ryu with a serious gaze. He didn't like to be tricked.

Ryu blinked. "Hey, lightening bug, that wasn't very nice. I was only teasing you guys, but you're taking it way out of proportion." He watched Daiya lower his head, watching him with a cautious gaze.

"Lightening bug," Takeru asked. He looked at Daiya. Daiya resented being called that. "Daiya, Ryu was only joking. You know he's like that. "

"Don't call me 'lightening bug'," Daiya said hatefully. He turned away from them. He tapped his fingers on the bar, his back completely to them. He stared off at the wall.

Ryu watched Daiya try to hide himself in his own private world again. He looked at Takeru. "It's what Idai has been calling him lately -The white haired kid on Kiba's team. He seems to have taken a liking to Daiya. He's been doing a lot of things to get his attention. I don't think Daiya understands the act of teasing. It's harmless," Ryu said a little louder as if Daiya had grown deaf in the past few minutes.

Daiya merely grumbled.

Takeru didn't like fighting what-so-ever. He thought it was pointless and meaningless. He got up and walked to where Daiya could look at him. Daiya was frowning intensely. "Daiya, Ryu's only a turkey. Don't hold it against him for teasing. It's what he does. He does it to me, too." Daiya glanced at Takeru. Takeru could see hurt lingering in the back of Daiya's eyes. Takeru's eyes softened.

"If he's going to be mad at me forever, I'm going to go," Ryu said disgusted with the situation. Daiya's attitude was getting on his last nerve. He was a pretty patient guy, but the kid was defiant and resentful all of the time. He didn't give anyone a chance.

"Hold on, Ryu. Sit there for a minute," Takeru said. He kneeled to where he could look up at Daiya. "Ryu always teases. I don't think that's what it is, is it?" He watched Daiya look away. "Is it…. Because we were keeping an eye on you?" Daiya shook his head slowly. "Okay, was it because Ryu paid for your meal?" Daiya kept his gaze averted. That's what it was. "We know you're not helpless, Daiya. He paid for you to eat with us because we wanted your company."

Ryu stood up. He walked over to place his hand on Daiya's head. "But you don't understand that, huh? You have no idea what it's like to be accepted, yet." He could understand how that was. "You're not the only one who has had to learn to notice it. I wasn't accepted, either." Daiya looked up at him. "I'm not trying to put you on the spot. Takeru and I have been trying to get close to you, but you've been pushing us away a lot. I understand that you have every right to be cautious, but we haven't tried to hurt you. Only befriend you, Daiya."

"I…. I… kn-know that," Daiya said softly. He watched Ryu crouch in front of him. Reluctantly, he didn't tense, or run away like he had before. He only kept his gray eyes on him.

"I told you before, that friends don't hurt each other. Not intentionally, anyway. I don't mean to hurt you. I'm not trying to. But you have to understand that in order for me to know what does and does not affect you, trial and error has to occur. There's no helping it," Ryu said seriously. "You have to be stronger emotionally to overcome the obstacles you have. Right now, you're holding yourself back from a lot of things. I don't want you to do that. Neither does Takeru. We hate seeing you stand alone as the world passes you by."

Daiya looked from Ryu to Takeru. They were both watching him sadly. Could they possibly mean what they were saying, or informing him of? They were concerned to why every good action they had towards him resulted in a negative action. He felt out-of-place. Daiya stood up.

Ryu and Takeru put their hands on him and made him sit. "Don't run. We're not going to chase you forever. I have to work with you because you're on my team; Takeru doesn't. I'm trying to be a friend. I'd rather us get along, but you're not letting me," Ryu said as he looked at Daiya's frightened gaze. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said reassuringly. "I'm not scolding you nor talking in a strict tone."

Takeru saw things about Daiya that Ryu didn't. He saw the way Daiya lowered his head slightly as if he was not worth it. His eyes softened. Daiya was punishing himself for just trying to get to know them. That's what Takeru figured. He didn't know his new friend's whole story, but he hoped one day he would. Takeru sat back on the seat next to Daiya. He reached up and placed his hand under the boy's chin. He lifted his chin up. "You're not beneath us." Daiya looked at him with shaky eyes. "You're not beneath us, Daiya," he said seriously.

Ryu had a feeling that was the cause of all of the problems. He sighed as he scratched the back of his head. He supposed he needed to pay more attention to body language and actions. Ryu could slightly feel a bonk on the head, mentally, coming from Sasuke sensei at this point. He had told Takeru earlier that Daiya was afraid of Sasuke. So if Daiya was afraid of Sasuke because he was unknown and an adult, why wouldn't he be afraid of them, too? They were just as foreign. He looked at Daiya. Takeru was not letting his chin drop. "You're not beneath us, Daiya," he said to the boy. "You're one of us," he said very seriously. Daiya looked at him holding the gaze. "I will not give up on you. You're important. "

"I won't give up on you either," Takeru said. "I don't want you to suffer anymore." He wrapped his arms around Daiya very carefully. Daiya was like fragile china at the moment. He pressed the foreigner's head to his shoulder. Daiya was not fighting him or Ryu. Takeru assumed he just didn't understand their actions.

"Will you let us keep trying for you," Ryu asked. Daiya looked at him shyly. "Please?" Daiya nodded slowly. Ryu stood up. He turned his head to the lady who was waiting to be paid. "Takeru's paying for it."

Takeru froze. His eye twitched. "Ryu…. Yuhi…," he said as he turned his eyes on the tall genin. Ryu smiled at him stupidly. "You forgot… your wallet… didn't you…"

"It's a strange thing, Takeru. Turkeys don't often wear pants with pockets," Ryu said smiling at him. "But no, I didn't forget it." He pulled out his wallet and paid the lady really fast before he was chased down the street by Takeru.

"Get back here, Ryu! Teasing is one thing, but offering dinner and almost not paying for it, is unforgivable," Takeru shouted as he ran after him. Ryu waved at him as he seemed to get ahead. "RYU!"

Daiya sat on the stool at the ramen shop. He felt better, strangely despite everything that had happened that day. "Those guys sure are weird." He watched until he couldn't see Takeru anymore. Ryu was really running for it. "Ryu seems to be afraid of the Uchihas." He shook his head as he went home.


	29. Chapter 29

**V3 ch9**

**Open your ears!**

Idai ran down the street as he hurried to try and catch up with Masaru. The blond haired boy on his team had given him the slip earlier. He smirked as he sped up. A woman walked in front of him slowly carrying a baby. She wasn't paying attention. Idai sped up more. People were defiantly out early this morning. He adjusted his chakra to his feet and flipped over the lady to avoid her. He skidded on his feet in the dirt. The woman had a look of shock on her face as he took off. Idai only smiled at the lady with the baby.

Ever since Masaru Uzumaki had befriended him, his whole attitude had changed. He wasn't quiet like he used to be. No, Idai was learning to speak up and be more adaptable to the situations he was involved in. Yanagi Lee was also on his team and she gave him encouragement to keep doing things. Idai thought she was a sweetheart. He closed his eyes as he smiled to himself. Suddenly, Idai felt himself slipping on water. He skidded and ended up falling onto his back.

Idai laid flat on the ground his teeth gritted. "Ow," he said painfully. Someone must have thrown water out earlier. He sat up slowly trying to feel his back for any broken bones. There weren't any. Idai turned around to see if he was bruised anywhere. Nope, he was fine. He turned back around to notice someone watching him. Idai blinked. Daiya was coming out of one of the shop carrying what appeared to be a bag containing vegetables.

Daiya only stared at the boy from the sound village. He stood still wondering why the boy was staring back at him. He tensed slightly. Why is he watching me? Do I look odd carrying food? Daiya moved back a step figuring Idai was going to lash out at him. The white haired boy smiled at him. Daiya blinked.

"Hi, lightening bug," Idai said rather happily. It was rare to see Daiya out of his dorm room. He smiled at him, waving. Daiya moved farther back. Idai stood up cracking his back. He watched as the boy from the lightening country started to walk away from him. "Huh? Where are you going?" Idai started to follow him like a lost puppy.

"Stop following me. I don't know you," Daiya said sternly. He started to walk faster. "Go away," he said harshly, but Idai was still following him as he walked down the road. What is his infatuation with me? He watches me when our team trains with Kiba sensei's. Daiya was getting annoyed. His ponytail spiked out.

"Oh, come on, Daiya, I'm not trying to get on your nerves," Idai said rather hurt. He skipped behind Daiya. He was keeping a good distance away in case the other boy decided to throw a carrot at him. He'd avoid it though. Idai smiled at the thought. Food fight.

Daiya looked over his shoulder. His gray eyes were hard and threatening. "I have nothing to say to you. Stop following me!" Daiya started to run as he carried the bag. He took off down the street running around people who were shopping.

Idai laughed as he went after Daiya. He ran around the people avoiding them nicely. Idai was a bit more graceful than Daiya and could maneuver himself due to his flexibility. "Daiya, if you want to play chase, shouldn't there be others involved?" He wanted to tease Daiya for acting ridiculous. "I just want to talk."

Daiya narrowed his eyes. "Go away!" He ran so fast he almost tripped. Daiya closed his eyes, his breathing quickening. He felt slightly threatened by Idai because he didn't know the other boy. Daiya thought Idai was making fun of him or something.

Idai whistled as he caught up to Daiya. He was running

backwards with his hands behind his back. Daiya was shocked as all get out. His eyes were wide as he looked at Idai. Idai smiled at him. "Nice weather we're having. How come you don't want to talk? I don't bite."

Daiya couldn't believe how fast Idai was. The boy was keeping pace with him as he ran backwards. He gritted his teeth, afraid at being singled out like this. Daiya closed his eyes as he clutched the bag to his chest and planted his feet firmly into the ground to suddenly stop himself. He stopped, but Idai didn't catch onto his move. The other boy ended up falling over the railing and going into the training ring. Daiya watched as Idai slid on his back and hit his head on the other side. I didn't mean for him to get hurt.

Idai grabbed his head and went into a fetal position. He gritted his teeth. He kicked his legs as he whimpered in pain. Idai wondered what Daiya's problem was. The tears came to his eyes as he sat up. He didn't dare shake his head. Idai closed his eyes and held his head in his hands.

"Idai, are you okay," Masaru said. He had seen Idai fall over the railing. He jumped over the side of the railing into the training ring. His hands went up to remove Idai's hands from his head. "I think you have a concussion." Masaru looked over his shoulder at Daiya Eimino. The boy was watching them with an expressionless face. "You can't even say you're sorry? It's your fault!"

Daiya got on the defensive. "I told him to stop following me," he shot back at Masaru. "I don't know you, or him! Get lost!" Daiya turned around and sped off. He didn't want to get in a fight with the Hokage's son. That's all he needed right now. He was a foreigner in this village. The Hokage could easily toss him. Daiya snarled as he went home.

Idai opened his eyes slowly. "It's not his fault, Masaru. I know Daiya is standoffish. I kept following him when he told me to leave him alone. I was only trying to talk to him, but he doesn't understand why I was."

Masaru kept his gaze on the direction Daiya had taken. "Why do you want to befriend someone like that? He had no concern for you falling like you did, or hitting your head. It was his fault, Idai. Stop defending him."

Idai looked at Masaru with one eye closed. He was rubbing the back of his head that had come in contact with the wooden fence around the training ring. "I think Daiya needs friends. He's a foreigner like me, isn't he? So why not talk to him? He's not a bad person. He's afraid of us. Daiya has that look in his eye that shows he's been hurt."

"Even if he has, you have no idea if he will accept your friendship. He's a difficult person, Idai. You're not the only one who has tried to get to know him. I heard that Takeru Uchiha and Ryu Yuhi have tried to talk to him, even train him a little, but Daiya runs from them. So why bother with someone like that?"

Idai looked at Masaru. "Well, if someone tries, then he might try, too. At least, that's my reasoning for it. I don't want Daiya to feel like he can't be included. I wasn't until you and Yanagi started to befriend me. If no one tries for him, who will?"

"I can't answer that, Idai. All I know is Daiya is very reserved. He has never spoken to anyone out of his own will unless it was to make a short comment. Even when Kurenai sensei tried to get him to participate in our outside training, Daiya defied her. He doesn't care if someone is trying to help him. He doesn't want to have anything to do with anyone," Masaru said a bit angrily. "If you want to waste your time with him than that's your decision. I can't stop you. I don't agree to it though."

Idai looked at Masaru, studying the boy. Masaru wasn't one to talk about others. He must really not like Daiya. I wonder why. Idai looked back at the people who were still shopping. He stood up carefully. His head spun a little, but he was alright.

"Alright, watch me first, okay? I don't want you to attempt this yet. It's rather hard to pull off and if you fall incorrectly, you could easily break your neck," Eiyu said. He placed his hands on the ground and attempted to do a handstand. He lowered his body until he was holding himself up by his shoulders and his arms were out to keep him from falling. "Do not try this, Onari. It's very dangerous. You have to learn to do it. We'll teach you, but we don't want you to try it. "

Onari tilted her head as she watched Eiyu start to spin on his head. Soon Eiyu was leaning his body back and he was rotating on his shoulders like a crooked spinning top. Eiyu's legs went out to show Onari how to deflect an opponent from attacking. She watched as Eiyu spun faster and he came up off of the ground. His hand went out to push at the ground and his body went back to let him get up quickly.

"Alright, that is a rotating spin kick," Eiyu said. He watched as Onari tilted her head. She was adjusting to the moves and the language. "We'll have to get dad to teach you a safer way to pull it off. If you move too far when you're spinning, you could easily snap your neck. That would mean lights out, Onari."

Onari tilted her head. "Eiyu, Onari outside. Onari no need lights." She watched Eiyu slap his forehead. It was true. She was outside. What was this talk of lights out? It wasn't time to sleep.

"No, Onari. I mean it would kill you. You would be dead if you broke your neck," Eiyu said shaking his head. This girl was defiantly a trial. It was fun teaching her though. She didn't complain about the moves or how long they trained. Onari just watched patiently and attempted the moves. It was amazing to him how fast her pick up was.

Onari watched as Eiyu just stood in front of her looking at her. "No more train, Eiyu?" That was a rather short training session. They normally practiced most of the day together. She had only been at the Hyuga compound for half a day.

"No, I think we'll call it quits for the day. It's been a

while since you've taken a break from all of the training we put you under, so how about we do something else," Eiyu said. His white eyes watched the expression on her face. Onari was trying to figure out what else there was to do besides train. It was basically all she did around Eiyu. "Isn't there any hobbies you have?"

Onari tilted her head trying to figure out what Eiyu was asking her. "Onari no have hobby. Onari train, sleep, eat, shower." Is that what he wanted to know? She didn't know what a hobby was. Whatever it was, she couldn't have it because there was nothing she personally owned except the clothes Izumi had bought for her.

Eiyu figured her out quicker than he thought. He had to smile at her. Onari was cute. "A hobby is something you do for fun. Such as, training, I suppose, but you only do it to enjoy yourself. It's something that makes you happy. You can have a hobby by yourself, or with others."

"Onari no understand Eiyu say to Onari," she said. "Onari do things. Onari no understand word." She watched Eiyu issue her to come closer. Onari walked closer to the Hyuga boy and tilted her head, her yellow eyes watching him.

"Alright, do you understand the concept of having fun," Eiyu asked as he watched her.

"Eiyu, you don't even understand the concept of fun," Kandai said as he sat on the porch laughing. "You're such a stick in the mud." He kept laughing as Eiyu shot a glare at him. Kandai sipped his tea. He loved to antagonize his twin. "Perhaps you should demonstrate what you want her to know? Onari's a visual learner."

Eiyu blinked. "I haven't fully woken up today," he said trying to dismiss his lack of thinking. He knew Onari didn't understand language very well. She had to be a visual learner to rely on what others were saying to her. He really was being slow today. He reached into his pocket taking out a leather band with spikes on it. He slipped the leather over his hands with the spikes facing out from his palms. "This is a tree climbing tool. Sometimes ninja use it to help them get onto high places. It can also be a weapon like a kunai or shuriken. I collect weapons. That's my hobby. It's something I enjoy."

"Onari no have hobby. Onari no own things," she said so he would understand. "Onari own clothes, not hobby." She watched as Eiyu regarded her with a confused expression.

"Well, even if you don't own anything, you can still find something you enjoy," Kandai said as he walked up beside her. "I like to read a lot. You don't have to own a book, or a scroll. You can borrow them. I also like to learn."

"Onari understand Kandai. Onari like tease Takeru," she said rather seriously. "Onari like training. Training Onari hobby. Onari enjoy learn jutsu. "The twins looked at her rather oddly. It was the only thing she did. She had to enjoy what she was able to do.

"We need to get you out to experience other things in the world besides training, Onari," Kandai said as he smiled at her. "There's more to life than protecting people and training all of the time. Oh, I have a great idea! Let's introduce Onari to some people she hasn't met! We can even invite them over for a game."

"Kandai, do you honestly think that's a good idea? Onari is afraid of others, to a certain point," Eiyu said as he lifted his hand so the girl could try to get the leather strap off of his hand. She was putting it on examining it. Eiyu blushed slightly when she went for the other one. Her hands were smooth for someone who trained all of the time like they did. Eiyu saw Onari in a new light. His head felt funny all of a sudden. She was rather beautiful even with her strange quirks and aggressive behavior.

Kandai waved his hand in front of his brother. "Eiyu, I was talking to you." His brother looked at him slowly. "How about if we just invite a few people over? We can introduce Onari to Gin and Areku. Onari, do you know Areku?" Kandai turned his attention to the girl. She was looking at Eiyu's tree climber claws.

Onari looked up. "Areku?" She shook her head. Who was that?

"Kiba sensei is your brother right?" Onari nodded. "Areku is his son. He's on my team with Gin Akimichi. She's a sweet, shy girl. Her parents are Ino and Chouji Akimichi. I don't suppose Sasuke sensei has introduced you to a lot of others since you came here." He pondered.

"Isn't Sasuke sensei best friends with the Hokage? I don't suppose you've met Masaru, have you? He's the Hokage's son. Masaru grew up with Takeru. They aren't that close anymore though," Eiyu said. "Is it alright if a few people come over? You need to familiarize yourself with others who will work with you on missions."

"Who Onari meet," she asked. She kind of stepped away from Eiyu some as if the others they were referring to would pop out of the ground and surprise her. She wasn't accustomed to meeting anyone. Normally, Onari stayed at home when she was through training with Eiyu, Neji, and Kandai. Her evenings consisted of more training with Izumi and Sasuke; some occasions she trained with Takeru. Her days were pretty booked.

"Perhaps Onari needs to meet some of the girls. All she knows is us guys," Kandai said. "What if we get Areku, Gin, Yanagi, and… Masaru? Two boys and two girls should be doable."

"Guess you're going to get them," Eiyu said. Kandai looked at him baffled. "It's payback for teasing me." Eiyu took the tree climber claws back from Onari. "You seemed so happy a moment ago, Kandai, what happened?"

Kandai smiled at his twin as he walked closer. He tilted his head to his brother and whispered softly," You may think you have me this time, but I have keen eyes. I think you like Onari." Eiyu's eyes widened. Kandai smiled and stuck his tongue out at him as Eiyu blushed. "I'll be back with our guests. You two can decide what we're going to do." He waved as he ran out of the Hyuga compound.

Eiyu looked at Onari. He was still blushing as she tilted her head at him. It didn't help matters when the foreign girl came closer looking him deeply in the eyes. Eiyu slightly gasped his body tense.

"Eiyu, sick," she said pointing at him. Onari didn't understand has Eiyu lowered his head, shaking it. She cocked her head.

Soon Kandai came back with a few people. He waved at Onari and Eiyu. He wondered why his brother was keeping a fair amount of distance from the girl. So it was what he thought. And to think, Kandai had only been teasing. Eiyu liked Onari. He walked up to his brother with Areku and Gin trailing behind him. "Yanagi is with Saori, so they'll be coming in a minute. Masaru is coming, but he got in trouble for teasing his sister. What game are we going to play?"

"Let's play 'Telephone'. It's an easy game and it will help Onari learn new words. It'll be fun and a bit distracting for her," Eiyu said. He waved at Yanagi and Saori as they showed up. Masaru came behind them in a few minutes.

"Sorry, my mom got me for teasing Niru before I left," Masaru said smiling. "She was asking for it though. She's so nosey."

"You shouldn't tease your sister, Masaru. She's still a baby," Saori said as she looked at him sternly. "Your sister isn't necessarily bad to the bone like Chame, either."

Areku tilted his head at the dark haired girl on the porch. "Is this who you wanted us to meet, Kandai?" He jerked a thumb at Onari. "Who is she?"

"Hi, Onari," Saori said as she waved her hand at the girl. "I've already met her. She lives with Takeru." Oh, that seemed to make everyone just stop and stare at Saori. "You guys are horrible. It isn't like that."

"No, it isn't," Eiyu said. "Sasuke sensei took Onari in, so she lives at the Uchiha compound with Takeru. Onari trains here about every day. She's never met any of you because she hasn't been assigned to a team yet."

"Oh, I see. So we're here to be introduced to her," Yanagi said smiling. "Hi, Onari, I'm Yanagi Lee!" She raised her hand high as she stood next to Saori and waved. The girl looked at her oddly.

Masaru crouched low as he petted the cat on the compound. "Onari? I know her; or her name rather. Takeru told me about her before we took the Academy finals. I've wanted to meet her." He stood up and held his hand up to the girl. The girl hopped off of the porch. She came closer, but not too close. She was a bit hesitant at the unknown kids. "I'm Masaru Uzumaki. I grew up with Takeru."

Onari caught onto one of the words the blond haired boy said. "Uzumaki." She pointed at the boy. "Uzumaki Hokage. Uzumaki Onari brother," she said in her fast dialect. Masaru quirked a brow at the girl.

"How does she know your father," Areku asked. He looked at Masaru. The boy shook his head. "Onari, do you know Kiba?" Onari looked at Areku. She nodded quickly, her black hair bouncing. "Kiba is my dad. I'm Areku."

"Brother Kiba boy Areku," she said trying to get the names right. She pointed to each of them in turn. "Eiyu Neji boy. Kandai Neji boy. Masaru Uzumaki boy. Saori Shikamaru girl. Yanagi Lee." There was another girl who was looking at her. Onari stopped. Who was that girl?

"Oh, sorry, Onari, that's Gin. She's on the same team as me," Kandai said. "We forgot she was there. She's kind of quiet, too."

Gin Akimichi bowed low a few times. "Nice to meet you, Onari. " She wished someone had invited Idai. It would have thrilled her to bits, but she understood that only a few kids were being introduced for the time being. Onari didn't know any of them. There was quite a group already here.

"Guys, we're going to play 'Telephone' to help Onari adjust to our language. She talks a little distorted, so bear with her. She's still learning," Eiyu said. He waved Onari closer. "We're going to play a game. The object of the game is to pass what you hear to the next person. Whatever you think you hear from the person whispering to you, pass it to the person on your right." Eiyu waved his arm showing her the direction. "Once the sentence gets to the end, the last person repeats it. Usually the sentence will be incorrect. You'll see. It's funny."

Kandai started to line people up. "Let's have… Saori first." He put her in her spot. "I'll be next. The rest of you guys can line up accordingly. Onari, why don't you stand next to Eiyu," he said smiling at her. Eiyu's eyes went slightly wide. Oh, his brother was going to kill him for sure. He was only trying to help though.

"So do I think of anything I want? Okay. Onari's language skills are a bit messed up, so let's start with a messed up sentence," Saori said. She smiled as she tried to think of something. She pounded her fist into her hand. Got it! Saori turned and whispered to Kandai, "A pink duck dances in the rain."

Kandai looked at Saori like she was crazy. "What?" He laughed. He thought he heard something, but he wasn't sure. "Nevermind, you can't repeat it. Alright." Kandai turned to Areku. He whispered into Areku's ear, "A pink duck dances in the train."

Areku looked past Kandai to Saori. "You have not been sleeping well," he said to her. She quirked a brow. "Alright," he said. He turned to Eiyu. Areku whispered into Eiyu's ear, "A pinky clucks along the lane."

Eiyu had this look of confusion on his face. "There is no way in the world that is what Saori said, but I'm passing it." Eiyu started laughing. He turned to Onari. He froze. Eiyu was going to have to lean in to whisper it to her. He swallowed hard. Eiyu leaned in and put his hand on her shoulder. He whispered, "A peanut winces its fame."

Onari looked at Eiyu. She didn't know what the words meant anyways, but they didn't seam to be correct in any form. She knew what a peanut was. She even knew what fame was. Onari shook her head. She turned to Gin and whispered in her ear, "A peanut winces its fame."

Gin blinked. She smiled at the sentence Onari told her. "I doubt that's correct, Onari." Gin had to laugh a bit at it. She turned to Masaru. She whispered in his ear, "A peanut rinses its name."

"Gin, what are you drinking lately," Masaru said. The others down the line looked at him. He had to repeat it to see how messed up the sentence had gotten. "A peanut goes insane."

They all started laughing. Onari only stood tilting her head trying to decipher the words. What was so funny? "Crazy peanut," she said seriously. That sent everyone around her laughing more when she spoke.

"How did you get 'A peanut goes insane' from 'A pink duck dances in the rain'," Saori said laughing. "Yes, that's what I told Kandai. So it got messed up the second he heard it."

TenTen came out onto the porch with Neji. They had watched the little game the kids were playing. She thought it was sweet of Kandai and Eiyu to invite some of their friends over. Onari needed to adjust to the other children before she got put on one of the teams. TenTen reached over to grab her husband's hand. She squeezed it tenderly. "Would you like to help me bring out the tea and sandwiches I made for them?"

Neji Hyuga looked at his wife. "Sure," he said smiling softly at her. It was sweet of TenTen to offer to make something to snack on for the whole group. It was rare Kandai and Eiyu had anyone over but Onari. They needed to socialize more. He went in with her to help carry the trays out.

TenTen came back out with a try stacked with rectangular sandwiches. She had even scrounged up some of her special dumplings. The ones she normally made were large in size, but these were smaller so everyone else would have one. She set the tray on the porch. Neji came out with a tray stacked with small cups of tea. He put his tray next to hers. "Kandai and Eiyu," she called with her hands cupped over her mouth. "We have some snacks for your friends."

Kandai waved at everyone to get their attention. He walked over to smile at his parents. His mother was really thoughtful. "Thanks, mom," he said as he grabbed a cup of tea first. He passed it to Gin. Kandai was a gentleman, after all. Gin took the cup and sipped on her tea. The sandwiches and tea were passed out.

Neji noticed Onari shying away from the group. She wouldn't come get her sandwich, or her tea. He stepped down the wooden steps to walk over to her. Onari was watching the other kids, slightly confused. "Onari? Why aren't you eating your snack with the rest of them?"

Onari looked up at Neji. She went to him quickly and put her arms around him, hiding her face. "Onari no know boys girls," she said softly. The game was fun, but it didn't help her know the others she had played with. She clung to Neji as she watched the group of kids who were enjoying themselves.

"You may not know them, yet, but you will. Eiyu and Kandai are in that group. You can stay close to one of them if you feel uncomfortable. None of the kids you see will harm you, Onari. They are very nice and protect each other when they are threatened by another. That is why Eiyu and Kandai invited them over. You need to get to know Yanagi, Areku, Gin, Masaru, and Saori. You might end up on a team with one of them, or work with one of them on a mission," Neji said as he petted her head gently. "We have to work well with the others around us, or our jobs become pointless and meaningless."

"Onari want work brother Neji," she said softly. She liked Neji. He spent as much time with her as Sasuke. Since she had moved to the hidden leaf village, she rarely saw Kiba and Shikamaru. Onari didn't know where Uzumaki was. Sasuke kept telling her that the blond haired man's job was very important and he was often busy.

"Maybe one day we will, but for now, you have to complete the training Sasuke wants you to do. Once you complete training under me, you'll probably take the finals from the Academy. Then you will go to a team and work with the others. But right this second," Neji stated, "You need to go make friends." He lifted Onari and carried her over to the group of children. Neji set her down. "They won't hurt you," he whispered. "Stick to Kandai or Eiyu if you get scared."

Onari looked for Kandai. He was talking to Masaru and Gin. Yanagi was talking to Saori and Areku. Eiyu was leaning up against the porch, watching the others. He wasn't very social. Onari went straight for him and attached herself to his side as she looked at the others around her.

Eiyu blushed as he felt Onari grab onto his clothes. He looked at her wondering what was going on. She was why regarding the others. Eiyu took her hand and led her away from the others to the other side of the house. He offered her the leftover sandwich. Onari took it hungrily and ate it rather fast. "Onari, you've got to get over your fear of people. You're stronger than they are. No one out here can even compare to the strength you've been hiding."

Onari tilted her head at Eiyu. "Eiyu, Onari no know boys girls. Onari feel small," she said softly. She was trying to tell him she felt unimportant compared to the other children.

Eiyu looked at her then back to the others. "You're just as important as anyone that is out here. Don't think so less of yourself. I think a lot of you," he said admitting it. Onari didn't understand what he meant though. She was confused, as usual. Even though she was, Eiyu liked how she tilted her head as she tried to figure out words and sentence structure. He raised his hand to pet her gently on the head. "You'll understand one day."

Masaru waved goodbye to everyone as he left the Hyuga compound. He soon met up with Idai. The boy from the sound village was sitting on the railing near the hospital, his legs hanging over as he rocked on the metal bar. "Hey, what did the medic-nin say about your head?"

Idai scratched his chin. He smiled at Masaru. "Slight concussion. You should be a doctor, Masaru. You were dead on the mark."

Masaru couldn't understand how Idai was so cheerful about Daiya making him fall like he did. It kind of made him upset because it was a dirty trick. "You have to get Daiya back for what he did to you."

Idai blinked. "Why do I have to get him back? He didn't know I wasn't going to pay attention and fall like I did. Why don't you like Daiya at all?"

"Daiya never talks to anyone, Idai. He's worse than

you ever were. I can understand why you were so withdrawn from us, but no one knows anything about Daiya. All we know is he comes from the lightening country and no one wanted him when he came here. My dad let him stay because he had been found on a mission that Kurenai sensei was on. She pleaded with my dad to give Daiya a chance. Don't be so surprised. I overhear a lot of things when my dad talks to others about missions and problems in the village. I'm the Hokage's son."

Idai looked away sadly. "Still, even if no one wants him, that's no reason to condemn him for it. There has to be a reason Daiya doesn't trust anyone – why he doesn't trust adults, Masaru. Something awful must have happened to him. Whatever it is, is affecting his whole outlook on life. I find that to be really sad. You and Yanagi gave me a chance, so why shouldn't I give him one?"

Masaru sighed as he leaned against the railing. "Idai, you've got to be the nicest person I've ever seen in my life to want to befriend someone like Daiya. It's like a sparrow wanting to get to know a cat." Idai looked at him with a shocked expression. "Sorry, but Daiya is a bit rough around the edges. At least, that's what I've noticed when Kiba sensei has us train with Sasuke sensei's team."

Idai hopped off of the railing... "Well, I guess it's my job to smooth out Daiya's edges then," he said smiling at Masaru. "I don't believe he's a bad person. He's just misunderstood."

"How long can a misunderstanding go on for," Masaru asked as they walked away from the small river. He watched Idai shrug. "I kind of figured you wouldn't know. You talk pretty philosophical for a kid, Idai. Too bad you confuse yourself with your own words sometimes."

Idai smiled at Masaru again. "It happens. I can't be right all of the time. I'm only human." He tugged Masaru into going into the shop he had seen Daiya come out of a few hours prior. "I want to get something in here."

Masaru stood around looking at all of the vegetables. "What are we doing in here? Did your dad ask you to pick up some things before you came home?"

"No, I'm getting a peace offering," Idai said. He

picked up a bushel of carrots, cabbage, potatoes, radishes, turnips, and mushrooms. Idai paid the man behind the counter. He walked out with Masaru. "I figured this would be a nice offering to the Lightening God."

"The Lightening God? Who is that?" Masaru had no idea what Idai was talking about. He could only wonder.

Daiya Eimino grumbled. He knew he had heard someone messing around outside near the single dorms. He opened his door cautiously. It was rather dark outside. He opened the door a bit more. Something large fell from overhead and came at his face. He yelped as he fell onto his back.

Daiya looked up to see a brown bag hanging. What the hell is that? He noted it was full of vegetables. A scroll was attached to it. He got up off of his back and stood up. Daiya lifted his hand to stop the bag from swinging. He plucked it down. There was no one outside, or around. Daiya shut the door with his foot. "Why was there a bag of vegetables swinging from my door?"

Daiya's hand touched the scroll. He yanked it off as he sat the bag of vegetables on the low table in his room. The scroll said: Hey, Daiya, sorry for scaring you earlier! I noticed you were coming out of the vegetable shop and thought I should make a peace offering. I hope you like what I bought! Please don't be mad at me, Lightening Bug. ~ Idai.

Daiya just stared at the scroll. He laid it down after some time. His hand went up to move the bag slightly away so he could peek into it. There were quite a few vegetables in it. Why is that guy so persistent? I'm not special at all. Why keep trying to get my attention, especially when I've been harsh with him since he started calling me 'Lightening Bug'. Daiya didn't really understand what was going on. Still, he took the vegetables out of the bag to wash them. He would forgive Idai for now.


	30. Chapter 30

**V3 ch10**

**Target Practice**

Ryu put his hand on Daiya's head as he walked with him down the path leading to the training area in the forest. He had set up targets for them to practice with. Daiya was tense as they walked together, but he didn't shove Ryu's hand away. Ryu glanced down at the boy. He was trying to adjust Daiya carefully and gently into being touched. It was very noticeable that Daiya was not accustomed to being around others. His mood was still reserved for the most part. Ryu wanted Daiya to be able to work with him and trust him. It was normal to be hesitant at first, but some time had passed since they had been put on a team together.

Daiya looked up at Ryu shyly. He didn't know why the older boy was attempting to keep trying with him. He kind of understood that he needed to get along with everyone on his team, but Daiya couldn't stand Hire for anything in the world. He was hoping Sasuke would get rid of her, or something. "R-Ryu, why are w-we training out here," he asked. He glanced at the genin before turning his gaze away.

Ryu petted the top of Daiya's head to reassure him that it was alright to ask questions and be curious. He figured somewhere down the line Daiya had been instructed to stay away from others. He was picking up, slowly, on the way Daiya reacted to certain situations and how he approached others. "I've set up a few targets in the woods for us to practice with. It's not just going to be me and you. Takeru is coming and I think he's bringing a few others. Don't be so afraid, Daiya. We have to learn to work with others. When we get older, our teams won't be our teams anymore. Those are basically only to train us. We'll get separate missions when we come of age. Not everyone that works together is going to get along – that's to be expected, but you need to learn to work well with others. You never know who you will work with. Understand?"

Daiya nodded slowly as he forced himself to look up at Ryu. Ryu wasn't looking at him disappointedly. The guy had a lot of patience to be around him. Daiya knew he was difficult. He couldn't handle certain things and he lashed out at whoever was around him. "R-Ryu, why are you always trying to… get me out of my room…?"

Ryu smiled at him. "You don't need to be in your room. The little Lightening Bug needs to come out and explore." He watched Daiya blush at being called that. "The ones, who are trying to get your attention the most, are the ones that want you around. We don't dislike you. We want you to do for yourself. We can only do so much to help you." Ryu watched as Daiya bit his bottom lip. He tilted his head. "I'm not trying to upset you, Daiya – only prepare you."

Daiya turned on his heels faster than Ryu would have thought possible. He grabbed Ryu around the waist and buried his face in the older boy's chest. Daiya swallowed hard. He was expecting Ryu to get upset at him for grabbing him all of a sudden.

Ryu looked down at Daiya concerned. He wrapped his arms around the younger boy. Daiya was two years younger than him – the same age as a little brother. "You don't want to be alone, do you," Ryu said softly. Daiya shook his head. He moved his hand to the back of Daiya's head and pressed him closer. Daiya was trying to reach out to someone – anyone who would give him a chance. Ryu figured he was being targeted because he was older. He closed his eyes for a moment. Daiya clutched to him, afraid Ryu was going to push him off. Ryu wasn't going to do any sort of thing. "You're not alone anymore. You've got me and Takeru. We're not going to push you away, Daiya."

Daiya let go of his teammate. He stood back, his eyes averted. He was slightly embarrassed at how he had reacted. Ryu was only someone on his team, right? Daiya wanted to be friends with Ryu and Takeru. Takeru was a very sincere sort of guy. The day Takeru had said the things he did at Daiya's door, were burned in his mind. The two that were constantly after him to come out, always included him in whatever they were doing – no matter what it was. "Ryu, I… don't want you or… Takeru to l-leave me."

Ryu quirked a brow. "We have no intention on leaving you. You're completely chained to us whether you realize it or not." Daiya looked at him with a soft gaze. "We like you, Lightening Bug," he said giving Daiya the nickname Idai had chosen for him. "Sorry, but it suits you so well."

Daiya picked up a rock. He bounced it in his hand as a warning. "A black eye might fit you just as well, too." Ryu took off running. Daiya went after him. "Come back here! I hate that nickname that guy gave me! Ryu!" Ryu kept running as fast as he could to the training area.

Takeru sat on the ground with one leg out. He flipped a kunai in his hand a few times. Saori was standing next to the tree with her arms crossed and leg on the bark. She was trying to wait patiently for Ryu and Daiya. Takeru knew how she felt. They had been there for an hour waiting on the two. "Do you suppose Ryu didn't have any luck in getting him to come?"

"I don't know. Daiya is who he is. He's probably curious to why we would want him to train with us," Saori said as she waved at Yanagi and Kandai. They were walking together. "Hey, where is everybody else?"

Kandai stopped. "Masaru is coming instead of Idai. Idai had to go with his dad to help Kiba sensei with something. Areku is coming, too. He should be here shortly."

Yanagi crouched in front of Takeru. "Hi, Takeru. Where is Ryu?" She smiled at him.

"I have absolutely no idea. Yanagi, did you bring water for everyone again?" She nodded at him. "That was thoughtful of you. Oh! Did you bring me flavored water," he asked putting his hands together as he smiled. "I kind of like that stuff."

"Of course I did! Three different flavors as always! These are not the same as last time though." Yanagi opened the backpack as she set it down. "They were out of some of the flavors, so I decided to get different ones. I have green tea flavored water, berry flavor, and lemon flavored water. I know some of the combinations are weird. I tried the green tea flavored water and it wasn't so bad. They put too much flavoring in it. It needs more water," she said smiling.

Ryu came darting out of the surrounding area. He skidded on his feet, his arms out to stop himself from falling over with such a sudden stop. He panted. "I'm sorry I'm late, but Daiya is brandishing a weapon. He wishes to hit me with it." The others just stopped and stared at him.

"Hold on. I know you better than you think I do," Saori said as she held up her hand to stop him from saying anything else that was unnecessary. "What kind of weapon does Daiya have?"

Takeru stood up slowly. He was worried now. Was Daiya going to attempt and fry Ryu? What had Ryu done anyway?

"Daiya believes I would look more handsome with a nice

shiny black eye," Ryu said as he crossed his arms. "I gave him the slip for the moment, but he's quick on his feet. I've never seen someone move so fast that is that determined."

"Ryu, what kind of weapon does he have," Kandai asked his eye twitching. Ryu never seemed to get to the point quickly if there was no need to. He watched Ryu snap his fingers together as he just remembered.

"A rock," Ryu said happily. He smiled at the kids in front of him. Yanagi shook her head at him. "What? I don't wish to be hit with a rock. They hurt."

"You should have thought about that before you called me 'lightening bug'," Daiya said angrily as he dropped on top of Ryu from the branch overhead. He had been following Ryu quietly for some time. He wasn't going to get away that easily.

"Oh, cut me some slack, Daiya," Ryu said as he was being held in a sleeper's hold. "I didn't make it up. Idai did. Get him for it."

Saori walked over to Ryu as Daiya attempted to choke the older boy. Saori smiled at Daiya. "Daiya, you're supposed to have keen eyes for a ninja." He looked up at her, his arm slacking some on Ryu's throat. She jerked a thumb behind her. "There are others here who are watching you."

Daiya froze. His gray eyes went to Takeru, Yanagi, and Kandai who were watching him. His face flushed. He normally didn't let anyone see this side of himself. Daiya let Ryu go abruptly and tried to turn around to run, but Saori had him wrapped in her chakra strings. He yelped as he fell over onto his stomach. He looked back at her.

Saori shook her head. "Tsk. Tsk, Daiya. We want you to stay. No one is going to hurt you, or think any less of you if you act, normal." He looked at her surprised. She smiled at him. "It's time to play with the big kids now."

"Aren't I older than you," Daiya said narrowing his eyes at the puppet girl.

"You're not acting like it," Takeru said as he looked at the boy on the ground. "I act more mature than you and I'm only eleven." He watched Daiya look away. "Sorry, but it's the truth."

Daiya got to his feet once Saori let him go. He wanted to leave. He didn't need Takeru talking about how mature he was. Daiya shot him a mean glance and turned around. Ryu was standing in front of him.

Ryu shook his head. "No." Daiya looked up at him with his guard up. "You cannot go, Daiya. You're the reason we came out here. You have to stay. Takeru is not trying to hurt your feelings, even when he's putting his foot in his mouth." Takeru blinked. Ryu put his hand on Daiya's shoulders and turned him around. "They're not going to bite you. Say 'hello'."

Masaru had showed up the time Daiya had risen to his feet. Him and Areku were wondering what was going on. "Oh, I might bite him," he said lowly. He hadn't forgotten about Daiya causing Idai to fall like he did. He wanted Daiya to apologize for it.

Areku yawned some. "I'd rather lay down for a little while, but I'm already here." He leaned against the tree watching the others.

"Areku, why are you so tired," Yanagi asked. She offered everyone water. They were going to be training for a little while. She gave Ryu a lemon flavored water. Her hand half way stopped when she glanced at Daiya. Her heart felt funny. Yanagi smiled at Daiya, but he moved back lowering his head. He was defiantly not accustomed to others. She shook the water bottle at him. He took it quickly then kind of hid behind Ryu, watching her. Yanagi thought he was handsome, despite his rough nature.

"My parents are expecting my mom's relatives to be in. I only got out of helping around the house because Gai sensei was coming over to help my dad move things around. Idai was nice enough to replace me. I owe him one, though," Areku said rubbing his eyes. "I stayed up late last night taking orders from my mom. She's worse than Saori's mom on a rampage."

Saori blinked. She started laughing. "Poor Areku." She went to her friend and hugged him to her, petting his head.

Ryu pushed Daiya towards the others. "Stop being scared of everyone. You have to learn to get along with everyone, regardless." He stopped Daiya in front of Masaru. Ryu noticed earlier that Masaru didn't particularly like Daiya. He had been watching the reactions of the blond haired boy when they trained together. "You two need to get more acquainted."

Masaru stared at Daiya. Daiya was staring back at him. He wondered what was going through the other boy's mind. "I don't work well with others who can't apologize," he said plainly.

Ryu lifted a brow. "Apologize for what?" He watched Daiya tense. Ryu noticed the boy's hair spiking out. Oh, that's not good. He's angry.

"I told you I didn't mean for that to happen," Daiya shouted in defiance at Masaru. "I don't care whose son you are! I don't owe you anything!" Daiya's fist went straight for Masaru's face.

Takeru grabbed Masaru around the waist to move him away from Daiya. Daiya was fuming about what Masaru had said. Ryu had Daiya by the waist, too, and was pinning his arms down. "What is wrong with you two? Why are the both of you mad at the other? I didn't think you two knew each other."

Masaru gritted his teeth. "I don't know him! He caused Idai to fall and hit his head in the training ring! Idai had a concussion and I had to take him to a medic-nin before I went to Kandai and Eiyu's! He never apologized! He doesn't show any concern for anyone but himself!"

Ryu put his hand over Daiya's mouth. The boy was attempting to spit back his own choice of words. It was taking all the strength he had to hold Daiya in place. All they needed right now was a fight. "Hold on, Daiya. What did you see, Masaru?"

"Idai was trying to get his attention and was running backwards to keep up with him as a joke. That's what Idai does when he wants to surprise you. Instead of warning Idai that the training ring was coming up behind him, Daiya stopped dead and skidded on his feet. I saw Idai go over the railing. He slid hard on his back and hit his head so hard he couldn't get up for a moment. Daiya didn't even apologize! All he did was turn around and run off!"

Takeru looked at Daiya. Daiya was hopping around trying to get free of Ryu. Ryu wasn't easing up either. Takeru noticed Daiya's eyes were closed. "You didn't apologize, did you? Masaru is friends with Idai. And… I'm friends with Masaru. The way you're acting, Daiya, is a dead give away that you didn't own up to what you did. Why didn't you apologize to Idai? He could have gotten hurt worse than you think if someone had been in the training ring. But you didn't think of that."

Daiya looked at Takeru. Takeru was mad. His face was barely showing it, but his eyes told him everything. He gasped at the anger everyone was giving him. He felt really out of place. Saori was disappointed in him. Areku was giving him a blank expression. Kandai was surprised. Yanagi was looking at him sadly. Daiya looked up at Ryu. Ryu had the look on his face that showed he didn't understand why he had chosen to run like he did.

Daiya closed his eyes. Ryu took his hand off of his mouth.

"So there is nothing you want to say, is there? I didn't think it would be that difficult for us to train, but we need to settle this," Ryu said. "You need to own up to what you did. It doesn't help matters. Idai is not here though. Masaru, it doesn't do any good to hold a grudge on someone that had nothing to do with you. If Idai has not sought him out, then Idai is past it. You need to get past it, too. However, I want Daiya to learn from his mistakes. " Daiya tensed. "You will remain here and train. That is an order."

"Ryu, you can't force him to stay here. He doesn't want to. It's pretty clear that there is a nasty air of hostility," Yanagi said. She watched Ryu glance at her. His red eyes were watching her.

"He has to. I'm the leader for our team. My job was given to me for all missions and training purposes, Yanagi. Daiya has to do what I say and when I say it. I was hoping it wouldn't have to lead to this, but there is no other way," Ryu said. "He has to learn to stand up for himself when he is being judged unfairly. Daiya also needs to make things right when he has made a mistake. We will still be here and will work together like we are supposed to."

Takeru shook his head. He was kind of mad at Daiya. "Well, it's obvious he's not going to make things right, so me and Masaru will go train together." Takeru tugged Masaru to follow him. "I didn't think he would act like that, either," he said as Daiya caught his glare.

Daiya sulked. He couldn't disobey Ryu like he wanted. If he chose to, he'd just in a huge amount of trouble with Sasuke. Sasuke could surely train him worse than Ryu ever would. His trainer didn't take defiance very well. He stood still, his head lowered. He was ashamed.

Saori tried to lighten the mood by grabbing Kandai and Yanagi. "We can go train together. I bet I can throw more kunai than Kandai can." She picked at the boy with long brown hair.

"No, you can't. I know how to push it with my chakra," Kandai said smiling at her. "Maybe I can teach you guys to do it." He tugged Yanagi along. She was staring at Daiya hard. When the pink haired girl caught up to them, Kandai looked at her. "Why were you staring so hard at him? Ryu knows how to defuse a situation."

"Kind of amazing since Ryu normally causes those types of situations," Saori said shaking her head. "He would have to know how to defuse them. He gets in a lot of trouble with Sasuke sensei. I don't even get in that much trouble at home."

Yanagi blushed. "I think Daiya's handsome," she said smiling as Saori and Kandai just stared at her bluntness. "I can't help it that he and Masaru are having a disagreement, but hopefully, things will get better. "

"Yanagi Lee, you watchful little mouse," Saori said pointing at her friend. "You have feelings for Daiya Eimino." Yanagi's eyes went wide. She looked away quickly. "You do! That's so sweet, Yanagi!"

Kandai smiled embarrassed at the two girls. "Why do you like Daiya? He doesn't let anyone get to know him, Yanagi. He's rather difficult, isn't he?"

Yanagi nodded as she threw a kunai at a target that was hooked low to a tree. She looked around at all of the targets. They were everywhere. Boy, Ryu sure knows how to make us sweat in a short amount of time. "He is, but I don't think he chooses to be that way. We each choose what happens in the futures that we can control. I believe Daiya is afraid and hurt. That's why he lashes out like he does. He's loud and noisy because it makes him seem more threatening than he is."

"I will never understand your reasoning," Saori said as she did a handstand and threw a kunai at a target that was high above them hanging. The kunai sunk into it with a thunk. "I know you generally get along with everyone, but Daiya isn't able to associate very well with others at the moment. I hope you're patient."

Yanagi smiled as she watched Kandai run up the side of a tree and throw two kunai on both of his sides. "Good job, Kandai. Shikamaru sensei will be proud that you're trying more. Yeah, I know. I'm pretty patient. It doesn't matter how long a journey takes, as long as, you enjoy the journey."

Kandai grabbed Yanagi around the waist and lifted her up off of the ground. "Let's see if I can carry more weight when I'm running up the side of the tree." Yanagi didn't seem to like that idea very much. "I promise I won't drop you!" Yanagi freaked out as Kandai started to run up the side of the tree carrying her.

"She's supposed to be on your back like she's injured, Kandai," Saori shouted. Yanagi did not like that idea at all. "If he drops her, she's going to hit him, for sure."

Takeru and Masaru ran at the targets from two different sides. They were attempting to pass each other and flip throwing the kunai. It had been Takeru's new idea for a two-way attack. Just as Masaru came from the other side, he flipped over onto his hand and threw a kunai straight at a dummy to his left. Masaru flipped two times in the air at the same time, barely missing the kunai. He threw a kunai to his left at another dummy behind Takeru. Both of the boys skidded on the dirt. They looked at their

handiwork and smiled at each other.

"What other moves should we come up with," Masaru asked as he plucked the kunai out of the dummy. He liked training with Takeru. It had been a while since the two of them had gotten together. "Hey, Takeru, I met your friend, Onari. She's a pretty girl."

Takeru turned around as he held onto his kunai. "You met Onari? When? She trains with Mr. Hyuga all day while we train on our teams. She's not ready to be put on a team yet."

"Kandai and Eiyu invited me, Areku, Gin, Saori, and Yanagi over to get associated with her. Do you remember the game 'Telephone' that we used to play when we were at the Academy? We played that. It was funny, too! Saori had chosen the sentence 'A pink duck dances in the rain'. The moment she told Kandai, it got screwed up." Takeru laughed. "Onari talks funny. Why is that?"

Takeru walked over to Masaru. "She talks like that because she doesn't understand Japanese yet. Onari is learning language, slowly. My mom tries to teach her to read, but it's a bit of a trail. She doesn't understand that the caricatures are sounds yet."

Masaru looked at Takeru a bit perplexed. "Takeru, I'm sorry I kind of jumped at your friend. He had me madder than I've ever been. I normally don't act like that."

"I know. Daiya is not an easy person to get along with. I don't know what happened. I wasn't there, so I understand that you've taken Idai in as your friend. That's good, I guess. Ryu and I have been trying to work with Daiya. He defies us in the end, though," Takeru said as he sighed.

Masaru smiled at Takeru. "I don't see why. Ryu is generally patient when I see him instructing everyone. And you're not so hard to get along with, Takeru. You're more accepting out of anyone I've ever met." He did a back-flip to throw a kunai at a target that was overhead. It lodged into the wooden target. "I'm getting better. Too bad I'm not as fast I want to be."

"You'll get there. Just keep training. How do you like having Kiba sensei for a trainer?" Takeru wondered what the other trainers were like. His team trained with Shikamaru's team on occasion.

Masaru plopped onto his rear. He sipped some on the water Yanagi had given him. "He's a pretty decent guy. Kiba makes us work hard, but it's worth it in the end. He's really good at figuring out ways to help us with weaknesses he had. Yanagi has been struggling with a move that she's been attempting. It's some kind of punch that she does in the air and comes down onto the ground. It's meant to hit an enemy right at the legs. If she hits hard enough, she can break a bone, but unfortunately, Yanagi can't break a twig yet. Kiba's been helping her break those to insinuate a person's leg."

"That would be the best point of direction," Takeru said. "I don't think I would want Yanagi punching at my legs for real in a training session. She'll probably get stronger like her mom and have speed like her dad. She trains enough, I know that."

"She does. Every day after training with us, she trains with her dad. Her dad is enough to drive me crazy sometimes. Lee sensei is awfully happy and ecstatic. I don't mind him though. I'd rather have a positive trainer than one who didn't care," Takeru said. Masaru laughed at him for that.

Ryu stood stiffly with his arms crossed. He was forcing Daiya to participate. He didn't like to approach things this way, but Daiya was leaving him no other choice. Areku was participating only because Ryu had asked him to. He was afraid his temper was going to show with the boy from the lightening country. Areku ran up the side of a tree and pushed his legs off of it to throw a kunai from both of his sides at two targets. He flipped back onto his hands and skidded onto the ground. "Good job. Now it's your turn," he said his eyes serious and demanding as he looked at Daiya.

Daiya knew he was in trouble with Ryu. He didn't like to be, first off. Ryu had a different side to him than being the normal patient, laid-back guy that Daiya knew him for. When the others had walked off, Ryu had given him a piece of his mind. It was embarrassing to be chewed out in front of someone he didn't know. Areku hadn't watched though. He had turned his head and plugged his fingers in his ears. Daiya didn't use kunai like the rest of the kids on the teams. He couldn't. The kunai were metal. He had to use his metal rods to issue forth his lightening jutsu.

Ryu waited difficultly as he watched Daiya open the casing on his back. He wanted the training to be over for the day. He was sick to his teeth of arguing with everyone around him. He thought he was going to get into it with Takeru about Daiya, but Takeru had shuffled off with Masaru –which was good. Ryu would have chewed him out.

Areku put his kunai in the holster by his leg. He was wearing out. They had been training for a little while, but his lack of sleep was getting to him. He leaned against the tree as he watched Daiya. "Why doesn't he use kunai and shuriken like everybody else? Those are proper ninja tools."

"He's a lightening user. You might want to cover your ears, Areku. It's going to get very noisy," Ryu said as he reached up to plug his own.

Daiya started to direct his chakra, increasing it. His body started to flow with the electrical currents, emitting them outside of his arms and legs. The ground around him began to pop violently with the electrical surges. He had to control it, or risk going down in the end. It was rather difficult for him to learn to harness his abilities by himself.

Sasuke had been trying to get him to learn to control it as much as he could. The bad thing about him being a lightening user was his kekkegenkai was part of it. The electrical currents flowed around every vital organ in his body mixed with his chakra. If he got out of control he could hurt others around him, as well as, end his own life.

Daiya gritted his teeth as he felt his heart start to pump harder. His breathing was quickening with it. The electrical flow he emitted was a heavy power that he dealt with. It put his body under a lot of stress whenever he attempted to use it. He was still in training. Daiya took off running. The electrical currents he emitted, trailed behind his form popping the ground as he ran. He jumped into the air, aiming his right hook at a target in front of him. Daiya air punched. The lightening was sent off of his arm and at the target. The target was hit so hard, it cracked.

Ryu watched as Daiya took his anger out on the targets. It was better for it to be that way. He didn't want the boy to gain hatred at anyone on the teams. Daiya was in the air now, turned upside down. He watched as the foreign boy threw a rod at a target that was far away. The lightening Daiya emitted was attracted to the rod and flowed down the rod. The target smoked and became black from coming in contact with Daiya's lightening jutsu.

Areku winced at the loud popping noises that were emitting from Daiya's jutsu attacks. He flinched a few times as the targets became black and sizzled under the force of the electrical surges. That guy is stronger than anyone ever thought. I don't think it would be wise for anyone to get on his nerves. He could fry them alive with one hit of those attacks of his. I wonder how much voltage he's able to harness.

Ryu watched as Daiya landed back on his feet. The boy was breathing hard. It had taken a lot out of him to be able to focus his chakra like he had. "That's enough, Daiya. I don't want you to overstress yourself." Daiya didn't look at him. He simply walked away. Ryu sighed. I expect him to be mad at us. He doesn't understand why we're making him do what is necessary.

Areku watched Daiya walk off. "I take it he holds a grudge," he said as he looked at Ryu. Ryu supposed he was. "It can't be helped. He'll get over it, in time. I'm going to go ahead and go home now. I'm too tired to try anything else today. Thanks for the invite, Ryu."

"You're welcome to train with us again, Areku. I just hope the situation is a little better. I didn't know about Masaru and Daiya having a quarrel, or I wouldn't have tried to team them together," Ryu said disappointedly. "People need to honestly keep in touch with me about those sorts of things," he said as he scratched his head. It had been a fairly decent day. They had all made progress in their training and that was what he wanted. Now whether or not Daiya understood the purpose of everyone getting together was a different matter.

Daiya gritted his teeth. He had to leave the others behind because he could feel his body surging more than normal. The electrical flows inside of his body erupted a little. He winced in pain. It hurt for him not to be able to control it physically. The lightening popped a few times around him. His body was majorily stressed out. Daiya panted once it had ended. He didn't want to harm anyone around him.

The surges happened again, sooner than he had expected. Daiya's eyes went wide as the currents flowed down his arms and legs. His arms and legs tensed as he tried to remain still. The lightening popped onto the ground again, but ended. It felt like his body was giving him a warning. Was he fixing to lose control of it? If he did, he hoped no one was around when it happened.

Daiya Eimino slumped to the ground. He hoped for everyone's sake, that if his kekkegenkai claimed him, that no one would witness it.


	31. Chapter 31

**V4 ch 1**

**Daiya Overloads!**

Daiya screamed to the top of his lungs in pain. His head was tilted back, arms in front of his body, hands turned into claws as he tried to control the electrical currents radiating throughout his body. Electrical surges flowed around him popping the ground and his skin. He was overloading.

Daiya couldn't control the electricity his body was producing. It was affecting his senses and ability to function. He was trying to direct the current flows towards the ground so the surrounding area wouldn't catch on fire. It was working, but it was draining him of his chakra- of his life. Daiya could no longer hear, or feel the pain emitting from his form. He wasn't aware how loud he was screaming or who could hear him. It was unstoppable.

Sasuke had tried his best to train Daiya to control his kekkegenkai – to learn how to handle the power surges. Sasuke had been a good sensei. He knew that, but Daiya was from the lightening country and his inheritance was unknown.

It was all over for him. Daiya knew it. He could never tell Sasuke how he looked up to him. Sasuke would never know. Ryu would never hear him laugh at his antics and Saori would never hear him give her approval. All of the faces he knew were flashing in his mind – every one of them were important – all people he liked and cherished.

Daiya could feel his heart beating erratically. It wasn't going to last much longer. The electrical flow around his heart was causing it to beat violently. His lungs were tightening and he was gasping for air.

"DAIYA," a voice yelled from the woods surrounding the area. He could hear him screaming – hear the electricity erupting. Idai, the jokester from Team six, Kiba Inuzuka's team, was running as fast as he was able to get to Daiya. Since he was from the sound village, it guaranteed that his hearing was intensified compared to most. He knew about Daiya's abilities and was aware why Daiya chose to be alone most of the time. Idai couldn't let Daiya suffer. He had to save him even at the cost of his own existence.

Idai practically flew out of the trees, his feet barely touching the branches. Standing in a small clearing, screaming in horrified pain was Daiya. Idai's heart stopped. His breath left him. He had never seen someone in so much pain before.

Idai's feet touched the ground as he ran at Daiya, his arms out. "Daiya," he yelled trying to get a reaction out of him. Daiya didn't know he was there. He was lost in his own torment. Idai, without care or concern for his own self, ran straight at Daiya. The lightening popped around him, barely missing his arms. When he came within range, Idai grabbed Daiya and held him to his body trying to cut off the electrical flow. "Daiya," he yelled again pressing him even tighter against his body. Daiya could not hear him.

Idai yelped in pain as the electricity started to direct its flow to the metal on his body. It went straight for his ninja tools and swords. Idai gritted his teeth trying to bear the pain of it. He felt like he was losing his mind. The tools and weapons were helping absorb some of the electrical flow. It was taking some of the voltage off of Daiya – but at what cost?

Idai was sure he was going to die with Daiya. The voltage was excruciating. As Idai's strength started to give out, the electricity abruptly stopped. Idai breathed hard, opening his eyes. Daiya was no longer screaming. Idai felt Daiya Eimino go limp. He held onto him as Daiya's head went back and his legs buckled underneath them. "D-Daiya?" Idai's eyes were wide. He fell with him. "Daiya?" Idai shook him. There was no response. Daiya was pale and there was no movement of any kind.

Idai laid Daiya down quickly. He checked his mouth for any signs of breathing. Idai put his ear to Daiya's chest and listened for a heartbeat. There was none. He searched frantically for a pulse. "Daiya," Idai said with his voice cracking. "DAIYA!" Daiya Eimino was dead.

"Where could he have gone," Ryu said. "This is ridiculous. I know he's mad at us for prying into his life, but training is a team effort."

"You can't keep poking at him to open up," Saori said. She worked on her puppet, Rose as they sat on the bench in Konoha. "There's a reason Daiya stays cool and collected a majority of the time. He probably has to keep himself in check for some reason – much like Gaara."

"But shouldn't we know what that reason is? I mean we are his friend," Ryu said rather annoyed. He was staring off in the other direction.

"How in the world does all of this dirt get in Rose?"

"I had no idea you had to clean those things," Ryu said absentmindedly watching her.

"Of course we have to clean them. It is a tool. Puppets get damaged and their mechanisms need adjusting and tuning all of the time," Saori said. "I wish Rose was as technically advanced as Crow."

"So why isn't it as good as the one your uncle uses," Ryu asked.

"Because Kankuro built Rose for me. His puppet, Crow, was built by someone a hell of a lot stronger than him. He wont' tell me who though. It's like there are things from the past that keep getting covered up by the adults."

"I wonder what the adults are hiding."

"You always think someone is hiding something," Saori said as she popped Rose's head straight.

Ryu jumped a little. Saori was twisted when it came to how she handled Rose. The way she jerked its head and arms around made him feel like she was breaking and snapping bones. "I wish you had other hobbies," he said distastefully.

"I do have other hobbies. Too bad you never take the initiative to find those out," Saori said as she jerked Rose's arm back into place. "Isn't that right, Rose? Ryu's a silly boy." She made Rose's mouth open and close. "Why, yes, Saori, Ryu is!"

Ryu watched her out of the corner of his eye. "Don't' assume you know everything about me. As much as you talk, you ought to try watching some time."

"Oh, listen, Rose. Ryu is scolding me. Should we call him Ryu sensei?" Saori made Rose nod her head. "Alright, Ryu sensei it is."

Ryu reached up placing his hand on Saori's head. "You're a silly puppet girl. How many of those things do you have? Are they the only things you talk to?"

Saori stopped. "Knock it off Ryu. My puppets don't hurt me like others do. They do what I want them to"

"Saori." She didn't look at him. Ryu turned his full attention to her. Her back was to him. She had stopped working on Rose entirely. "I didn't mean anything by it. I was teasing."

Saori shook her head. Why did Ryu notice things she didn't want him to? "Why do you always watch me when we train? We're not even on the same team."

Ryu tilted his head towards her, his chin on his hand. "Maybe I like to watch you," he said softly. "You're interesting."

"I'm not that interesting. I'm just a puppet girl that plays with her tools. It's all I have. It's what I'm good at," Saori said.

"That's not true. You have me, Daiya, Yanagi, and Takeru; among a few others. Aren't we enough?"

"I want everyone to like me. I'm not trying to get everyone to avoid me, Ryu. Not everyone has your attractive personality," Saori said. Saori gasped. She felt Ryu's arms around her waist, his chest pressed against her back.

"Not everyone is avoiding you. Some are actually trying to get your attention. You just have to open your eyes," Ryu said softly into her ear.

Saori's heart was beating funny. Ryu had never talked so sincerely to her before. It was like he was inviting her into his own world – the real one where he stayed locked away. "R-Ryu…"

"You think I'm toying with you, Saori Nara? Is that what it is? I can't make you see who I am unless you give me a chance. You're so worried about what everyone says and how they look at you that you're not really seeing who is really noticing you," Ryu said as he put his chin on the top of her head.

"And just who is noticing me," Saori asked wanting to know the truth. She felt Ryu move away. "You can't tell me someone cares about the loud-mouthed puppet girl who-,"

Ryu turned her around. He looked at her. "I notice you. Very much actually."

Saori's eyes widened. She saw Ryu. His face mask was lowered. Ryu was incredibly handsome. He was letting her see his face – but why? Saori absentmindedly lifted her hand up to touch his face. Her fingers moved over his cheekbones and down. Strangely, Ryu's face was soft. His eyes softened as she kept her hand placed on his cheek.

Ryu smiled at her gently. "I assure you that I'm real," Ryu said blushing. Saori's eyes had changed somehow. She wasn't mouthing off like she normally did. No, Saori was calmly watching him. He wasn't used to positive attention from girls. "Um, Saori? I'm sorry for losing my temper with you earlier this year."

"It's alright. I've forgotten about it," she said softly. She couldn't take her mind off of his face.

Ryu felt funny inside. His chest felt like it was swelling with ice water. He was incredibly nervous. He leaned towards Saori. She didn't tense like he had expected. "Saori, if I kiss you, will you slap me?"

"N-no, but why would you want to," she asked in return.

Instead of giving her a verbal answer, Ryu decided to give her a physical one. He pressed his lips to hers tenderly and closed his eyes. His heart was beating funny s he held the kiss.

Saori's total thought processes stopped. She was only aware of Ryu's lips touching hers. Saori kissed him a few times, not caring what anyone thought that happened to see them. Ryu Yuhi was the slacker and rough houser of Team Two. He liked to toy with people who were dimwitted and was overprotective of those close to him. And Saori liked him. She liked him so much it hurt.

Ryu parted the kiss, his eyes opening to focus on her. For a moment, he could only look at her. Something inside of him wanted to latch onto her and never let her go. He wanted to protect her and shield her; from everything.

Ryu wanted to be Saori's avenger. He wanted to be the one to set everything right for her. But what would she think if she knew his true feelings? He cared for her deeply; so badly Ryu just wanted to hold her and comfort her.

"Ryu, I don't know what's going on inside your head, but if you want to express yourself, you can. I won't beat you up for it," Saori said. She could tell Ryu was battling his emotions. She needed to know how he felt – if everything was real.

Ryu grabbed Saori instantly, pressing her close to him. He shielded her- guarding her protectively. He put his cheek on top of her head – rubbing her head with it. Ryu felt like a bunch of tiny suns were exploding in his body. "Saori, can… I keep you," he asked fearful of her answer.

Saori wrapped her arms around him, drawing him even closer to her. Ryu was real – along with his feelings for her. He loved her. He wanted her. And she wanted him. "You'll promise not to let me go," she said her voice cracking.

"I promise I'll never let my hand fall from yours," Ryu said seriously.

Saori clutched onto him. Ryu was the Legendary Coward son of the Copy Ninja. He was a turkey and a troublemaker. And he was hers.

Idai started to panic. He had to think! Daiya was dead. No, Idai couldn't give up on him like that! He tilted Daiya's head back. He started to give him mouth-to-mouth. Idai couldn't bear the though of Daiya not coming back. He had to try for his sake.

Idai placed his hands on Daiya's chest, pressing two times quickly. "Come on, Daiya!" He bent down again, giving him mouth-to-mouth in a repeat pattern. Idai looked at him fearfully. Daiya was not responding. His body was still limp and there was no motion.

Idai kept trying to revive Daiya. He wasn't stopping. "I'm not giving up on you! Wake up!" Idai actually looked up to Daiya. He thought he was the coolest guy he had ever met. Daiya was well poised, knew his strengths and weaknesses, and didn't let anyone get past him.

The only ways Idai was able to get Daiya to notice him was by teasing him, or acting silly. He was terrible at trying so hard to get Daiya to look at him, or make a comment. Idai wanted nothing more than to be friends with him. Now it seemed trivial and pointless.

Idai gritted his teeth, tears flowing down his face as he pressed onto Daiya's chest again. If only he could get his heart started. He didn't know what else to do. The thought of Daiya not returning – not lashing out at him – or giving him mean looks- was impossible to fathom. He needed Daiya to come back.

"Someone help me," Idai screamed at the top of his lungs. His voice sounded throughout the woods. "Anybody!" Idai kept trying. Daiya wasn't responding to anything. His form lay still on the ground.

Idai was getting exhausted. He had been trying to revive Daiya for a so long that he was panting. "I can't give up on you," he said breathing hard. "If I do, you'll never glance at me again." Idai pressed on Daiya's chest again and again. He felt like he was going to pass out. His head was spinning. Idai touched his forehead – he had to shake it off.

Not knowing what else to do, Idai screamed for help again. Someone had to be out here. They weren't that far from the village. Idai kept trying with Daiya despite the stars appearing in his vision. "Daiya,… come on..," he said pleading. "Please…"

Idai fell onto Daiya. His head as on his chest, panting. What was that noise? He looked up. A figure was running towards him. "K-Kiba sensei…?"

Kiba Inuzuka ran towards Idai. He had been out in the woods camping like he normally did on his days off. Akamaru's sharp ears had picked up on Idai screaming for help. "Idai!" he saw his student laying on Daiya Eimino from Sasuke's team. Kiba slid on his feet. "Idai, what

happened? Come on, kid! Tell me!"

Idai started crying again. "Daiya's dead! I saw him,-"Idai choked on his words as Kiba's eyes widened. Kiba started checking Daiya for a pulse. "He was screaming and there were popping noises from his electrical currents."

Kiba placed his ear to Daiya's chest, listening. "Idai, how long have you been trying to revive him?" Idai shook his head. The boy didn't know. Kiba figured Idai had been pushing himself for a long time due to his apparent fatigue. His student had never given up – he was loyal. Kiba placed his hand over Daiya's mouth, checking for any air flow.

"I didn't know what to do, Kiba sensei. I tried to stop the electrical currents from him hitting him, but they kept coming. Daiya went limp. I couldn't leave him. I should have sought for help. I didn't think," Idai coughed turning his head away.

"He's breathing, Idai," Kiba said softly. Idai looked at him in shock. The tears were still flowing down the boy's face. "His heart is faintly beating, but he is alive. You did the right thing by not seeking help and staying with him. If you had left Daiya, he wouldn't have been able to be brought back. Too much time would have passed."

"H-He's alive….?"

"Yeah, barely though. You saved his life, Idai. I have to get him back or he won't make it. He needs medical help now. Rest. It won't do any good for you to worry," Kiba said as he lifted Daiya's limp form. "Akamaru, stay with Idai. Make sure he's alright." Kiba took off.

Kiba Inuzuka leaned against the wall outside of Daiya Eimino's room. It had taken the medic-nin hours to get Daiya stable. The boy's heart was still beating un-rhythmically, but his heart wasn't as faint as it had been previously. He hoped he had gotten there soon enough.

If Idai had given up, or panicked, Daiya would not have made it. He knew that. Idai did, too. Kiba had sent word to Sasuke about Daiya. He was his student and he had a right to know. The boy's fate was out of their hands. Now Daiya had to fight for himself.

"Kiba, how is he," Sasuke asked as he walked towards him.

"For a kid that died and was brought back, I'd say he's doing as well as expected," Kiba said.

Sasuke Uchiha looked at the door. Visitors weren't allowed in for the time being. "Who found him?"

Kiba formed a small smile. "Believe it or not, but Idai. He held onto Daiya and took some of the voltage off of him. Not only that, but he kept attempting to revive him as he called for help."

"Idai? The kid that was abandoned by the Sound Village? The white-haired boy that teases Daiya?" Sasuke couldn't believe it. Idai seemed like the less likely culprit to save anyone.

"I know. He surprised me, too. That kid hides behind his childish taunts. It makes me wonder what kind of backbone he has," Kiba said.

"I was afraid this was going to happen," Sasuke said as Kiba looked at him. "Daiya has been keeping himself in check so much that it was only fitting for him to overload. It's been stressing him out lately. I tried to prepare him for what he'd have to face."

"Daiya's kekkegenkai is unknown, Sasuke. You couldn't have prevented what would happen to him. We all try out best to prepare those kids as much as we can for the future," Kiba said. "Sometimes, the stronger ones come out of nowhere during the worst circumstances."

"I have to tell Ryu and Takeru. They've gotten awfully close to Daiya since training occurred. I know how Takeru will react, but Ryu is a different story. He may erupt, or withdraw completely," Sasuke said. He sighed. "If Daiya gets worse, let me know immediately."

"I will," Kiba said.

"I guess we're not training today," Saori said as she holstered Rose back onto her shoulders. "I didn't think Daiya was the type to hold a grudge over something so trivial."

Ryu stood up. "I don't think he is," he said as he saw Sasuke walking towards them. "Something's wrong." Saori looked up at him before she turned her gaze towards Sasuke.

Sasuke stopped in front of Ryu and Saori. The looks on their faces told him they already knew something was up. "I need both of you to listen and not make any rash decisions. Ryu, that goes especially for you."

Ryu swallowed. His chest was tightening. "Where is Daiya? Why is he not here?" Sasuke held up his hand to stop him from speaking.

"Daiya lost control of his kekkegenkai earlier today. He overloaded. Ryu, calm down." Sasuke could see Ryu shaking. His breathing was quickening. Saori grabbed onto Ryu's hand to try and calm him. "Daiya's in the hospital. He's stable. Visitors are not allowed for the time being."

"H-How did he overload," Ryu asked trying to not let his emotions get the better of him.

"It just happened. Daiya must have anticipated it happening. He was found away from the village in a clearing with Idai by Kiba," Sasuke said.

"What does it mean that he overloaded," Saori asked. She didn't understand. She watched as Sasuke kneeled in front of her, looking up at her.

"Daiya is a lightening user. It's his inherited ability. And in saying so, he has to keep his emotions in check – much like Gaara- or he gets out of control. When that happens, Daiya overloads and he cannot control it. The lightening he uses flows through his body constantly and wraps itself around every vital organ with his chakra. As Daiya overloads, it causes his heart's normal rhythm to be thrown off and puts strains on his vital organs. If it's not stopped and he cannot regain control, h is body gives out and he dies."

Saori put her hand over her mouth. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Daiya was like Gaara, in a sense. He had lost control and died. She wanted to let her emotions erupt-scream- do something to show she saw him as her friend, but she couldn't do it in front of Sasuke.

Ryu put his arms around Saori. He held her tightly as she erupted on his chest and started to cry for Daiya. He looked at Sasuke. "Daiya died, didn't he?"

"Yes, he died. If it wasn't for Idai, Daiya would not be here," Sasuke said. He looked from Saori to Ryu.

"Idai saved Daiya? How," Ryu asked.

"Idai took some of the voltage off of Daiya when he was overloading. He let himself get struck. When Daiya died, Idai kept trying to revive him – never giving up as he called for help."

"Idai stuck to Daiya through all of it," Saori said through her tears. "He's braver than I would have though. He never shows his courage and determination."

"Yeah, it seems he's strong than he's letting on. Kind of like the both of you. You two have struck with all of your training and by each other – despite the rumors, taunts, or backlash from others. I'm proud of you both. Especially Ryu," Sasuke said as he stood up. "As long as Daiya is stable, he's alright. There's nothing more we can do for him. He has to fight for himself."

"When can we see him, Sasuke sensei," Saori asked wiping her eyes.

"Kiba will let us know, okay? Be strong for him, Ryu and Saori. Daiya needs you two now more than ever," Sasuke said as he started to walk away. The two were still holding onto each other as he parted from them.

"No, Onari, you're supposed to kick up," Takeru said correcting her. "You balance on one foot like this and then you grab an opponent's arm to hold them in place. Once they're in place, you kick up and it sends them flying backwards."

Onari titled her head. "Onari like Neji's move better than Sasuke's." She put her hand behind her back, crouched, and spun. "It fun, Takeru."

"Ri, martial arts isn't supposed to be fun. Besides, all you're doing is rotating. That doesn't do anything." Takeru shook his head at her.

"Takeru, move back," Onari said. She issued him to do as she instructed. "Takeru think Onari no pay attention." Onari rotated again, but as she did so, she formed hand seals quickly. "Fire rotation!" The girl blew fire out of her mouth aiming it away from the house, her body still rotating.

Takeru's eyes widened. "Oh, man. She's combining jutsus. Dad's going to think I taught her that." He sighed. "Alright, Onari, I get it. You can stop now before you make yourself dizzy."

Onari crossed her arms proudly. "Onari catch Takeru soon!" She pointed at him.

"I don't know, Ri. Maybe you will. Maybe you won't," he said smiling at her. That caused Onari to come running at him. He started running away from her laughing. "You can't catch me as it is, Ri."

"Takeru, you need to come inside," Izumi said. The two kids stopped. "Onari, you need to stay out here for a moment." She issued Takeru in. "Your father is in your room."

Takeru wondered what he had done. He stood in the entranceway looking at his father sitting on his bed. "Am I in trouble?"

"No, Takeru. Come in and close the door. It's serious," Sasuke said. Takeru did as he was told, not really understanding what was wrong. Sasuke exhaled. He waved Takeru over. He placed his hands on his son's shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "Daiya's kekkegenkai got out of control earlier today."

Takeru knew about Daiya Eimino's abilities. He was friends with him. He liked Daiya. "Wh-What…? Is he alright? Dad…?"

Sasuke's eyes softened. "He's in the hospital, Takeru. For now, he's stable. I think Daiya knew it was going to happen. He's been really stressed out lately."

"But-," Takeru paused. "You told me if Daiya ever overloaded- that if he lost control- it would kill him."

"It did. He was dead. However, someone you know took some of the voltage off of him," Sasuke said.

"Somebody took the voltage off of Daiya?" Takeru panicked. In order to do that, you had to be close to the electrical source. "Who? Who helped Daiya?"

"Idai from Kiba's team," Sasuke said. "He stayed with Daiya the entire time trying his best to revive him until Kiba got there." Sasuke knew Takeru was trying to be strong in front of him. He cupped his son's face in his hands. "Takeru, it's alright."

Not until his father told him he could, did Takeru let his emotions flow. The tears poured down his cheeks – his eyes closed. Sasuke kept his hands on his face as he cried. "Daiya's my friend," Takeru said through his grief.

"I know, Takeru. You and Ryu have gotten very close to Daiya. He needs you guys just as much as you need him. I think Idai needs him, too. He certainly has been trying hard to get Daiya to notice him."

Takeru wiped his eyes. He smiled some remembering a few things. "Yeah, he sure has. Idai calls Daiya 'lightening bug'. I like how the electrical currents go through Daiya's hair when he gets mad and his hair spikes out."

Sasuke smirked. "Yeah, I like that about him, too. Ryu causes Daiya to do that at least twice a day."

"What do you think he would do if he got around Onari, or Idai?"

"Hmm. We may have to test that theory," Sasuke said, thinking. Daiya wasn't going to be well – probably not ever. The effects the overload had caused were permanent. He had to keep a close eye on him.

"Dad, what are you thinking about?"

Sasuke tilted his head some. "I'm trying to figure out where I should place Daiya. Staying in the single dorms is not going to sit well with me. I'll worry he'll have another power surge."

"Is Daiya going to go away," Takeru asked.

"No, he won't go anywhere. He has no family. I'm just thinking for now. Be strong for him, okay?" Sasuke turned his gaze to the door. "Onari, you're not supposed to be eavesdropping."

"Onari no want Sasuke hurt Takeru," she said from the other side of the door.

"I'm not hurting him, Fire Bird. Good grief. She's like a watch dog. Any time I come near you, Onari's right there eying me. What have you been telling her?"

Takeru started laughing. "It wouldn't matter what I said. She only understands half of everything."

"Onari want game, too! No fair Sasuke play with Takeru!" Onari was jumping up and down, mad. She wanted to be included.

Sasuke rubbed his temples. "Should we let her in or wait until she puts a hole in the floor?" Onari was still bouncing.

"As light as her bone structure is, it might take a while for that to happen," Takeru said.

"Onari, come in already," Sasuke said. He watched the door slowly open. "Onari…" She peeked around the doorframe. Sasuke's eye twitched. "Oh, you're just asking for it."

Takeru looked at his dad then at Onari. Sasuke was easing off of the bed slowly. Onari came a little closer. Oh, he's going to get her. Too bad Ri doesn't know it yet. Takeru smiled.

Sasuke came off of the bed fast. He ran at Onari, his feet hitting the wooden floor, arms out to his sides. Just as he thought, Onari turned around as quickly as she could. She started to dart, her body crouching low as she slid- moving out of his reach.

Onari ran down the hallway with Sasuke chasing her. Takeru heard Onari scream, "Onari no like Sasuke chase Onari!" He heard a crash and then his mother. Izumi was yelling, but it wasn't at Onari.

"Sasuke Uchiha! There is no running in the house! You are in so much trouble," Izumi yelled. "I can't believe you broke that!"

"How come it's only me that's in trouble," Sasuke asked. "Onari ran into it, too."

"You were the one instigating it," Izumi said matter-of-factly.

Takeru looked around his room. He knew his dad was trying to lift the mood. However, his mind was drawn to Daiya's situation. Takeru flopped onto his bed covering his head with his pillow. He saw Daiya in the hospital – his form still and unconscious. Takeru clutched onto the pillow. He gritted his teeth. The tears were coming again. He couldn't let Onari see his weakness.


	32. Chapter 32

**V4 ch 2**

**New Family**

Saori Nara walked back from the hospital. She had checked on Daiya's condition. It was the same as a few days ago. He was stable, but unresponsive. Visitors were still not allowed for the time being.

She wished dearly that Daiya would wake up. Saori missed his emotionless voice and the way he always looked at them so seriously. As she walked down the street, a figure caught her eye. Saori followed him.

Idai, the boy who had saved Daiya's life, was throwing rocks and twigs into the water. His mood was placid- eyes looking down. He wasn't really seeing the water. Idai only saw Daiya in pain with the lightening popping the ground around his form. He couldn't get it out of his head. The past few days had left him restless and worried.

"Idai," a voice called. He turned around slightly to see Saori standing behind him. His orange eyes looked away. Idai turned back around. "What do you want," he said sadly.

Instead of answering him, Saori sat next to him. "It's the first time I've seen you still. You're usually getting into trouble." She glanced at him. He was trying to avoid speaking to her.

Saori threw a few rocks at the water trying to get them to skip. They sunk despite her efforts. "I can't skip a rock for anything." She tried again, but got the same results.

Idai glanced at her. Why was that girl near him? No one spoke to him, but Kiba sensei, Masaru, and Yanagi. Idai felt a pain in his chest. His mind kept flashing back to the day he had seen Daiya erupting. He averted his eyes. Saori was watching him.

"Hey, I hear from Takeru that you play the flute. I bet you're really good at it," Saori said trying to make conversation. Idai didn't look at her. "Idai, I know you were with Daiya when he overloaded. I know what you did for him."

Idai lowered his head. His shoulders were lightly shaking. How many people knew what he had done?

"Thank you for saving him," Saori said with sincerity. She moved her head to look at his face. His eyes were closed.

"Why does he hate me," Idai asked softly. He was trying to hold back his grief and anger – they were starting to mix together. His fists clenched.

"Huh? Why does who hates you," Saori asked. She looked at him closely.

"D-Daiya," Idai said.

"Daiya doesn't hate you," Saori said moving so she could be in front of him. "He doesn't understand why you're trying so hard to get his attention. Idai, he has to keep his emotions in check, or he loses control of his kekkegenkai. That's what Sasuke sensei said. I'm also not sure that he knows how to react to you. He spends a lot of time alone."

"Like me," Idai said covering his face. He was lonely. It was a big part of why he acted so stupidly around others. Idai just wanted attention. He didn't care if it was good or bad – anything was better than silence.

"Are you seeking Daiya out because he's alone," Saori asked. Idai slowly nodded. "I guess it makes sense that if two people are alone they should get together and not be alone anymore." She petted his head.

"I don't want Daiya to hate me," Idai said with his eyes downcast.

"What reason does he have to hate you?"

"I saw him at his most vulnerable point," Idai said. "No one wants another person to see their weaknesses or voice about their flaws."

"Maybe you're looking at it the wrong way. I don't think Daiya will get angry at you for seeing him at a critical point in his life, or aiding him. He may thank you," Saori said.

"Why would anyone thank the hyperactive sound-nin for anything," Idai said hatefully.

"Idai, I know back at the Academy the others kids were mean to you – which they teased you based on where you came from. You can't change who you are. They teased me, too! I got picked on because my mom is from the Hidden Sand Village; that Gaara is one of my uncles; how I play with puppets,-"Saori took a deep breath. "My point is those guys were jerks. Me, Ryu, Takeru, and Daiya are not like them."

"Yeah, well, how would I know that," Idai said. "This is the first time you've spoken to me."

Saori got embarrassed. She seemed to have dug a hole for herself. "I suppose I'm part of the problem, too, but I want to make it up to you. Want to be friends with me? I'll talk your ear off," Saori said with a smile.

Idai looked up at her. "You want to be friends? But why? I'm just… goofy."

"Yes, sweetheart, you are, but you'll get along great with Ryu. He's not as silly as you, but he has his moments. Takeru's not so bad either. He's actually fun to tease," Saori said smiling. "So what do you say? No more frowning?"

Idai nodded slowly. He didn't understand why Saori wanted to be friends with him. Was it out of pity? He hoped not. What would Daiya say when he learned that Idai was now part of their group? Would he resent him?

"Come on," Saori coaxed as she grabbed his hands, pulling him up. "Let's do something else besides feel sorry for each other." She led Idai away from the water and towards the training area.

"Daiya Eimino is doing better at the moment than he previously was a few days ago. His condition is stable and has remained so. We're pleased with his progress and are allowing visitors starting today. Our concerns are to not upset him in any way. Please only allow one visitor in the room at a time," the medic-nin said.

"I understand. Thanks for informing me about his status," Sasuke said. The medic-nin turned and left to check on other patients.

Sasuke closed the door behind him. Machines were beeping. They were keeping information on Daiya's heartbeat along with his pulse. He glanced at the machine that was linked to Daiya's pulse. It was better than it had been.

Sasuke hated to see so many wires and tubes going into his student. It was depressing to look at. He walked over to the bed and looked down at Daiya. The medic-nin had removed the boy's vest, hat, and half of the bandages Daiya used to cover his scars. Daiya was self-conscious about his hair. It was unmanageable.

Sasuke placed his hand on the boy's head. "Daiya," he said. There was no movement. Sasuke kept his eye son the monitor. Even though Daiya wasn't moving, his pulse was increasing. "Daiya," Sasuke called again. "I think you can hear me. Try to look at me. Fight it," he said.

Daiya's fingers moved. He could hear someone saying his name. Was he alive? The weakness that he was fighting told him he was. Move, dammit. Move! I can't lay here. I have to get up. I have to go train with Ryu and Saori. They're waiting for me. Daiya grunted as he tried to get his fingers to respond more.

Sasuke leaned over the boy carefully watching him. Daiya was fighting it the best he could. He didn't want him to over do it. "Daiya, try to open your eyes. It's taking more effort to move your body. I just need you to look at me."

Daiya stopped trying to move his fingers. Right now, they were the only things he could move – even if it was barely enough to be noticed. His legs and arms felt heavy. How long had he been laying here like this? I have to get up. I'm not weak! I'm not!

Sasuke watched Daiya's facial expression as he kept his eyes on the monitor. If he pushed the boy too much, it would have an adverse effect. "Daiya, calm down. Try to open your eyes. I need to know I haven't failed you!"

Daiya knew who it was that was calling his name – that was pushing him. It was Sasuke sensei. Once he knew it was Sasuke, Daiya gathered all of the strength he had and tried to open his eyes. He pushed the weakness he felt overcoming him and met it head on. It wasn't going to get the better of him. He had come too far.

Sasuke rubbed Daiya's head trying to coax him into calming down. Daiya was stubborn. The boy grunted again as he opened his eyes. Sasuke's dark eyes met Daiya's gray eyes. "Stop worrying me, Daiya. You and Ryu are going to cause me to seek therapy," he said with a faint smile.

Daiya opened his mouth, trying to speak. His voice came out weak and low. "I… ha-ve… to go meet Ryu… and Saori." He didn't know how much time had passed. The sunlight was coming through the window into the room. He still had time to make it.

"Daiya, you've been unconscious for days," Sasuke said carefully.

"Wh-What…?"

"We've been really worried about you. Everyone has. Kiba and I have been switching during the day to keep an eye on you. We didn't know if you were going to make it, or not."

"Wh-Why did…I," Daiya asked weakly. By all accounts, he shouldn't be here. He had felt his life slipping away as it was happening.

"Do you want to know who saved you," Sasuke asked. Daiya only looked at him. "Can you handle knowing who it was?" He did not want Daiya to be alarmed. Daiya nodded to the best of his ability. "Idai," was all Sasuke said.

Idai? Daiya's mind flashed to the white-haired sound-nin that always stayed to himself at the Academy. He could see Idai sitting with his arms crossed on the table, head downcast as he avoided eye contact with everyone.

Daiya walked down the hallway of the Academy. A taller boy with white hair and a red streak underneath the white was sitting on a bench, waiting. Daiya stopped.

The boy looked terrible. His clothes were filthy and he had been crying. Daiya has never seen him before. "Who are you," he asked in his emotionless voice. The boy looked at him for a second then looked away. "Can you not speak?"

The boy looked at Daiya fearfully. "I'm not going to hurt you. Why are you upset?" The kid tensed his body, withdrawing from Daiya.

Daiya watched a door open. He saw Anko and Gai-sensei walk out. Anko kneeled in front of the boy. "Hey, cutie, I found a nice home for you," she said reaching up to wipe the tears off of the boy's face. "This is Gai. He's going to let you stay with him, okay? He won't hurt you," Anko said as the kid looked up at Gai.

Gai smiled at the boy softly. He bent over waving at the kid. "Hi, how'd it going," he said positively. "Your name is Idai, right? That's a good strong name. I bet you're really tough coming from the Sound Village."

Daiya blinked. That kid, Idai, was a sound-nin? Weren't sound ninja unpredictable and there wasn't much known about them? He watched as Idai slowly stood up. Gai placed his head on the boy's head and walked off with him.

"Alright, today we're sharing the training ground with Kiba's team. I want you guys to watch and learn. Different people have different skills and in saying so, I want you three to give them respect. Hire, that goes double for you. I won't put up with your remarks," Sasuke said. Hire snuffed the air.

When they got to the training grounds, Kiba was instructing Masaru Uzumaki on how to avoid Idai's attacks. Daiya watched as Masaru threw his large shruiken at Idai. Idai didn't move his position.

Idai reached up withdrawing the two swords on his back. They were very different from each other. One sword had various holes in it while the other had two long stripes of metal missing along its length. Idai put one sword behind him and rotated the handle in his hand quickly.

As the sword rotated, it produced an ear shattering sound. Everyone covered their ears as Idai brought up the other sword and put its blade out, pointing directly at the shruiken – right in front of the previous sword he was rotating. Wind was being produced from the original sword and was being directed down the nose of the second sword. "Sound knife," Idai yelled as the wind increased.

The shruiken was forced backwards with the large push of wind. Masaru ducked as the large spinning star went over his head and lodged into a tree.

Idai stopped. Everyone uncovered their ears. Daiya was watching Idai.

"What kind of technique is that? All he did was blow wind," Hire said snobbishly. "That isn't real skill."

"That's why brains don't go with beauty," Ryu said harshly. "That guy just used a defensive and offensive attack together. With your hands over your ears, you can't throw any other weapons as he gets rid of the first."

"And if you uncover your ears, he shatters your eardrums," Yanagi Lee said. "Either way, you lose. You're very smart," she said to Ryu.

"Thanks, I think," Ryu said.

"Alright, Yanagi, why don't you fight Hire," Sasuke said.

"Oh, this will be rich," Ryu said.

Hire smiled wickedly. "Come on, little girl. I'll teach you a lesson." Hire got into the center.

Yanagi scowled. "Don't' act so high and mighty. You don't know what I can do," she said pointing at Hire.

"Oh, please, let someone kick Hire's butt," Ryu said boredly.

"If she doesn't get her, I will," Daiya said. He was just as fed up as Ryu. Hire was too much for anyone. He couldn't stand her.

Yanagi went straight at Hire attempting to kick straight up at her face, but Hire blocked it. Hire moved back with Yanagi throwing punch after punch; kick after kick.

"You stupid girl. I've been training longer than you," Hire said taunting Yanagi. Hire moved her face with Yanagi's punch, brought her right arm up and elbowed Yanagi right in the side as hard as she could. Yanagi gasped in pain. Hire saw her chance. She started to form quick hand seals. "Time's up! Minotaur!"

A large oxen creature formed out of the earth. It was made of mud, grass, and rocks. It stood six feet tall and brandished a ball and chain like weapon on both of its arms in place of hands. The beast came swinging at Yanagi.

Yanagi avoided a few of the death blow hits, but her side was hurting. She ducked as one of the balls came at her head. Hire was not giving up, or stopping. Hire ordered the creature to finish her. Yanagi was thrown off of her feet as the beast kicked her in the stomach. It felt like she had been punched by a mountain.

"Hire, that is enough," Sasuke said angrily. The girl was not letting up. No, in fact, she was enjoying torturing Yanagi.

Not waiting for Sasuke to put a hold on Hire, Daiya reacted. Hire wasn't as powerful as she thought she was. He opened the long cylinder case on his back and withdrew three of the metal rods.

Daiya threw the rods at the mud-like minotaur. One rod went straight for its back, one for its side, and one for its head. Daiya started to build-up his chakra. He had to be quick and precise, or Yanagi was going to end up dead.

Daiya let the electrical current erupt all over his limbs. He moved his arm back then punched his open hand at the rods on the creature. The lightening took off and struck the rods. The minotaur started to burn and bake under the voltage. Soon it was over. Daiya breathed hard. Yanagi was being shielded by Kiba sensei.

"Whoa, he's pretty good," Masaru said mesmerized at Daiya's ability.

"Hire! That is the last straw," Sasuke shouted at the girl. He pointed for her to sit down. She could have killed Yanagi and Sasuke knew it.

Idai was watching Daiya with wide eyes. Daiya was watching him, too as he caught his breath. "What…?"

"You're a regular lightening bug, aren't you," Idai said smiling at him.

It was the first time Daiya had ever seen him smile. He had no idea what to say in response to Idai – so he turned around and ignored him.

"Daiya, are you alright knowing it was Idai," Sasuke asked.

Daiya closed his eyes. The emotions running through him were overflowing. Daiya gasped as tears started to flow out of his eyes. He didn't have the strength to wipe his eyes, or hide his face from Sasuke.

Daiya had ignored Idai with all of his effort because he thought Idai was teasing him regarding his kekkegenkai. But now, he realized Idai was trying to get to know him every chance he got despite Daiya pushing him off.

Sasuke knew what was gong on in Daiya's head. He couldn't say anything to him right now. It wasn't proper. Daiya was admitting fault to how he treated Idai – and he was just now realizing Idai thought the world of him.

"Hey, Ryu, knock it off," Takeru said as he moved his food away. "You've got your own. What do you want mine for?"

"Haven't you ever heard of sharing," Ryu asked. "I'll even give you some of my omelet. Come on, you stingy brat."

"Ryu, leave him alone. If you two could stop for two seconds…" Saori's eye twitched. Ryu was pushing Takeru back and had his arm up blocking Takeru from hitting him. "Ryu Yuhi!"

Ryu turned his head towards Saori. He smiled as he kept blocking Takeru. "Yes, gorgeous, what is it?"

Idai thought they were the weirdest group he had ever seen. He was sitting next to Saori and in front of Ryu at the table. Saori had insisted he get acquainted with Ryu and Takeru because they were her friends. They fight like brothers. Idai's eyes looked away for a moment. He had no idea what that felt like. He poked his food.

"Idai, what's wrong," Saori asked.

"I'm not hungry," Idai said softly.

"We'll behave if you eat," Ryu said coaxing Idai. He waved at him. "You need to eat something. You look thin."

"What's this 'we' business? It's mainly you," Takeru said annoyed. Ryu put his hand over his mouth.

"I don't sleep well is all," Idai said moving his gyuniku negimaki around with his chopsticks. His mind was on his nightmares.

"Why do you have trouble sleeping? Is your mind on Daiya," Saori asked. Idai shook his head. It didn't fit. What was Idai dreaming about?

"I don't want to talk about it," Idai said quietly.

"But,-"Saori started. She felt Ryu's hand on hers. She looked at him. He shook his head at her. Ryu's right. I shouldn't press Idai about it. He hardly knows us.

"Idai, do you want to go to the hospital with me later," Takeru asked. "My dad's taking night shift watching Daiya. He'll be there all night."

Idai looked at Takeru. "Wouldn't I get in trouble for going?" He was more worried about seeing Daiya and the machines hooked up to him.

"No, you can go. We've been checking twice a day to see if visitors are allowed," Takeru said. "Saori's been going in the morning and me at night."

"I don't know," Idai said rather worried.

Ryu knew what was going on. He was older. "Idai, you don't have to be worried about what you will see. The medic-nin are keeping a close watch on Daiya –that's all. Or are you worried he will be angry at you for helping him? Ah, so that's what it is," Ryu said. Idai had a horrified look on his face. "Sorry, but I'm a genjutsu user. I can see past illusions and can tell when someone is putting up a farce. It's my job, you see."

"You're scaring him, Ryu. He's not used to your to-the-point nature," Takeru said. He was watching Idai heavily.

"Well, if he can't handle me, how will he be able to handle Daiya? Daiya is more direct than I am. You need to learn to stand up for yourself, Idai. I'm not talking about physical strength either. I had to learn the hard way, too," Ryu admitted.

Idai averted his gaze. "I'd rather not see him right now. I can't handle it," he said. "Thanks for the meal, Saori, but I'm not hungry. I'll pay you back." Idai got up. He left the three of them at the table.

At home, Idai lay on the floor looking out of the window. He was worried, concerned, depressed, and anxious. The nightmares he had were becoming more frequent. He had been waking up screaming in the middle of the night ever since Daiya had overloaded.

Idai thought the nightmares had stopped when he had been taken in by Gai. Apparently not. He wished he could remember what they were about and why they terrified him.

"Idai, you can't lay around feeling sorry for yourself. You have to get up and show the world what you are made of! It might hit you hard but you have to hit back harder with a punch here and a kick there," Gai said as he did poses. Idai only exhaled. "Come on, kid, what's bothering you?"

Idai owed it to Gai to let him know. The man was raising him. "I'm worried about Daiya. I'm worried about if he hates me – if he'll be okay. I don't want him to hate me."

"Daiya is the emotionless kid on Sasuke's team right?" Gai ruffled Idai's hair. He made him sit up. "Any man who helps another through perseverance, is not hated, Idai. No, that man makes a friend for life. You show me a man who doesn't help another, and I'll show you the lowest form of a coward."

"But… Daiya doesn't like anyone to know about his weaknesses. He's a strong person. He guards his secrets well," Idai said.

"What good are secrets if you have to keep them from everyone? I think Daiya didn't want to hurt anyone with his abilities – that's why no one knew. I mean, I knew because I'm a trainer, but we try to keep personal matters away from you kids. That's how rumors, hatred, and pity start."

"I can understand that. It's just… I want Daiya to like me. And… he's blown me off so many times," Idai said.

"Has he? I think you're a great kid. You want me to punch him for you? It might open his eyes," Gai said acting like he was seriously thinking about it.

Idai watched Gai smack his first into his hand a few times. He waved his hands at the man. "No, Dad, you don't have to do that. I'd rather you didn't."

"Oh, come on, Idai, there's nothing like a good blow to the head, in order, to wake you up a little. Wait- did you call me 'Dad'?"

Idai froze. He smiled weakly. "Y-Yeah, I guess I did." He tensed as Gai grabbed him. The man was crying tears of joy.

"You're the best son a man could ever ask for! I mean, look at you! You're handsome! And you have those sort of humorous charms that ladies really go for!"

Idai had no idea what was going on. What ladies was Gai referring to? Idai couldn't attract anyone. "Dad, you're crushing me," Idai said wheezing.

Takeru walked the hall carrying dinner for his father. He didn't see Sasuke sitting or standing outside of Daiya's hospital room. Takeru looked around. "Excuse me, do you know where Sasuke Uchiha is," he asked a passing medic-nin. "He's supposed to be keeping an eye on Daiya Eimino."

The medic-nin thought for a moment. "Tall guy with black hair that's a trainer? I believe he's already in the room."

"Thanks," Takeru said. Visitors were allowed now? Ryu and Saori would be pleased. Takeru knocked on the door. His father told him to enter. He walked in quietly. The machines quickly caught his eye.

"Takeru, it's alright. You can come in. There's someone that wants to see you," Sasuke said. He issued his son to come closer. Takeru was nervous and hesitant. Sasuke pointed to the bed. "He can't sit up just yet, so you'll have to lean over to hear him."

Takeru walked cautiously to the bed. Daiya was watching him tiredly. "Y-You're okay?" Takeru wanted to grab a hold of his friend and not let him go. He needed to know Daiya was real – that it wasn't a dream.

Daiya slowly nodded. "Y-Yeah," he said hoarsely. He wondered why Takeru was looking at him like he was. He tried to lift his arm. It came halfway off of the bed.

"Daiya, stop straining yourself," Sasuke said.

"I… have… to get… up," Daiya said gritting his teeth. "I'm… not weak." The thought of having to be assisted got on his nerves. He was capable of taking care of himself. Daiya had been on his own for the past seven years.

Takeru leaned over the bed. He put his hand on Daiya's forehead. Daiya stopped struggling wit his weakness to look up at him. "I know you don't like the thought of not being able to do anything, but if you try too hard too soon, it will take longer for your body to heal. We want you to get better. I have to have someone help me keep Ryu in line," he said smiling.

Daiya smiled faintly. "If… he causes too much… trouble I'll shock… the heck... out of him… when I get out… of here." Takeru seemed to like that idea. "Ta-keru… could you.. do me a favor…?"

"Huh?" He was caught off guard. "Sure, what?"

"Could… you go get… Idai, pl-ease," Daiya asked.

Takeru nodded. "Sure." He looked at his father. "Is it okay if Idai comes, Dad?"

"If Daiya has the strength for another visitor, yes. He has to make the call. I just don't want him to get upset. He's still in recovery," Sasuke said.

"Okay. I'll try to get Idai here. It might not be easy. Saori tried to get him to come and I did, too, but he wouldn't do it," Takeru said.

"Takeru, I have an idea. Stop by Kurenai's and get Ryu. If you can't get Idai to come on his own, force him. He needs to stop running," Sasuke said.

There was a knock at the door. Gai yawned as he got up to answer it. "Hi! How's it going? What bring you two by here at this hour? I see. Oh. Really? You two can try. I agree with Sasuke. He needs to," Idai heard Gai tell someone through his bedroom door. Who was out there? He heard footsteps coming closer.

"Idai, come on out. You have two visitors," Gai said.

Idai cautiously opened the door. He froze. Ryu and Takeru were looking at him. "Why are you two here?"

"We've come to nicely persuade you to go with us to the hospital," Ryu said calmly.

"I'm not going," Idai said. He tried to close the door only to have Ryu's foot block the attempt. "I told you guys earlier that I don't want to see him."

"Yeah, we know, but Daiya wants to see you," Ryu said. "He specifically asked us to come fetch you." Ryu watched Idai's eyes widen. "Yes, he's awake. No, he isn't angry at you. Yes, if you don't come on your own accord, I will make you."

Idai looked at Ryu with loathing. He wasn't about to be taken hostage by the looks of Ryu Yuhi. He would put up a fight. "I guess you'll just have to try and make me, "Idai said with aggression.

"When challenging your opponent, it's always wise to learn a few things about them before running your mouth," Ryu said seriously. "It's also wise to know where your position is when coming up with a battle plan. You forgot that one to be the most important. Grab him, Takeru," Ryu said.

Takeru snuck up behind Idai and grabbed him around the waist, pinning his arms to his sides. "Sorry, Idai, but I promised Daiya. I don't break my promises." He moved back, arching his spine to lift Idai off of the floor.

Ryu pushed the door open. Idai was glaring at him. "Sorry, but you lose this round."

As Ryu threw Idai over his shoulder he looked at Gai. "We'll be back in a little while. Don't wait up," he said smiling.

"You guys have a nice visit," Gai said waving them out the door.

"Dammit, you're supposed to be on my side," Idai yelled at Gai as they left.

Sasuke stood out in the hall. He blinked. "Well, I guess they had to force him." Ryu was carrying Idai over his shoulder. "You can put him down now. I don't think he's going to go anywhere."

Ryu dropped Idai. He signaled for Idai to turn around. "I'll walk Takeru home. See you later, Idai. Behave," he said seriously.

Idai tensed. Sasuke sensei was looking at him sternly. He swallowed.

"Are you that afraid of Daiya? You were never afraid of him before. So why be so now when he's weak?" Idai looked away. "You have to face your fears, Idai. If you live your whole life scared of everything around you, you can't live."

"I'm… not afraid of him per se," Idai said softly.

"Then why are you acting like you are?"

"I'm… afraid of being let down. He never wanted to have anything to do with me. So… why now? I haven't changed. Neither has he."

"No, you two are the same as before. That's how it is right now. Maybe you two will change together, instead of separately," Sasuke said. Idai didn't understand. "He knows you were the one that saved him." Idai stepped back. "Idai, don't run from him. You need to face him as much as he needs to face you." Sasuke opened the door and pushed Idai in.

Idai was not mentally prepared. He was locked in the room with Daiya. Sasuke sensei was not letting him out until the two of them resolved their issues with one another. Idai tried to turn the handle on the door. Nope, no good.

He didn't want to turn around. If he did, he would see Daiya laying in the bed with rubes and wires hooked up to him. Idai put his forehead against the door. Why had he asked to see him?

Daiya was sitting up watching Idai. His arms were in front of his body to prop him up. His head was lowered some, eyes focused on the boy with white hair. Why is he afraid to look at me? Does he think I will hurt him in my condition?

Idai knew Sasuke wasn't going to let him out – even if it took all night. He slowly looked over his shoulder. Idai's heart started to race. Daiya was sitting up watching him. He wasn't saying anything. He looked weak. Idai forced his mouth to open. "Hi," he said feebly.

Daiya grunted some as he put all of his weight onto one arm. He lifted his hand and issued Idai to come closer. The boy was looking at him in shock. Daiya waved again.

Idai turned around fully. He stepped a few feet towards Daiya. "Are you… going to hit me," he asked.

Daiya wondered why he thought that. "No," he said weakly. Idai moved cautiously towards him. The boy stopped again. "Idai, I… won't harm…you."

Idai didn't know whether to believe him or not. "Are you mad at me," he asked looking away. He dreaded the answer.

"No," Daiya said still watching him.

"You hate me, don't you," Idai said not looking at him. He knew Daiya didn't particularly like him. He had never really spoken to Idai before – only ignored him.

"No, I… don't hate you," Daiya said. "Idai,… come here. I can't… sit up… long." He watched Idai come to the side of the bed. "Lean down."

Idai closed his eyes, anticipating a blow to the head. He leaned down closer to Daiya, his body tense. His breathing was quickening.

Daiya looked at him sadly. He reached one of his arms up and grabbed onto the back of Idai's shirt. He held on as he twisted his body and brought his other arm fully around. Daiya placed his hand on the back of Idai's head and pressed Idai to his shoulder. "I… could have…hurt you… when I was… overloading. Don't… do that .. again. I don't hate… you. I'm… not mad at you. I… thought you were… teasing me before. That's why… I ignored you. I'm… sorry, Idai."

Idai didn't know what to say. Daiya was apologizing. He didn't dislike him. What was he to do? Idai never thought Daiya would ever speak to him. "That's the most words you've ever said to me."

"Stick… around. I'll….talk more," Daiya said. He slowly petted the back of Idai's head. "Thank you, Idai. No one…has ever…tried to get…as close to me…as you have. I'm sorry… I didn't notice it….sooner." Daiya took a deep breath. "Lightening bugs…aren't as brilliant…as they seem."

Idai laughed as he put his arms around Daiya to help support him. "Yeah, I guess not." He felt Daiya pull on his ear. "Ah, you faker! You have some strength back!"

Daiya smirked. "So….am I forgiven?" He felt Idai hug him harder. Idai nodded. "Just…don't tell anyone…I have… emotions…and we'll get along….fine."

"When can I be released, Sasuke sensei? I've been stuck here for a week." Daiya watched Sasuke pull a chair closer to the bed. He had a toothpick in his mouth, chewing on it.

"Probably this afternoon. There are a few precautions I want to go over with you," Sasuke said. He folded his arms on the bed. Daiya was watching him.

"Precautions? What sort of precautions? My strength is back. I don't need to take it easy," Daiya said rather annoyed.

Sasuke had to level with him. "Daiya, your test results came back. Even though you have your strength back, your heart is damaged from the stress it was put under. The damage is irreparable. I know you can feel it," he said as Daiya turned his gaze away. "You have heart arrithymia now. I'm afraid for you to go back to the student dorms. If you have an attack and there is no one around to help you, you could go into cardiac arrest."

"So I'm off the team. I'm finished," Daiya said playing with the hospital sheets. He closed his eyes. The only purpose he had in life was to be a ninja. How could he protect his friends? How would he repay Idai back for what he had done for him?

"You're not off the team. I can't do that to you. You've worked too hard to get where you are," Sasuke said. "My request is this: I want you to be with someone at all times on missions and until we know for certain how bad the arrhythmia is."

Daiya looked at Sasuke. "I don't understand. I have n home. I have no family. Where am I to go until I am well? It might never happen."

"You have me, don't you?" Daiya wasn't following. "I'm offering you a home, Daiya. The only catch is you have to put with Takeru, Onari and Izumi."

Daiya's eyes widened. "You…want me to stay with you? Wouldn't I be a burden to you and your family…?"

"No, it would be the other way around actually. Izumi loves kids. She'd be all over you in a heartbeat. Takeru is alright, but he might want more attention from you than you're willing to give. And Onari… she's highly curious. I don't know how she will react to you."

"Onari is the girl that is a foreigner, like me and Idai," Daiya said contemplating.

"Yes, she has a room next to Takeru's. I would want you and Takeru to share a room for your won security and my piece of mind," Sasuke said. "So do you want to stay in the student dorms, or do you want to stay at my place?"

Daiya thought for a moment. If he remained din the student dorms by himself, he'd be alone. What if he did have an attack? If he went with Sasuke, he'd be gaining a family – a mom, dad, brother, and sister. "I'll go with you," he said softly.

"Takeru look like girl," Onari said laughing.

"Oh, shut it, Ri. My hair is wet," Takeru said. He had put his hair into a ponytail to keep it from touching his neck. He couldn't stand it. The earrings in his ears were more visible.

"He makes a pretty girl doesn't he? Perhaps we should get him a date with a nice Chuunin," Saori said. She started to laugh, too.

Takeru narrowed his eyes. "Saori, I swear – stop encouraging her!" Saori was making kissy faces and pointing at Takeru. Onari, of course had tears coming out of her eyes.

"Onari no want sister," Onari said still laughing. "Onari like Takeru like boy." She had her arms around her stomach. It hurt from laughing so hard.

"I don't have to sit here and take this!" Takeru stood up and left Onari and Saori in the family room laughing. "Stupid idiots," he muttered.

"Are you guys fighting again," Sasuke asked as he walked towards Takeru.

"Saori and Onari are making fun of my hair," Takeru said with his arms crossed.

"Well, I need you guys to calm down. We have a visitor rand I don't want him excited," Sasuke said. He watched Takeru tilt his head.

"A visitor?" Takeru blinked. What his father said sunk in. He got excited. "Daiya?"

Sasuke could tell Takeru had no problems with Daiya. In fact, now he was more worried about Takeru being the excitable one, aside from Onari. "I want him to stay in your room with you. Daiya suffers from heart arrhythmia and I don't want him alone. He could have an attack." He watched his son's confusion. "It's when a person's heart doesn't beat normally. The beats can get erratic if the person gets excited. Daiya could go into cardiac arrest."

Takeru stood very still. His mind was trying to understand what was wrong with his friend. "Daiya is permanently injured, isn't he?"

"Yes, Takeru," Sasuke said calmly. "Would you mind Daiya permanently living here with you and Onari?" His son's opinions mattered greatly to him.

Takeru smiled at his father. "I'm getting a brother," he said happily. Sasuke's eyes softened.

Sasuke carried Daiya on his back to Takeru's room. A second bed had been added with Saori and Izumi's help. "Alright, you can rest now. Sorry for taking so long. I had to get Takeru to distract Onari –easier said than done."

"And how did he accomplish that," Daiya asked as he was lowered onto the bed. He fell back. His body was tired. It had been the first day he had sat up on his own for such a long period of time.

"The only way to distract Onari is to wave a dumpling at her. She loves those. I blame Naruto for her obsession over those things," Sasuke said. "Takeru and Onari shouldn't be back for a while. You can rest without any distractions."

Daiya closed his eyes as Sasuke left. He hadn't had a home since hew as six-years-old – since the fire. Even then, it wasn't ever much of one.

Onari crept into Takeru's room. If she got caught, she would be in unbelievable trouble with Sasuke. There was a strange boy asleep on the second bed. Onari tilted her head as she moved closer. The boy had brown hair that was tied in a ponytail. He wore a hat, too. She moved her eyes across his attire. He wore a vest with padding and metal plates on the chest. Onari looked at his arms and legs. They were bandaged like hers. Who was this boy?

Onari crawled onto the bed and over the boy. He had a scar over his right eye. She moved her face closer to his, her long hair brushing his skin lightly.

Daiya felt his face itching. He opened his eyes. He gasped. There was a girl watching him. His heart skipped. Daiya gritted his teeth. The girl had startled him. He looked up at her. Was this girl Onari?

Onari tilted her head. The boy was weak, but not badly. His eyes told her hew as hiding himself – but from what and who? "Who boy," she asked. She wasn't afraid of him at all.

Daiya kept watching her. "Are… you Onari," he asked. The girl leaned her ear closer as if she couldn't believe that he knew her name. "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

"Who boy," Onari asked again

"I'm Daiya," he told her. Onari was confused. "You don't understand."

"I'mdaiya," she repeated quizzically.

"No, that's… incorrect. You don't understand sentence structure well," Daiya said. The girl hovered over him tilting her head. She's confused. He pointed to himself. "Daiya."

"Daiya is boy," Onari said. She watched him nod. "Daiya same Onari?"

"Ri! You're not supposed to be on him like that! He's not well," Takeru yelled at her. He couldn't believe Onari had snuck into the room to check Daiya out. He ran over to her. "Daiya, I'm sorry. I should have kept a better watch on her."

"What does she mean I'm the same as her," Daiya asked. Onari was completely studying him. She moved even closer, her forehead practically touching his. Daiya blushed.

"Onari, please, get off of him. You're embarrassing me," Takeru said. Onari wasn't budging.

"Takeru, Daiya same Onari," she said.

"What do you mean he's the same as you? If you mean a 'foreigner' than, yes, he is," Takeru said. Onari was shaking her head. She pointed at Daiya.

"Boy from Onari from," she said trying to make them understand.

Takeru looked at her bewildered. "You're from the lightening country like Daiya? How do you know that?"

"Onari no understand. Boy same Onari," she said again. There was something about him that told her he was from the same place she was. "Who boy?"

"Onari, Daiya already told you who he was," Takeru said his brow twitching.

"I didn't tell her my surname," Daiya said as he sat up. "What do you mean 'Who am I'?" Onari was thinking. He watched her hit her head trying to get the language straight.

Onari pointed at Takeru. "Takeru Uchiha." She pointed at Daiya. "Daiya…?"

"Oh, she is asking your surname," Takeru said. "I wonder why it's important. Ri, what are you getting at?"

Daiya watched her face as he said 'Eimino'. Onari knew the word. "You know my surname? How?"

Onari held her hand up high. "Onari mom and dad." She lifted Daiya's hand. "Eimino." Then she put her other hand below Daiya's. "Onari."

Daiya watched her, alerted to what she was insinuating. "She understands clans. That's what she's trying to say. My clan served the main lords. I can't tell you the name. I was too young."

"Onari, why are your parents' clan above Daiya's and why did you put yourself below him?"

"My family must have served her family," Daiya said.

"Onari dad here," she said raising her hand really high. "Onari mom protect Onari dad. Onari mom here," she said putting her hand next to Daiya's raised hand. "Onari foul. Onari here," she said putting her hand way below Daiya's.

"I don't understand what she's saying," Takeru said.

"I do," Daiya said. "Onari's father was a lord, or man of importance. Her mother served her father – like a bodyguard or fighter. Her mother was seen as a lower class of the clean. The reason Onari is blow my clan is because of her inheritance. Her father was important. Her mother was not."

"So that makes Onari like… dirt to the lightening country," Takeru asked.

"Onari scum," Onari said a little too happily for Daiya and Takeru.

Daiya reached up putting his arms on her shoulders. He hated that word. His mother had used it on him when he was younger. Daiya's real father had left his mother because of her clan status and the fact that she was pregnant with him. His father did not want his reputation to be tarnished. "Don't say that word," Daiya said forcefully. "You and I are the same. We are not scum." He grabbed Onari's hand and held it at the same level as his own. "You are not beneath me, Onari."

Takeru looked at Daiya sadly. Daiya. "You two are more like brother and sister. It's just neither of you knew about the other."

Daiya's heart skipped, but not badly. This girl was from the same country as him. She knew his clan. She was like him – in a way. "I don't know. Do you want a brother," he asked her.

"What brother purpose," Onari asked.

Daiya made a vow right then and there. Onari was not ashamed of his clan status, or the fact that he had been casted out because of his bloodline. He looked at her seriously as he interlaced his fingers with hers. "Brothers protect their siblings. I'll protect you and Takeru."

"How about we change that. We'll protect each other," Takeru said. "Onari is not my sister. She's more yours. You can protect her as I will and I'll protect the both of you," he said seriously.

"Onari have Daiya brother now," she asked. Daiya nodded, his stormy eyes watching her. She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"Ri!" Takeru flipped out. He couldn't believe she had done that.

"Onari kiss Daiya brother! Onari no kiss Takeru!" She watched Takeru's heart sink. "Takeru too pretty girl," she said pointing at him.

Daiya started to laugh at her.

"Ri! Shut up about my hair," Takeru said annoyed. "And Daiya isn't technically your brother, so stop kissing on him!"

"I'll be damned," Sasuke said as he heard the commotion from outside the room. "Onari is from the lightening country like Daiya. Now, if only I can find out what those marks on her body means."


	33. Chapter 33

**V 4 ch 3**

**Acceptance**

Onari slept curled up on her futon, her hand raised towards her face. She was sleeping rather hard. A few weeks ago another person had moved in. she had a brother named Daiya now. Onari pulled the sheets over herself tighter. She wanted to stay in her dreams a little longer.

A lady wearing a beautiful long kimono was playing with her. The woman didn't speak only watched her kindly with her dark eyes. The woman wore netting over her face and her hair was tied in the back, but her bangs were long and hung in her face. Onari watched the lady show her a long scroll. There was writing on it. It was the same funny writing Izumi had been trying to teach her.

Onari pointed at the scroll with her small hand. The lady's gaze was always kind as she showed her the writing. The lady spoke to her softly in a language she didn't understand. It was the one she was still learning.

The woman formed quick hand seals in front of Onari. Light flew off of the scroll and danced in her vision. Onari watched as birds made of light flew around her.

She pointed to them as they flew up to the ceiling. Onari's eyes focused on them. They were miniature birds fluttering about. The dream she was having was starting to fade. Onari tensed, jerking. "Mama," she said softly.

Daiya shook her again. Izumi had asked him to wake Onari up. He heard her speak in her sleep and tilted his head. "Onari, it's time to get up," he said softly. "Onari." The girl jerked hard before opening her eyes to look at him. "I'm sorry to wake you. Izumi said it's time to get up. We have company coming today. Were you dreaming about your mother?"

Onari reached up to touch Daiya's face. He was the only one in Konoha that was from the lightening country like her. She was bonded to him on those grounds alone. He was also a year older than her and had begun to watch over her like an older brother. "Daiya, Onari see birds of light."

"Birds of light? You were dreaming, Onari." Daiya watched her tilt her head. "It was a dream." He moved her long hair out of her face. "You need to get up." He tugged her.

Takeru came into the room with his toothbrush in his mouth. "Ri, get up. Idai is coming over. You need to get dressed." He walked out to finish brushing his teeth.

"Who Idai," Onari asked.

"Idai is a friend of mine. He has white and red hair, tall, kind of lanky. He's a nice guy. He's playful like you are. You'll like him," Daiya said. He watched as she sat up rubbing her eyes.

"Onari, you need to wash your hair this morning," Izumi said. She walked into the room. "Come on, you need to look presentable for Daiya's friend." Onari clutched to Daiya trying to get out of it. "Onari, you're going to have a bath. That's final."

"Daiya go Onari," Onari said softly. Daiya's eyes got wide. He blushed badly. "Daiya Onari brother. Daiya go Onari."

"Oh, boy," Izumi said. She took a deep breath. "Onari, Daiya can't take a bath with you. It wouldn't be proper. You two are too old for that. I'll stay in there with you. We'll compromise. Now please let go of him." Onari finally agreed to let go. Izumi marched her out to the bath.

Daiya went back to his and Takeru's room. He waited until Takeru had finally changed before changing out of his pajamas. He didn't want Takeru to see the scars on his back and chest. They would shock the younger boy. He sat on the bed signaling for Takeru to turn around.

Takeru sighed annoyed. "I would like to know why you're so secretive about changing in front of me." He crossed his arms. They went through this routine every morning. "Do you think I'm going to attack you?"

"No," Daiya said as he ripped the bandages off of his chest and arms. "You're too young to understand, Takeru. Some things are not for your eyes. Don't get mad at me for it. No one's seen under my bandages before. I'm not accustomed to prying eyes." He began to re-wrap fresh bandages around his chest.

Takeru shook his head. "Are you some kind of monster under there?" Daiya didn't answer. "Or do you have something odd like three nipples?" Takeru started laughing as a pillow hit him in the back of the head.

"You can turn around now, you idiot," Daiya said. He started to re-wrap his arms. Takeru turned around to watch. "It would be no different if you had a secret that had to be kept. I'd have the respect for you and turn away like asked." Daiya glanced at him. Takeru looked away entirely. "Why do you always take things hard?"

Takeru stared at the bed. "I don't want to look to be rude, Daiya. I thought you trusted me, is all." He closed his eyes. Takeru didn't want to press the matter. Upsetting Daiya was like teasing a badger.

Daiya got up. He changed into his normal outfit. Takeru wasn't looking at him. "Are you going to act like this when Idai gets here? Takeru, I trust you to a point, but you need to look at things from another point-of-view besides your own. I don't trust easily. You know that. Your father knows that. My past is mine and mine alone. If I want you to know, I'll tell you on my own terms – not yours." Daiya left the room. He wasn't going to be forced into what Takeru wanted.

Takeru punched the bed. Whenever he thought he was going two steps forward with Daiya, he was sent three steps back. Takeru wanted nothing more than for Daiya to be his brother. He was a single child. Onari wasn't regarded as his sister. He didn't view her that sort of way. I don't know what his past is like. He won't tell me. He won't tell anybody. How can I know someone so guarded? What happened to him?

Takeru couldn't help but be hurt. He was sharing a room with someone he hardly knew. Were things so bad for Daiya that it was going to remain that way? Takeru got up. He didn't want to be in the room if Idai was coming. That was another person he didn't really know.

Takeru walked to the garden. It was his place for solitude. He walked across the small bridge past the little creek that flowed. At least, the garden was big enough to lose yourself in. it was connected to two other houses on the Uchiha compound. Takeru looked at the empty buildings. He had never been inside of them. His parents always kept him to the main house. He glanced back at his house.

Takeru moved towards one of the houses cautiously. Why do I get this sense I'm not supposed to go closer? He felt odd. The air around him felt heavy. What was in the houses? Takeru didn't know. He approached the side area slowly. The closer he came to the house, the more the age of them showed. They were unkept and dusty – he could see in through the paper rice doors because they were full of holes.

Takeru walked up the steps slowly. The porch area was cold for summer weather. He looked down the way. Takeru froze. Something moved past the door. His eyes went wide. He slowly turned his head, his heart racing. There was no one there. "D-Daiya?"

Takeru swallowed. He didn't know why, but his hand was reaching for the door. As his hand grabbed the old wood, he swallowed again. "Daiya, if you're trying to scare me for earlier, I'll set your shorts on fire," he threatened. The area around him became uneasily silent. I am not a coward. I'm not! Takeru forced the door open quickly. It went back with a clack. He put his head inside. No one was in front of the door, or down the main hall.

Takeru stepped in. he didn't take his shoes off. It was unnecessary. No one lived here. "S-Sorry for the in-intrusion," he said not knowing why he had said it. "R-Ryu? O-Onari? I know it's one of you." Takeru turned around. Something was urging him to go that way. He slowly walked in that direction. "M-Mom? D-dad?" No answer.

Takeru felt like a foreigner in a strange place. He looked out a window and the area wound the house seemed distant. He moved closer to a certain room. It was telling him to go in. Takeru turned the handle with difficulty. The brass knob creaked. The door swung back kicking up dust. It's an old bedroom. He walked in.

The sheets on the bed were old. They were dusty, pale and terrible looking. The bed was made. Whose room is this? Takeru looked at an old bookcase. The books on it were un-readable. A few old toys were left in the floor. Takeru bent down to look at a picture that was cracked in an old frame. He blew the dust away. "Huh? Who are these people?"

There was a man and a woman with long hair smiling as they stood behind two boys. Takeru tilted his head. He didn't know who the older boy was. It was someone he was unfamiliar with. Both of the boys wore the same type of shirt he had on. Takeru's eyes examined the younger boy. "Is that… my dad?" His hand went to touch the photo lost in time. He froze.

Takeru felt panicked. Something was behind him. His body told him not to turn. His heart was leaping out of his chest; breathing increased. Takeru's eyes became wide as he saw his breath in the air. "Sasuke," a soft voice said from behind him. Takeru's body was shaking. "I-I'm not S-Sasuke. I-I'm… Ta-Take-ru," he forced out. Whatever was behind him was rooted to the door entrance. It wasn't making a move towards him. It wasn't going to let him leave.

Takeru had to know what was there. He turned around slowly looking at the door entrance. Chill bumps were all over his arms. There was no one there. Takeru sighed. It was only his imagination. He approached the door. As he stepped outside of the room and looked back, he felt the same overwhelming presence again. A gust of wind blew at him causing his hair to flutter. Takeru felt it stand right behind him. "Sasuke," the voice said into his ear.

Daiya was searching the garden for Takeru. He knew the dark haired boy hid out here when he was troubled. Maybe I was too hard on him. He walked across the bridge, his shoes hitting the wood gently. Daiya stopped off of the bridge as he heard a blood curdling scream come from one of the houses in front of him. Daiya took off in the direction of the scream, his feet flying, and arms out.

Daiya Eimino flew up the steps. The sliding door was open. Was Takeru in here? He went through the door flipping his head around to scan the area. "Takeru!"

Takeru heard Daiya. He had to make a break for it. Daiya's voice was coming from behind him 0 where the voice was. Takeru closed his eyes, threw himself against the opposite wall and ran. He opened his eyes once he knew he was clear.

Daiya heard running coming from his direction. His body tensed ready for a fight. Daiya started to raise his chakra until he saw Takeru come flying around the corner. "What's wrong? Takeru!"

Takeru reached for Daiya's wrist, latched on, and pulled him to run. "Get out of here! Someone's in here," Takeru shouted as he forced Daiya to run. They went running down the hall and out the door as fast as their feet could carry them. Takeru didn't stop until they were on the other side of the bridge.

Daiya stared at the two houses. He looked at Takeru. The boy was shaken up. "Why did you choose to go to a place infested with spirits?" He breathed hard. "You're safe on this side of the bridge. They don't trespass here."

Takeru looked at Daiya frightened. "Sp-spirits? You… can sense them?" He watched Daiya lean against the bridge, crossing his arms. He looked away from Takeru. "Why are there spirits over there? What do they want?"

"Spirits remain on property that has a tragic past. Either for them, or the occurrences that happened on the foundation," Daiya said. "I know they're there because I died, remember? It's what ties me to them. You shouldn't go over there. Some of them are angry. Angry spirits tend to mess with you and enjoy scaring you. Onari knows better than to go over there."

Takeru kept his eyes focused on where they had been. "What happened here? I saw my dad as a boy in a picture in an old bedroom. Was that… where he grew up?" Daiya was looking at him. "There was a voice that kept repeating my dad's name into my ear. I heard it, Daiya. It was behind me, too. I couldn't see what was there."

"I don't know anything about your father. I'm not from the fire country. If you are curious about his past, ask him. Yet, as much as you think you need to know, it might be best to leave certain things alone. Your father may not adhere to your questions. It is his job and duty to protect you," Daiya said. He looked over his shoulder. A shadowy figure was standing just out of sight, watching them. He didn't know who it was, but it creeped him out. "If you go back over there, Takeru, I'll electrocute you," he threatened.

Takeru turned his head sharply to regard Daiya's words. "You wouldn't." He watched as Daiya stepped closer to him. The boy's eyes were hard, serious.

"Do it and find out, Takeru Uchiha," Daiya said

so sternly Takeru tensed. "I'm not the type to make idle threats. I mean what I say. You go past this bridge and I'll have Izumi serve you up with miso soup."

Onari came running into the garden wearing nothing more than a bath kimono. Izumi came flying out the door after her. "No, Izumi," she shouted. "Onari no like color!"

Daiya and Takeru both turned around to watch Onari run. The girl avoided Izumi as she skidded on the dirt and took off to the opposite side of the garden. Takeru and Daiya both tilted their head as they realized Onari was completely nude under the thin article of clothing. "Never a dull moment with Onari," they both said.

"Idai's here," Sasuke said as he poked his head through the door. "It's just going to be you three together. Onari is upset with your mother for putting her in a pink outfit."

Takeru figured she would be. "Well, I don't know Idai so…-"He looked away trying to get out of it.

"And you never will if you don't try," Daiya said. "I can understand Onari being cautious, but you know all of us from the Academy." Daiya tugged him along. Takeru grumbled.

Idai was nervous and hesitant about being at Sasuke sensei's house. He had never been invited to go to anyone's house before. Daiya normally came to his house to spend the night and hang out. He took his shoes off slowly. "S-Sorry for the intrusion," Idai stuttered as Daiya and Takeru showed up.

"You're not intruding. Takeru, this is Idai. Idai, this is Takeru," Daiya said formally. They all knew each other, but Takeru hadn't seen Idai since the day Ryu and he forced Idai to visit Daiya at the hospital. They only knew of each other.

"H-Hi, again," Idai said nervously. He didn't know if Takeru wanted him there or not. The Uchiha boy was watching him with a blank expression. It made Idai uneasy. He blinked as a woman with long white hair and lavender eyes hugged him. She pressed him against her, her hands on his head. Idai blushed. "D-Daiya….?"

"That's Izumi, Sasuke sensei's wife," Daiya aid embarrassed. He had gotten the same treatment from the woman. Izumi seemed to be the motherly type.

"Mom, you're embarrassing him," Takeru said, embarrassed as ell. "Mom, it's not polite to smother others." Takeru popped his forehead.

"Takeru, look! He has hair the same color as mine," Izumi said happily. She moved her hands around Idai's body, feeling. She blinked. "Gai doesn't feed you enough. Come on, I'll fix you something!"

"I figured that was coming," Takeru sighed as Izumi pulled Idai towards the kitchen.

Daiya followed behind them. "Why does your mother always think we're malnourished?" He crossed his arms.

"It's her way of caring, I suppose. That and she wants Idai to feel at home. She did the same thing to Onari, but she was malnourished." Takeru smiled at Idai as they sat down. Idai was uncomfortable with the situation. He was blushing and his hands were on his legs. Takeru could tell his posture was stiff. "Idai, my mom can cook really well. If you tell her what your favorite dish is, she can fix it for you."

"Oh, that's a really good idea! We'll pretend this is a restaurant and I'm the waitress," Izumi said as she kneeled beside the boys. "What would you gentleman like to drink?"

"Tea," Takeru said. Idai was slowly untensing. He leaned towards Idai. "You can name anything you want and Mom will fix it. She likes to cook."

"I like qyuniku negimaki a lot," Idai said softly. He felt Daiya petting his head. It was something he did to calm Idai's nervous behavior.

"Takeru, what would you and Daiya like?" Izumi brought the tea over on a tray. She gave each of them a cup.

"Something spicy," Takeru said smiling at his mother. Izumi quirked a brow. "Please," he said smiling so big his teeth showed.

"Takeru, pick something else. You eat enough spicy food as it is. Your intestines will give out before you hit adulthood," Izumi said. Takeru pouted. Idai started laughing.

"I'll have tori mizutaki," Daiya said emotionless. Izumi gave him a stern look. "Please," he said rather fast. He didn't trust Izumi because she was a woman. He was cautious of her. He was the same with Sasuke. He didn't know either of them well.

"Alright, fine, can I have ramen," Takeru asked.

"Yes, but more vegetables and less noodles," Izumi said compromising. She looked up. "Onari, what do you want to eat?"

"Izumi make Onari dumpling," Onari said rather annoyed with Takeru's mother for making her wear pink.

"No way, girl. I heard about what happens when

you eat those. You can have stir fry. Onari, say 'hello' to Idai," Izumi said as she stood to prepare the food.

Onari tilted her head. There was a boy with white hair sitting at the table with Daiya and Takeru. She tensed. "Ah! Boy Onari no knows!" She took off running back to her room.

"What just happened," Idai asked. He looked at

the space where Onari had been standing a moment ago. "Am I that dislikeable?"

"Onari's afraid of people she doesn't know. It's not you. She did the same thing to Saori," Takeru said. He smiled sheepishly.

Onari heard someone come into the room. She hid herself under the sheets in the closet. The person opened the sliding door to the closet and exhaled. Onari looked up as she was uncovered. She sat up looking at Sasuke.

"Onari, get out of the closet," he said lowly.

Onari grabbed his face and came really close to him. Her yellow eyes were wide as she looked into his dark eyes. "Sasuke, there boy Onari no knows," she whispered as if she was telling a secret.

"You don't say," Sasuke said as he looked at her. He sighed. Onari was comical. She sure made his son laugh. He picked her up out of the closet and set her down. "Onari won't know anyone if she hides in the closet."

"Onari no know boy," she said again. Sasuke raised a brow at her. "Who boy Idai?"

"He's a friend of Daiya's. Idai won't hurt you, Fire Bird. You need to associate with other kids. You're not eating in your room. You'll have to sit with the guys," Sasuke told her. Onari scowled. "I guess we'll have to do this the hard way." Onari tried to run, but he was quicker. "Train harder with Neji. You might get away one day. Not today though."

Onari crossed her arms. Sasuke made her sit at the table. She was still scowling as Izumi gave her a plate of food. Daiya and Idai were both watching her. Onari had an idea. If she ate really fast then she'd be finished and she wouldn't have to sit at the table. Onari picked up her chopsticks. She tried to get a snow pea. "Stupid choppysticks," she said annoyed with the eating utensil.

Takeru was watching her with a noodle hanging out of his mouth. Might as well add chopsticks to the list of things Onari hasn't mastered yet. She was constantly trying to get food but everything was falling off. Onari soon got frustrated and began to stab the food violently.

"Fire Bird, you'll break the table," Sasuke yelled at her from the family room.

"Stupid choppysticks," Onari shouted. She kicked her legs and the table lifted off of the floor. She glared at the stir fry as if it was the food's fault.

"Onari, you're making a lasting impression," Daiya said looking at her with a placid expression.

"Daiya brother choke chicken," Onari said aggressively. She narrowed her eyes. She didn't need a comment from him. He could feed himself with the stupid utensils.

"Did she just tell you to choke on your food," Idai asked. He looked at the girl in front of him. She was still glaring at Daiya.

Daiya narrowed his eyes right back at Onari. An electrical current went through his hair causing it to spike on all ends. "You want to run that by me again," he said lowly.

"Onari walk words to Daiya – not run," Onari challenged.

Takeru grabbed Onari as she tried to come across the table at Daiya. Daiya leapt at her, too, but Idai had his arms around his waist to hold him back. "You guys knock it off! If dad comes in here, both of you will get it!"

Idai looked up. "Too late," he said as if he was the one in trouble. Sasuke stood in the doorframe with a stern gaze directed at Onari and Daiya.

"Onari, go to you room. Lay on the futon and don't get up. I've had enough of your aggression as of late! Daiya, you do the same. I know she started it, but you're older than her and need to act more mature. Move, Onari. You don't want me after you," Sasuke said so seriously that she practically threw the table out of her way so she could get up fast enough. "Daiya, don't you start with me. Go." Daiya tched before moving to his room.

Takeru sighed. "I'm sorry they got in trouble. Onari doesn't like to be ordered around. She does get frustrated with things and that's when she gets upset. However, Daiya shouldn't have said anything to her. Onari only listens to dad. She considers what everyone else says and tends to weight it out."

"That sounds like Daiya," Idai said as he ate. Ever since he had saved Daiya's life, they had started to get closer. Idai liked hanging out with the boy from the lightening country. "That might be why he said Onari was his sister. They have the same aggression problems," he smirked.

Takeru had to agree. "True. Wait. Idai, does Daiya open up to you?" Idai stopped chewing his food. "He's been here for a while now, but I can't get through to him. It bothers me."

"Daiya is guarded for a reason, Takeru. You must know why." Takeru shook his head. "You haven't noticed how he stands his ground with your dad? I don't know if I should tell you anything. Daiya wouldn't be happy with me," Idai said matter-of-factly.

"Can you say anything that would help me and not tell the secrets he has to keep?"

"Um," Idai had to think. "I'm trying to think about what I can say that will be advisable. I don't want to discourage you, Takeru. First, what is your view of him? Um, how do you see him exactly?"

Takeru played with his ramen. He bobbed a bamboo shoot with his chopsticks. "You'll laugh at me if I say. Daiya would."

"No, I wouldn't," Idai said. "I'll start if it'll help. I view Daiya as… a best friend. I've never had anyone want to know me, or give me a chance. I can't be the same around my team- it isn't the same. Daiya doesn't judge me. It doesn't matter what I do, he still likes me. He isn't a selfish person. He lets himself out of the cage, but at certain moments." Idai looked up. "Sorry." He averted his eyes. "I normally don't talk to others."

Takeru smiled at Idai. "I like you. You're helpful. I know you don't usually speak though. I rarely heard you say anything back at the Academy. I understand what you mean about Daiya. I would like for him to be my brother. I've never had a sibling. I don't have any family, but my parents. It'd be nice if it was Daiya. He's older, stronger, and more mature most of the time. I just don't want to get in his way," Takeru said softly.

"Takeru, I could talk to Daiya. It won't occur right off though. He doesn't trust me fully. He doesn't' trust anyone. I don't want to take that away from him. He needs to be cautious. It's what protects him," Idai said.

"Can I get off of this stupid bed now," Daiya shouted.

"No, you need to lay down. That is what we told you, Daiya," Izumi said. A loud sound came from Takeru's room. Izumi walked to the room in a hurry. Daiya had thrown the bed over. "Daiya, why did you do that? Was there any reason to tear up the bed?"

Daiya breathed hard. "I'm not a little kid! I'm not yours! I don't take orders! Stay away form me!" Daiya moved back quickly as Izumi came into the room. He was watching her with wild eyes.

Izumi knew it was an outburst. He had been having them since he came to live at their home. Sasuke had to tell her why she was resented. It had torn her heart into pieces when she had learned the truth. Daiya was afraid of her. She had to coax him into calming down. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I don't have any weapons on me. I'm only asking you to rest so you have energy for later."

"I'm not weak! I'm not your kid! I don't have to do what you say! I can take care of myself! I've done so for a long time! I don't need you," Daiya said as he erupted his electrical charges. The area around him started to pop as the currents touched the floor.

Idai and Takeru started to run to the bedroom,

but Sasuke cut them off. He grabbed both of them. "No! You two can't go in there! Daiya's throwing a tantrum with your mother. Don't underestimate her, Takeru. She's stronger than you possibly know. Daiya has to trust us. He needs to stop pushing us away. We're trying to help him."

Idai's eyes were wide as he heard the lightening striking the floor in the bedroom. He was worried that Daiya would over load again. He couldn't take that. Takeru was alarmed, too. Idai felt himself being picked up and carried away from the turmoil. Sasuke was attempting to keep them out of it. "Sasuke sensei, he'll overload!"

Sasuke put them down once they got to the training dojo. He had added it to keep his skills in check. He crouched to look up at Takeru and Idai, his hands firmly holding onto their arms. "You two need to understand our position on this. We know about Daiya's past. I know he's told you, Idai, but not Takeru. Daiya is afraid of your mother it's because she's a woman. He was beaten and tortured beyond belief by the woman who gave birth to him." Takeru's eyes told Sasuke he was in shock.

"We are trying to help Daiya by giving him a home – a family. It hasn't been easy. He's very defiant and anything we ask him to do is met with an outburst of anger. I know he doesn't understand why we are being concerned. But the way he treats us is unfairly. We haven't hurt him in any way – yet, he still doesn't give us a chance. I already went through this with Onari. It's getting to be too much."

"W-Will Daiya have to go," Takeru asked sadly.

"I'd hate to do that, Takeru, but the options are limited. I have to protect my family, first. If Daiya refuses to be a part of it, then there is no other way. He isn't open to anyone."

"He is with me," Idai said. He tensed when Sasuke looked in his direction. "I-I'm sorry."

"Idai, I'm not going to hurt you. I f you can get Daiya to understand that he can't be alone – that he has no reason to be, then please make him realize it. I don't want to go back on my word. I want him to stay here," Sasuke said. Daiya reminds me of myself. It's all familiar. He's hurting and tormented by his past, but there is one difference. He has us now.

The lightening erupting around her did not frighten her. The look of hurt on Daiya's face was what got to her. Izumi knew if he wasn't stopped, the house would catch on fire. She began to approach him slowly. Izumi raised her arm towards him. He was backed all of the way to the wall.

"Stay away from me! Don't touch me!" Daiya tried to push himself into the wall more. "Stay away! I didn't do anything!" He closed his eyes, practically panicking as Izumi stood in front of him. His chakra ended abruptly. He couldn't hold onto it. "I didn't do anything," he repeated shouting. "Don't hit me! Don't hit me!"

Izumi lightly touched his face. "Daiya, I'm not going to harm you," she said softly. He was so afraid. She rubbed her thumb against his cheek. He gasped as she remained touching him. Daiya slowly opened his eyes to regard her. "I won't ever hurt you. And if anyone lays a hand on you, I'll kill them."

Daiya was unsure. The woman didn't sweat at him or strike him – even after his anger had been displayed. Why as she still in the room with him? "Wh-Why are y-you not hitting m-me?"

Izumi's eyes widened a little. Daiya expected to be struck for existing. She pushed him towards her and wrapped her arms around him. Daiya was tensed up. Izumi placed her hand on the side of his head to reassure him. "You're my kid. I'd never hurt you," she said choking on the words. "You're my kid. No one else's."

Daiya didn't know why Izumi chose to be his

parent. He didn't know the real reason Sasuke had taken him in. he thought he knew. He thought it was because of his arrhythmia. Could it have been another reason altogether?

"Please lay down, Daiya. It's not going to hurt you. It's meant to help you," Izumi said. She kissed the top of his head. "We don't want anything to happen to you. You are part of our family now."

Daiya subsided to lying down. It was Idai who had coaxed him into it. Idai lay next to Daiya on the bed even after Daiya had fallen asleep. Takeru was in the family room thinking about everything he had learnt. Daiya's mother had hurt him so badly, that it affected every aspect of his being. Takeru laid his head on the floor looking out at the garden.

Idai petted Daiya's head. His friend was sleeping hard. That little outburst had worn him out. I wish you'd stop fighting everyone, Daiya. It's not healthy. At least they are reaching out to you. He pulled the bed sheet over Daiya's body. He planed to stay right where he was until he awoke. It would help build up his security.

Sasuke approached his and Izumi's bed slowly. Ever since Daiya had fallen asleep, Izumi had taken refuge to their room. "Are you okay?" She nodded slowly. If she was doing what he thought, he was going to be upset with himself. He had brought Daiya here. "Izumi, are you crying?" She never cried.

Izumi felt him sit beside her. Sasuke turned her face towards him. "I-I want to kill his mother," she said as she cried. "But I can't. Sh-She's already dead."

"Izumi, I know you want Daiya to belong to our family, but with the way he is right now, I don't know if it's possible. He's pushing us away regarding every decision we make on his behalf," Sasuke said seriously. "I can only do so much to help him. If he harms you in any kind of way, it won't go over well with me. I don't care what the reason."

"Sasuke, he could have hurt me when I grabbed him – he didn't. Daiya thought I was going to beat him. He was up against the wall trying to get away from me. He's not a bad kid. None of it is his fault. He's more difficult than Onari, I'll admit, but challenges aren't bad."

"You're not giving up on him. Alright, I don't know where this will take us. I'll keep fighting with you as long as we're able. I just don't want Takeru or Onari hurt. Neither of them understands what is going on and why. We'll give it some more time. Hopefully, Idai can convince Daiya to ease up," he said. Sasuke leaned in to kiss his wife. He closed his eyes as their lips met. Izumi was a caring person despite her horrible past. It seemed everyone in their family came from a terrible background. Takeru was the only innocent one.

"Thank you," Izumi said softly as she looked into his eyes. He smiled at her a little. She kissed his cheek in return.


	34. Chapter 34

**V4 ch4**

**Sleepover**

Daiya turned over onto his back. He rubbed his eyes. He yawned hard. How long have I been asleep? Daiya opened his eyes. Idai was watching him. "Idai? Have you been there the whole time," he asked hoarsely.

"Yeah, pretty much. You were really tired. It's been a few hours since you fell asleep," Idai said. He watched Daiya stretch. "Daiya, you know, they are concerned about you." He watched his friend look away. "I wish you wouldn't fight them. They are trying to help you. I heard Takeru's mom crying over you." Daiya looked at him again with a sad expression. "It wasn't that you had her upset. It was your – the woman who gave birth to you. Ms. Izumi is furious over that woman hurting you. She wants to kill her."

Daiya looked down. "I don't understand why she approaches me when I am angry, or goes out of her way to do things with me. I don't know why Sasuke sensei wanted me to live here. I don't get Takeru's infatuation with me or why Onari clings to me at certain times."

Idai cocked his head. "Daiya, it's because they want you." Daiya looked up at him quickly. "Ms. Izumi wants to be your mom. Sasuke sensei wants to protect you – give you a reason to continue on living. As for Takeru and Onari, they want you as a brother. When I talked to Takeru, he was down hearted. He likes you. He wants to be around you, as much as, his friend Ryu. I'm not trying to get you to change. You need to be who you are. Just open your eyes a little more."

"It's hard to believe those things," Daiya said. "No one wanted me when I first came to the Hidden Leaf Village. The ones who brought me here knew I had a temper – knew what happened to me. They couldn't find a home for me. I've been on my own for most of my life. The only adults I knew were that horrible woman who gave birth to me and the men that came over to stay with her. None of them concerned themselves with me. Sh-She used to lock me in a box in a closet, Idai. If I made a noise when someone was over, she'd open it and cut me," Daiya said as his voice shook with horrible memories.

Idai cupped Daiya's face in his hands. He wished he could erase his awful past. "Daiya, stop. Stop," he said gently. Daiya was getting upset. "I can't change the past – only the future. If the future is bright enough, the past vanishes eventually. We're trying to make it better for you. Please don't push us away. You're the first real friend I've had. I love you to death, lightening bug."

Daiya looked at Idai slowly. "Y-You love me…?" He had never heard those words before. Idai nodded gently. Daiya's gaze remained focused on Idai's orange eyes. Both of them came from people who had tossed them out like garbage. It was probably why Daiya felt close to him. "Idai, what is…. Love….?"

Idai looked at Daiya sadly. Daiya had never had those feelings. Idai knew what it was because of Gai. Gai showed him all of the time by doing things with him and treating him like he was his own son. "Sit up, lightening bug." Daiya didn't know where he was going with this, but he did as Idai asked.

"Love is a funny feeling you get in your chest. It's different for everyone and is kind of hard to explain. It feels like your heart is leaping out of your chest. You feel warm all over, too. It's also a gesture, or an act displayed upon you by someone. Such as this," Idai said as he hugged Daiya hard. He kept his arms around him. "I love you because you're my first real, true friend. You've never been cruel to me or hurt me intentionally. For that, alone, I thank you."

Daiya slowly brought his arms up to wrap them around Idai. He blinked realizing something. Idai had never talked ill of him at the Academy. "You were really trying to get close to me the whole time. That's why you stopped me in the hall at the finals. That's why you picked me out of everyone when we played Hana Ichi Monmei. You… the whole time… were trying to get my

attention and… I kept pushing you off." Daiya body tensed. He hugged Idai so hard, the boy gasped. "I'm an idiot, Idai. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

"Can Idai stay the night," Takeru asked his parents. "Please? Daiya will behave. He's already acting differently." Takeru was hoping by Idai staying, that it would take the tension out of the air with his parents. His mother was confining herself to her room. Sasuke was hesitant about the idea.

"I shouldn't let him on the grounds of Daiya's misbehavior. However, I know how you operate, Takeru. I think you're trying to defuse the situation." Takeru tilted his head. He was caught. "Takeru, Gai has to give Idai permission. You also need to ask Onari and your mother."

"Mom, can Idai stay over? If Daiya acts up, I'll set his pants on fire," Takeru said smiling. "We can change his name to the Bar-B-Que-nin."

Izumi tried to force back a laugh. Takeru didn't like for his parents to be upset. He always felt the need to fix things. Takeru took another person's problems as his own responsibility. "Takeru, come here." Takeru walked to the other side of the bed. His mood changed once he saw Izumi's reddened eyes. She didn't cry around him.

"I know you want to make things better with Daiya, but it's not yours to make. Daiya needs to own up to what he did earlier. If he can do that and show us he understand, then we'll consider letting Idai spend the night. Bad behavior shouldn't receive an award."

Takeru looked away. "I don't know if Daiya will apologize. It's not in his nature. I wasn't asking for him anyway. I wanted Idai to stay."

"I understand, but Idai is Daiya's friend. It would benefit both of you. It wouldn't be any different if you were the one in trouble," Izumi said.

Takeru knocked on his own door. Daiya and Idai were talking. He hated to interrupt them. They both watched him enter. "Um, I asked Mom if Idai could stay the night. She said you had to fess up t-to earlier and we had to have Gai sensei's permission. We also had to have it okay with Onari," Takeru said rather shyly. He was kind of afraid of Daiya's anger. The boy was very defiant.

"They're expecting me to admit what happened like they aren't aware of it? Are you serious," Daiya said. He narrowed his eyes. Takeru moved back a few feet.

Idai put his hand on Daiya's arm to make him stop. Daiya backed down. "Takeru, who asked for me to say the night?"

Takeru looked away embarrassed. He didn't know what Idai would think. "M-Me," he said softly.

"You asked for me to stay? You don't really know me. Is there a reason you wanted me to stay over," Idai asked. Takeru mumbled something. "I didn't catch that."

"I want to get to know you. I only have Ryu and Daiya. Onari doesn't understand me. At least, I don't think she does. Saori mainly hangs out with Yanagi. I wanted you to be my friend," Takeru said rather soft spoken. He looked away. Idai was baffled.

"Is he for real," Idai asked Daiya.

"Takeru's not a liar. He actually means what he says – for the most part. So you want me to confess to earlier to benefit you," Daiya said sternly.

Takeru shook his head. He was so worried that Daiya was going to grab him and hit him. "Why do you always assume I'm trying to control you? If Idai stayed over, we could have fun and do stuff, but you're always negative!"

Idai put his hand over Daiya's mouth. He sighed. "Daiya, do you want me to stay? Don't look away. Is it that hard to admit being wrong?"

"Yes," Daiya said with his mouth covered. Idai took his hand away. "I don't want anyone telling me what to do. I'm my own person."

"They want respect, Daiya. They do feed you, clothe you, and do things for you. I don't know why it's so hard for everyone to give each other respect," Takeru said annoyed. "You all act like the five-year-olds at the academy. Be right back."

Takeru came back pulling Onari. "I'm stopping all of this nonsense. Ri, apologize to Daiya for saying you wished he'd choke." Onari tilted her head. "The words you used were mean and unnecessary. You were wishing him death."

Onari looked at Daiya slowly. Is that what she had said? Takeru was mad. She didn't like others upset with her. "Onari not wish Daiya dead," she said softly. "Onari like Daiya."

"I'm sorry about earlier, Onari. It isn't my initial reaction to leap over a table at you," Daiya said. He knew he had to settle it although he hated to admit when he was wrong. "Idai is right and so is Takeru."

"Ri, can Idai stay the night," Takeru asked the girl. Onari moved behind him looking over his shoulder. Takeru sighed. "Onari, he's not going to hurt you."

"Onari no know boy," she said softly.

"How come you were so accepting of me, but you're afraid of Idai," Daiya asked. Onari was tilting her head left and right. "Idai is more scared of you than you need to be of him. He's a foreigner like us."

"Daiya," Idai started," Don't tell her the obvious. You're embarrassing me." He looked down.

"Sorry," Daiya said petting his head. "My point is we're the only foreigners in Konoha, Onari. We should stick together."

"Idai boy no hurt Onari," she asked holding onto Takeru.

"No, why would I hurt you," Idai said as he watched her.

"Onari is Onari," she said trying to make him understand.

"Uh, I think she means she is herself. Onari is playful," Takeru said. "She gets in a bit of trouble." He believed that's what she meant. "So can he stay, Ri?"

"Idai stay," Onari said. She watched Daiya get up. Her brother sighed heavily. He shook his head then walked out of the room. "Where Daiya go?" Takeru and Idai both looked at each other.

Daiya knocked on the door softly. Apologizing was not part of his character. The talk with Idai made him think. Izumi and Sasuke were taking care of him. They had given him a home and a family – they even worried about him. Daiya knocked on the door again. He had to make amends.

It wasn't fair to unleash his anger like he did. After all, he was still confined to the house with Izumi during the day. He wasn't allowed to train yet. Sasuke wouldn't let him. The door opened. Daiya looked up at Izumi. Her eyes were red from crying.

"What is it, Daiya," she asked softly. He was looking at her as if something was wrong. "If you don't feel well, I can get Sasuke." Izumi leaned closer slowly and stopped. "Daiya, what's wrong?" His shoulders were lightly shaking.

Daiya bit his bottom lip. He leapt at her. Izumi's eyes went wide as she fell backwards. Daiya held onto her holding his face on her stomach. "I'm sorry," Daiya said muffled.

Izumi sat up bewildered at his actions. She

looked over her shoulder at Sasuke. He was standing behind her with a toothbrush in his mouth. Her husband was protective of her despite the fact that she could handle herself just fine. She assumed it was a male thing. Izumi turned her head back to Daiya. "What has gotten into you?"

Daiya was realizing a lot of things. It was all

hitting him at once. "I didn't mean what I said earlier. I need you and Sasuke. I'm sorry," he said truthfully.

Sasuke walked over and shut the door to their

bedroom. He didn't' want the other kids eavesdropping. He sat down beside Izumi looking from her to Daiya. "Daiya, what is making you say you need us?"

Daiya clutched harder to Izumi. Izumi felt the tears through her clothes. "Sasuke, he's not just saying it." She put her hand on Daiya's head. "He's crying," she whispered.

"If Idai has that kind of influence on him, he can stay as long as he wants," Sasuke said. "Daiya, can you look at me?"

"I can't see out of my right eye," Daiya said as he tried to look at Sasuke. "My… My… m-m… m-m…m-mo..,-"he couldn't say it. That word didn't match the woman who had tortured him when he was a child.

Sasuke's eyes softened. He put his hand under Daiya's arm to make him sit up. The tear streaks were still on the boy's face. "Daiya, how bad is your eye," he asked. He noticed the scar over it the first day he had met him. Daiya became more guarded if he was approached from that side.

"I-I can't see you," Daiya said afraid. "I c-can only s-see colors." He gasped as Sasuke put his hands on his face to look at his eyes more closely. He tensed badly.

"Daiya, Sasuke's not going to hurt you," Izumi said softly. She put her hand on his back, rubbing it. She could feel his body shaking.

Sasuke exhaled. "His eye is a problem. It's a handicap alright. It moves with the other one, but the light going into it isn't bouncing back like it should. You're going to have to learn to fight without it." He let Daiya's face go. "You didn't call me 'sensei' like you normally do." He watched as Daiya hid his face on Izumi.

"Sasuke, stop embarrassing him," Izumi said petting the boy's head.

"I wasn't trying to," Sasuke said looking at his wife. "I guess Idai can stay the night since you owned up to what happened earlier. You need to realize we're not trying to hurt you, Daiya."

"S-Sasuke, d-do you hate me," Daiya asked muffled. He feared the man did. He saw how Sasuke was with Takeru. He wasn't the same with him. It made Daiya feel out-of-place.

"No, I don't hate you, but it's hard to get to know you when you are so guarded. You have to give us a chance, in all fairness. Chances don't hurt. We're not here to keep you from living, Daiya. We're here to make sure you do," Sasuke said. Daiya flipped his head around to look at him in shock. "Go ahead and get permission from Gai."

Daiya watched Sasuke get up. Izumi smiled at him gently. "Y-You don't hate me either," he asked. Izumi shook her head. She wiped the tear streaks off of his face. Strangely, and for no reason at all, Daiya closed his eyes.

Izumi wrapped her arms around him in a comforting embrace. She understood Daiya had a lot to overcome. "I told you before, you're my kid. If anyone lays a hand on you, I'll slaughter them," she said softly smiling. "Now go play with your friend while he's here." She shooed him off. Things were starting to look up. Idai had a positive influence on Daiya. I'll have to fix him something special.

"I don't want to change into my pajamas. My dad bought me these really embarrassing ones," Idai said. He had no idea Gai was going to be so happy about him spending the night at the Uchihas. Gai had gone out and bought Idai a new set of pajamas – among other things. He looked at the backpack. "He acts like I'm going camping."

Takeru flipped the backpack open. "Has your dad ever been to a sleepover before?" He pulled out a blanket that was rolled up. It was plain blue. Takeru also pulled out two short swords. He recognized those as the weapons Idai wore on his back. "What are these in here for?"

"I don't go anywhere without them," Idai said. He watched Takeru pull out the new pajama set. "No, Takeru put those back!" Takeru was looking at them. Idai blushed when he saw the print. They were a pair of green pajamas with little bears on them.

"Idai, they're not that bad. If you weren't meant to wear them, they wouldn't make them for our age group," Takeru said. He tilted his head. Idai was depressed. "What's wrong?"

Idai said rather softly, his eyes averted, "I'm not the same age as you. I'm fourteen. I'm older than Daiya." He was heavily embarrassed. "I'm small for my age."

"Oh, I can see why you'd reject them then," Takeru said as he put them down. "Cheer up, Idai. You don't have to wear them. You can borrow some of my clothes, if you want."

Idai shook his head. "No, that would be awkward. I don't want to upset my dad. I'll wear them." He didn't know what anyone else was going to say about them.

"Hey, Sasuke and I have the fire started so we can go outside," Daiya said as he entered the family room. His eyes fell on the bear pajamas. "Takeru, aren't you a little old for those?" Takeru pointed at Idai. Daiya turned to see Idai covering his face. "Oh, they must be new. Sorry."

************************************************** **8

Onari ran outside in the garden freely. She was trying to catch fireflies in a jar. Every time she got close to them, they would disappear. She tilted her head as she searched the area. There went one! Onari chased it, but lost it again.

Sasuke was watching her attempt to gather the fireflies. "Onari, you have to be slow to catch them." She tilted her head. He checked the fire before walking over towards her. He took the jar from her. "Watch, Fire Bird." Sasuke saw a firefly blink. He slowly approached it. He put the jar in its pathway and it flew right into the jar. "They don't fly fast. You have to be slow," he repeated. He handed her the jar. Onari took off running again. "Or being slow just isn't in the cards for you." He watched her speed through the area left and right.

"Good grief. Onari's gotten to be rather fast since Neji's been training her," Izumi said. The girl was darting all over the garden. "Onari, you have to be slow to catch fireflies."

"Yeah, I already told her that," Sasuke said. "I think she likes running around too much to slow down. Onari, if you don't slow down, you're going to,-"he closed his eyes as it happened. "Fall."

Onari had slid on her side. She turned over onto her back. "Onari see stars," she said pointing up.

Sasuke walked over to her and crouched with his hands on his legs. "Onari, are you okay?" She nodded. "Perhaps you shouldn't run during the day so you can see."

"Sasuke, Akahi sleepover, jes," she asked. She hadn't seen her bird since she came to the Hidden Leaf Village. Onari had no reason to unleash him here. There was no danger present. Sasuke and Izumi protected her.

"I don't know, Onari. Akaihi's a huge creature. He'll be noticed immediately by everyone around if you summon him," Sasuke told her. "Takeru doesn't know about it and neither does Daiya."

"Sasuke, no bad men no big Akaihi," Onari said. "Akaihi little no bad men. No reason for big Akaihi."

He furrowed his brows. "So you're saying that he is huge to protect you, but small when there is no danger?" Onari nodded. "How small?" Onari put one hand on top of the other, her palms facing out. "So he's the size of a chicken."

"Akaihi no chicken. Akaihi Onari phoenix," she corrected. She turned her head to see Daiya, Takeru, and Idai come outside. Izumi told them to stick wooden poles in the ground so they could string up miniature lanterns for light.

"That's not what I meant, Onari. It was a comparison to his size. Question. Will he have fire when he is summoned?" Onari shook her head. "I see. So he's a regular bird when there is no threat. You can summon him for tonight. I don't want him found out." Onari sat up and hugged him. He petted the back of her head.

The lights in the garden came on. "That's better," Izumi said. She set out something special on a tray. "Oh, Daiya, guess what I have," she called.

Takeru jumped up and down. He pulled Idai with him. "Mom has marshmallows!" He handed Idai a carved stick. "Dad, are you going to roast marshmallows with us?" Sasuke nodded. "Onari, come here. It's something you've never had before."

Daiya slowly walked over to Izumi. He made sure Takeru and Idai couldn't hear him. "H-How come you got me marshmallows?" He watched her crouch to look up at him.

"Why did I get my son marshmallows? Hmm," Izumi pondered. "Because I know they are his favorite." She watched the shock on his face appear again. She reached up to rub her thumb against his cheek. "People, who care for you, do things for you, Daiya. Okay? Okay." She let him go back to Takeru and Idai.

"Hey, maybe I should have invited Ryu over. Onari still hasn't met him," Takeru said as he roasted his three marshmallows.

Sasuke looked at his son as he started to put the marshmallows on the stick. "Takeru, have I don something to upset you?" Takeru raised a brow. "Don't invite Ryu. I have to be… prepared for that." It will take a lot of sake'.

Daiya started laughing. His laughter got everyone's attention. It surprised him, too. He normally didn't laugh. "Ryu drives him crazy," Daiya said still laughing. He grabbed his sides. "He makes – He makes Sasuke chase him and fume every time we have to train." Daiya fell backwards onto the ground. "Ow, my sides."

Sasuke stuck his stick in the ground. He got up. He walked over to Daiya who was still laughing at his expense. "Oh, you think it's funny how Ryu pushes my buttons?" Daiya looked up at him. Sasuke held up five fingers so he could see. He started counting down.

Takeru choked on his marshmallow. "Daiya, run! He's fixing to get you!" There were three fingers remaining.

Daiya sat up quickly and high tailed it as one finger was left. Sasuke went after him alright. Daiya couldn't believe how fast Sasuke was. Every time he turned, Sasuke turned also at the right moment – as if he knew his movements. Before he knew it, Sasuke had him in his grasp. Daiya looked up at the man's red eyes. He tensed not understanding what he was seeing.

"Are you wondering how I caught you so quickly? I'm able to anticipate another's moves easily by suing Sharingan. That's what you're seeing in my eyes. It's something only my clan can do. And in saying so, I'm the only one with it. Takeru has no learned this technique yet." Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment to turn Sharingan off. "It's like any other kekkegenkai. If you use it for an extended period of time, it drains your chakra."

"So it's like the electrical currents I have?"

"Sort of. I can kind of do what you can, but it's not the same. I can make my chakra visible with a technique called 'Chidori' that I was taught a long time ago. I think your lightening jutsu is just as quick and deadly. The entire area around you becomes a battlefield and you can't be touched. You have a very useful offensive and defensive attack, Daiya. That has me wondering about something. Can you perform 'Bird's eye view'?"

Daiya cocked his head. "I'm not sure what that is. The only thing I've known how to do is erupt my electrical charges."

"I thought you could possibly perform the same operations as Onari since you both are from the lightening country. I wasn't sure. It's some kind of jutsu she does that lets her see an aerial view of the surrounding area. She's able to target opponents and devise battle plans without ever giving her position away. I suppose it's a kekkegenkai," Sasuke said.

Daiya thought for a moment. "When I was little, I used to wander a lot. What else did I have to do," he said shrugging it off. "I used to hear the old people talk about a clan that used to exist that had extraordinary strength and speed. It was one of the reasons they had become dominant in the Hidden Cloud Village. But it doesn't exist anymore due to the Hidden Leaf Village destroying it. Although, the village is gone, that doesn't mean there can't be survivors in hiding."

"That's very true. It's hard to find out about Onari's past. Her parents were on the run from someone, or something. She grew up with no friends and only her mother and father around her. They were killed a few years ago. Onari doesn't remember anything, to my knowledge. Her language skills are a huge obstacle, as well. She's gotten better, but it's hard for her to express herself like she needs to. Right now, Takeru understands her more than I."

Daiya closed his eyes. He smiled softly. "Takeru understands all of us more than we understand ourselves." He opened his eyes to see Onari watching him. "Hmm?"

"Daiya brother want see Akaihi," she asked. Before he could answer, Onari bit her thumb. She formed a sequence of fast hand seals, pressed her hands to the ground and said, "Summoning jutsu! Akaihi!" A soft light formed around her. A puff of smoke popped beside her.

Daiya watched as a beautiful red bird popped into view. It was roughly the size of a chicken. He saw the long feathers on its tail dragging the ground as it walked. "Is that… a phoenix?"

"Daiya, say 'hello' to Onari's guardian. Although, last time I saw him, he was as big as the house. I don't quite know how she received him, but she used him to get us out of a fix last year," Sasuke said. The bird was absentmindedly walking around inspecting the territory. He watched as the phoenix flapped its wings and flew at the fire. His eyes widened. "Onari, you've got to control him!" Onari ran after the bird.

Idai looked up as a bird flew right into the fire. He yelped. The bird landed on the other side as if nothing had happened. Its plumage was on fire. "Takeru, that bird's on fire! And it's just looking at us!" He pointed at it.

"Demon bird," Takeru yelled. He grabbed Idai and they moved back from it. The bird cooed sweetly – somehow unaware that it was on fire. Takeru clutched to Idai as he watched it. He turned his eyes to see Onari glaring at the bird.

"Bad Akaihi! No fire! Diffuse," Onari ordered. The bird cocked its head at her as if to ponder what she was saying. "Akaihi, now," Onari scolded. The phoenix shook its body, the flames blowing off into the air. It cooed sweetly at her. She looked at Idai and Takeru who were a little freaked out. "Sorry Takeru and Idai. Akaihi like fire."

"Ri, what is that," Takeru asked as he watched the bird clean its feathers.

"It's her guardian," Daiya said as he caught up to them. "Onari controls a celestial. She summoned it."

"Do you have one," Idai asked. Daiya shook his head as he watched the bird, too. "Well, who would have thought I'd have such an interesting visit?" Onari was chasing the bird around. It was running for it.

"Akaihi, back Onari now," she yelled at it.

"Never a dull moment with Onari," Takeru and Daiya said.

Takeru rubbed his eyes. "Onari, you're sleeping in Daiya's bed tonight. Idai's going to sleep in your room." It was really late. Izumi and Sasuke had already gone to bed.

"Onari sleep Takeru," she said. She ran at him and jumped on him. Takeru fell backwards.

"Ri, I'm tired and you still have energy," Takeru said as he laid on the floor. "It's time to go to bed. Ri…" She was wiggling on top of him watching him. He yawned hard.

Daiya sighed. He shook his head. He and Idai had finished changing. "Onari." The girl sat up and looked over her shoulder. "Stop playing. It's time for you and baby Takeru to go to bed." Idai covered his mouth so he wouldn't laugh.

"Shut up, Daiya," Takeru said as he sat up. "I'm not a baby." He watched Onari get up, run, slide on the floor and go into his room. He heard her throw herself onto Daiya's bed. "Man, doesn't that girl ever get tired?" He got up and walked slowly to his room. "Ri, lay down," he said. She flopped back onto the bed. Takeru crawled onto his bed and fell asleep rather quickly.

Onari watched Takeru sleep for a long time. She sat up. "Takeru?" He was sleeping hard, his face hidden in his pillow. She hopped off of the bed. Onari crawled over to Takeru. She pulled the sheets over him. Onari tilted her head. She petted the top of his head.

"Takeru? Play with Onari, jes? Takeru?" He wasn't answering her. She moved around to the other side of the bed. Onari popped her head up. She crawled onto the bed, her hips swaying left and right. She looked down at him. Onari blinked. She stopped moving. Takeru's kind of… cute. Onari moved his long hair off of his face. "Takeru?"

Takeru rolled over. Onari tilted her head as she watched him breathe. What was that weird feeling she felt? It wasn't going away. Onari got really close to his face. "Takeru, Onari sick," she said. The feeling became lighter. What is wrong with me? Why am I staring at him? It's just Takeru. I live with him. Takeru is Takeru. Takeru is a boy. Takeru kisses me sometimes. Should I kiss him?

Onari moved closer. She looked at him with a gentle gaze. "Onari promise protect Takeru." She touched his face gently. Onari bent closer. She hovered over him for a second.

Takeru felt something on his face. He scratched. His hand brushed past hair. Takeru opened his tired eyes. Onari was watching him. "Ri, why are you on my bed?" She tilted her head at him.

"Takeru kiss Onari," she said softly.

He tilted his head back at her. "Yeah, I have before." He yawned.

"Takeru, Onari kiss Takeru?" She moved closer. He wasn't fully awake. Onari kissed him beside the mouth. "Onari protect Takeru from bad man," she said even softer.

Takeru blushed. He felt Onari kiss him. He was starting to wake up. His heart was racing. Onari kissed me. Takeru looked up at her. He reached up to touch her face. His brows furrowed as he watched her expression.

Onari didn't look like Onari. She looked like a beautiful, mysterious girl with yellow eyes that drew him to her. Takeru lifted himself off of the bed slowly. He was studying her face as he came closer. She was still watching him. "Ri, I want to kiss you," he said softly. He smiled at her as she lowered her head. "No, not on the forehead." Takeru brought her face back up. He leaned in; his heart feeling like it was swelling in his chest.

Onari leaned in, closing her eyes. Takeru came closer, his eyes closing, too as his lips met hers. Onari kissed him back. Takeru has soft lips for a boy. Onari brought her hands up to touch his face. She kissed him again. He kissed her back.

Takeru opened his eyes to look at Onari. She was still close to him. In that moment, Takeru knew what she was to him. He adored her. He could feel his heart swelling more. Takeru wasn't sure if Onari understood. "Ri, I… love you," he said gently. She tilted her head a few times. She doesn't understand. Takeru stopped her head from moving. "I love you, Onari," he said regardless of her comprehension.

Onari didn't understand the words he uttered. They were ones she didn't think she knew. Takeru leaned in, kissing her again. She closed her eyes as he ran his fingers down her cheek. Onari blushed. Her heart was emitting that same feeling again. Was she sick?

Takeru ran his hand through her long, black hair as he parted the kiss. "I know my dad didn't mean for it to happen. I know you really don't understand, Ri. Maybe when I can figure out how, I'll make you understand me," he said softly. "I love you with all of my heart, Onari." He put his arms around her.

Onari leaned into him as he lay back with her. For tonight, she could sleep next to him. He petted her head until he felt her body ease. Onari was asleep. Takeru kissed her again before closing his eyes.

Idai tossed and turned in his sleep. He whimpered as the nightmare grabbed onto his mind. He couldn't escape from it. The visions he saw in his sleep occurred since he had been caste out of the sound village. Most of the time he didn't remember what he saw in his dreams. Idai jerked his legs. His body was sweating badly.

Daiya felt himself get kicked. He turned over. "Idai, what'd you kick me,-"he watched as his friend jerked. Idai was sweating so badly in his sleep that his pajamas were soaked. He shook Idai's shoulder hard. "Idai. Idai, wake up, you're having a nightmare." Daiya knew what was wrong. Idai suffered from frequent nightmares. He had seen it happen so often, Gai had to talk to him about it.

There was nothing he could do to help Idai. The nightmares were a result of Idai's tormented past. Daiya wiped his friend's forehead off. It was sad that there was nothing he could do at the moment. He looked down at the fear on Idai's face. Not knowing what else to do, Daiya grabbed Idai and held him. Idai was still jerking and whimpering. "Idai, come on. Wake up." Daiya petted the back of his head. I have no choice but to wait this out. Idai doesn't snap out of these easily.

Daiya kept his eyes on Idai the entire time. The birds were starting to chirp outside. The sun was beginning to come up. Idai had finally stopped jerking. He felt him stir.

Idai opened his eyes. He was being held. "Daiya?" He felt Daiya pet the back of his head softly. He looked up. Daiya was watching him tiredly. Idai realized why. His clothes clung to his cold, clammy skin – the after effects of a nightmare. This was not what he had wanted to happen. "I'm sorry," he said as his voice started to break. Daiya was so tired, he couldn't focus.

Daiya was only aware that Idai was awake. It had taken half the night for him to get over his nightmare. Daiya was awake the entire time. He was really groggy. He felt Idai move around.

"Daiya, I didn't mean for you to have to stay up like that. I'm really sorry. Please, go back to sleep," he said as he covered his friend up. Idai felt terrible. He was worried last night that he might have an episode – that's why he was concerned about staying over. Only Daiya knew about the problems he had.

Idai had to change out of his clothes. As Daiya started to go back to sleep, Idai changed. He closed his eyes. This is not what I wanted. I'm a burden over here. I should just go home. He sat for an hour looking out of the window. Daiya was sleeping hard. Everyone was. He figured he was the only one awake. Idai got up. He padded out of the room.

The wooden floor was cold to his feet. He walked past Sasuke and Izumi's bedroom. Idai turned the corner where the hallway stretched out more. He passed the family room, kitchen, and bathing area. The training dojo was around the second corner. He walked to it slowly. Idai went in. he had to get things off of his mind. It's what he normally did when he was bothered by something.

Idai took a deep breath. He had to learn to use his hands and legs along with his swords. His taijutsu was nowhere as good as Yanagi's or Daiya's. Yanagi was strong like her mother and fast like her father. Yet, unlike Lee, Yanagi could use Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. Genjutsu was harder to pull off because of the amount of concentration it took.

Idai punched the air with both of his arms at once in a forward motion. Not fast enough. He punched each arm in front of his body a few times before doing a round house kick. He sighed. "I'm nowhere as fast as Daiya." Idai didn't have a training partner so he was going to have to pretend there was one. He punched towards the shoulder area with one hand and punched towards the abdomen on his left of the 'opponent'. He continued to do these moves several times in order to get faster.

Idai grabbed the 'opponent' in a bear hug, squeezing. He proceeded to tilt his body towards his left, brought his legs up really fast, let the opponent go, and as his hands touched the floor to balance himself, he performed a mule kick. It was a simple technique to knock an opponent unconscious. He flipped over gracefully.

"You're pretty well-balanced," Takeru said from the entrance. He had been watching Idai for a little while. Idai stepped back as if he had been caught doing something wrong. "Idai, you can come in here. You don't have to act all shy about it. Hey! Can you teach me that move?"

"S-sure," Idai said nervously. He supposed Takeru had really meant what he had said about wanting to be friends with him. Takeru walked towards him. "Can you balance on your hands?" Takeru showed him.

"Alright, but to do the move I did, you have to punch like this," Idai showed Takeru where. "As you do that, grab like this and turn your body. You'll let the other person go and land on your hands to kick. Now you try."

Takeru punched at the shoulder area and abdomen area a few times before doing the bear hold. He tilted his body like Idai showed him and kicked. It was at the wrong moment. Takeru put his arms out too late and ended up landing hard on his stomach. He grimaced. It had knocked the wind out of him.

Idai got up on his hands and knees to check on him. "Takeru, breathe." Takeru coughed. "It's not as easy as it looks right? You have to keep practicing. It took me twenty-two times. I'm a little more nimble than you, so it might take you longer."

Takeru sat up holding his stomach. "I didn't think it'd be that hard. Oh, man, twenty-two times? It'll probably take me twice that." Idai signaled for him to give it another go. Takeru got up. He practiced with Idai for a long time. Idai was a really patient person. Takeru liked that a lot about him.

Takeru moved back. He was going to show Idai a front kicked he had picked up from Onari. She often played with moves she saw, or learned to make them her own. Idai was standing far enough away so he wouldn't get hurt. Takeru was about to try it when he glanced at Idai and saw his face.

Idai's eyes were wide and he was afraid. "Idai? What's wrong?" Takeru looked around. They were the only ones in the dojo. Idai was moving farther back, alerted by something.

Idai wasn't where he had been with Takeru. The area around him changed to old houses that were on fire. Idai tried to get away from the flames. People were running around him screaming in terror. Some of them were on fire – others were carrying children and yelling.

Idai fell back as he was shoved by a large man. The man turned on him with a long weapon called a Yueh-Ya-T'san. Idai's eyes fell on the half mooned metal that was covered in blood. "Get away from me," he screamed in terror. He was fixing to be killed. The man raised his weapon to strike at Idai. "Leave me alone! Don't kill me!"

Takeru stood in shock as Idai flipped out. The older boy had pushed himself all of the way against the wall. Takeru watched as Idai's hands came up to push something off of him – but there was nothing there.

Izumi came running into the dojo with Onari. They had both been alerted by Idai's screams. She moved to the boy quickly thinking he was in pain. "Takeru, what is wrong with him? Idai? Idai!" She shook the boy but he kept yelling and holding his head.

Takeru ran over worried. "I don't know! We were training and he started screaming like he was being attacked." Izumi had Idai pinned so he couldn't hurt anyone. Idai was breathing hard and panicking.

Onari watched Idai kick his legs. His eyes were full of terror. He's hurting. She moved closer, putting her arms around his neck to move him closer to her. Idai was not mentally in the dojo. She knew he was somewhere else. He was scaring Takeru and Izumi.

Onari moved her lips closer to Idai's ear. She pressed him to her as she started to sing softly into his ear. She was hoping he would focus on the soft sound and his mind would move away from wherever it was. "Sweet little boy with snow white hair, what is the name of your mare? She's pretty and brown like the trees that comfort me. I see wisdom and courage in her eyes, as the years have gone by. Will you let me pet her for a while, just for a trial? I'll feed her oats and hay – the best crop of the day. Then we can ride her together in the field – while the house is being built." Onari looked at Idai. He was watching her with a softened gaze. He was back.

Izumi watched as Idai closed his eyes. Tears of embarrassment and shame were flowing down his face. Onari let go of him as Izumi held him. She pressed him to her, shielding him. Izumi looked over her shoulder to see Sasuke and Daiya watching them. She looked at her husband, worried.

Daiya walked over to see if Idai was alright. He crouched to grab him from Izumi. "It's okay. It's over. No one's mad at you." Idai was very embarrassed. Daiya pulled him closer so he could let Idai hide his face. "I'm going back to me and Takeru's room with him." He made Idai stand and they walked off.

Sasuke waited until they were gone before he spoke. "Idai suffers from flashbacks. He had an episode not long after the teams were formed. He tends to see things from his past that torments him. Kiba didn't know what was wrong either at the time. Gai has been trying to help him overcome it, but it's been hard. Idai is sick, Takeru.

He can't anymore control what he is seeing than when it happens. Until now, there hasn't been any way to snap him out of it. It seems Onari's singing called him back. You did a courageous thing, Fire Bird. When Idai is like that, his actions are unpredictable. He could have hurt anyone that came near him. If he has a flashback, you guys need to try and help him. Don't make fun of him. It won't nullify the situation," Sasuke said.

"What has that child seen to make him that way," Izumi asked.

"We don't know. Gai told me Idai complains of voices yelling his name. As for the images he sees, we have no clue. He won't talk about it. It's a very touchy subject. Daiya doesn't even know and he is fairy close to Idai."

"Dad, will Idai get better," Takeru asked softly.

"I would like to think he will, but no one knows. All I know is Idai didn't display these problems when he was at the Academy. He had them after he was adopted by Gai, for a period of time, but they stopped soon after. I don't know what's brought them up again," Sasuke said. "It's best if we let Daiya get Idai to calm down."

"I know how to make him feel better. We can fix him something special. He probably thinks we're angry at him," Izumi said. Sasuke nodded. "Takeru, you and Onari go put on your shoes. We can all go out for some fresh air."

Idai clutched hard to Daiya as they sat on the bed. He was so ashamed at not being able to control what he saw. Idai gritted his teeth as he cried on Daiya. His face was still hidden.

Daiya knew he was embarrassed. He held him tightly trying to comfort him. He pressed Idai's head closer to him. I wish I knew what to do. He hasn't had one of those in a while. I guess he was due for it. Still, he can't control when they happen. I hope Takeru isn't discouraged from getting to know him.

Idai rubbed his wet eyes on Daiya's chest. "I'm s-sorry, D-Daiya," he let out. "I d-didn't mean t-to em-barass you." He felt he had done that. It was his first time over and he had messed it up.

Daiya made him sit up. He cupped Idai's face in his hands. "You haven't embarrassed me. There is no reason for you to be ashamed. You cannot help what is wrong with you. Blaming yourself for what you see, is not going to solve anything," he said seriously. Idai hiccupped. "At least let me hold to what I said. I won't let anything happen to you."

"No one can help me. My dad has tried. I don't know what's wrong with me. The voices and visions stopped for a long time, but they came back. I want them to go away," Idai said angrily. "Kiba sensei, Yanagi, and Masaru know about them now. I don't want the whole damn village knowing I'm sick," he shouted.

Daiya looked at him sadly. He brought Idai towards him quickly. He pressed Idai to him, again, trying to protect him from everything. "If I could fight it for you, I would without hesitation. I'd take those awful memories and bear it if you could live. But I can't. I can only be here to help protect you."

Idai sniffled. He hugged Daiya tightly as he calmed down it was no good to continue to apologize for the outburst earlier. He just hoped Sasuke and Izumi weren't mad at him. "Daiya, you're my best friend," he said softly.

"I better be," Daiya said smirking. "Someone has to keep you in line when you're acting hyper." He ruffled Idai's hair. "Come on; let's go train for a while. It'll help take your mind off of it."

Onari tilted her head as she watched Daiya and Idai train together. To her, it looked more like playing. "Daiya and Idai eat now," she said as she walked towards them. Idai froze when he saw her. Onari could tell he was being shy – probably because of what happened earlier. She approached him quickly and grabbed his wrist. "Boy Idai eat." Idai tensed as he was grabbed.

Daiya followed her as she pulled Idai out of the dojo and down the hall. "Onari, let go of him. It's not nice to pull someone." He was getting cross with her. Onari was rather forceful for a girl.

Onari stopped. She kept her hand around Idai's wrist. "Idai afraid Onari?" She cocked her head a few times, watching him.

"N-No, I guess not," Idai said. He looked at his wrist. She wasn't hurting him. Her grip was soft for the most part. "D-Daiya, why is she holding my wrist?"

"Onari, he's not afraid of you –just cautious. He doesn't know you or Takeru. Idai is going to be hesitant around you two," Daiya said.

"Onari no understand boy Idai. Onari not bad girl. Idai think Onari hurt Idai. Onari take Idai eat now," she said trying to explain. Idai was confused. Onari grumbled. "Onari not know words. Onari try to make boy understand." She let his wrist go. Onari hit her head as if she could get the words to click inside her head.

"She's frustrated. Her language is a bit… hard to understand," Daiya told Idai. Idai reached his hand up to stop Onari from hitting herself. "Onari, no offense, but it is hard to understand you. I'm still learning so don't expect Idai to get it right off."

Takeru came walking down the hall. "Onari, you were supposed to tell them lunch is ready. Mom fixed a ton! We're having stuffed mushrooms, fried sweet potatoes, sweet and sour shrimp and chicken, yudofu, and sweet cakes." He was practically bouncing. Takeru looked at Idai. "What's wrong?"

"You're awfully excited about eating," Idai said.

"Well, yeah, my mom makes everything homemade. She doesn't cook a lot unless it's a special occasion," Takeru aid. Onari ran down the hallway as she heard her name being called.

"And what is the special occasion," Daiya asked. He watched Takeru smile at them. The boy tugged Daiya and Idai to follow. He wondered what was up. "Takeru, is it someone's birthday?"

"No. I got a brother and a friend. That's why," Takeru said.

Idai felt surprised and happy all at once. Takeru still wanted to be friends with him after the outburst he had had. He felt emotional. Takeru accepted him for who he was without hesitation or regret. "Ta-Takeru," he said his voice shaking.

"Huh?" Takeru stopped and turned as they neared the kitchen. His eyes softened. Idai was crying. "Did I do something wrong?"

Daiya shook his head. "No, you haven't done anything wrong. I think Idai is confused to why you have accepted him. No one's ever done that."

"Why shouldn't I? He's my friend. I told him I liked him. He's easy to talk to and he's fun," Takeru said. "I can't help the way I am. I don't see people's faults."

Idai's first friend had actually been Kiba sensei. Kiba had made sure Idai was included on the trip to the hot springs. But it wasn't until after Daiya came out of the hospital, did Idai feel he could be himself. He was so close to Daiya that Idai sought him out about every day. Could Takeru be as open to him as Daiya?

Onari yelped. She came flying out of the kitchen. "Boy Onari no knows!" She ran to her room.

"Onari, don't hide in the closet! Dammit. Now I have to go get her." Sasuke came out of the kitchen annoyed. "Fire Bird, you won't know anyone if you keep running."

"What is going on? Who is she running from now," Daiya asked. Idai was wiping his eyes. Takeru shrugged.

"Yeah, I seem to have that affect on people," they heard a calm voice say. A tall figure stepped out of the kitchen. His red eyes were watching them silently for a second. Ryu held up his hand. "Your mom invited me over. Although, now I wish I wasn't here because your friend took off." He sighed.

"Onari, get out of the closet," Sasuke said angrily. She was grabbing the door. He had his hands on her ankles, pulling. "Ryu is not going to bother you!"

Ryu tilted his head towards the noise. He felt bad. And as usual, Daiya raised a brow. "Don't look at me like that. You're not the one that got her excited."

"Ryu, she does it to everyone. She did it to Idai, too. She was actually afraid of Saori," Takeru aid. "I know it's something she has to get past."

"Onari needs more training," Ryu said shaking his head. He watched as Sasuke came out of the room with Onari under his arm. The girl was kicking, but she couldn't manage to free herself. Ryu was watching as they passed. He scratched his head. "So I take it, you're Idai." Idai looked at him cautiously. Ryu could tell he was uncomfortable with being put on the spot. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said trying to coax Idai into easing up. They had never been formally introduced.

"Ryu's just a turkey," Takeru said. "He's harmless. Ryu, don't do anything to scare him. Behave yourself."

Ryu quirked a brow. "You guys must think I'm a moron. I get in trouble with Sasuke sensei every day. What in the world would make me want to tempt a cobra when I'm in the basket with it?"

Takeru, Daiya, and Idai all busted out laughing. "You're an idiot," Daiya said as Ryu smiled. He tugged Idai to follow. "Let's go eat before Onari gets excited again and runs."

Ryu walked behind Idai. So this is the kid Daiya has befriended. He reached up to pet Idai's head. Ryu knew a little bit about Idai being from the sound village. As expected, Idai tensed. "It's okay, I'm a nice guy." He kept petting Idai. It was important to have the boy be comfortable around him. He was going to be around Ryu, Saori, Daiya, and Takeru a lot from now on. "You have to get used to me. I'm Takeru's best friend and you're Daiya's. We'll be hanging out a lot together."

Idai looked up at Ryu shyly. These guys aren't like the others. I don't even know Ryu and have never really spoken to him. He seems pretty calm for a guy that harasses Sasuke sensei. He watched as Ryu held his hand out to him. Idai's heart pounded. Ryu was trying to befriend him. He slowly took the other boy's hand and shook it.

"Hi, Idai. I'm Ryu Yuhi. I'm Kurenai's son and I'm on the same team as Daiya and Hire. I'm not aggressive like Daiya so you have nothing to fear. I'm just a turkey," he said smiling gently.

Idai liked Ryu. Ryu was calm and complacent. "Hi, R-Ryu," he said softly. "I-I'm Idai, Gai's kid." Ryu petted him again. It was time to eat.


	35. Chapter 35

**V4 ch 5**

**Our First Mission**

Saori Nara, Takeru Uchiha, and Eiyu Hyuga stood around the training area waiting for their trainer. Today they were going on their first mission. Lee sensei approached them, waving. They all stood at attention waiting for his instructions. Each of them was ready to go ahead and get started.

Rock Lee, the dashing man who trained Team 9, approached his students with a positive, determined attitude. He smiled at them as he waved to them. They appeared to be ready for what awaited them. "Hi, how's it going you guys? Today we're going on our first mission. It's a D-rank mission and is intended for beginners. Since Daiya is not able to participate fully, Sasuke's team will be joining us. You guys will have the advantage of having someone else direct you while on this mission. I want you guys to listen attentively and give your respect to the other team."

"What kind of mission are we going on," Eiyu asked. D-rank missions were usually easy missions that kindergarteners could perform. They were the lowest of the bunch. He wanted to be on a C-rank mission, at least. He was more advanced in skill than Takeru or Saori at this point. It was a judgment of his skill. Eiyu didn't appreciate starting at the bottom.

"Well, I don't have the full details. Since we were planning on combining the teams for the day," Lee said scratching the back of his head. "Sasuke was intending to see what mission we could get. There were a few that were up for grabs. Knowing him, the mission won't be too easy. You guys are training hard, so we want to put your skills to the test."

Saori looked at Eiyu. "I bet the mission is of low-quality. All D-rank missions are. We usually have to help someone in the village. It's not so bad, but I think it's entirely pointless," she said. She wanted to train and go on a decent mission, like Eiyu. Saori was trying to be stronger physically so she could prove to everyone that she was capable of defending others around her.

"You guys are kind of ungrateful. It's our first mission. It's not going to be the best one. It's supposed to teach us how to handle ourselves the first time out," Takeru said as he looked at Saori and Eiyu. They were both ignoring him for the most part. "It can't be that bad."

"I wouldn't count my chickens before they hatched, Takeru," Ryu said as he appeared above them out of the tree. He was using his Genjutsu to surprise the un-expecting team. He looked down at them as they looked up at him. "D-rank missions are the lowest of the bunch. I remember my first one. It was terrible." He pondered for a moment. "We had to help some old man get a letter to his son on the other side of the village."

"That seems really pathetic," Eiyu said. He hoped he didn't get a stupid mission like that. Delivering mail was someone else's job. It was degrading for a ninja to be delivering anything unless it was valuable information.

"That's not the half of it," Hire said as she approached Lee's team. "The son was avoiding us the entire time. He didn't want the letter from his father. We had to chase that guy all over Konoha."

Takeru tilted his head at Hire. His father showed up with her. He was yawning and stretching his arms before he regarded Lee. "Why didn't the guy want the letter from his father?"

"The father was trying to persuade his son into marrying a girl that would be good for his clan, but the guy wanted no part of it. It comes to mind that the girl was a total head case. She seemed to like bossing the poor man around to no end. He couldn't seem to get away from her," Ryu said. "The dumb letter was also a bogus letter."

"And how was it a bogus letter, Ryu," Saori said. Usually when he didn't tell all of something at once, it kind of hinted to her that he had messed up his task at some point. Ryu jumped down from the tree. He crossed his arms and looked away from Saori when she asked.

Sasuke spoke up at this point. Ryu never admitted to anything on purpose in front of others. And it was his job to embarrass the Genin to the full extent of his jurisdiction. "The reason it was a bogus letter is because it contained a mind erasing jutsu in it. If anyone opened it and read it, it wiped the person's memory. The reason the son didn't want the letter is due to the fact that he knew what it was. Ryu, however, couldn't stand not to know what it was and opened it."

Takeru popped his forehead. "So how long was Ryu drooling all over the ground?" He looked at Ryu who was embarrassed. The older boy was trying to ignore the conversation altogether.

"A few hours," Sasuke said. He smirked. "It was a few hours of Ryu not knowing who he was. It was kind of enjoyable."

Ryu turned his head sharply at his trainer. He pointed at him. "You said you would never speak of that! You lied to me!"

Lee had to know. "What did he do?" Ryu was scowling heavily.

"Imagine a guy Ryu's age walking around Konoha posing as a lingerie salesman," Hire said as she crossed her arms. "I remember him getting chased down the street by an old lady with a cane. He seemed to have offered her a good deal on a pair of crotch less panties."

Ryu froze. He didn't remember any of that! Was all of that true? He hated memory jutsus. The aftereffects of it had given him a splitting headache.

"Believe it or not, but you have to be the worst ninja on any of the teams," Eiyu said as he glanced at Ryu. If this guy had messed up a simple mission such as that, why was he still allowed to train? They were taught to never open the contents they were responsible for. No one knew what was written in a scroll, or what was contained in a package. Why ask for someone else's problems?

"What are crotch less panties," Takeru asked. He raised a brow. Everyone around him froze. He was the youngest on the teams and it was apparent he wasn't accustomed to being corrupted in front of his father.

Sasuke didn't wish to explain that sort of thing to Takeru. His son was much too young to comprehend what it was. He also wanted Takeru to remain innocent for as long as possible. "It's time we start our mission now," he said as he turned around to walk off. He expected everyone to follow him.

Rock Lee caught up to him with his students following him. "What sort of mission did we get?" He watched Sasuke frown. "Oh, please tell me it's not a degrading one."

"They're all degrading," Sasuke said disgusted. "I remember the first one I took. It was humiliating. We had to pull weeds out of some old woman's garden. Our mission wasn't even technically completed because Naruto pulled up everything in the garden."

Lee smiled rather apologetically at Sasuke. Naruto was a quite a character back then. "Sasuke, what type of mission did we get?" Sasuke looked back at him as if he really shouldn't know. "We have to know what it is, or we can't do it."

Sasuke sighed. "They have to entertain the patrons at one of the local taverns. There is a certain group that is passing through and they have close connections with the tavern owner. He is currently sick and has had a lot of his workers quit in the past week."

"That doesn't sound so bad. I don't know why you gave me such a worried look," Lee said. "That is a good mission for them to begin. They can learn how to interact with others and it will teach them to work together. They will also be doing a good deed by helping a sick man."

"Lee, it's not a regular tavern that they have been assigned to," Sasuke looked at him as he walked with his hands in his pockets. "The tavern is located on the other side of Konoha where you don't find too many people who value their reputation."

"Sasuke, are you trying to tell me that our students have been assigned to work at a low-class establishment," Lee said. Sasuke nodded. Lee tensed as they walked. "They cannot expect these kids to know what kinds of vermin are associated with that kind of lifestyle. What exactly do they have to do?"

"Well, unfortunately, some of them are going to have dress up as Geisha and entertain the men. We'll be responsible for keeping the peace. Ryu will have to assist the customers, since he wouldn't make a very good Geisha with his spiky hair."

"What was that? We're going to have to dress up as Geisha and entertain some nasty old men," Hire said as her mouth dropped. "Sensei, please, tell me that is not the mission we were assigned! We have too much class to be going into a place like that!"

"Sorry, Hire, it was the mission we were assigned to. No one else wanted it. Lee is right though. It will teach you guys how to handle uncomfortable situations. It will be good in a way, and bad on another. I'll have to make sure those bastards don't put their hands on any of you. And the worse fact is Eiyu and Takeru will have to dress as girls."

Eiyu and Takeru's eyes got wide. "What? We're going to have to be Geisha? Are you serious?"

Sure enough, they all entered the tavern. The men in the place were waiting on their drinks with much dissatisfaction. The tavern owner was behind in his work and was trying to get to each of his patrons. He noticed the two ninja teams entering. "Thank goodness you are here! I'm so swamped! The place is half full so it shouldn't be that difficult for your students," he said apologetically. "Rush hour is at night. I should have more help arriving by then. You have some very pretty girls on your teams, but there are only two of them. I usually require about ten Geisha. How are you going to manage assisting me with only two?"

"Hold your horses," Sasuke said. "We are offering you four of our students, not ten. There are only three on each of our teams." He caught the man looking over at Ryu. "He is of no interest to you, or your patrons. Ryu will be here to help keep order so your precious tavern doesn't get destroyed by rowdy customers," Sasuke said with much distaste for the place. Whether the owner noted it or not wasn't apparent.

"I demand ten ninja to help with the place," the tavern owner said unhappy with the situation. "I do have a business to run. It takes a minimum of seven on a slow day. Do your students even know how to handle my customers?"

Lee crossed his arms. It wasn't his usual nature to be defiant, but he did not like where this was going. "As ninja, we have the obligation of accepting or refusing a mission. We are not for hire like missionaries. If you are unhappy with the offer we have given you, we will go. We do not have to put our students in this sort of environment. It is beneath them and us as their trainers."

The tavern owner seemed to weigh out the situation. If he chose to not accept the offer, then his business would have to shut down for the day. That meant he would lose profits. He didn't like that idea. "Fine, we will use the four of the students that are able to pose as Geisha. However, the two of you gentlemen need to get ready as well. You two will have to dress as the headmistresses for our older clients," he said with a sly smile.

"How in the hell did that just go from bad to worse," Sasuke said. He looked at Lee. "You just had to open your mouth, didn't you?" He hadn't planned on himself and Lee dressing up with the kids. Sasuke was very guarded when it came to his personal sacrifices. His manhood should not be one of the sacrifices he had to make in life. It was only for the day, but still.

"I feel silly having to dress up like this," Saori said as she took her hair down. She was trying to get her hair up just right with the hairpins. Hire was next to her putting on the white face paint. "You don't seem to be too upset about it like before."

"I thought it out," Hire said as she put a flower in her black hair. Her hair was already up and adjusted perfectly. "We're girls. It's not a big deal for us to dress up. We can possibly play around with this and have fun. But the guys are going to be extremely uncomfortable. They have to dress up as women. That's not something they are going to do willingly. It's a stupid mission, I'll agree."

Saori frowned as she started to apply the white face paint. "You know, poor Takeru is too young to be doing something like this. Sasuke sensei is going to have to coax him into it." She shook her head. The thought of Takeru Uchiha in a kimono dressed as a girl was a very uncomfortable thought. A more disrupting image was Ryu dressed as a woman. Her eye twitched.

"Sasuke sensei's son has to get used to it. Missions are not always pleasant. They can be extremely tough in nature, or ridiculous – like this one. We have to do it. We've been hired to do so. We could have backed down, but no, they were bent on us learning something from this experience," Hire said.

"What are we supposed to be learning," Saori said not finding the meaning in this particular mission.

"How to keep an old man's hands off of us," Hire asked. She started to laugh. That's pretty much the game plan for the both of them. "Let's just hope some of them are drunk. If they are, it won't be that bad."

"Girls, it's time to get out there and serve the, uh, gentlemen," Sasuke said as he tapped on the door. He wasn't happy about this idea at all. He was standing outside dressed in a ridiculous outfit, wearing face paint, and a kimono. It wasn't only that, but he had to do this in front of his only son. Sasuke swore if anyone made a pass at him, he would end their existence right then and there.

"You know what the most embarrassing part about this is," Takeru said. He looked up at his father. "Dad, you look more like my mom than Mom does." He watched his father's eyes go wide. He started to laugh. It wasn't bothering him that they were dressing up. Takeru was trying to pretend they were in a kabuki play.

Sasuke heard Eiyu smirk. He narrowed his eyes at Takeru. "Takeru, if you weren't my only son, I would-," he was cut off as the door opened. Saori and Hire were ready. They didn't look half bad. "Alright, let's get this over with. It's going to be a long day."

Ryu's job was pretty easy. He stood up front and issued the customers in. It was kind of a degrading position. As much as it stunk to be working at a filthy establishment like this, he didn't mind it so bad. All he had to do was take the money of the men that paid. He wondered what was going on in the back.

"I want you guys to stick close to each other. Who knows what these men would do if they got enough sake' in their system," Lee said as he looked at Takeru and Eiyu. "If one of you leaves for any reason, you must make sure that either me or Sasuke are near so we can keep an eye on you. That goes for you two, also," Lee said as he looked at Hire and Saori. He was not taking this lightly. A bunch of filthy men in this place could scar a poor innocent young lady for the rest of her life.

"I can handle myself just fine, Lee sensei," Saori said rather seriously. "I have a brother at home and my dad is Shikamaru. Don't take me to be some kind of weakling."

Hire also didn't like having to depend on a male for anything. She was an independent, hotheaded woman. "If one of those bastards even tries to touch me, I'll carve them a new breathing hole." She meant every word of what she said. Saori and her were not stupid. They both wore their kunai cases on their legs underneath the kimonos.

The group stopped at the entrance to the long halls of shoji screened rooms. They could see the shadows of men as they heard laughter. Sasuke was as nervous about this as Eiyu. Eiyu was looking at each shadow as if it was going to leap out and get him. Sasuke took a deep breath. "Alright, you guys don't have to say anything to these men. They mainly expect you all to play music, serve the drinks, and giggle when they say something 'funny'."

"Oh, that's wonderful," Saori said. "This means, I have to act like I'm paying attention to them. No worries, sensei," she said giving a victory sign to Sasuke. "I think Hire and I already have a plan. See you two later, Takeru and Eiyu." Saori and Hire went into one of the rooms shuffling their feet and giggling like schoolgirls.

"Saori kind of reminds me of Ino," Lee said as he smiled embarrassingly. "Takeru and Eiyu, pick a room. None of them are going to be easy. In fact, here," Lee said as he picked up a mandolin from against the wall. "Maybe this will help it go along easier if one of you plays music to the patrons."

Takeru looked up at Lee sensei as he took the mandolin. "I don't know how to play an instrument." He plucked it curiously.

Eiyu took it from Takeru as the boy hit a cord wrong. "I can play it. You get to sing," he said seriously. Takeru seemed to freeze in place as Eiyu started to walk off. He turned around to glare at the Uchiha boy. "Come on, we have to do it. Just sing something that you know."

"Eiyu, I don't have a girl's voice," Takeru said as he gritted his teeth when he caught up to the Hyuga boy. They were choosing to go into a room that was down the hall a ways. Maybe his dad and Lee sensei wouldn't hear them – which would be good because it would limit the embarrassment they were fixing to be put under.

"Just act like someone has stepped on your foot, "Eiyu said as he opened the shoji screen to one of the rooms. He froze. There were two huge men sitting at a table conversing about profits they had made on a previous journey to a village. Neither of the men knew they were there standing there watching them. Eiyu's body became stiff and rigid. He didn't want to go in there. Neither of the men was healthy looking. They appeared to have suffered some serious fights over the past several years.

Takeru looked at Eiyu. The older boy was the team leader, so Takeru had to do what Eiyu said, but now Eiyu was not moving. "Eiyu, we have to go in," he whispered. Eiyu looked back at him rather afraid. "Just pretend they aren't wearing any clothes," Takeru suggested. That was what Masaru always suggested to him when he was nervous about meeting new people.

Eiyu looked back in front of his pathway. The two men weren't wearing any clothes in his mind. He covered his mouth about to gag. Eiyu seemed to sway on his feet. He grabbed a hold of the shoji screen. Once he regained his composure, he shot Takeru one hell of a look. "I just saw the most horrible thing in my mind and it's your fault!"

"Hey, Shiyakusho, we have some pretty ladies who want to sit with us," the man with the eye patch said as he gestured to the shoji screen. His eye fell right on the first Geisha girl. "Aren't you a pretty little thing; and so young, too. Do you want to come here and sit on my lap, pretty girl?" He gave the blushing girl a few air kisses. "I don't bite, I promise."

Takeru had to push Eiyu in. Eiyu was not moving. "They're not going to do anything. I think they're drunk. Just go!" He watched Eiyu practically stumble over the Geisha shoes. Eiyu fell to the floor, but corrected himself to where it looked like he was bowing gratefully to their two customers. Takeru took suit and followed the direction. He bowed lowly onto the floor, praying the entire time that neither of the men touched him.

"Why doesn't one of you play the mandolin for us," the man with the eye patch said. "We could use a bit of music before we leave. It's a long way back to our village."

Eiyu couldn't oblige fast enough. He figured if he played the instrument, the men would be satisfied and leave. He sat down crossing his legs before he started to play the mandolin delicately. He had to make this look good, or it was all going to go very wrong.

Takeru stood next to Eiyu not having a clue what he was supposed to do. With one glance from his teammate, Takeru started to sway and dance like Onari. Both of them were trying to hold onto the entertainment as much as possible. Takeru hoped Saori and Hire were having better luck than they were.

A few rooms down the hall, Saori Nara served tea to her elderly customer. She giggled at the right moments when the man expressed his feelings about a recent bad investment – it was all in good fun. The man commented on her beauty. Saori blushed thoughtfully at the old man, thinking he was trying to be sweet.

Hire listened boredly to the other man that was sitting in front of the old man Saori was talking to. She smiled at him to the best of her ability, her hands neatly lying on her lap. The man she was talking to wasn't half bad looking. He was probably in his mid-twenties and was very thoughtful.

The young man placed his hand onto Hire's. Her eyes went a little wide. Her face blushed. What was wrong with her? Her eyes seemed to focus more on him as he spoke. Hire wasn't paying attention to the words he was saying – more so to his hand upon hers. No man had ever touched her before. Hire had never had a boyfriend or anyone that spoke kind words to her. This guy was flowing with them.

"You are a very beautiful lady," the young man said smiling at the dark haired girl next to him. "I think you are too beautiful to be stuck in a place like this. Are you working for you family?" The girl shook her head slowly, averting her eyes out of politeness. "Some old man must have you doing this to repay his debt to society, is it? Such a pity," the young man said as he patted her hand.

Hire wondered why this man was saying those sorts of words to her. She shook her head again. The man was completely off by a mile. It was another mission to her. The young man took his hand away to latch onto his cup of tea. Hire took the opportunity to get up abruptly. She shuffled to the other side of the room to retrieve a fan that was used to entertain the guests. Maybe if she danced with it, the young man would hold back his advances on her.

Saori noted that Hire had gotten up rather quickly. She also saw the young man watching Hire with a lustful gaze. Saori's guard went up. She kept her eyes focused on the old man as he talked, but every so often, she would glance back at the younger man to make sure he wasn't advancing towards Hire. Saori slowly withdrew a kunai from the leg casing. She held it in her hand, just in case.

In a room across the hall, sat Sasuke Uchiha and Rock Lee dressed as two older Geisha women. Sasuke was so embarrassed that he kept his eyes closed for the duration of the experience. The men they were 'entertaining' thought he was being modest. Lee, on the other hand, was being sought after by a large man who he mistook for a sumo wrestler. The man was laughing wholeheartedly with his companion as Lee poured a cup of tea.

Sasuke opened his eyes to watch Lee. The hyperactive, positive Jounin was indeed taken aback by the advances of the enormous man. Sasuke had to endure it, too. The man beside him suddenly put his arm around him. Sasuke tensed immediately. Lee urged him to smile, but he couldn't do it. The man beside him was in his 40s, had long hair, and appeared to one who committed crimes for the sake of making easy money.

Lee giggled loudly as to draw the attention away from Sasuke. The man beside Sasuke was concerned to why he was being so quiet. Lee tried to lighten the mood by saying, "She's just a little shy. Her boyfriend left her a few days ago, so she hasn't had time to reconcile her situation."

The man beside Sasuke suddenly turned him to face him. The man's hands were holding Sasuke's tenderly, his dark eyes looking up into his. I am fixing to kill Lee. He's making it worse. Sasuke managed to force a tender smile. It came off a bit scary. Smiling was not one of his main attributes.

"Oh, isn't that sweet, Yokozuna. She's embarrassed for you to be holding her hands. I wonder what she'll do if you kiss her," the other man said.

The one called Yokozuna seemed to be pondering such a consequence. Lee knew if the man came close to Sasuke, his fellow ninja companion would attack the customer. Lee stood up abruptly trying to direct the attention off of Sasuke. He grabbed the man next to him and attempted to lift him up. Come on, big man. It's time to dance! Lee started to lead the man into a dance of his own choosing. Reluctantly, the man started to follow him.

Yokozuna hoisted Sasuke up as the other woman appeared to be enjoying herself. He put his arms around the woman and began to waltz with her. The woman looked at him kind of taken aback at first, but soon her feet started to move with his. "You're a very good dancer! I like that in a woman!"

Sasuke swore if word of this got out, he would defiantly make it appear like Lee had gotten lost on a mission and never found again. He giggled like a schoolgirl the way he had heard Saori before. The other man clapped his hands for Lee as Lee started to twirl on his feet. This was the worst mission they had ever gotten.

Up at the front, Ryu waved over two new customers. The men bowed low to him. He did the same back. Ryu asked the gentlemen what they would like to order first before they went back to one of the rooms. He took their orders and passed it along to a young girl who had shown up to work the night shift. I wonder what's going on back there. It can't be going too badly. Sasuke sensei hasn't killed anyone yet.

He led the two men as far to the back as he dared. Sasuke had insisted that Ryu stay up front, or he would send him back to the Academy. Ryu figured it was because if he saw Sasuke dressed as a Geisha, he'd have to go to the hospital for laughing his ass off. "If you two gentlemen would pick a room to make yourselves more comfortable, I'll make sure your entertainment arrives." The men thanked him for his hospitality and went on their way. Ryu went back up front before he was caught.

Takeru poured for the two large men that he and Eiyu were stuck entertaining. They had tried to entertain the men so well, that they would be satisfied and leave. Unfortunately for the two boys, the men thought they had entertained so well, that they stayed an extra few hours. Takeru nodded to the big guy Eiyu was sitting next to when he asked if he liked dancing. It was a total lie.

"You girls sure know how to make a man want to settle down and get married," the large man beside Takeru said. "I have never seen such graceful moves from a girl such as you," he said commenting Takeru on his performance. "You must have had someone teach you those wonderful moves."

"Oh, sir, you're making me blush," Takeru said in his best girl voice. The man smiled at him with a toothy grin. If he leans in to try and kiss me, I'm going to scream like Onari when it thunders.

Eiyu was watching Takeru try to back away from the man he was sitting next to. He shook his head lightly. If word of this got to his father, he was sure he would be disowned for accepting such a ridiculous assignment. The man with the eye patch asked Eiyu if he could pass the food that was on a plate. Eiyu obliged and passed the plate kindly.

The one called Shiyakusho bent towards Takeru with his lips puckered. Takeru tried to play it off by turning his head and lifting his arm up, as if he was blushing. The man didn't get what he was doing and became outraged that he was getting rejected.

"You think you're better than me, little lady? I've been to plenty of Geisha houses and not one girl has turned me down. Don't think for a moment that I'm going to sit back and just calmly come up with idle chit chat. Isn't that right, Onshirazu? We don't take too kindly to Mr. Damasu's disobedient Geisha," Shiyakusho said in an authoritive tone. He grabbed the girl by her arm and forced her to come closer.

Eiyu had had enough of this. Both of the men were advancing onto them. He looked at the man in front of him, his facial features changing. Byakugan! The chakra points of the large man in front of him became visible. As the large man came closer to him, Eiyu Hyuga moved back, but only to advance quickly. He bent down as he ran at the man, both of his arms flying to hit vulnerable chakra points. The large man grunted. He watched as the man was sent backwards.

Shiyakusho turned to the other Geisha in the room who had attacked his companion. He hoisted Takeru up and took out a weapon. He held it at Takeru's throat. "I don't know who you are, little girl, but if you come any closer, I'll slaughter your little friend all over the place!"

Takeru looked down at the weapon that was hovering closely to his neck. Now what? If Eiyu tries to aid me, I'm as good as dead. Man, why did we have to get these guys? Takeru looked at his teammate for a suggestion.

Eiyu had to think. Takeru was in a world of trouble. He had to do something to save his teammate from being attacked by the likes of Shiyakusho. Eiyu blinked. The room they were in got dark. The light overhead went out. He wondered what was going on. Shiyakusho seemed to be caught off guard. Everyone in the establishment was.

A tall form started to grow out of the floor near Shiyakusho. All the man saw was red eyes. He looked at the being with an alarmed expression. "Who are you? What do you want?" His hand holding the weapon in front of the Geisha girl's throat was shaking.

The tall figure latched onto his wrist and tightened the grip. Shiyakusho yelped in pain. The bones in his wrist began to crack. The man was soon on the floor cowering in pain. The Geisha girl he had been holding hostage was away from him in seconds.

"I don't kindly partake to those that threaten my friends," Ryu said. His grip on the man's wrist tightened so much that the bones broke. Ryu looked down at the man with a serious glare. He glanced at Takeru. "Are you alright?" Takeru nodded. Ryu lifted his Genjutsu off of the establishment.

Shiyakusho held his wrist. He had dropped the weapon he branded. "Who the hell are you? I'll get you for breaking my wrist," he threatened loudly.

"I don't think you will," Sasuke said as he stood in the entrance of the small room. "You put your hands on my son, or his friends and I'll make sure your last breath is agonizing." He meant what he said. As soon as the Genjutsu was on the place, he figured something was wrong. It was a tactic of Ryu's to confuse his opponents before he attacked. Sasuke had already wiped the face paint off and threw the wig off before he got to the room.

Shiyakusho looked up at the man standing in front of him wearing a kimono. The man had a short sword unsheathed in front of his body ready to attack him if he chose to react. Shiyakusho looked around the room. He was outnumbered. The two Geisha girls were missing. In their places stood two leaf-nin – mere kids. They had their kunai out. He had to admit defeat. He grumbled.

Saori and Hire were retrieved by Rock Lee once the commotion had died down. It appeared Takeru and Eiyu were on the verge of being attacked by two of the patrons they had been entertaining. Saori looked at Takeru. He seemed to be in thought. His head was lowered. "So how did you two manage to get away from the guy who had a weapon on you?"

Eiyu was slightly embarrassed. He had called Ryu a worthless person that morning. It seemed he owed Ryu a huge apology. The older boy had saved his neck and Takeru's. He sighed. "Ryu, I apologize for what I said this morning. You're not the sorriest ninja on the teams."

Ryu glanced back at Eiyu as they walked down the road together. "And what as you saying that?" He wanted Eiyu to admit he thought lowly of him. Saori, of course, had no idea what was going on.

"If it wasn't for you interfering when you did, that bastard would have probably sliced Takeru's throat open. I didn't know how to help him. I'm sorry for not being as smart as I'm supposed to be," Eiyu said downhearted. He trained hard every day, but it didn't seem to be enough.

"Ryu, you saved Takeru," Saori asked. Her boyfriend nodded. She smiled at him. She was glad Ryu had interfered when he did. "How did you know something was wrong?"

"Well, Sasuke sensei swore if I tried to come back there, he'd send me back to the Academy, but the night shift had just arrived. I had to let you guys know it was time to go. I went to the room Takeru and Eiyu were in first, to avoid Sasuke sensei seeing me back there. I figured if I told them first, they would tell you and Hire and then Sasuke and Lee. If I had gone to the room you and Hire were in, she would have told on me," he said.

"I take it back. You are the worst ninja on the teams," Eiyu said. He couldn't believe that guy. He was afraid of Sasuke sensei. "If you were so worried about him sending you back to the Academy, you should have just challenged him. He can't touch you. He's a trainer."

"I wouldn't say that, Eiyu. Dad has gotten Ryu before. I don't think his position in the situation, matters much," Takeru said. "Dad means what he says. If Ryu had defied him, Dad would have done something to him for sure."

"I agree with Takeru. I've known about Sasuke sensei all of my life from my dad. He's never taken things lightly," Saori said. "I think he would have sent Ryu back to the Academy."

"I wish I could have seen him dressed as a woman though," Ryu said. "It would have been worth it," he said laughing wholeheartedly. "I would have paid 100 ryo to witness that!" Eiyu popped Ryu on the back of the head hard. "Ow! Dammit!"

"That's probably why Sasuke sensei threatened you to begin with! Never joke about a man's pride," Eiyu said angrily. He shot the Genin a terrible look.

"I wish you guys would drop it. I have enough bad memories to last me a lifetime," Takeru said depressingly. He had had a weapon against his throat for the first time in his life. It made him uneasy. In that one situation, neither he nor Eiyu knew what to do. We defiantly need more training.


	36. Chapter 36

**V4 ch 5**

**Our First Mission**

Saori Nara, Takeru Uchiha, and Eiyu Hyuga stood around the training area waiting for their trainer. Today they were going on their first mission. Lee sensei approached them, waving. They all stood at attention waiting for his instructions. Each of them was ready to go ahead and get started.

Rock Lee, the dashing man who trained Team 9, approached his students with a positive, determined attitude. He smiled at them as he waved to them. They appeared to be ready for what awaited them. "Hi, how's it going you guys? Today we're going on our first mission. It's a D-rank mission and is intended for beginners. Since Daiya is not able to participate fully, Sasuke's team will be joining us. You guys will have the advantage of having someone else direct you while on this mission. I want you guys to listen attentively and give your respect to the other team."

"What kind of mission are we going on," Eiyu asked. D-rank missions were usually easy missions that kindergarteners could perform. They were the lowest of the bunch. He wanted to be on a C-rank mission, at least. He was more advanced in skill than Takeru or Saori at this point. It was a judgment of his skill. Eiyu didn't appreciate starting at the bottom.

"Well, I don't have the full details. Since we were planning on combining the teams for the day," Lee said scratching the back of his head. "Sasuke was intending to see what mission we could get. There were a few that were up for grabs. Knowing him, the mission won't be too easy. You guys are training hard, so we want to put your skills to the test."

Saori looked at Eiyu. "I bet the mission is of low-quality. All D-rank missions are. We usually have to help someone in the village. It's not so bad, but I think it's entirely pointless," she said. She wanted to train and go on a decent mission, like Eiyu. Saori was trying to be stronger physically so she could prove to everyone that she was capable of defending others around her.

"You guys are kind of ungrateful. It's our first mission. It's not going to be the best one. It's supposed to teach us how to handle ourselves the first time out," Takeru said as he looked at Saori and Eiyu. They were both ignoring him for the most part. "It can't be that bad."

"I wouldn't count my chickens before they hatched, Takeru," Ryu said as he appeared above them out of the tree. He was using his Genjutsu to surprise the un-expecting team. He looked down at them as they looked up at him. "D-rank missions are the lowest of the bunch. I remember my first one. It was terrible." He pondered for a moment. "We had to help some old man get a letter to his son on the other side of the village."

"That seems really pathetic," Eiyu said. He hoped he didn't get a stupid mission like that. Delivering mail was someone else's job. It was degrading for a ninja to be delivering anything unless it was valuable information.

"That's not the half of it," Hire said as she approached Lee's team. "The son was avoiding us the entire time. He didn't want the letter from his father. We had to chase that guy all over Konoha."

Takeru tilted his head at Hire. His father showed up with her. He was yawning and stretching his arms before he regarded Lee. "Why didn't the guy want the letter from his father?"

"The father was trying to persuade his son into marrying a girl that would be good for his clan, but the guy wanted no part of it. It comes to mind that the girl was a total head case. She seemed to like bossing the poor man around to no end. He couldn't seem to get away from her," Ryu said. "The dumb letter was also a bogus letter."

"And how was it a bogus letter, Ryu," Saori said. Usually when he didn't tell all of something at once, it kind of hinted to her that he had messed up his task at some point. Ryu jumped down from the tree. He crossed his arms and looked away from Saori when she asked.

Sasuke spoke up at this point. Ryu never admitted to anything on purpose in front of others. And it was his job to embarrass the Genin to the full extent of his jurisdiction. "The reason it was a bogus letter is because it contained a mind erasing jutsu in it. If anyone opened it and read it, it wiped the person's memory. The reason the son didn't want the letter is due to the fact that he knew what it was. Ryu, however, couldn't stand not to know what it was and opened it."

Takeru popped his forehead. "So how long was Ryu drooling all over the ground?" He looked at Ryu who was embarrassed. The older boy was trying to ignore the conversation altogether.

"A few hours," Sasuke said. He smirked. "It was a few hours of Ryu not knowing who he was. It was kind of enjoyable."

Ryu turned his head sharply at his trainer. He pointed at him. "You said you would never speak of that! You lied to me!"

Lee had to know. "What did he do?" Ryu was scowling heavily.

"Imagine a guy Ryu's age walking around Konoha posing as a lingerie salesman," Hire said as she crossed her arms. "I remember him getting chased down the street by an old lady with a cane. He seemed to have offered her a good deal on a pair of crotch less panties."

Ryu froze. He didn't remember any of that! Was all of that true? He hated memory jutsus. The aftereffects of it had given him a splitting headache.

"Believe it or not, but you have to be the worst ninja on any of the teams," Eiyu said as he glanced at Ryu. If this guy had messed up a simple mission such as that, why was he still allowed to train? They were taught to never open the contents they were responsible for. No one knew what was written in a scroll, or what was contained in a package. Why ask for someone else's problems?

"What are crotch less panties," Takeru asked. He raised a brow. Everyone around him froze. He was the youngest on the teams and it was apparent he wasn't accustomed to being corrupted in front of his father.

Sasuke didn't wish to explain that sort of thing to Takeru. His son was much too young to comprehend what it was. He also wanted Takeru to remain innocent for as long as possible. "It's time we start our mission now," he said as he turned around to walk off. He expected everyone to follow him.

Rock Lee caught up to him with his students following him. "What sort of mission did we get?" He watched Sasuke frown. "Oh, please tell me it's not a degrading one."

"They're all degrading," Sasuke said disgusted. "I remember the first one I took. It was humiliating. We had to pull weeds out of some old woman's garden. Our mission wasn't even technically completed because Naruto pulled up everything in the garden."

Lee smiled rather apologetically at Sasuke. Naruto was a quite a character back then. "Sasuke, what type of mission did we get?" Sasuke looked back at him as if he really shouldn't know. "We have to know what it is, or we can't do it."

Sasuke sighed. "They have to entertain the patrons at one of the local taverns. There is a certain group that is passing through and they have close connections with the tavern owner. He is currently sick and has had a lot of his workers quit in the past week."

"That doesn't sound so bad. I don't know why you gave me such a worried look," Lee said. "That is a good mission for them to begin. They can learn how to interact with others and it will teach them to work together. They will also be doing a good deed by helping a sick man."

"Lee, it's not a regular tavern that they have been assigned to," Sasuke looked at him as he walked with his hands in his pockets. "The tavern is located on the other side of Konoha where you don't find too many people who value their reputation."

"Sasuke, are you trying to tell me that our students have been assigned to work at a low-class establishment," Lee said. Sasuke nodded. Lee tensed as they walked. "They cannot expect these kids to know what kinds of vermin are associated with that kind of lifestyle. What exactly do they have to do?"

"Well, unfortunately, some of them are going to have dress up as Geisha and entertain the men. We'll be responsible for keeping the peace. Ryu will have to assist the customers, since he wouldn't make a very good Geisha with his spiky hair."

"What was that? We're going to have to dress up as Geisha and entertain some nasty old men," Hire said as her mouth dropped. "Sensei, please, tell me that is not the mission we were assigned! We have too much class to be going into a place like that!"

"Sorry, Hire, it was the mission we were assigned to. No one else wanted it. Lee is right though. It will teach you guys how to handle uncomfortable situations. It will be good in a way, and bad on another. I'll have to make sure those bastards don't put their hands on any of you. And the worse fact is Eiyu and Takeru will have to dress as girls."

Eiyu and Takeru's eyes got wide. "What? We're going to have to be Geisha? Are you serious?"

Sure enough, they all entered the tavern. The men in the place were waiting on their drinks with much dissatisfaction. The tavern owner was behind in his work and was trying to get to each of his patrons. He noticed the two ninja teams entering. "Thank goodness you are here! I'm so swamped! The place is half full so it shouldn't be that difficult for your students," he said apologetically. "Rush hour is at night. I should have more help arriving by then. You have some very pretty girls on your teams, but there are only two of them. I usually require about ten Geisha. How are you going to manage assisting me with only two?"

"Hold your horses," Sasuke said. "We are offering you four of our students, not ten. There are only three on each of our teams." He caught the man looking over at Ryu. "He is of no interest to you, or your patrons. Ryu will be here to help keep order so your precious tavern doesn't get destroyed by rowdy customers," Sasuke said with much distaste for the place. Whether the owner noted it or not wasn't apparent.

"I demand ten ninja to help with the place," the tavern owner said unhappy with the situation. "I do have a business to run. It takes a minimum of seven on a slow day. Do your students even know how to handle my customers?"

Lee crossed his arms. It wasn't his usual nature to be defiant, but he did not like where this was going. "As ninja, we have the obligation of accepting or refusing a mission. We are not for hire like missionaries. If you are unhappy with the offer we have given you, we will go. We do not have to put our students in this sort of environment. It is beneath them and us as their trainers."

The tavern owner seemed to weigh out the situation. If he chose to not accept the offer, then his business would have to shut down for the day. That meant he would lose profits. He didn't like that idea. "Fine, we will use the four of the students that are able to pose as Geisha. However, the two of you gentlemen need to get ready as well. You two will have to dress as the headmistresses for our older clients," he said with a sly smile.

"How in the hell did that just go from bad to worse," Sasuke said. He looked at Lee. "You just had to open your mouth, didn't you?" He hadn't planned on himself and Lee dressing up with the kids. Sasuke was very guarded when it came to his personal sacrifices. His manhood should not be one of the sacrifices he had to make in life. It was only for the day, but still.

"I feel silly having to dress up like this," Saori said as she took her hair down. She was trying to get her hair up just right with the hairpins. Hire was next to her putting on the white face paint. "You don't seem to be too upset about it like before."

"I thought it out," Hire said as she put a flower in her black hair. Her hair was already up and adjusted perfectly. "We're girls. It's not a big deal for us to dress up. We can possibly play around with this and have fun. But the guys are going to be extremely uncomfortable. They have to dress up as women. That's not something they are going to do willingly. It's a stupid mission, I'll agree."

Saori frowned as she started to apply the white face paint. "You know, poor Takeru is too young to be doing something like this. Sasuke sensei is going to have to coax him into it." She shook her head. The thought of Takeru Uchiha in a kimono dressed as a girl was a very uncomfortable thought. A more disrupting image was Ryu dressed as a woman. Her eye twitched.

"Sasuke sensei's son has to get used to it. Missions are not always pleasant. They can be extremely tough in nature, or ridiculous – like this one. We have to do it. We've been hired to do so. We could have backed down, but no, they were bent on us learning something from this experience," Hire said.

"What are we supposed to be learning," Saori said not finding the meaning in this particular mission.

"How to keep an old man's hands off of us," Hire asked. She started to laugh. That's pretty much the game plan for the both of them. "Let's just hope some of them are drunk. If they are, it won't be that bad."

"Girls, it's time to get out there and serve the, uh, gentlemen," Sasuke said as he tapped on the door. He wasn't happy about this idea at all. He was standing outside dressed in a ridiculous outfit, wearing face paint, and a kimono. It wasn't only that, but he had to do this in front of his only son. Sasuke swore if anyone made a pass at him, he would end their existence right then and there.

"You know what the most embarrassing part about this is," Takeru said. He looked up at his father. "Dad, you look more like my mom than Mom does." He watched his father's eyes go wide. He started to laugh. It wasn't bothering him that they were dressing up. Takeru was trying to pretend they were in a kabuki play.

Sasuke heard Eiyu smirk. He narrowed his eyes at Takeru. "Takeru, if you weren't my only son, I would-," he was cut off as the door opened. Saori and Hire were ready. They didn't look half bad. "Alright, let's get this over with. It's going to be a long day."

Ryu's job was pretty easy. He stood up front and issued the customers in. It was kind of a degrading position. As much as it stunk to be working at a filthy establishment like this, he didn't mind it so bad. All he had to do was take the money of the men that paid. He wondered what was going on in the back.

"I want you guys to stick close to each other. Who knows what these men would do if they got enough sake' in their system," Lee said as he looked at Takeru and Eiyu. "If one of you leaves for any reason, you must make sure that either me or Sasuke are near so we can keep an eye on you. That goes for you two, also," Lee said as he looked at Hire and Saori. He was not taking this lightly. A bunch of filthy men in this place could scar a poor innocent young lady for the rest of her life.

"I can handle myself just fine, Lee sensei," Saori said rather seriously. "I have a brother at home and my dad is Shikamaru. Don't take me to be some kind of weakling."

Hire also didn't like having to depend on a male for anything. She was an independent, hotheaded woman. "If one of those bastards even tries to touch me, I'll carve them a new breathing hole." She meant every word of what she said. Saori and her were not stupid. They both wore their kunai cases on their legs underneath the kimonos.

The group stopped at the entrance to the long halls of shoji screened rooms. They could see the shadows of men as they heard laughter. Sasuke was as nervous about this as Eiyu. Eiyu was looking at each shadow as if it was going to leap out and get him. Sasuke took a deep breath. "Alright, you guys don't have to say anything to these men. They mainly expect you all to play music, serve the drinks, and giggle when they say something 'funny'."

"Oh, that's wonderful," Saori said. "This means, I have to act like I'm paying attention to them. No worries, sensei," she said giving a victory sign to Sasuke. "I think Hire and I already have a plan. See you two later, Takeru and Eiyu." Saori and Hire went into one of the rooms shuffling their feet and giggling like schoolgirls.

"Saori kind of reminds me of Ino," Lee said as he smiled embarrassingly. "Takeru and Eiyu, pick a room. None of them are going to be easy. In fact, here," Lee said as he picked up a mandolin from against the wall. "Maybe this will help it go along easier if one of you plays music to the patrons."

Takeru looked up at Lee sensei as he took the mandolin. "I don't know how to play an instrument." He plucked it curiously.

Eiyu took it from Takeru as the boy hit a cord wrong. "I can play it. You get to sing," he said seriously. Takeru seemed to freeze in place as Eiyu started to walk off. He turned around to glare at the Uchiha boy. "Come on, we have to do it. Just sing something that you know."

"Eiyu, I don't have a girl's voice," Takeru said as he gritted his teeth when he caught up to the Hyuga boy. They were choosing to go into a room that was down the hall a ways. Maybe his dad and Lee sensei wouldn't hear them – which would be good because it would limit the embarrassment they were fixing to be put under.

"Just act like someone has stepped on your foot, "Eiyu said as he opened the shoji screen to one of the rooms. He froze. There were two huge men sitting at a table conversing about profits they had made on a previous journey to a village. Neither of the men knew they were there standing there watching them. Eiyu's body became stiff and rigid. He didn't want to go in there. Neither of the men was healthy looking. They appeared to have suffered some serious fights over the past several years.

Takeru looked at Eiyu. The older boy was the team leader, so Takeru had to do what Eiyu said, but now Eiyu was not moving. "Eiyu, we have to go in," he whispered. Eiyu looked back at him rather afraid. "Just pretend they aren't wearing any clothes," Takeru suggested. That was what Masaru always suggested to him when he was nervous about meeting new people.

Eiyu looked back in front of his pathway. The two men weren't wearing any clothes in his mind. He covered his mouth about to gag. Eiyu seemed to sway on his feet. He grabbed a hold of the shoji screen. Once he regained his composure, he shot Takeru one hell of a look. "I just saw the most horrible thing in my mind and it's your fault!"

"Hey, Shiyakusho, we have some pretty ladies who want to sit with us," the man with the eye patch said as he gestured to the shoji screen. His eye fell right on the first Geisha girl. "Aren't you a pretty little thing; and so young, too. Do you want to come here and sit on my lap, pretty girl?" He gave the blushing girl a few air kisses. "I don't bite, I promise."

Takeru had to push Eiyu in. Eiyu was not moving. "They're not going to do anything. I think they're drunk. Just go!" He watched Eiyu practically stumble over the Geisha shoes. Eiyu fell to the floor, but corrected himself to where it looked like he was bowing gratefully to their two customers. Takeru took suit and followed the direction. He bowed lowly onto the floor, praying the entire time that neither of the men touched him.

"Why doesn't one of you play the mandolin for us," the man with the eye patch said. "We could use a bit of music before we leave. It's a long way back to our village."

Eiyu couldn't oblige fast enough. He figured if he played the instrument, the men would be satisfied and leave. He sat down crossing his legs before he started to play the mandolin delicately. He had to make this look good, or it was all going to go very wrong.

Takeru stood next to Eiyu not having a clue what he was supposed to do. With one glance from his teammate, Takeru started to sway and dance like Onari. Both of them were trying to hold onto the entertainment as much as possible. Takeru hoped Saori and Hire were having better luck than they were.

A few rooms down the hall, Saori Nara served tea to her elderly customer. She giggled at the right moments when the man expressed his feelings about a recent bad investment – it was all in good fun. The man commented on her beauty. Saori blushed thoughtfully at the old man, thinking he was trying to be sweet.

Hire listened boredly to the other man that was sitting in front of the old man Saori was talking to. She smiled at him to the best of her ability, her hands neatly lying on her lap. The man she was talking to wasn't half bad looking. He was probably in his mid-twenties and was very thoughtful.

The young man placed his hand onto Hire's. Her eyes went a little wide. Her face blushed. What was wrong with her? Her eyes seemed to focus more on him as he spoke. Hire wasn't paying attention to the words he was saying – more so to his hand upon hers. No man had ever touched her before. Hire had never had a boyfriend or anyone that spoke kind words to her. This guy was flowing with them.

"You are a very beautiful lady," the young man said smiling at the dark haired girl next to him. "I think you are too beautiful to be stuck in a place like this. Are you working for you family?" The girl shook her head slowly, averting her eyes out of politeness. "Some old man must have you doing this to repay his debt to society, is it? Such a pity," the young man said as he patted her hand.

Hire wondered why this man was saying those sorts of words to her. She shook her head again. The man was completely off by a mile. It was another mission to her. The young man took his hand away to latch onto his cup of tea. Hire took the opportunity to get up abruptly. She shuffled to the other side of the room to retrieve a fan that was used to entertain the guests. Maybe if she danced with it, the young man would hold back his advances on her.

Saori noted that Hire had gotten up rather quickly. She also saw the young man watching Hire with a lustful gaze. Saori's guard went up. She kept her eyes focused on the old man as he talked, but every so often, she would glance back at the younger man to make sure he wasn't advancing towards Hire. Saori slowly withdrew a kunai from the leg casing. She held it in her hand, just in case.

In a room across the hall, sat Sasuke Uchiha and Rock Lee dressed as two older Geisha women. Sasuke was so embarrassed that he kept his eyes closed for the duration of the experience. The men they were 'entertaining' thought he was being modest. Lee, on the other hand, was being sought after by a large man who he mistook for a sumo wrestler. The man was laughing wholeheartedly with his companion as Lee poured a cup of tea.

Sasuke opened his eyes to watch Lee. The hyperactive, positive Jounin was indeed taken aback by the advances of the enormous man. Sasuke had to endure it, too. The man beside him suddenly put his arm around him. Sasuke tensed immediately. Lee urged him to smile, but he couldn't do it. The man beside him was in his 40s, had long hair, and appeared to one who committed crimes for the sake of making easy money.

Lee giggled loudly as to draw the attention away from Sasuke. The man beside Sasuke was concerned to why he was being so quiet. Lee tried to lighten the mood by saying, "She's just a little shy. Her boyfriend left her a few days ago, so she hasn't had time to reconcile her situation."

The man beside Sasuke suddenly turned him to face him. The man's hands were holding Sasuke's tenderly, his dark eyes looking up into his. I am fixing to kill Lee. He's making it worse. Sasuke managed to force a tender smile. It came off a bit scary. Smiling was not one of his main attributes.

"Oh, isn't that sweet, Yokozuna. She's embarrassed for you to be holding her hands. I wonder what she'll do if you kiss her," the other man said.

The one called Yokozuna seemed to be pondering such a consequence. Lee knew if the man came close to Sasuke, his fellow ninja companion would attack the customer. Lee stood up abruptly trying to direct the attention off of Sasuke. He grabbed the man next to him and attempted to lift him up. Come on, big man. It's time to dance! Lee started to lead the man into a dance of his own choosing. Reluctantly, the man started to follow him.

Yokozuna hoisted Sasuke up as the other woman appeared to be enjoying herself. He put his arms around the woman and began to waltz with her. The woman looked at him kind of taken aback at first, but soon her feet started to move with his. "You're a very good dancer! I like that in a woman!"

Sasuke swore if word of this got out, he would defiantly make it appear like Lee had gotten lost on a mission and never found again. He giggled like a schoolgirl the way he had heard Saori before. The other man clapped his hands for Lee as Lee started to twirl on his feet. This was the worst mission they had ever gotten.

Up at the front, Ryu waved over two new customers. The men bowed low to him. He did the same back. Ryu asked the gentlemen what they would like to order first before they went back to one of the rooms. He took their orders and passed it along to a young girl who had shown up to work the night shift. I wonder what's going on back there. It can't be going too badly. Sasuke sensei hasn't killed anyone yet.

He led the two men as far to the back as he dared. Sasuke had insisted that Ryu stay up front, or he would send him back to the Academy. Ryu figured it was because if he saw Sasuke dressed as a Geisha, he'd have to go to the hospital for laughing his ass off. "If you two gentlemen would pick a room to make yourselves more comfortable, I'll make sure your entertainment arrives." The men thanked him for his hospitality and went on their way. Ryu went back up front before he was caught.

Takeru poured for the two large men that he and Eiyu were stuck entertaining. They had tried to entertain the men so well, that they would be satisfied and leave. Unfortunately for the two boys, the men thought they had entertained so well, that they stayed an extra few hours. Takeru nodded to the big guy Eiyu was sitting next to when he asked if he liked dancing. It was a total lie.

"You girls sure know how to make a man want to settle down and get married," the large man beside Takeru said. "I have never seen such graceful moves from a girl such as you," he said commenting Takeru on his performance. "You must have had someone teach you those wonderful moves."

"Oh, sir, you're making me blush," Takeru said in his best girl voice. The man smiled at him with a toothy grin. If he leans in to try and kiss me, I'm going to scream like Onari when it thunders.

Eiyu was watching Takeru try to back away from the man he was sitting next to. He shook his head lightly. If word of this got to his father, he was sure he would be disowned for accepting such a ridiculous assignment. The man with the eye patch asked Eiyu if he could pass the food that was on a plate. Eiyu obliged and passed the plate kindly.

The one called Shiyakusho bent towards Takeru with his lips puckered. Takeru tried to play it off by turning his head and lifting his arm up, as if he was blushing. The man didn't get what he was doing and became outraged that he was getting rejected.

"You think you're better than me, little lady? I've been to plenty of Geisha houses and not one girl has turned me down. Don't think for a moment that I'm going to sit back and just calmly come up with idle chit chat. Isn't that right, Onshirazu? We don't take too kindly to Mr. Damasu's disobedient Geisha," Shiyakusho said in an authoritive tone. He grabbed the girl by her arm and forced her to come closer.

Eiyu had had enough of this. Both of the men were advancing onto them. He looked at the man in front of him, his facial features changing. Byakugan! The chakra points of the large man in front of him became visible. As the large man came closer to him, Eiyu Hyuga moved back, but only to advance quickly. He bent down as he ran at the man, both of his arms flying to hit vulnerable chakra points. The large man grunted. He watched as the man was sent backwards.

Shiyakusho turned to the other Geisha in the room who had attacked his companion. He hoisted Takeru up and took out a weapon. He held it at Takeru's throat. "I don't know who you are, little girl, but if you come any closer, I'll slaughter your little friend all over the place!"

Takeru looked down at the weapon that was hovering closely to his neck. Now what? If Eiyu tries to aid me, I'm as good as dead. Man, why did we have to get these guys? Takeru looked at his teammate for a suggestion.

Eiyu had to think. Takeru was in a world of trouble. He had to do something to save his teammate from being attacked by the likes of Shiyakusho. Eiyu blinked. The room they were in got dark. The light overhead went out. He wondered what was going on. Shiyakusho seemed to be caught off guard. Everyone in the establishment was.

A tall form started to grow out of the floor near Shiyakusho. All the man saw was red eyes. He looked at the being with an alarmed expression. "Who are you? What do you want?" His hand holding the weapon in front of the Geisha girl's throat was shaking.

The tall figure latched onto his wrist and tightened the grip. Shiyakusho yelped in pain. The bones in his wrist began to crack. The man was soon on the floor cowering in pain. The Geisha girl he had been holding hostage was away from him in seconds.

"I don't kindly partake to those that threaten my friends," Ryu said. His grip on the man's wrist tightened so much that the bones broke. Ryu looked down at the man with a serious glare. He glanced at Takeru. "Are you alright?" Takeru nodded. Ryu lifted his Genjutsu off of the establishment.

Shiyakusho held his wrist. He had dropped the weapon he branded. "Who the hell are you? I'll get you for breaking my wrist," he threatened loudly.

"I don't think you will," Sasuke said as he stood in the entrance of the small room. "You put your hands on my son, or his friends and I'll make sure your last breath is agonizing." He meant what he said. As soon as the Genjutsu was on the place, he figured something was wrong. It was a tactic of Ryu's to confuse his opponents before he attacked. Sasuke had already wiped the face paint off and threw the wig off before he got to the room.

Shiyakusho looked up at the man standing in front of him wearing a kimono. The man had a short sword unsheathed in front of his body ready to attack him if he chose to react. Shiyakusho looked around the room. He was outnumbered. The two Geisha girls were missing. In their places stood two leaf-nin – mere kids. They had their kunai out. He had to admit defeat. He grumbled.

Saori and Hire were retrieved by Rock Lee once the commotion had died down. It appeared Takeru and Eiyu were on the verge of being attacked by two of the patrons they had been entertaining. Saori looked at Takeru. He seemed to be in thought. His head was lowered. "So how did you two manage to get away from the guy who had a weapon on you?"

Eiyu was slightly embarrassed. He had called Ryu a worthless person that morning. It seemed he owed Ryu a huge apology. The older boy had saved his neck and Takeru's. He sighed. "Ryu, I apologize for what I said this morning. You're not the sorriest ninja on the teams."

Ryu glanced back at Eiyu as they walked down the road together. "And what as you saying that?" He wanted Eiyu to admit he thought lowly of him. Saori, of course, had no idea what was going on.

"If it wasn't for you interfering when you did, that bastard would have probably sliced Takeru's throat open. I didn't know how to help him. I'm sorry for not being as smart as I'm supposed to be," Eiyu said downhearted. He trained hard every day, but it didn't seem to be enough.

"Ryu, you saved Takeru," Saori asked. Her boyfriend nodded. She smiled at him. She was glad Ryu had interfered when he did. "How did you know something was wrong?"

"Well, Sasuke sensei swore if I tried to come back there, he'd send me back to the Academy, but the night shift had just arrived. I had to let you guys know it was time to go. I went to the room Takeru and Eiyu were in first, to avoid Sasuke sensei seeing me back there. I figured if I told them first, they would tell you and Hire and then Sasuke and Lee. If I had gone to the room you and Hire were in, she would have told on me," he said.

"I take it back. You are the worst ninja on the teams," Eiyu said. He couldn't believe that guy. He was afraid of Sasuke sensei. "If you were so worried about him sending you back to the Academy, you should have just challenged him. He can't touch you. He's a trainer."

"I wouldn't say that, Eiyu. Dad has gotten Ryu before. I don't think his position in the situation, matters much," Takeru said. "Dad means what he says. If Ryu had defied him, Dad would have done something to him for sure."

"I agree with Takeru. I've known about Sasuke sensei all of my life from my dad. He's never taken things lightly," Saori said. "I think he would have sent Ryu back to the Academy."

"I wish I could have seen him dressed as a woman though," Ryu said. "It would have been worth it," he said laughing wholeheartedly. "I would have paid 100 ryo to witness that!" Eiyu popped Ryu on the back of the head hard. "Ow! Dammit!"

"That's probably why Sasuke sensei threatened you to begin with! Never joke about a man's pride," Eiyu said angrily. He shot the Genin a terrible look.

"I wish you guys would drop it. I have enough bad memories to last me a lifetime," Takeru said depressingly. He had had a weapon against his throat for the first time in his life. It made him uneasy. In that one situation, neither he nor Eiyu knew what to do. We defiantly need more training.


	37. Chapter 37

**V4 ch 6**

**Paper Lanterns**

"How far is this village," Masaru Uzumaki asked as he continued to walk with his team down the dirt road. They had been assigned to help a village that was far away from Konoha. They were traveling to the Wind Country.

"Not really sure," Kiba Inuzuka said as he led his team. It was a fairly easy mission that his team had been assigned to. Normally, D-rank missions were assigned in the village, but the fire country was at peace with the wind country. He reached his rough hand over to ruffle Idai's hair. The boy was looking around at the landscape more than anything. Kiba figured the boy was not accustomed to leaving the hidden leaf village since he had been adopted by Gai.

"Isn't it your job to know where we're going and how far it is," Masaru asked his trainer. He looked at the man seriously. I mean, he is the one who is supposed to guide us. What kind of trainer can't guide us anywhere if he doesn't know where it is?

"Maybe he's trying to make sure you're paying attention to where your feet are instead of your mouth," Idai said as he looked at Masaru. He was friends with the boy, but sometimes, Masaru's mouth got in the way of his thoughts.

"Hey, Idai, he's the one that is leading us," Masaru shot back.

"Yes, it is my responsibility to know where we're going, but I'm not following a map," Kiba said. He looked at Masaru. "I'm following my nose. You're trained to be a tracker, as well. It's important to know the landscape around you and learn from it."

Yanagi looked at her trainer. She tugged on his sleeve. "Kiba sensei, how come Akamaru couldn't come with us?" She always saw the old dog hanging around her trainer. Akamaru was his best friend.

Kiba looked away. He returned his gaze to the front of the line. Since they were out of their own country, they were foreigners while in the wind country. "Akamaru's pretty old, Yanagi. I've had him since I was a boy. I'm surprised he's lasted as long as he has. I and he have been through some pretty touch scrapes. I don't know how much longer he will last. He's developed problems in his joints and it's getting harder for him to move around."

"Are you going to have to find another dog," Masaru asked a little unconcerned. It was followed by a huge hit on the head by Yanagi. "I wasn't trying to be insensitive! I was just asking!"

"You were being insensitive," Idai said to his friend. "Akamaru is Kiba sensei's best friend. It would be no different if your best friend was at his limit. It can't be helped. Akamaru has led a good life."

"Yeah, he has," Kiba said with a small smile. That's why he liked Idai. Idai was a very thoughtful kid. Kiba was glad he had chosen the boy for his team.

"I don't have a best friend," Masaru said. He

looked away with a pout on his face. He adjusted the backpack on his back.

"I thought Takeru was your best friend," Yanagi said as she walked behind the blond haired boy.

Masaru shook his head. "Takeru and I just grew up together. His father is best friends with mine, but because I'm the Hokage's son, I had to watch what I did all of the time. I only saw Takeru when we were allowed to play together. It wasn't much. I mean, I like Takeru. He's a good guy, but we aren't close like you think we would be."

"No, you two grew up in two different worlds, Masaru. Your dad has a very important position. So whatever you do reflects him. That's why you have to behave yourself," Kiba told him. He looked up at the sky as they walked down the dirt path. Kiba Inuzuka wondered exactly what was going to happen once they got to the village in the wind country.

Yanagi bounced on her feet. This was the first mission she was taking. It was important for her to learn from her experience and try her best. If they did a good job, then her team would be on more missions. Yanagi wanted to make her parents proud of her. She smiled to herself imagining a party when she came back. Normally, she didn't leave home unless it was to go to Saori Nara's house.

"Yanagi, do you want to come down from the clouds for a moment," Idai asked as he looked at her smiling. He jerked his thumb ahead of them. The path was starting to turn around a corner. "I think we're getting close. The landscape is changing. The grass is bent in the opposite direction that the wind is blowing."

Kiba turned his head to look at the landscape more. Idai was right. "Good job, Idai. That means where we are now is a heavily traveled area. The village must be close. The path that we're on is probably one of the main entrances."

Team 6 turned the bend on the dirt pathway. They continued to walk past tall trees that hid the sunlight. Masaru could see small rays showing through the thick trees. The path ahead of them appeared lonely and distant. It looked rather spooky to him. The sunlight was not coming through the trees very well. It gave him the impression of walking down a cursed path that led to somewhere they weren't supposed to go. He swallowed with difficulty as he looked at each of the trees they passed.

"Masaru, what has you eying the trees as if they're going to leap out at you," Yanagi asked. She tried to follow his gaze, but it wasn't really possibly. The blond haired boy was looking around as if he really did expect them to be attacked. "If anyone was around Kiba sensei would know it straight off."

Idai stopped. He tilted his head ever so slightly to listen. He held up his hand to stop the others from moving. They stopped talking. He closed his eyes. There were noises all around that he had to sift through. Idai heard a bird fly off to his left. What had spooked it? He also heard the breathing around him coming from his teammates. Idai stepped a few feet forward. His hand went to one of his swords on his back. He unsheathed it and blocked a shruiken. It pinged off of his sword and dropped to the dirt.

Kiba was on guard instantly. He was impressed that Idai had heard it. Idai's hearing was impressive alright. Kiba moved to the front of the line in front of his students. It was his job to protect them. They were inexperienced. He looked all around them. He couldn't see anyone. Kiba sniffed the air. There were three scents coming their way rather fast. "We've got company," he said as he took out a kunai for self-defense. Kiba planned on meeting whoever it was head on.

Idai placed his hand on his trainer's to lower the

weapon. "I don't think it would be fair for you to fight three children," he said as he heard their voices. They were running down the path. Just as he said it one of them popped into view. A small boy with dark brown hair and eyes was being followed by a little girl and another little boy. The boy slowed down and stopped to eye the three that were on the same path.

Yanagi looked at the little boy and smiled. She wondered if he was the one that had thrown the shruiken. "Hi," she said softly. "Are you the one that threw the shruiken?" The little boy nodded. "You should practice at a dummy instead of out in the open. You almost hurt my friend," she said speaking about Idai.

The little boy walked closer to the team. The little girl behind him grabbed a hold of his arm, but she was struggling to hold him back. He had no fear of the ninja in front of him. "No one's ever on this path. It's an old entrance way into our village. We come down here every day to practice and play. Who are you guys?"

"I'm Yanagi Lee," Yanagi said as she bent towards the boy. He appeared to be around the age of five-years-old. "This is my friend, Idai," she gestured to the white haired guy she was on the team with. "And this is my friend, Masaru. This is our sensei, Kiba. We're from the Hidden Leaf Village," she said introducing them all.

"I'm Nebukai," the boy said to the pink haired girl. "You guys must be the ones my grandfather hired to help with the Lantern Festival. This is Koeda," he said gesturing to the little girl behind him. "And that's Midare," he said pointing to the boy that was standing behind them watching. "We can take you to our village. It's over the hill," he said pointing behind them.

"Are they going to tell on us," Midare asked. He looked at the team in front of them. They weren't supposed to be out this far from the village. His friends liked to play out here because it let them explore. They were also secretly guarding the village from intruders. It was just fitting how his friend, Nebukai, had thrown the shruiken and a real ninja had deflected it. He looked at the guy with white hair. His eyes were attracted to the sword that had funny cut outs on it.

"Now they will since you had to say something," Koeda said perking up. "You need to think more, Midare!" She turned around to glare at her friend. He shied away from her.

"I guess you guys aren't supposed to be out here," Kiba said to the three small children. They were looking at him quite worried. "We don't have any intention of telling on you. We're only here to complete our mission. So if there are no other problems, we should continue on the way."

The three small children led the ninja team to the village. They walked for a while down the dirt path. It started to lead up a hill. The trees were still closely nit together. This seemed to make Masaru kind of uncomfortable. He was sticking rather close to Idai. Idai looked down at the boy beside him. "Are you okay?"

Masaru tensed as he was caught. He moved away from Idai quickly. He didn't like to be thought of as a coward, but they were in a foreign country. "Yeah, sorry," Masaru said. He turned his attention back to the path they were walking on. Soon they were at the top of the hill. Masaru's eyes widened. There was a village at the bottom of the hill, nestled all around a field of grass.

"Wow, it's beautiful," Yanagi said. She had a keen eye for flowers. She loved to make flower collages and flower arrangements. The village below them was beaming with flowers and vines growing up the sides of the buildings. They started to move closer. "Gin would adore this place. She could get so many seeds here."

"Why don't we get her some while we're here," Masaru suggested. "It would be a really good gift for her. It would surprise her, too. If it's alright with Kiba sensei."

Kiba looked back at Masaru. "I don't mind you guys exploring for a little while. I have to meet the person responsible for our mission. It's important to touch base so we know what our job is later."

"Oh, I can tell you what it is," Nebukai said as he looked up to the scruffy looking man. "My grandfather is taking care of the Lantern Festival this year. His friend died earlier this year, so he was given the job. The Lantern Festival is a great time for our village. We celebrate the coming of Mizukami. She is a water goddess that protects our village year round from droughts. We make a sacrifice by giving her something important that we have obtained each year. Each villager must do it, too."

"You're not telling it right," Midare said as he scowled at his friend. "We have to give the most important thing we have had all year. It cannot be something that doesn't hold true value, either. The water goddess can tell if someone is not being true. A few years ago an old man tried to give Mizukami an object he wished to be rid of. The water goddess did not understand why the man wanted to give her a worthless object. She punished the man by making him leave the village. He had to part from his family."

"Boys do not understand the value of a story or the importance of the occurrence," Koeda said. "The old man had to leave because he did not honor the water goddess. He assumed she was like a watch dog, instead of a great being that was giving up her abilities to keep us all healthy and happy. That is why she made him leave."

"What did the old man try to give the water goddess," Idai asked as he followed the three children into the village.

"I think he tried to give her a necklace of some sort. I'm not sure where the necklace came from, or why he tried to give it to the water goddess. Water goddesses don't need material things that sparkle and shine," Koeda said as if she was the expert in the village. The three children stopped in front of a building that was draped by a curtain. "Nebukai's grandfather is in there. We saw him go in before we snuck out of the village," she whispered.

"I see. Well, we're going in to find out what our duty for the mission is," Kiba said. "You three behave yourselves," he said authoritively. He was a father. He could do that. The three kids stood stiffly and nodded as if Kiba was really considering telling on them. His team went inside. An old man was sitting at a table in thought. The man was drinking sake' and seemed to be worried about something. Kiba walked over. He stood silently until the man looked up at him. "Excuse me, but are you the one that hired us to help with the Lantern Festival? We're from the Hidden Leaf Village."

The man nodded silently. "Please sit down. I know you four are tired from your journey. We are a long way from the fire country," Mizutamari said. "I am Mizutamari Yoshido, the one in charge of the Lantern Festival for this year. My friend, Zaisan, was in charge for nearly twenty years. He did a wonderful job, but alas, he passed away after getting pneumonia over the winter months."

"We're sorry to hear about your loss," Kiba said from his seat. "What can we do to assist you at this important time for your village?" The man in front of him looked at each of the kids that were on his team. Kiba assumed the man doubted the ages of the group.

"How old are you kids? You all look so young. I remember when I was at that age," Mizutamari said regrettably. "I was a busy kid. I had to work for my parents in the stables we maintained for the village. That was a long time ago," he said reminiscing. He was sure the kids at the table wouldn't be interested in hearing about that sort of thing. "The reason I asked for help from the fire country was because we have been having problems as of late with our festival. We start planning months in advance to make sure everything goes smoothly. As of late, our decorations have been getting destroyed in the middle of the night. The food we have had prepared has been thrown out by someone in our village. Someone is going around trying and stopping our advances. We don't know who is doing it. Tonight the festival is to start and I would like your team to make sure the lanterns stay lit. I have already asked a few of our villagers to keep an eye out for anyone that is trying to vandalize the decorations."

"We've been assigned to light paper lanterns," Masaru said. "Are you serious, old man?" He looked at the man as if he had been hit on the head previously. Kiba shot a glare at him. Masaru sat back in his chair suddenly.

"The lanterns must stay lit the entire night," Mizutamari said to the boy. "If one lantern goes out, the water goddess will not come. She will not bless our village or aid us to keep our crops growing. The lanterns serve a valuable purpose. They help light the way from the other side to our world. She needs them to help her see where she is going."

"I understand the purpose of the lanterns staying lit," Idai said seriously to the old man. "Where are we supposed to go to make sure the lanterns are in place and remain so? I have not seen any water since we've arrived here."

"Oh, I'm sorry. The lake is in the center of our village. The houses around the lake were built long ago. Our village is one of the oldest ones in these parts. Whoever founded our village made sure the lake was the center of attention. I will walk your team to the lake now," Mizutamari said as he rose from his seat. The team from the Hidden Leaf Village arose with him. "If you will follow me," he said kindly.

Team 9 walked through several roads until they came upon the lake. The village did not look like a large place from the top of the hill. It was though. The lake in the center of the village sparkled with sunlight. The team was breathless for a moment. It was important to the village for this lake to be well cared for during the Lantern Festival. They were determined to stop whoever was trying to ruin the coming of the water goddess, Mizukami.

The villagers started to clap their hands as the night began to approach their houses. It was time for the Lantern Festival. They all cheered as the first stream of paper lanterns were turned on. The children started to run through the roads chasing each other and laughing as they waved sparklers. It was a joyous time for the village of the wind country.

Mizutamari adorned himself with the ceremony robes of his great-grandfather. He looked at himself proudly in the mirror. He hoped the evening would go well. It would disturb the youth and the elders to know someone was sabotaging the festival. Who could be wishing harm on their village? They were peaceful and kept to themselves. It baffled him to even try and sort out the mess.

So many things had gone wrong in the past week. Decorations had been destroyed and food was thrown out. That was the least of their problems. Mizutamari suspected a young girl named Iyasu was behind it all. He hated to approach the girl directly. The girl's family was struggling with the crop her family supplied to the village. Instead of everyone in the village making profit off of each other, they all shared each of the crops equally.

Mizutamari figured the girl had given up on the water goddess. He wondered what was really going on. The sounds outside of his house alerted him that it was time to start the festivities. He put on his ceremonial hat and walked out of the door.

Mizutamari walked down the road slowly, his presence causing the children around him to stand aside. He walked towards the dock, his arms folded together within the robes. His position was one of the most important in the entire village for the year. It was his job to ensure that the festival went off without a hitch. Mizutamari could feel the ambiance as the crickets started to chirp. The sun was setting above the trees. He had to time it just right to give the festival a grand entrance.

The old man let his feet hit slowly upon the wooden dock as he walked down the path – just like he had seen his old friend, Zaisan do for the past twenty years. Mizutamari stood at the end of the square dock and turned around slowly. He kept his eyes downcast until he heard the entire commotion stop. He could feel all of the villagers waiting and watching. They were all waiting for him to announce the start of the festival and the start of another year of prosperities for their village.

The sun's last rays were finally finished. Mizutamari waited until the sky above him was finished with its color display of oranges, purples, and pinks. He raised his eyes slowly to signify the importance of the Lantern Festival. He cleared his throat momentarily so he could speak loudly to the villagers. "It is time once again for the Paper Lantern Festival. We bring here to this night our hopes, wishes, and prayers that signify the prosperities we all have for our village. This night is ours to celebrate with our loved ones, friends, and family of old. May we all guarantee the survival of our village – of each other- and our dreams. I bid you Welcome ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village," Mizutamari said with great respect. "May each of you find the thing he holds dear and keep it with you for all time. The Paper Lantern Festival,-"he paused dramatically, "BEGINS!" The crowd of villagers clapped, shouted, and fireworks went off over the lake. Mizutamari smiled softly. He let his gaze fall. I hope you are proud of me, old friend. I could not have done it better than you would have. Please let that entrance be one to remember.

"Wow, this place is really starting to get active," Masaru said as he looked around the lake. The villagers were each going up to the paper lanterns that were on the edge of the lake and lighting them. He smiled at Idai. "Hey, Idai, I forgot to ask you… how did things go with Daiya?"

Idai looked at Masaru kind of taken back by the question. He thought Masaru didn't want to know. "We're friends now," he said kind of softly. Masaru looked away from him. "It's not a secret or anything. Or were you hoping I was going to get rejected?"

"No, I wasn't hoping that," Masaru said as he

glanced at the tall boy from the sound village. "I was just worried about you getting hurt. Daiya seems to be a rough person."

Idai blinked when Masaru admitted to being worried about him. "Why were you worried? It's not like he was going to electrocute me or anything. He's not at full voltage capacity yet." Masaru turned around seeing a young girl with octopus dumplings on a stick.

Masaru's stomach growled. They hadn't eaten since they had arrived in the village earlier that afternoon. He had been exploring with Idai and Yanagi for the past few hours. "Hey, Idai, will we get in trouble if we get something to eat? Ninja can't work on an empty stomach."

"No, I suppose not," Idai said as he walked with the Hokage's son to where the dumplings were coming from. "Where is Yanagi anyway? We're supposed to be making sure the festival doesn't get ruined."

"I don't know," Masaru said as he greeted the man

selling the food. He signaled that he wanted three of dumplings on a stick. Masaru paid the man and even tipped him. The man seemed to be taken aback by the money. "Last time I saw Yanagi she was walking along the lake looking at the paper lanterns. She's been acting kind of weird lately; like her head is stuck in the clouds."

Idai took the octopus on a stick from Masaru. "Thanks," he said. It was the first time he had been offered anything before. "We should go look for her. I wouldn't feel too great if something happened to her. We are foreigners in this country. Some people don't take too kindly getting outside help."

"It can't be that bad. I don't see anything wrong with this festival," Masaru said. "I don't fully understand the purpose of the water goddess, but every village has to have their superstitions." He looked around at the lanterns hanging from the buildings. "This place is kind of nice, I'll admit it." Idai smirked at him as he started to eat.

Yanagi Lee walked around the lake. She could see the village on the other side. It was beautifully lit. I wonder what is going on back home. This is the first time I've left Konoha. I hope everyone is okay. Her mind flashed to Daiya Eimino, the guy from the lightening country. Yanagi's heart pounded a little in her chest. She had heard what had happened to him from Kandai. Everyone knew. Yanagi hoped he would get better. She smiled a little. Daiya had been taken in by Sasuke a few weeks ago. Yanagi figured that since Daiya had a home now, he would open up and learn what it was like to have a family.

She walked with her hands clasped behind her back, her feet kicking into the air, absentmindedly as she looked at the paper lanterns. They went all of the way around the lake. Yanagi flipped her head as she heard a stick break. Thinking it was only an animal she had spooked, Yanagi kept walking the lake, her mind reverting back to Daiya. Her head was totally stuck in the clouds.

Yanagi caught site of Idai and Masaru on the other side of the lake. She could see them walking around. She wondered if they were trying to catch up to her. "Hey, I'm over here," she called waving her hands above her head. Yanagi heard a stick pop again. She turned her head to see someone standing in the dark. Whoever it was, she couldn't tell. The person was wearing black to mask their identity. Yanagi whipped her body around bringing her hands up in a defensive stance. "Who are you," she demanded.

The figure approached the ninja girl slowly. "I am of no concern to you," the low female voice said. The figure formed hand seals under the robe she wore. Another figure molded out of the ground behind the pink haired girl. "Encasement," the woman said. The dark figure behind the ninja girl burst out to the left and right of its sides to mold around the body in front of it. The girl was trying to break free from the earthen prison. "I wouldn't bother. You're being held by rock." The woman walked to the paper lanterns that were lining the lake. She looked at them disgustedly.

Yanagi narrowed her eyes. "What do you have against these peaceful villagers? You're upsetting their very way of life for your own means," she spit out. She was still trying to break free from the rock and mud of earth that she was encased in. It reminded her slightly of the Minotaur Hire used in battle.

The dark figured woman turned her head to regard the ninja girl's comments. She had her face completely hidden by a hood; only two eye holes were visible so she could see. "That's usually how it is. It is not your concern, foreigner. These people owe me," the woman said lowly as she stomped out the first paper lantern with her foot. "I have no intention of backing down from the duty I was assigned to."

Duty? As in she was hired like we were? "Are you trying to say that you were called upon to destroy the Lantern Festival? We were hired to protect it," Yanagi said. The woman nodded her head. She swore under her breath. All of her attempts at breaking free from the earthly prison she was in, failed. Yanagi could not get past it. Her taijutsu did not have the strength and effect of her father's.

The hooded figure moved down the line of paper lanterns. She proceeded to stomp out each one with her foot. It was quite enjoyable for her. It reminded her slightly of stomping on ants that had no way of eluding her. "We are through here," she said lowly as she waved her hand. A patch of earth went over the ninja girl's mouth to stifle her comments. "I don't have time to discuss history of the past and present. Enjoy your outdoor slumber."

Yanagi closed her eyes rocking her body back and forth. It was no use. The woman had her. She tried to scream, to call – anything to get the attention of her teammates. She had no idea where they were, or how soon it was going to take them to walk to this side of the lake. All Yanagi could do was watch the woman snuff out each of the paper lanterns on that side. Yanagi watched pitifully as the lighted pathway around the lake soon disappeared as far as her eyes could see.

Idai walked the edge of the lake. "Aren't there supposed to be lights on this side of the lake, too? Didn't that old man say the entire lake had to be lit in order for the water goddess to come?" He checked at the way him and Masaru had came. Those paper lanterns were still lit. Their flames were dancing inside of the paper, flickering and casting shadows.

Masaru looked at Idai. "Well, maybe they haven't gotten to this side of the lake yet," the boy said as he watched Idai close his eyes. His friend was listening to the area around them. Once Idai opened his eyes, he spoke. "Idai, where is Yanagi? I haven't seen her at all since we've been walking."

"There isn't any movement out here. We shouldn't have let Yanagi get too far ahead of us. Something could have happened to her," Idai said as he started to walk hurriedly down the path of the lake. "Masaru, keep your eyes open. Whoever was trying to sabotage the festival is out here."

Masaru walked next to his friend with a quick pace. "What makes you say that?" Just as he asked he saw Idai point to the lanterns that were crushed in the grass. "Oh, so they were lit before. How are we going to get them lit again? The lanterns are useless," he said as he retrieved one. "It looks like someone stomped on it."

"First, we find Yanagi. It's more important for us to find her than it is to worry about the lanterns. I don't know if I particularly buy into that whole water goddess thing," Idai said. He wasn't superstitious. If it was the village's way of getting their citizens to interact with another and do for each other, than that was fine. People needed to learn the importance of a whole, instead of each individual piece.

Kiba Inuzuka walked around the festival looking at each of the villagers. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves rather well. Men were flirting with the women and the women blushed. Children were running around playing with sparklers. He wondered where his team was. He hadn't seen Idai, Yanagi, or Masaru since the festival had started. He supposed Masaru would have dragged his teammates to get a bite to eat.

Kiba walked over to the people that were selling food for the festival. He didn't see his team anywhere. "Excuse me, have you seen a blond boy, a pink haired girl, and a white haired boy with a red streak at all," he asked one of the vendors.

The vendor looked up at Kiba from his seat. "Are you referring to the three foreigners that came to help us with the festival? I saw the blond haired boy and the other one a long time ago. They went to the shop across the way and bought food before walking off. That was some time ago," the man told the trainer.

Kiba thanked the man before he went off in search of the teams. As he walked through the crowd a dark figure on one of the houses caught his eye. The figure jumped from roof to roof making its way to some of the decorations. Kiba started to move through the crowd, alerted by what was going on. His body moved swiftly as he withdrew a kunai. The figure was making its way to a stream of the hanging lanterns. Kiba threw a kunai at the figure to warn it that whoever it was, had been seen.

The woman under the dark robes swore. The old man had hired ninja from elsewhere alright. That girl she had seen earlier must be part of this guy's team. She moved swiftly on top of the trees. The man that had thrown the kunai was following her. It was going to be easy but she had to get away from him. Even though there was a large crowd of people below her, she couldn't simply lose herself in the crowd. She had been instructed to not be seen.

Kiba followed the unknown person from roof to roof. "You're not getting away from me," he said as he kept his pace. He could tell by the form of the individual that it was a female. He didn't know what was really going on, but he was here to do a job. Kiba threw two kunai at the woman. One went over her shoulder barely missing her. It was a warning. The woman stopped. She turned around to regard his presence on the roof tops. "So you're not the coward I originally took you for. That's good. This should go a whole lot easier," he said gruffly.

The woman smirked under the dark robes. Whoever this guy was, he was impressive for one that could keep up with her. "I am no coward," she said lowly. She began to form hand seals under the robes, like before. This guy had no idea what he was in store for. It was a mistake of his to not keep his eyes on her hands. She had calmly slipped her arms out of the sleeves.

Kiba sniffed the air. A bland smell came to his nose. He shifted his eyes watching the area around him. He didn't know who the ninja woman was in front of him, so he had to be cautious. She assumes too much. Kiba brought his right up into a back punch. Something was behind him. He could sense it. Unlike normal humans, he was gifted with a 6th sense when it came to olfactory senses. When his fist came into contact with the thing behind him, his fist went through it. Kiba turned his head to look at what he had struck. His fist was inside of a hollow face made out of clay. The clay face of the form cracked and broke off. "You're good, but not too smart. I could smell the scent of the earth you are using."

"Could you now? Ah, but you're the one who is not smart ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village," she said lowly. "You have turned your back on an opponent. Don't you teach your students better?" She signaled for the clay creature to do its work.

Kiba turned his head as his hand was becoming encased in the clay. He grunted as he tried to pull his arm free of the thing. The clay body grabbed his arm with one of its hands. Kiba's eyes widened as he felt himself being picked up. "Put me down!"

The woman smiled under her robes. "You need to be a little more cautious," she said as she signaled for the clay body to take care of him. The clay form hoisted the man into the air as he continued to struggle. It moved its thick arm and started to mold itself around his throat. Once it had him it let his arm go. It was interesting to watch them struggle at this point. The woman turned around. "Nice making your acquaintance, Leaf-nin," she said lowly as she took off.

Kiba gasped for air. The clay form was choking him. Ah, man, this can't be it! I can't breathe. I can't get free. This thing is a hell of a lot stronger than me! Kiba kicked his legs at the clay arm, but it wouldn't break. If he could break free, it wouldn't be a problem. The clay form was tightening slowly around his neck. Kiba's vision started to go black. He feared he was done for.

A large shuriken came flying over the roof tops, its spinning blades rotating in the air. The shuriken was aimed directly at the clay arm that held Kiba Inuzuka in place. The blades spun with tremendous force, rotating and carving the clay arm. The shuriken broke through the clay as Masaru Uzumaki came running. He had carefully aimed his ninja weapon at the arm so as to avoid slicing his trainer apart.

Kiba fell backwards to the roof of the house he was on. He hit the roof, his body laying still. Masaru had to act quickly. His eyes fell on the clay substance around his trainer's throat. Whatever that thing was it had attacked Kiba. Masaru went under the clay form as its arm grew out. It was still moving! He swore as he punched the clay around Kiba's throat, freeing his trainer. Kiba gasped for air. Masaru lifted his trainer onto his back. It was rather difficult since Kiba was twice the size of him. He grunted. I've got to get out of that thing's way! It's still mobile! And it's fixing to try and attack me! He started to run as fast as he could. Masaru flipped his head around to see the clay figure following him. "Ah, dammit, that thing's right behind me!"

A pink blur came out of nowhere beside Masaru. He blinked. It was Yanagi. Yanagi was aiming herself right at the clay figure. He watched as she started to spin her body like Kiba had taught her. The pink haired girl sent punch after forceful punch at the clay form. The clay figure started to crack and break, its body crumbling onto the roofs below.

Yanagi Lee spun at the figure again, bringing her

leg up in a side kick. She kicked the clay figure with all of her force sending it back. It slammed onto the rooftop, its body starting to break at the side where her leg had been aimed. She fell to the roof, her pink hair flowing with the wind as her dark eyes watched it. It was getting back up. This is going to take a minute. I could really use Masaru right now, but he has Kiba sensei. I've got to do the best I can to keep it away from them!

The clay figure got up, its body leaning to the side as it crumbled some of itself onto the roof. It started to walk towards Yanagi, its form breaking off pieces of itself and becoming dust in the wind as it moved. "Alright, you want a fight… you've got one!" Yanagi started to run at it withdrawing two kunai. The kunai were not going to be able to penetrate the clay figure in front of her. Not unless, they had something attached to them. She smirked. She was as dastardly as her father sometimes. Yanagi attached a paper bomb to one of the kunai. She sent it flying at the clay figure.

Yanagi watched as the figure started to move towards her, running. She moved back quickly as the kunai became lodged onto its body. The form had no mind of its own. It had only been instructed to attack Kiba, so the fact that her and Masaru had interfered caused it to be seeking out what was in front of it attacking. It didn't even bother to rip the kunai off of it. Whoever was controlling it did not realize there was a paper bomb attached to the ninja weapon. She ran as fast as she could as the paper bomb started to sizzle. "Masaru! Run! I put a paper bomb on it!"

Masaru's eyes got wide as he tried to catch his breath. "What? You put a paper bomb on it?" He lifted his trainer again and started to run. "Gee, Yanagi, I wish you would have done that after I had caught my breath! Kiba sensei is heavy!"

"Sorry," Yanagi said as she apologized. "I had to stop it when it was away from the crowd below. I don't know whose controlling it, but they can't be in view of us. That thing didn't even try to detach the kunai from its body."

Masaru and Yanagi both went flying as the clay form exploded behind them. The force of the bomb sent both of them falling below into a ton of mud. Yanagi groaned as she lifted her body up. She was covered head to toe in pigs' mud. The pigs around them grunted their annoyance at having been disturbed. She watched Masaru spit out mud. He looked at her angrily. Kiba was covered in mud, too. "I'm sorry, Masaru. I didn't think about where to land, or if the force of it was going to be that strong. I was only concerned with how to stop it from advancing."

"Well, now that we know there is someone trying to stop the Lantern Festival, what do we do? Kiba sensei is out cold. There's no way Idai can take on one ninja by himself. There has to be more to this than what we're being told," Masaru said angrily. "I don't like only getting half of the assignment. I want to know the whole thing."

Yanagi sat up. She helped lift Kiba off of Masaru. She shook her trainer hard. Kiba was defiantly down for the count. "I don't know. The one who assigned us was the old man who is in charge of the Festival. So it has something to do with him," Yanagi said as they lifted Kiba. "Perhaps we should pay him a visit after we drop Kiba sensei off at the clinic."

Mizutamari turned around as he heard footsteps enter the tavern. He was sitting down drinking to his own festivities. "You three are supposed to make sure the lanterns stay lit," he said waving his hand at them. He had no idea why they were choosing to ignore the mission.

"We have a question to ask you, old man. Why were we only given half of the assignment," Masaru asked his white eyes watching the old man at the table. Yanagi stood on his left and Idai was behind him. "We know that there's more to this Festival than you are letting on!"

"Our sensei was attacked by a woman in dark robes. She had mentioned to me that she had been hired to destroy the Festival. Why would someone take a senseless job to destroy decorations and snuff out lanterns? There is no reasoning behind it," Yanagi said. She watched the old man stand up. He came from around the table.

Mizutamari sighed. "I fear the one who is attempting to destroy the festival is a young girl in our village named Iyasu. Iyasu's parents have been quarreling for the past several years. In saying so, her father left her mother to move across the lake to a sole house on the other side. It is custom in our village for everyone to help each other. But Iyasu's father disowned her and would not partake in sharing his crops with her, or her mother. The man despised his wife for the harsh words that were uttered over the years, so he chose to leave everything behind him. The other villagers have tried to help Iyasu and her mother, but they are proud and refuse help easily. Iyasu has been trying to grow a crop by herself, but she has not been trained as a farmer and the path set before her has been rather difficult.

Iyasu and her mother have been starving for the past few months. Winter is harsh in these parts. It leaves crops unmanageable. I think as a way to get back at her father, Iyasu wishes for the water goddess to not come. It would leave our village without her blessing and all of the crops in the village would be liable to insects, weather, and the like. In that girl's mind is revenge. I cannot approach her directly because I have no physical proof. It is only thought and theory. That is why I hired you. I wished for you three to try and catch Iyasu in her acts, but now I learn that it is not Iyasu who is directly doing it, but someone she has hired." The old man leaned against the counter of the tavern sighing heavily. "I was trying to simply keep my old friend's dream alive. He worked hard on this festival each year. Each year the festivals were grander than the first. It is what our village is known for. We do what we can for the other and live our lives as a whole"

Idai looked at the man seriously. "That right there is your mistake." The old man lifted his head to look at him. "You just said that the entire village lives for the other, when it is the families in it that need to live for themselves. The problem this girl is facing is not her fault, but the entire family's fault as a whole unit. The father should not receive help for abandoning his child, but the mother who is unable to care for her. As adults, if they cannot provide for their child, the child should go to relatives, or someone who is able to care for her. I don't grant pity to anyone."

Mizutamari looked at the white haired boy with a stern gaze. "You do not understand what our village is about. You have no right to judge others for how they are, or expect anyone in this village to bend to the will's of a foreigner."

Masaru gritted his teeth. "You, also, have no right to speak to my friend like that! The reason he said those things to you is because all of you are being deceived by each other. No one in this village really cares about the other. If you have to force it as a moral rule for others to obey, than you are not living in a village, but a prison! Everybody in a village should be able to live their lives in a way they want, not as how someone expects them to. If you can't do that, you aren't human!"

"You may think I don't understand the ways of a village, because I am a foreigner to you, but I was abandoned by my own village. I know more than you think I do. No one stepped up to help me! NO ONE," Idai said as he walked out of the tavern. He had had enough of this elusive place. If no one was going to hold themselves accountable for the way things turned out, than why should he?

Kiba stood outside of the tavern listening to his team confront Mizutamari, the old man who had hired them. He was proud of his students for figuring out the real underlying cause of the village. As he heard Idai shout his own anger, his heart clenched. Idai was still hurting after all of these years in the Hidden Leaf Village. Gai's influence upon the boy had not erased his past.

Idai stood outside of the tavern. He felt a hand upon his head. Idai turned his head slowly to look up at Kiba. The man was watching him with a sad gaze. Idai blushed as he looked away. His trainer had heard him. He was embarrassed. Normally, Idai was quiet, or hyper. His aggression was hidden. Idai didn't like others to see it. However, he couldn't help himself. The old man in there was refusing to confront the person who was responsible for trying to ruin the festival. It bothered him.

"Regardless of what is going on, we still have to complete the mission. If that old geezer in there won't stop the source of it, we'll just have to do what we can. It's better to complete a mission than to dwell on people that won't change – whether it's for their own good, or someone else's," Kiba said seriously. He started to walk. "Yanagi! Masaru!" The other two students walked out of the tavern. "The lanterns are going out. The most important thing is to keep them lit. Forget the decorations. They are unimportant for now."

"What are we going to do about the girl Iyasu who is causing all of the problems? She's the one that hired the ninja who is ruining the festival," Masaru said. "If the old man won't stop her, who will?"

Kiba walked away from the tavern. The night was pressing on. Some of the children had gone to bed, tired from the festivities, but the adults were still active. Men were dancing with women as music played into the air. Kiba Inuzuka tried to think. They had to complete the mission, or it would be a failure. He couldn't let his team fail their first mission. He stopped off to the side of the crowd. The paper lanterns were going out one by one. If the village was going to act like a whole, than shouldn't they do for each other as a whole? "The paper lanterns are not our responsibility," he said as his team looked up at him. "It is the responsibility of the whole village to keep them lit. That is not why we were hired. We were hired to take care of the person who was interfering."

"So we should go after her then," Idai asked as he looked up at his trainer. Kiba nodded. "I think I know how to take care of her. You guys just wait for me to give you the signal alright?"

The woman in dark robes snuffed out another paper lantern. It was getting tiresome. She had to avoid the ninja that had been hired to stop her. So far, she hadn't seen them around. Maybe she had taken care of them after all. With their trainer out of the picture, she was sure the other three kids weren't going to be useful.

The lake in front of her looked peaceful. The villagers on the other side of it were still holding the festivities, not even remotely concerned that the lanterns were being snuffed out. "Stupid, poor villagers. What is the point of celebrating if you aren't aware that the world is changing around you?" She crossed her arms.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Idai said as the woman turned around to look at him. He had approached her swiftly, not even making a sound. "I suppose you figured we would stop chasing you if you took out Kiba sensei. That doesn't seem to be the case though. We act on our own accord. I will agree with you though. The villagers are blind to the leaves that change, as well as, the world around them. It's time to change that," he said.

"And how do you propose to do that, my little leaf-nin," the woman asked amusingly. She watched the boy smirk at her, his eyes looking up at her figure. The woman tensed as she felt wire wrap around her legs. She was yanked off of her feet onto her stomach.

Idai approached the woman slowly. He had to make sure the wire had her legs. "First, we'll start with you," he said. He watched as the woman in the dark robes got to her feet. She was tottering with the wire around her legs, but her hands were still free to perform hand seals.

"You honestly think some pathetic wire is going to stop me? That's very coy of you," she said as she started to from hand seals. She was attempting to summon her clay creatures to take care of the pestering boy.

Idai withdrew both of his swords. Her hand seals weren't going to be completed in time. He rotated one of his swords behind him to create a deafening high pitch sound. The woman in front of him covered her ears trying to get the vibrations out of her head. Idai smirked as he watched Yanagi come running from behind the woman. Yanagi leapt with her foot out and kicked the woman right in the stomach. He watched as the woman went backwards to land on the hard ground. Yanagi had knocked the wind out of her.

Yanagi smiled at Idai as he stopped rotating his sword. She took the moss out of her ears. "Good idea, Idai. That distracted her long enough for me to get her. A woman scorned is something to be feared," Yanagi said as she looked down at the woman. "That's for encasing me in that prison of yours earlier!"

Kiba jiggled his finger in his ear to make it pop. It was slightly ringing with the sound vibrations of Idai's sword. "Well, before she gets up, I think you better tie her up, Yanagi." He watched the girl salute him before doing just that. "Now let's help Masaru light the lanterns again."

Team six went around the lake, lighting each of the lanterns. They were tired and worn out. The festival across the lake was dying down. People had actually fallen asleep wherever they fell. "You think they would be more dignified about it," Masaru said as he moved a man's arm with his foot before getting popped on the head by Idai.

All of the paper lanterns were lit. They looked at the beautiful lanterns, their flames moving and dancing against the wind. Kiba signaled for his team to go to the dock. They all walked with him down the dock. "I figured that since we had completed our mission, we would stand here to welcome the water goddess."

"Kiba sensei, you don't actually believe that nonsense, do you," Masaru asked. Kiba only looked at him shrugging. "I don't believe in superstitions."

"What do you believe in," Yanagi asked as she looked at him. She looked away, her mind thinking. "It's important to believe in something – no matter what it is. If the people in this village really celebrate this festival to come closer together, than I think they should. It's important to act as a family, not as a unit."

Idai blinked as he looked at Yanagi. He crossed his arms on the railing of the dock, his eyes looking across the lake. "It's better for them to realize how each of them is important. I understand that working together as a whole is what they want, but if you forget that each person is well… an individual, than what good is it?"

"I finally realize what you meant earlier," Mizutamari said from behind the ninja team. They all turned to look at him. "I see you have also subdued our interferer. I am only an old fool who thought he was doing what his friend wanted to continue; however, I now realize that the reason he chose to do the festival each year, was to bring everyone closer together. It is one of the few times they are able to enjoy each other's company. I thank you for opening my eyes, young man."

"What is going to happen to Iyasu if her parents cannot provide for her," Yanagi asked a bit more concerned to the fate of the young woman.

"It's strange for you to mention that. Look across the lake, young lady," Mizutamari said as his eyes focused. Everyone turned their gaze in that direction. "By keeping the lanterns lit, you have, in a way, honored Iyasu's family. Her father was concerned that she was becoming distant from him by the acts of the mother. But by the lanterns staying lit, it has proven that despite cruel words, people can be forgiven and time moves on."

Yanagi watched as the young woman ran to her father and held him. The man, in turn, wrapped his arms tightly around his daughter and brushed her long brown hair with his fingers. He didn't want to be away from her. He thought it was best for her to not get involved, but by doing so, he was denying her the love and attention she had a right to. Yanagi's eyes widened. Her heart leapt. It's the same with Daiya and… Idai. Both of them have every right to a happy life. No one should deny either of them that.

"Well, I thank you very much for ensuring a bountiful harvest for our village," Mizutamari said as he bowed low. "If you ever wish to come back to our village for the Lantern Festival, please bring your families. I would like to thank them for raising such fine young men and women," he said smiling at Yanagi. He turned around and started to walk away from the team.

"What do you think is going to happen to the ninja we defeated earlier," Masaru asked as they began to walk off of the dock, too. He looked at Idai. Idai was pondering.

"Oh, I don't think you two have to worry. I didn't wrap her all that tightly. She's probably already out of the wire and on her way," Yanagi said. "She was only doing what she was hired to do – just as we were. It was more important to subdue her to stop her from hurting anyone. We don't know how far she would have gone. I don't think a family such as Iyasu's would have paid her much. They couldn't have afforded to if they are starving like the old man said."

"Why didn't the girl take the money she had and use it to feed herself and her mother," Masaru said. "That would have been the smarter thing to do." He adjusted the large shuriken on his back.

"Sometimes when someone is blinded by hatred, or a misunderstanding, they can't see past the wall that they built, Masaru. It takes a different kind of reasoning to overcome a boundary such as that," Kiba said. He watched the boy look away. Was Masaru realizing some things about himself?

Team six walked down the dirt path that led down the hill. They took one last glance at the village in the wind country before heading back to the Hidden Leaf Village. Each one of the kids on Kiba's team had learned something about themselves that night. They had learned to trust each other, work together, differentiate the obstacles they were faced with, and even confront someone that was stronger than them. He was proud of each of them.

Masaru had come to Kiba's aid to defend him despite being faced with an overpowering opponent. Yanagi came to aid Masaru when he was trying to get away and even Idai had learned to think outside of the box when faced with adversity and ridicule. It was important to complete a mission, but it was also important to be concerned about the others around you. Kiba Inuzuka, the trainer for Team six, smirked slightly. He had the most loyal team in Konoha. He wondered how each of them would fair over the next few years of their training. He couldn't wait for them to learn and grow with each other.


	38. Chapter 38

**V 4 ch 7**

**The Five Wisdom Kings**

Shikamaru Nara guided his team through the forest as they trekked upon the location where their mission was to take place. They had been assigned to clean and maintain a temple in regards to the upcoming birthday celebration of Buddha. He stopped for a moment so the kids could catch up. "Gin, you need to walk faster. You're lagging behind," he told the shy, Akimichi girl. She flustered at being called out and lowered her head as she began to speed up. Areku was the strongest out of the group. He was already passing Shikamaru. Kandai was second. "Let's get a move on. It wouldn't be prudent if we failed our first mission. The other teams have already completed theirs."

Areku Inuzuka sniffed the air. He closed his eyes as he started to sift through the scents around him. There were a lot of flowers in this area for some reason. He continued on his way as Shikamaru directed them to cross a fallen log that was over a river. Areku stepped onto the rotting wood, testing it as he bounced. His two team mates were watching him cautiously approach it. "It's stable for the most part. Just don't look down and you'll do fine," he said as he started to cross the log.

Gin grabbed onto Kandai as Kandai started to put his feet on the log. She was afraid that they would fall off of it. It was a bit rotted from the water spraying the underbelly. "I don't think I like crossing this way," she said softly. Gin looked up to see Shikamaru behind her. He was tapping the log with his foot to see if it could hold all of them.

"As long as you keep your balance, you should do fine," Shikamaru said. "It's the only way across, Gin. Sometimes you don't have a choice but to do what you have to. This is one of those lessons in life. Don't look down and keep your footing. It's not wise to hold onto Kandai. If one of you falls, you'll drag the other one down."

Kandai walked slowly across the log. He held his arms out to balance himself. Gin had a right to be afraid. The river looked deep and threatening with the rocks jutting up out of it. He could see Areku on the other side standing where he was, waiting. Kandai kept his balance as he continued to go across. He finally made it to the other side.

Gin was trying to not look down. Falling into the water below did not grasp her as being a goal for herself. She walked extremely slowly, her feet shuffling across the log, feeling it out. Gin was cautious. She dealt with plants. It was her specialty. She knew that wood rotted quicker in a wet environment than what was seen. Even though the water was below them, the mist that drifted into the air at certain times of the day came in contact with the log. She could feel parts of it breaking off as she stepped.

Shikamaru kept right behind Gin. He had no choice. The girl was taking a long time to get across. This is not going to work for her. She needs to have more confidence in herself. If she can't manage to get across this log, how is she going to be able to stand up to a ninja that is stronger than her? He sighed as he shook his head. Once they were across, Shikamaru put his hands in his pockets. He looked at each one of them. "I think we need to choose the team leader now." They had not done so like the other teams. He thought it had been better to wait. He needed to know who was strong and who needed to improve.

Areku looked up at Shikamaru as he sat on the ground cross legged. "Now? Why are we going to choose who it is when we're not back at the village?" He didn't understand why it hadn't been decided already. The leader for Sasuke's team was Ryu. The leader for Lee's team was Eiyu. And the leader for Kiba's team was Idai. All of the leaders were males. Ryu had been chosen because the older genin couldn't handle responsibility well. Eiyu had been chosen because of his training. Idai, he figured, was chosen because underneath it all, he had leadership qualities. Idai used more than his strength – he used his head.

"I honestly didn't have a reason to choose a leader up until now. I have been watching all of you for some time. It is important when making a decision to know the pros and cons of each one. So let's get this over with. As you guys know, the other teams have their leaders. It's not fair for us to not have ours. I think our team leader should be Gin," Shikamaru said as the girl looked up at him in shock. "Do you two agree, or object?"

Kandai looked at Gin. "I think Gin would make a great leader," he said confidently. He assumed the reason Shikamaru was announcing the girl was due to Gin's shyness. She had to over come it, or they weren't going to do well on missions.

Areku looked at Gin. She was scared to death of what it meant. She needs to learn how to handle herself better. I already know what I can and cannot do. I have no problems taking direction from someone. We're not like the other teams. Everything we do is debated. "Gin gets the job," he said as the girl looked at him wide eyed. "Don't be angry, Gin. You need to improve. If not for yourself, then the ones who follow you."

Gin blushed badly. She was responsible for Kandai and Areku on the missions now. It was going to be her job to make sure everyone trained hard and did what they were supposed to. She touched her index fingers together a bit nervous about it all. "But I don't know how to be a leader," she said softly. She looked away.

"Well, there are lessons to learn in life for your own well-being, Gin. The only way to know what will become of yourself is to put your foot in front of the other and keep that pattern. Keep your head up, eyes open, and ears listening. You won't have a problem. Leaders may lead, but if there is no one to follow, than they aren't a leader, correct," Shikamaru said to the girl. "We're behind you all the way."

Gin smiled a little. Shikamaru was really trying to get her to do her best. Kandai and Areku were concerned for her. They didn't want her to fail – they wanted her to do what she could. Gin appreciated her team more now. She was glad she had been placed with Shikamaru. She didn't believe Sasuke would have had the patience for her. Kiba was a bit too rough for her. And Lee seemed to be a bit too optimistic. Gin looked at reality. She laughed a little.

"And since Gin is now the team leader and I am merely your trainer, Gin gets to lead us to the temple," Shikamaru said. He smiled at her a bit devilishly. She looked at him. "I'll give you a hint, Gin. We're on the right path. All you have to do is get us there," he said.

Gin turned around. They were already on the right path. So the temple was in that direction. Alright, I can do this. If we're already pointed in the right direction, than it shouldn't be so bad. I just have to keep everyone from straying, or getting hurt. She smiled as she nodded. "Kandai, don't lag behind," she said as he looked at her surprised. Gin Akimichi, the leader for Team 4, was starting to like this idea of Shikamaru's.

Team 4 finally got to the temple. It was a lot bigger than they had thought. Shikamaru looked up at the four pillars of water that flowed out of the mouths of lions on the grounds. He signaled for his team to follow him. He walked over to a small wooden well that had water in it. It was customary for them to all wash their hands while they were on the grounds. He washed his hands accordingly. Each one of his students did the same. As they showed their respect to the temple, they walked over to a bell that had a thick rope attached to it. "Alright, before we go to do our jobs, we need to show respect. The monks here keep the temple active all year round for travelers. Gin, since you're the leader for our group, you can direct us what to do."

Gin approached the rope. "Okay, let's all pray for each other's well being and safety," she said rather seriously. She was thinking of everyone that was on the other teams, too. Gin pulled the rope to signal silence and harmony. She put her hands in prayer mode. The others did the same, closing their eyes. Gin said a prayer for each person that she knew. She wished them wellness, respect, harmony, love, and understanding. Gin, Areku, Kandai, and Shikamaru clapped their hands three times.

"Good job, Gin," Shikamaru said. "It was nice of you to direct the prayer at others. They could all use it. Now it's time to meet the guy in charge. We were hired to clean the place, after all. I hope you guys are ready to work your tails off," he said.

Kandai, Areku, and Gin followed Shikamaru up the steps to the entrance of the temple. They were greeted by a monk who bowed low to them. They all bowed low in return. The monk bowed again before signaling for them to wait. "I wonder why we can't go in," Areku said as she watched the monk take off around the corner.

"I would assume they are getting ready for Buddha's birthday," Shikamaru said. "We probably won't be allowed inside. The place is being sanctified." Just as he had finished speaking, the monk came around the corner smiling and pointing to an elderly monk who was walking their way.

"Ah, welcome to our temple, ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village," Heikosen said respectively. "We are glad to have you here. We are in the process of getting ready for the birthday of Buddha. As you can see, there is no one on the grounds. All of the monks are inside preparing. Each year, we celebrate Buddha's birthday by allowing travelers from all around to come and pray at our temple. The water flowing from the lions' mouths will be colored on that special day. We have more work to do than we can handle – that is why I asked for your help. We would like you to scrub the outside walls of the temple, the floors, and make the grounds nice and neat for us. We would greatly appreciate any assistance you could give us."

Shikamaru nodded. "My team is ready and waiting to be at your humble command. They will work hard to make you proud of them." Shikamaru bowed again to the head monk. The man nodded his approval of what Shikamaru said and went back to instructing the other monks. He turned around to face his students. "We must work as hard as we can to make the temple presentable. It would be best to start out by clearing the grounds first, before cleaning the walls and floors of the temple. No sense in tracking dirt everywhere."

Team 4 got to work. They had a job to do. Kandai took up a rake and started to rake the leaves at the foot of the steps. He brushed them away while Areku picked up sticks. Areku was putting them in a pile so the monks could use them for firewood. Gin was cleaning out the water basin where they had washed their hands. She was adding fresh water. After she was done, she started to clean the board where people put up their prayers on wooden tablets. Shikamaru was helping his team too. He didn't believe in letting them do everything by themselves. He was gathering the leaves Kandai raked to put them around the trees. Everyone was working hard.

"I suppose now it's time for us to wash the temple and floors," Areku said as he wiped off his brow. The three students went up the steps. There was a huge bucket of water and rags waiting for them. The monks weren't being modest about any of it.

"They sure expect us to work as hard as Shikamaru sensei told them we would," Kandai said smiling despite his eye twitching at the rags. He picked up a rag and began to ring it out. He started to place his hands on the floor and ran with the rag on the floor, scrubbing the dirt away. Areku and Gin went to cleaning the outside walls of the temple. Shikamaru was using a duster to get the cobwebs out of places where his students couldn't reach.

Areku crouched. He pointed to his back. "See if you can get on my shoulders, Gin. We can't reach that far up the wall. I'll be sure and not drop you."

Gin nodded, blushing some. Areku was her best friend, so it was going to be awkward being on his shoulders. She crawled onto his shoulders slowly. Gin tensed a little as the Inuzuka boy stood up. He handed her the rag and she started to scrub again.

Shikamaru watched Areku and Gin working together. "That's perfect teamwork," he said as he put down the duster. Kandai was getting a bit flustered scrubbing the floor by himself. Shikamaru decided to help him. He grabbed a rag and ran it out. He had to take off his shoes to keep from falling. "I'll help you, Kandai." He started to run down the opposite end.

Kandai puffed as he tried to keep up with Shikamaru. He kept running, his feet padding hard on the wooden flooring. Kandai's hands were aching from holding the rag still as he ran. He gritted his teeth. He swore he was getting splinters in his fingers. Kandai slipped on the floor and fell.

Shikamaru slowed down. "Kandai, are you okay?" His student was sitting up with his eyes closed and hands cupping his nose. Shikamaru kneeled. "Let me see," he said. Kandai took his hands away to reveal a bloody nose. "Tilt your head back," Shikamaru said as he pinched Kandai's nose in an effort to stop the blood.

Gin hopped down from Areku's shoulders. "Is he okay?" She saw the bloody nose and her heart ached for him. That must have hurt. Gin bit her lower lip. She walked over to Areku was ringing out one of the rags they had been using. She held her arm out. "Areku, can you cut some of my kimono off with your claws please?"

Areku stood up. Gin's kimono was given to her by her late grandmother. "Gin, that kimono is important to you. Why do you want me to cut it?"

"I think Kandai broke his nose. He's bleeding badly even though Shikamaru sensei is trying to stop it," she said softly. It wasn't important to her about the material. The kimono would still be a kimono regardless if some of it was missing. "Please, Areku, I don't like the fact that he's hurting."

Areku stood up. "Alright, if you really want me to," he said. "Take your arm out of the sleeve. I don't want to get you." He waited till Gin has removed her arm before he sliced at the kimono with his claw. The material was instantly severed. He handed it to her. He couldn't believe she had wanted to do that.

Gin took the piece of clothe and went to Kandai with it. "Shikamaru sensei, here. This will help," she said offering her kimono piece to him.

Kandai opened his eyes. "Gin, you shouldn't have cut the kimono your grandmother gave you," he said through his gritted teeth. He watched as Gin handed the piece of clothe to their trainer. Shikamaru was wiping the blood off of Kandai.

"It's only an article of clothing, Kandai. It's still just as special even though some of it is missing. My grandmother is gone, but you aren't. You are hurting and that is what I am concerned about," Gin said softly.

Shikamaru sighed. "Kandai, this is going to hurt. I have to realign your nose." He pinched the top part of the boy's nose. "Areku, you might need to hold him." Areku came over to put his arms around Kandai from behind. "Take a deep breath, Kandai." Shikamaru quickly realigned the Hyuga boy's nose. They all heard it crunch back into place. Kandai practically screamed.

The tears were coming out of his eyes now. It had hurt to break his nose, but it was worse when Shikamaru had to realign it. Areku put his hand on the top of his head to try and comfort him. Gin was watching him sadly. The first mission they had, and he had to go and break his nose so easily. He didn't know what his father was going to say.

"You need to sit here for a while, Kandai. We'll finish cleaning the walls and scrubbing the floor. It's not going to be wise if you move your head around. We'll have to let you see a medic the moment we are back," Shikamaru said.

Kandai felt terrible. Because of him, everyone had to pick up his share of the work. He didn't like that. Gin had to scrub the floors with Shikamaru while Areku picked up on the work she hadn't finished with the walls. Kandai's father had always taught him to do his share. It bothered him really badly. He got up. No one was going to miss him for the time being. If he couldn't help, he sure wasn't going to sit around and watch everyone else work.

Kandai Hyuga walked the ground outside of the temple. Everyone was working so hard to get the place in order. He sighed as he watched the wind move a few leaves on the ground. What is my father going to say? It was careless of me to ignore the pain in my hands. Kandai could see his father giving him a light lecture about how to pay more attention to the signs his body told. The body was a serious indicator when it came to limitations.

Kandai leaned against the temple. Shikamaru had told him not to bend his head down. He stared at the ground. Eiyu would be more disappointed in me than father. He's stronger than me. Father has to spend more time with me because of it. I'm supposed to be on Eiyu's level. He frowned as he closed his eyes.

"How come you're not with your friends," a small voice asked. Kandai turned his head to see a little monk boy about the age of seven watching him. "I'm a failure," Kandai said softly. He was really disappointed in himself.

"You're not a failure. I think you lack confidence in yourself. Even I can see that. I'm Banshin. Who are you?"

"I'm Kandai Hyuga,' he said as he crouched at the boy. "Do you help out around here?" Kandai looked around the area. He thought he saw a monk run across the grounds.

"Yeah, I'm training to be a monk. It's a respectful position," Banshin said. "You have a headband. What village are you from?"

"I'm from the Hidden Leaf Village," Kandai said. "We were hired to help clean the temple for the celebration." He turned his head the other way as he heard a man shouting. "What is going on?" A tall monk came out of the temple hot headed and furious.

"Banshin! You're supposed to be inside cleaning the statues like I ordered you to! If you keep this up, I'll send you back where you came from!" The man walked over to the small boy who was hiding behind a ninja. Osoroshii narrowed his eyes at both of the boys. "Get back to work! Both of you!"

Kandai stood up. "I don't take orders from anyone but Shikamaru sensei. And he doesn't actually order me around. I, also, don't like the way you're talking to my new friend. He was only curious."

"Kandai, Osoroshii, can kick me out of the temple. This is the only home I have. He's really nasty when it comes to getting things done," Banshin whispered. He clung to Kandai when Osoroshii moved closer.

"I won't tolerate insubordination! Banshin, move your feet! You are not allowed to be talking to outsiders!" He moved towards the boy again and Banshin took off running. "As for you," Osoroshii glared at the boy, "Get out of my sight unless you wish to fail your mission!"

"You have no authority over my student, or to boss him around as such," Shikamaru said as he showed himself. "Your students are under your care as mine are in my hands. Kandai hasn't done anything wrong. He was right by standing up to a bully." The monk stood his ground. Shikamaru stood his as well. "Go ahead. Try me. I have no problem defending my students, or myself." The monk snuffed his disgust. He turned around.

"Ninja are despicable. Honestly, what is the head monk thinking to hire such low rats," Osoroshii spit out as he walked away. He had other duties to perform.

Kandai looked up at Shikamaru. "I'm sorry sensei. I wasn't trying to get in trouble." It seemed he was making it difficult for everyone as of late. Kandai wasn't supposed to leave his team like he had. They were responsible for each other.

"You did the right thing by protecting yourself and your new friend. It doesn't matter what position a person holds, or how important they are. Bullies come in all forms. However, you shouldn't have left the group. We didn't know where you were. It's wise to be watchful of all things concerning yourself. You have to know where you are, who is around you, and the area you are in. Attacks happen when a ninja is not mindful, Kandai," Shikamaru said. The boy nodded slowly. "I'll forgive you this one time, but you're supposed to be attentive on my team"

"I'm sorry, Shikamaru sensei," Kandai said again. He felt bad. He had learned these things at a young age. His father wouldn't let him get by with it. Shikamaru knew that. He had known Neji all of his life.

"Sensei, Gin and I are finished cleaning. What other chores do we have to do," Areku asked as he finally found his trainer and Kandai. He noticed the look on Kandai's face. It seemed the Hyuga boy was finding himself in trouble with Shikamaru more frequently now. It wasn't like Kandai to act rashly. Areku wondered if being separated from Eiyu was taking its toll on him. Kandai was used to watching his brother and following his example. Areku had noticed that at the Academy when they would practice outside.

"I think we'll take a break for now. You guys can explore if you like, as long as, you three stay together," Shikamaru said as he looked at Kandai seriously. "I think I'm going to have a few looks myself." He figured there was something going on with the way the monk had approached him and Kandai. He was awfully hostile for a servant of Buddha.

"I'm taking a wild guess that you got in trouble again, Kandai," Areku said as they sat on a bench eating lunch. Areku was concerned about the way Kandai perceived things. "You need to be more alert. Eiyu isn't here to show you. You two are separated and both of you need to learn to lead your own lives."

Gin looked at Areku. "Areku, Kandai might be lost without his brother. He wouldn't intentionally go against what Shikamaru sensei says." She looked at Kandai. He had stopped eating. "Are you finding it difficult to be without Eiyu?"

Kandai shook his head. "No, I'm not as strong as him. Father has to take more time with me because of it. I don't want Shikamaru sensei thinking I'm incapable of thinking for myself. I've just never had any reason to. Father and Eiyu have always told me what direction to take."

"Shikamaru sensei isn't being mean. He wants you to think for yourself. In the end, when it comes down to it, Kandai, you are all you have," Areku said. "No one else can fight your battles or overcome your obstacles – but you. It's nice to get direction from others, but it's meant to guide you – not lead you."

"I don't want you guys to be disappointed in me," Kandai said. "I want Father to be proud of me. I just don't know what he expects of me, or Eiyu."

Gin touched his shoulder. "Kandai, your father loves you very much. He wants the both of you to do your best and be happy. He doesn't spend as much time with Eiyu because Eiyu doesn't need the same direction. You two are two different people and are not the same. Please don't compare yourself to him. It's not fair to. You have to set a goal for yourself. After all, you're growing up to be Kandai – not Eiyu."

Areku blinked as he looked at Gin. "Where did that burst of empowerment come from? I think you're taking this whole team leader business quite seriously." Gin blushed and shied away. "Gin, I'm only teasing. Don't act like that. Sometimes you can say very powerful things."

"She has a point though. I thought it was all in my head of how I was viewing everything. If you guys notice it outright than I guess I really do have a problem of chasing after Eiyu. I do need to be my own person. Although, I'm not sure of who I am yet," Kandai said.

Team 4 all turned their attention to a bunch of shouting coming from the temple. All three of the students watched as the doors opened. Two monks were forcing another monk to leave. They watched as the man was thrown out of the temple. He rolled down the steps to the ground.

"What is going on," Areku asked. He stood up. He went over to the monk who was getting up. "Are you alright?" The monk ignored him as he stood up to brush his clothes off.

"I didn't take it! I told you before I had nothing to do with it! The last person in the room was Banshin! Ask the boy!" The monk shook his head as he walked away disgustedly.

"Banshin?" Kandai stood up as he joined Areku. "What does he have to do with this? He's just a kid. I don't think he'd cause any problems. He has no home to go to. It wouldn't make sense."

"I didn't take the statue! There's no way I could have! It's too heavy for me! Yes, I was in the room, but I was ordered to clean the five wisdom kings by Osoroshii!" Banshin kicked his legs as he was being escorted to the front of the temple. He saw Kandai watching what was going on. "Kandai, help! I didn't take the statue! They won't believe me!"

Kandai approached the monk who was carrying the small boy. "What has he done?" The monk blinked as Kandai stood in his way. Kandai was going to get to the bottom of this. He had only met Banshin earlier, a few hours ago, but the boy was harmless. "Why are you treating him like that?"

"Someone has stolen one of the five wisdom kings of our temple. They are a sacred and part of our history and culture. Banshin was the last one in the room with the statues. He has something to do with it. The boy may not be able to lift a large, heavy statue like it, but he could have been watching the place for someone to come and take it. We cannot allow him to leave the premise. He is hiding something," the monk said as a matter of fact.

Gin looked around the area. "Statues in temples are rather large and very difficult for one person to make off with. They are valuable and priceless. Who would want to steal from a temple such as this? What would he have to gain from it?"

"That's a good question. Would you mind us looking at the room where the statues are? There has to be clues to the whereabouts of the missing statue," Areku said as he offered his help in the matter. He didn't like the innocent being accused either. The boy was an unlikely suspect. A child was not going to assist someone in robbing a temple; especially one that was in training to be a monk.

The monk looked at Areku for a moment. Banshin was squirming under his arm. "Be still, child! You're already in trouble! Osoroshii has been after you several times a day over small things!" He turned his gaze back to the ninja boy. "I do not mind you going into the room where the five wisdom kings are kept. I do not know what you will find," he told the boy.

"Thank you," Areku said as he walked off with Gin. He was going to get to the bottom of this. "Kandai, are you coming?" He and Gin stopped as they looked at the Hyuga boy.

"What are you going to do with Banshin," Kandai asked the monk who was not letting the boy go.

"He will be taken to the head monk and locked in a room until we find the statue. If he is innocent, he will have no problem with our decision to confine him," the monk said as he looked at the boy sternly. Banshin stopped struggling and gave up. The monk was sure the boy had played a part in stealing their statue.

"Banshin, don't dismay. We'll find out what is going on. For now, do what they tell you and stay out of trouble," Kandai said as he started to walk away. "We won't let them harm you. After all, monks are servants of Buddha, they don't believe in such a thing as violence."

Areku put his arm up to stop Gin and Kandai from entering the room. "The room is empty except for the remaining four wisdom kings. There is no evidence on the floor from what the eyes can see, correct?" He looked at his team mates. He was trying to think like Shikamaru.

"Not from what I can tell. The room is clean. There aren't any foot tracks going in or out. Not even from the boy," Gin said. She blinked. That was it! "The statue was stolen after the boy left the room! If it had been stolen while he was still cleaning, then why would he choose to stick around? There wouldn't be a point to it."

"That is correct. Banshin has no reason to stay behind if he was participating in theft. What could a person do with a statue that large? I don't understand. Something that big is hard to sell out in the open. There has to be another reason why someone would go to that sort of length to steal it," Areku said. He looked over the room again. "Kandai, do you know where Shikamaru sensei put the duster he was using earlier? Go get it please. I have an idea."

Kandai came back with the filthy duster. He handed it to Areku. "What good is this going to do? We're not here to clean the area. It's clean enough as it is." He watched as Areku Inuzuka blew the dust off of the feather duster into the room. Kandai blinked. "Oh, I see. The dust is dancing in the sunlight. The sunlight is showing us what every detail looks like," he said as he finally got it. "I get it! We're supposed to be looking for another way for the statue to be stolen! Even though our eyes can't physically see it, there is something there! A clue!"

Gin smiled as she too started to catch onto what Areku was getting at. "The monks aren't going to like it, but I think we need to grab some dirt and grind it to make it soft like powder. How would we do that, though?"

Areku tried to think. How would you grind dirt to make it into a powder? The grains in the dirt were small, but they were tough. He looked around at the temple. "Do you suppose the monks here make their own bread?"

"I don't know. Why would that be important," Kandai asked. He watched as Areku tried to figure out his train of thought.

"If the monks make their own bread, there is a chance they would have a grinder to break down the wheat," Areku said. "A grinder is a tough machine that is used for that purpose and to push meat through, but most monks are vegetarian."

Gin walked into the room slowly. She was careful not to go around near the other statues in case there was a clue amongst them. Her eyes were drifted to the art depicted upon the walls and overhead. "Don't most monks take in the hobby of art by using colored sand or powder to make pictures in a certain ceremony? What if they have some of that lying around?" She turned around to see Areku and Kandai staring at her as if they were looking at a whole different other person. "What is it?"

"Gin, I do believe you have figured out what we need. Let's go ask them if they have the powder. We can use it to see if there are handprints, or other clues about the room," Areku said. They took off to ask the monks. The monks did in fact have some of the colored powder in jars in a room. The monk who handed the jar to Areku had no idea what he was getting at when he said 'Beauty is not only in the eye of the beholder, but also the methods to which the artist uses.'

Kandai blew the soft white powder onto the walls while Gin started to dump powder onto the statues. They were all looking for clues. Areku was going around scanning the area with his eyes and trying hard to find differences in the way the powder laid across a surface. Kandai sneezed a few times. The powder was getting into his nose. She rubbed at his eyes. "I still can't figure out why someone would want a statue that large. It's not like it's the actual statue that was first produced."

"No, but there may be something else hidden within the statue. Appearances are deceiving, Kandai. You can't look at a person and tell what kind of personality they have, or their hopes and dreams. You can only assume; which doesn't do anyone any good. You have to have the facts or everything falls apart," Areku said as he blew the excess powder off of one of the statues. He blinked. "I think I found something. Come here, you two. See where the powder is all bunched up on this raised surface of this particular statue's arm? It looks like wire." He pulled it. As he did so, it caused other wires to pop into view.

Team 4 stiffened as the statues around them jolted a little as the strings popped off of them and into a pyramid type arch heading into the ceiling. "That's how they got the statue out of here without being noticed! They used the remaining Wisdom Kings to balance it was it was lifted into the ceiling. But that only sparks more questions. How did they get it off the room, where did they take it and what is the whole reason behind it all," Kandai said.

"I see you three have learned to take matters into your own hands. That is excellent problem-solving Areku, Gin, and Kandai. I'm proud of you three. You three have used your heads to try and figure out how the statue was lifted, no pun intended," Shikamaru said as he stepped into the room. "Most would have focused their attention on the boy being held in the storage room. I'm glad to know that you guys know how to work as a team without being forced, or given a reason."

"Shikamaru sensei, how did they manage to get the statue off of the roof," Gin said. "These statues are heavy, even if they aren't the real ones. Mere reproductions weigh a few hundred kilograms."

"That's a good question, Gin. Where do you suppose the next place is you need to check? Clues aren't often visible on the large scale. We have to decipher them by giving ourselves other things to look for."

"We go to the roof," Gin said as she looked at her team. "There has to be other clues lying about. We just haven't figured out how to see them yet." She led her team to the roof of the temple. They walked to where the statue was apparently lifted. Gin stood where the statue had been. There were pieces of broken ceramic all over the roof. "The statue was made out of ceramic? But the other statues in the room are bronze. I don't understand. Why was this one statue made out of a different type of material?"

"It looks like we need to ask around," Kandai said. "Something must have been taken from the statue. But what? And also, when was it broken? We would have heard it."

"Not if there was a lot of commotion going on," Areku said as he sniffed the air. "A commotion of any sort can muffle the sounds of plaster breaking apart. The statue wasn't really missing until the monks started to accuse each other. It was only displaced."

"That is right, Areku. It was hiding on top of the roof while the monks were distracted," Shikamaru said. "Good work. I suppose now that we know where the statue is currently, we can tell the head monk. I want you guys to pay attention to his body language. It means a lot to help find out other clues."

"We found the missing statue, but is it in shambles. What I want to ask is do you happen to know why this particular statue was being targeted? It was made of plaster while the other statues are made with bronze. There is no reasoning to it unless the statue was being used to hold something valuable or the previous statue was stolen ahead of time and this one was merely a façade," Areku said as he sat in the room with the head monk. He could tell the man was thinking about what to tell them and how much.

"The previous statue was stolen some time ago. Our temple has not had the funds to get another replaced. Replications cost thousands if they are well crafted. I ordered the monks under my guidance to take what we had of donations and get the ceramic statue. I had no idea it would be targeted from someone and destroyed. I am not fully aware of what could have been in the statue. Whatever it was is long gone now," the man said to the ninja students.

"Whatever was in the statue must have been of great value. Why else go to a temple to steal it? It's sacrilegious," Gin said as she voiced her opinion. "Something must have been put into the statue before it was shipped to this particular temple. Whatever is in there was tracked. How else would the thief have known where it was, much less, what was in it?"

"That's a very good point, my child. Whatever was in that statue is gone, but it must have been of great importance to the thief. I wonder what kind of crooked mind could have plotted such a scam amongst our temple. Such commotion has been brought to this temple days prior to the celebration of Buddha's birth. The timing in itself is very unnerving," he said humbly. "I don't know what the significance is of the object that was in the statue, but if you three would like to find the culprit responsible, I would be most grateful," he said bowing to the ninja.

"I think it was an inside job. When exactly did the ceramic statue arrive," Kandai asked as he smiled at the old man. He believed that one of the monks might be more than he perceived to be.

"Our ceramic statue arrived about three months ago, shortly before the arrival of Banshin. That is one of the reasons we believe the boy to be on it. He was probably sent here to learn the layout of our temple and the way we operate, in order, to time the lifting of our statue. More like the destruction of it," the man said absentmindedly.

"Banshin is only a boy. He wouldn't have been able to lift the statue by himself. There were wires all over the room that linked to the heavy bronze statues. The missing statue was lifted into the ceiling and was actually displaced there when it was discovered to not be in its place," Areku said. He watched as the monk nodded his understanding. "There has to be more than one person on it. One person wouldn't be able to lift something that heavy by themselves. Even if the boy was in on it, he couldn't have aided the real thief. He was being carried away at the time."

"You are very perceptive young man. If Banshin is aware of what is going on, he is simply not helping us. We have no choice but to keep him confined for his own safety as much as ours. If the real thief is still here, then he would try to quiet Banshin from revealing his identity. I may be old, but I am not deaf, and my mind still functions. That is the real reason I have our young monk locked up. I am the only one with the key," he said showing the ninja the key around his neck. "We do not tolerate violence, nor do we believe in it. However, under the circumstances, we must let your team search the temple and reveal the traitor amongst us. You have my permission to question the monks and be mindful of others." He bowed low to the ground.

Team 4 walked out of the head monk's room. They glanced around. The temple seemed to be hiding something inside of it. Not just the thief, though. Areku had his suspicions about the place. Normally, a small temple like this one wouldn't go to these sorts of lengths and preparations to get ready for the celebration of Buddha's birthday. They were not a grand temple, or one of the popular ones in Japan. He sniffed the air. A scent drifted to his nose. "I know you're there. I have caught onto your scent. I wouldn't try running either. We may not look it, but we are just as fast as you, if not faster," Areku threatened. "Who are you? And what reason do you have to be eavesdropping on the head monk's conversation?"

A frail monk showed himself as he stood up from the bushes where he had been hiding. He eyed the three young ninja in front of him. It wasn't in his nature to be nosey. Hadidjaru nodded slowly to the three children. "I was only curious to what you had found. I am sorry if that makes me more of a suspicious character to you three. Our head monk is wise and noble, but sometimes even the wisest do not see what is happening. In order to catch the one you seek, use your heads, young ones. The real search is not for the thief, but what he posses. And the real artifact here is not the statue." Hadidjaru smiled slightly to the children before he turned around to walk off slowly.

"The real artifact is not the statue? What does that mean," Gin asked as she watched the old man leave them in his wake. He was giving them clue to look for, or basically, a direction to go in. Their search was not for the thief, but what the thief carried. The thing most valuable is the item possessed, not the statue it was in. "We're looking for something very valuable you guys. Whatever was in the statue is more precious to the temple than what they are letting on. I think there is more to it than just a stolen statue and one that was replaced."

"I think I'm starting to understand. In a few days is the birthday of Buddha. It is a celebration like no other with the large, grand temples, but this one particular temple is having festivities as if it were one of the famous temples in Japan. Could the item they possess be related to the celebration," Kandai asked. He looked at his team mates. They were pondering over what the monk had said.

"Or more importantly, could it be related to Buddha? A thief would not bode well to steal an item from a small temple, no matter what it was – unless the thing he held in his hands was something of rare and unbelievable value. The head monk has given us permission to question the other monks, but why would we have to question everyone? If he will not tell us outright what is going on, than it most be too important for him to keep secret. An ordinary monk won't go against the head monk. They respect each others too much for that. Banshin has to know something. We cannot let him out of the room he is kept in, but we can ask him questions through the door. The boy is still in training and may tell us something the others wouldn't. Let's take that direction for now," Areku said.

"You know, this is kind of fun. I like figuring out puzzles and things, Areku," Kandai said as he smiled. They walked to where Banshin was being kept in a storage room in the temple. He knocked on the door. Kandai could hear Banshin moving around as if he were expecting someone to break the door down. "Banshin, it's me, Kandai. Can we ask you a few questions? We're trying to figure out what is going on. The statue was found, but it was broken into pieces. It looked like something was taken from it. Do you know what was taken?"

Banshin moved closer to the door. He slid out a piece of paper where he had written on it. "I can't tell you what I don't know ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village! I am only in training under the monks of the temple! I didn't take the statue! I couldn't have. It's too big for me to lift or carry. I'm being wrongfully accused," he shouted as loudly as he could so anyone who was eavesdropping could hear it. He didn't want someone to try to come after him while Kandai and his friends tracked down the culprit responsible. "If you aren't going to free me from this room, leave! Ninja are despicable characters! They are untrustworthy! A monk has no right to be associating with a ninja!"

Gin picked up the piece of paper. She put it in her pocket. "Can't you tell us anything at all? You have to know what is going on," she said rather playing along once she figured out what Banshin was doing.

"No, I'm sorry! I'm only a boy who is training to be a monk! Please leave me alone! I don't know anything! I was only cleaning the statues in the room and then I left! I had nothing to do with it," Banshin said rather loudly. He heard the team walk away from the room. Good luck, Kandai. I hope you can figure out who is behind it. If I voice what I know to you three, they'll be aware that I know. I want to be a monk and serve Buddha. I don't uphold violence, but you can use your head to stop it.

"Well, he wasn't very helpful, was he," Areku said as they walked outside. He noticed Gin was leading them some distance away from the temple. She walked down the steps to the lower part where they had been cleaning and picking up limbs earlier. He watched as she went to the water basin to wash her hands. For a moment, Gin was confusing him with her actions. Areku watched as she pulled the cord on the bell and did a quick prayer.

Gin turned around to face her team. "Sorry, you guys. I was trying to throw off whoever might be watching us. Did I do a good job," she asked as she smiled. Gin took out the piece of paper Banshin had written on. "I believe our young friend knew he was going to be asked what he knew, so he wrote down his answer on this piece of paper." She held it up so that Kandai and Areku could see. "It says, 'The thing most valuable is a symbol of Buddha's enlightenment.' What do you two suppose it means?"

"A symbol of Buddha's enlightenment? Well, Buddha is often depicted as a chubby man who is walking, or sitting with his hand up in a friendly 'hello'. He sometimes carries food, or gifts. Buddha reached enlightenment by meditating for several years. I don't understand the symbolism aspect," Kandai said as he leaned against the water basin. He looked up to see a monk walk across the grounds. The man paid them no mind.

"Symbolism is usually reflected in art, Kandai. Such as a drawing, picture, poetry, literature, etc. I think a symbolism of Buddha would be in an art form, don't you," Gin said as she smiled at him. "What are some of the things that we see in those forms that reflect Buddha and his divinity?"

"Hmm. He is usually depicted with light around the back of his head," Areku said. "I have also seen him surrounded by children, or sitting by a tree."

"You're getting warmer," Gin said as she smiled at the boys. "What are some of the things that have been included with Buddha that are important in art form?" She wanted them to think. She was thinking like Shikamaru.

"I know that there has been mentioned a cup that belonged to Buddha that he drank out of," Kandai said. He watched as Gin shook her head. "So the cup isn't important?"

"No, the cup is important, but after thousands of years, it would have been lost, Kandai. What is something that is seen in art that can maintain it self after hundreds or thousands of years? I know you can figure it out. We are surrounded by them," Gin said as she watched him catch on.

"Trees. No! Plants! I get it! Some trees are hundreds or thousands of years old. They can survive the weather and harsh environments they are thrust into," Kandai said as he pounded his hand into his fist. "The thing that is both depicted in art and that has special meaning to Buddha is the blue lotus flower!"

Areku congratulated Kandai by patting him on the back. "Good work, Kandai. You're finally using your head! Even though it took a little pushing from Gin, you managed to figure it out the rest of the way. The thing we are looking for is something related to the blue lotus flower. It is what grew after Buddha rose to enlightenment. But just because it grew, doesn't mean it died and there aren't anymore like it. Plants do spawn and cast spores out into the earth."

"You are correct and somewhat incorrect, my fine young friend," Hidadjaru said as he startled the young ones. "I didn't mean to startle you. I was only coming to put prayer slips on the trees. You three are very perceptive. The thing that is most important and significance of Buddhism is the blue lotus flower. It isn't something that is related to it. You are looking for the seeds of the flower that were hidden in the statue."

"But if you knew what was there in the first place, why didn't you tell us what it was," Areku said angrily. He crossed his arms like his father and scowled. Honestly, old people and the way they took their time at explaining things.

"If I had told you what I had known at the time, instead of letting you decipher it for yourselves, and you wouldn't have gained the knowledge through your own trails. By doing so, you three are now aware of how to overcome similar obstacles. You three also gained teamwork, patience, and even followed the clues out to the end without giving away your position in the chase," Hadidjaru said proudly. "Sometimes the rewards we receive are not in the forms of material wealth, young man."

"Yeah, Areku," Kandai said as he put his hand on his shoulder shaking his team mate. "Wait. So we're looking for the blue lotus flower?" He took his hand away from Areku's shoulder. The Inuzuka boy was still scowling with his annoyance.

"I don't fully understand and I know I'm supposed to, but why would an ordinary thief want the flower of Buddha? Nothing can be gained by it," Gin said as she put her hand on her chin, trying to go back in her mind. She was thinking of everything that she had seen and heard.

"Well, if someone can breed the blue lotus flower, what does one gain from it? Think outside of the box, young lady. If you can take something that is grand and make it seem less grand, what do you gain from it," Hadidjaru said as he started to tie the prayer slips onto the small trees surrounding the water basin. "It is more serious than it seems to young eyes."

"If you take something that is seen as great value and look at it for an extended amount of time, it loses its importance. Not only that, but it soon loses its meaning and becomes… ordinary. If the thief breeds the blue lotus flower, than he is bringing about the downfall of Buddhism," Gin says. "It wouldn't be any different if it was another artifact with any other religion. Once it loses its significance to its followers, the faith in the people is broken and the religion crumbles."

"Exactly," Hadidjaru said as he turned around. "Now what is it you three are going to do in order to find where the seeds are?" He watched the three of them stand before him slightly confused. They were at a roadblock again. "The thief only had help in destroying the reproduced statue. If his accomplice had known what was contained in the statue, do you think the original mastermind would have been able to make off with it? Do you think the accomplice would like to be responsible for the downfall of a religion, of a faith?"

"I know that if it was something that important and I knew about it, I would want to leave it where it was. There is no point in getting millions of followers angry at you. It shames you and your family for your entire existence. The responsibility would be more shameful than the actual act itself," Areku said as he turned around. "I believe we know who to question, don't we, Kandai?" Kandai nodded slowly.

"Who are we questioning," Gin said.

"A person who would possibly love for Banshin to be the scapegoat in his plans of getting his hands on the blue lotus seeds," Kandai said. "Earlier before Shikamaru sensei found me, I had met Banshin and spoken with him. A monk by the name of Osoroshii came after me and Banshin. He seemed to be angrier at the fact that the boy was talking to me than doing his work. It's highly suspicious."

"Yes, it is," Areku agreed. "Alright, so this is an angry monk that we're going after. He could possibly be the actual thief. Our guards need to be up and we need a plan. Remember, Shikamaru sensei says that we can't go in blindly. Only fools do that."

Oh, I don't like being the guinea pig. I know I agreed to it, but why me? We're supposed to be a team. I know I was the one that met the guy first, but he doesn't like me and he's probably going to be more hostile towards me than Gin, or Areku. Kandai sighed as he walked through the temple. He acted like he was searching for something. Kandai was checking the walls and even appearing to be listening in on certain conversations before he moved on. The trick was he knew he was being watched. He was pretty sure Osoroshii was mildly watching him to make sure he knew nothing.

Kandai turned a corner slowly, cautiously. One could never be too careful in these surroundings. The real monks wouldn't hurt him, but the one pretending to be a servant of Buddha would. He walked slowly with his hands in his pockets like Areku had told him to do. Carefully he took his hand out to make sure he brushed the slip of paper Banshin had given Gin. He scratched his head as he padded down the hall. Sure enough, the paper fell out of his pocket and into the hall.

Kandai turned another corner. He stopped. He took a deep breath and waited. Kandai could hear someone approaching the piece of paper cautiously. He could feel the shift in the air. Whoever had been following him was close. He withdrew a kunai as he took out wire from his ninja tools pack. Kandai strung the wire through a loop and set it on the floor before looping it over a large knot in the construction of the temple. Areku and Gin were hiding in the two rooms near him.

Kandai let the wire drift on the windowsill before he stuck his head around the corner. His eyes befell upon a large figure that was glaring at him. The man crumpled the piece of paper in his hands before he started to move towards Kandai. Kandai moved back slowly being mindful of where the wire had been placed. He was doing a perfect job of being scared. Fact was he was scared. Osoroshii was a lot bigger and taller than he was. The look on the man's face was enough to make a newborn baby cry.

"It seems you have discovered the real item that was in the statue. Pity though. It also seems you have not accustomed yourself to listening to your trainer," Osoroshii said as he moved towards the boy. "I don't know which is worse: a nosey ninja, or a loudmouth brat."

"Banshin is not a brat," Kandai said as he stopped. Osoroshii stopped right into the wired trap. "And it seems just because you pretend to be a wise monk, doesn't make you humble or wise! Now you guys!" Kandai leapt for the other end of the wire as Areku and Gin busted out of the rooms. They all grabbed onto the wire as Osoroshii started to move towards them.

Osoroshii swore under his breath. "You stupid brats won't stop me from making the world know what it ought to!" He reached forward instantly, trying to grab one of the children as he felt a tug on his leg. He looked down to see wire wrapped around his leg. Osoroshii's legs went out from under him as he was hoisted into the air. He swung his body around. "You idiotic kids! Let me down! I'll have all three of you floating in the river!"

Shikamaru appeared from the shadows. He grabbed the wire with his students, pulling with all of his strength. "Oh, don't be so surprised. A good trainer keeps an eye on his students, but lets them learn. I don't quite think you're a very good monk. You're heavier than you look. Kandai, you can do the honors of shutting him up while Gin and Areku tie him up. I think the head monk would gladly like to know who you are working for."

Team 4 gagged and bonded the fake monk, much to his disliking of the situation. They had succeeded in catching the thief. They had even worked together and managed to save Banshin. They looked at each other proudly. "I am the luckiest trainer in Konoha to have the sort of team that listens to each other, doesn't argue, and gets the job done," Shikamaru said. "If you want to find the artifact, I'm pretty sure it would be on his person. He wouldn't have left it in the room where he stays because he would be too afraid of it getting discovered. Here's a rule of thought," Shikamaru said as he crouched in front of the gagged man. "Children may not always be wise, but they always listen to what an adult says – even if it is cruel, or helpful. Whatever you have let slip, didn't happen in your words, though. It was in your actions. Banshin picked up on it. He knew something was going on. I suggest you be more mindful next time," he said smirking at the angry man.

Gin searched the angry man. She found a small pouch inside of one of his pockets that he was keeping close to his chest. She opened the pouch to see small white seeds inside. "Shikamaru sensei, I found the seeds! What do we do with them?"

"I believe we can let this guy hang around for a while. He isn't going anywhere. After all, he wasn't wise enough to tell his accomplice what he was after. So there is no one here to help him now. We take the seeds to the head monk. I'm sure he will be relieved and they can get on with their preparations," Shikamaru said as they left the angry man tied upside-down. The man was flipping around trying to get free. It wasn't going to do any good though.

"Kandai," Banshin called as he ran down the hallway. He grabbed onto Kandai's hands as he looked up at the older boy. "They said I was free to go and they said they knew I didn't have anything to do with it at the beginning! I now understand what they were doing! They locked me away so Osoroshii couldn't get a hold of me! I'm not angry at them anymore," he said rather happily.

Gin crouched to the boy who had befriended Kandai Hyuga. "Would you like to see what all of the fuss is about? Osoroshii was after something very grand and precious." She opened her hands to reveal the small pouch that contained the seeds. Gin opened the pouch so that Banshin could see.

Banshin's eyes went wide as his fingers touched the seeds with an awed nature. "These are seeds that are from the blue lotus flower? Osoroshii was wrong in what he was doing. These seeds don't discourage our belief and faith, but make it stronger. Now that I know it existed, I am more encouraged and proud to be a monk of this temple," he said standing up as straight as he could.

Kandai smiled at Banshin. "We have to turn these over to the head monk. What he decides to do with them is his choosing. I think the original statue was stolen for these seeds, too. It was just by chance that the actual thief decided to time his arrival around the ceramic statue. I'm sure once they track down Osoroshii's employer, the real statue of the five wisdom kings will be found."

The head monk looked at the pouch of seeds in front of him. The three ninja and their trainer were also in front of him awaiting their dismissal. "You three did a very good deed. More so than you think. I will take these seeds and put them in a small bronze box. I will have them buried on the grounds somewhere. It is important that these seeds be kept safe and sound. I hear that the one who figured out what the artifact was was you, Gin Akimichi. You are a very bright girl and a wonderful team leader. Would you come here please?"

Gin blushed as she stood up. She approached the head monk then sat down in front of him. She didn't think what she had done was all that spectacular. She was only doing her job. She didn't want the thief to gain anything from his wrong train of though, or his actions. It was also important to clear the boy's name. It was what anyone would have done.

"These are seeds of the blue lotus flower that grew after Buddha reached enlightenment. These seeds are precious to us and everyone who practices Buddhism. Normally, these would be destroyed, or kept locked away so that no one could get their hands on them. But I believe, that if one seed is missing from the group, than it could have fallen out of the pouch by mistake," the head monk said as he smiled at the girl. "Hold out your hand, Gin. You are about to be blessed by Buddha." The monk put the small white seed into Gin's hand. "Take care of the seed. It should be kept in a place where you find it necessary to gain truth from the darkness that surrounds all of mankind."

"What are you going to do with the seed, Gin," Kandai asked as they walked back to Konoha. The cloud above them began to darken and bustle with thunder. He watched her cling to the seed in the small pouch she wore around her neck.

"I will be the best herbologist that Konoha has ever seen," Gin said faithfully. "I now have a reason to continue my training and making sure I keep everyone safe. I'll keep the seed around my heart where it needs to be. I wouldn't want it to accidentally grow and make more seedlings. That would go against what the head monk wanted."

"That is a wise decision," Shikamaru said as he smoked his cigarette slowly. It had been a tiring day. "Say did you three ever get around to cleaning up the mess you made in the room with the five wisdom kings?"

Areku, Kandai, and Gin both stopped in their tracks. Shikamaru stopped and turned around. "Uh, oh," they said in unison. They had left the room in an entire mess of white chalk powder. The monks were still in the works of getting the temple back in order.

"What in the world happened in here? Why is there white powder all over this room?! We have to clean the entire temple, put everything back in order, and now there is powder everywhere! Banshin! I know it was you," the monk yelled.

Banshin came into the room slowly. "I didn't do that! I wasn't in here at the time. You all had me locked away in a storage room! It must have been Kandai and his friends when they were trying to figure out how the statue was lifted!"

"Well since he was your friend, he was your responsibility and you can clean up his mess," the monk said pointing to the statues covered in powder. "I want the four wisdom kings cleaned to perfection! Do not let one speck of powder ruin the shine of the bronze!"

Banshin sulked as he watched the monk leave the room. He sighed. "He's about as bad as Osoroshii. I wish Kandai and his friends had cleaned up the mess they made. I have enough to do," he said sulking as she started to sweep the room.


	39. Chapter 39

**V 4 ch 8**

**Toughen up!**

Daiya lifted his arm to block Onari's kick to his face. She flipped onto her hands and proceeded to kick him with both of her leg. Daiya lifted his other arm to block as well. He crouched, digging his heels into the ground to keep Onari from knocking him off balance. Onari cart wheeled twice attempting to punch from the side with her fist. Daiya twisted his body to block her instantly. He brought his leg up and around to kick at Onari's side. She wasn't paying attention. His new sister was bent on getting past his guard with her fists. Daiya's leg made contact with her side and Onari went flying.

Onari slid on her side in the training circle. She sat up holding her side, grimacing. Onari lowered her head defeated. Izumi was training her during the day, but she was still not used to an opponent fighting back. Daiya had volunteered to train her to give her another initiative.

"Onari, are you okay? Did Daiya kick you too hard," Idai asked as he jumped the wooden fence. He walked over to the girl. She was acting submissive. Idai sat down in front of her. He moved his hand to lift her shirt to check where Daiya had kicked her. There was a nice bruise forming. "Yeah, he got you pretty good."

Daiya walked over. "Onari, you have to learn that when you can't get past someone's defenses, you need to try other moves. I know you were trying to wear me down, but I already noticed you were too bent on it – Therefore, you were not paying attention to what I was capable of doing. You always pay attention to what your enemy's moves are. It can mean the difference between life and death."

Onari kept her gaze lowered. She felt stupid. Izumi had told her that the very first day. Daiya wasn't going to let her get by with it, even if he was her brother. "Onari understand," she said softly and a little hurt. She was disappointed in herself.

"I'm not trying to be mean. I'm trying to get you to defend yourself. If someone manages to get past your defenses, you get injured. Not only that, but whoever you're with, is in danger, also. It's more serious than you think. You need to pay attention," Daiya said again, sternly.

Idai watched Onari nod her head. She was keeping her eyes averted on purpose. "Daiya, I don't think she's used to someone coming after her – or defending, rather. I believe she's still new to the whole idea of training."

"It's not an excuse. Who do you train for, Onari," Daiya asked as he lifted her chin to make her look at him. "Do you understand what I'm asking you? There has to be a purpose to why you train and a reason behind it."

"Onari protect family," she said softly. "Onari no bad man hurt family." She watched the expression on Daiya's face. He was as serious as any male she had ever come across.

"Bad man? What bad man is she talking about," Idai asked. He lowered Onari's shirt. She was going to be in pain, but she had to toughen up.

"I have no idea. No one seems to know too much about her past. Onari doesn't talk to anyone in words we can really understand," Daiya said as he grabbed her wrists to tug her up. He noticed the pain in her facial expression. "If you want to avoid the circumstances of feeling my powerful kick, than you must pay attention. I'll get you some ice, Onari."

Onari sat down on a bench. It was hard to impress her new brother. He was as tough as Sasuke and reminded her in certain attributes of the Uchiha man. Being in Konoha had made her less aware. The snow village she had come from had made her be alert because no one liked her there. The enemies were the people. She glanced at Idai as he sat next to her.

"I know Daiya seems harsh, Onari, but he wants you to fight for yourself. If you cannot protect yourself, you can't protect the others around you. It's kind of like wasting the time of your trainers if you don't improve. In a way, you have to surpass them to be considered on their level – or as equals. Are you trying to get on a team?"

"Team like Daiya and Idai?"

"Yeah, teams like what we're on. I work with two others and learn with them. I hear you know Kiba sensei. He's who I train under," Idai said rather proudly. He was glad to be on Kiba's team. He needed the older Jounin to teach him and he was also glad for his friendship. Idai didn't have many friends in the village.

Onari tilted her head. "Brother Kiba fights Idai?" He started to laugh a little at the way she perceived things.

"No, Onari, I fight with Masaru and Yanagi. Kiba is the one that trains me and directs me what to do. I was put on his team because I needed a lot of acceptance, I guess. He's kind of given me that. Kiba sensei befriended me when he learned he was my trainer. I don't fully understand why though. I don't think I'm special or anything." Idai wondered if it was because of how he acted with the rest of his peers at the Academy. He never fully included himself in anything – whether it was the assignments or just casual talk. He was always alone. Idai only realized after some time that Daiya stood out like he did. They were both out-of-place because they were from different countries. Idai looked at Onari. She was from a different country like he was.

Onari looked at Idai. He was studying her. Did she have something on her face? She reached up to check, scrubbing her cheek. There was nothing there. She couldn't see anything on her fingers. "Why Idai look at Onari?"

Idai averted his gaze. He blushed a little. "Sorry, I was only thinking and my eyes were kind of… studying without my head being intact. You and I are from different countries. I'm from the sound village. You're from the lightening country like Daiya. The three of us are more out-of-place than anyone out of the kids here. And I would like it if… we hung out, or something," he said with difficulty. Daiya said that Onari's vocabulary was kind of distorted. They didn't know what she understood. He hoped she understood some of what he was telling her.

Onari tilted her head trying to pick the words out that she knew. It was some time before she was able to figure out what he was getting at. Onari hoped that she would pick up on the language faster, but she had to go off of what she knew first. "Boy Idai like Onari?" He looked at her a little shocked at her reasoning. She wasn't able to differentiate the real meaning to his words.

"Um, I don't mean in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationI mean more like friends," Idai said a little embarrassed. "But I don't think that was how you perceived it. You really have to pick out what you know, don't you?" Onari nodded her head slowly. He could tell by the look on her face that her eyes were always watching. She was always learning by observing the behaviors of others. Idai thought that was kind of wonderful for Onari to be able to have that sort of attention span. He was more of a dreamer when he was alone. She seemed to be more focused.

"Idai like Onari friend," she asked. She watched Idai move a little closer to her. The white haired boy with long bangs wrapped his arms around her. Onari blushed a little. Idai leaned into her. "Idai sad?"

"Only when I'm alone," he said softly. He felt Onari lightly touch his sides. She was a bit odd, but he figured that was because Onari had never been around others before. Idai liked her. Daiya had told him that once she opened up, she was playful like he was. He wanted to be friends with her due to that reason. Idai liked playing with Daiya. It was only fair to include Onari. "Will you be my friend," he asked shyly. It wasn't like him to seek out others.

Onari turned her head to look at Idai. He was watching her with a soft gaze. He had the same expression that she saw in Daiya when she was learning how to do things. She moved her hand to touch his face lightly with the tips of her fingers. Idai tensed a little. He wasn't used to being touched like her. He was still learning to accept others and let them close, too. "Idai same Onari. Onari learn with Idai, jes?"

Idai lifted his eyes so that his orange eyes met her unusual yellow ones. She wanted to be his friend. She wasn't rejecting him. Everyone else had stayed away from him once he had been taken in by Gai. He was used to everyone talking behind his back. They were all afraid of him. Sound-nins were feared amongst the ninja of the hidden leaf village. Onari and Daiya weren't afraid of him. "You're not afraid of me?"

"Why Onari afraid Idai? Idai Daiya friend. Daiya Onari brother," she said. She watched him try to figure out what she meant. "Onari no know words say to Idai. Onari confused."

Idai reached up rubbing his hand thoughtfully against the stop of her head. Daiya was back with the bag of ice. "It's okay. I think I understand." He didn't want Daiya to get the idea that he was hitting on Onari. At the present time, Idai didn't harbor feelings like that for anyone. He wasn't sure he even knew what those sort of feelings were if he did feel them.

Daiya sat down next to Onari. He lifted her shirt and put the ice on the bruise. It had already started to turn yellow and brown. She gasped at the coldness of the ice. He wondered what had been going on while he was away. Apparently, Idai and Onari had gotten closer. He could tell when Idai avoided his gaze. "What's up with you two?"

Onari looked at her brother. "Sky is up." Idai turned his head to look at her when she said that. "Onari incorrect?"

"That's not what I was asking, Onari. You need to learn more vocabulary. I really don't see how you're going to be able to get on a team. You have to be able to read and write. You're slowly learning. Don't look at me like that. I'm not putting you down. I'm being honest. Don't mistake my concern for cruelty," Daiya said. He moved his hand to move her hair behind her ear. "If I didn't want you to succeed, I wouldn't help you train, or speak my concerns."

"That's kind of true. He doesn't tell anybody what he thinks, most of the time. Daiya usually has to be tricked slowly," Idai said laughing. That caused him to get his ear pulled by Daiya. "Ow, Daiya! That hurt! You can't take someone picking at you, either," Idai said as he massaged his ear lobe.

"Daiya Onari understand what Daiya mean. Onari smart like Daiya is," she said as she looked at him. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Daiya too serious. Daiya play jes?"

"I don't play," Daiya said seriously. He had never done such a thing in his life. "I only train to be stronger, faster, and better than whom I'm up against." He crossed his arms as he closed his eyes.

Idai looked at Daiya sadly. "Daiya, you've got to loosen up. Life is only fully enjoyed if you can be a part of it. Sitting on a bench staring at it, isn't any good. Neither is only training and being alone."

Daiya looked at Idai oddly. "I don't see how you can say things like that without getting embarrassed." He wasn't trying to be mean, but Daiya didn't like showing his true feelings about that sort of thing. He didn't want to get involved with others. He had his reasons. If he got attached to someone, something bad would happen. Daiya always had bad luck like that. A lot of his past reared its ugly head when he tried to break free of the restraints it had on him.

Onari was watching Daiya try to play it off. One thing she had learned a lot of was to watch body gestures. It was all she could do to familiarize herself in the surroundings she was in – since she lacked a lot of language skills. Onari turned his head towards her. She looked at him as his gray eyes widened a little, watching her. "Daiya not alone. Daiya with Onari and Idai. Daiya have sister, friend, and brother. Daiya need to play. Play not … not stupid, Daiya. It fun. It show this," she said pointing to her heart, not able to really get across too much of what she was thinking.

"I don't play," Daiya said a bit angrily. He moved his head so she wasn't touching him. His defenses went up. Daiya was not willing to do what anyone wanted. He was his own person and demanded respect – mainly because he was so independent. Daiya had gotten where he was by himself. He had never had an adult, or friend to help him.

"Daiya, stop being rude," Idai said a bit sternly to where his friend looked at him. "Onari isn't hurting you, but you're acting like she is. I don't understand why you're so reserved, even now. Is it because after you were taken in by Sasuke sensei that you still don't understand people?" Daiya tensed and moved away from Onari and Idai on the bench. His shoulders raised and head lowered in submission. "I'm not trying to stop you from being yourself. I understand why some of your defenses are there, but we're not trying to hurt you."

Onari put her hand under her shirt to withdraw the bag of ice. She opened the back of ice and leapt at Daiya. He almost sparked with the suddenness. Onari looked at him with a serious, unwavering gaze as she straddled his waist. She lowered her head to where her nose almost touched his. "Daiya need to pay attention," she said as her hand moved to dump the ice down his shorts.

"Onari get off of me! I-," he stopped. Daiya felt an overwhelming cold sensation. He hated the cold. Daiya growled as he pushed her off of him. She landed on the ground onto her side, but was up quickly and away from him behind Idai. Daiya jumped around trying to get the ice out. "Dammit, Onari!"

Idai blinked. "Well, that's something I've never seen before. An icebox lightening bug," he said starting to laugh his butt off. Idai grabbed his sides as Daiya only glared at him and Onari rather hatefully as he started to fish the ice out of his shorts. Idai couldn't help but laugh. "You were kind of asking for it, Daiya. You're such a jerk sometimes."

Onari froze as Daiya turned his head to glare at her the most. She was the one culprit. Onari grabbed Idai. Her brother had his teeth gritted. He wasn't moving towards her but his fists were clenched at being made a fool of. Onari tilted her head. Daiya really didn't like people.

"Daiya, leave her alone. She was only trying to get you to do something besides be angry and defiant all of the time," Idai said as he noticed the expression on the other boy's face. Daiya was completely furious with Onari.

Daiya walked over to Idai and Onari. They were both watching with wide eyes. "I don't play childish games! You two can just have each other," he yelled angrily. He walked off with his fists clenched.

"Onari do bad thing," she asked as she watched Daiya walk away from them. She was only trying to get Daiya to open up, but it seemed kind of difficult for her new brother. There were reasons why he didn't trust anyone. She didn't know what they were. Could Daiya have been mistreated a long time ago? She didn't understand.

"I think we need to leave him alone. It'll take him some time to cool off. He's not resentful and he doesn't hold grudges. Daiya just doesn't understand why you did that to him. He's not used to being around other kids, Onari. He's been alone for a long time. It's not easy to get him to talk, or react in a positive way. It's kind of sad. I wish he accepted others, but he's very cautious," Idai said as he looked back at her. "You didn't do anything wrong though. It's not your fault," he said petting her head softly. Idai smiled at her gently. He pulled her down so he could wrap his arms around her. "I know you understand body gestures more than anyone. Try to figure out what Daiya's gestures mean. It'll give some insight to how he feels."

The leaves rustled overhead as he sat on the branch high above the hidden leaf village. Daiya Eimino looked down at the people passing below him. He tensed his shoulders, arms crossed as his eyes befell upon other children with their friends. He felt out-of-place. Why had Onari put ice down his pants? He closed his eyes as he brought his legs up towards his torso. Daiya wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his head into his arms. His mind kept reflecting on the past. He couldn't help it.

When he had been at the Academy, no one had wanted to befriend him. It seemed foreigners were a bad idea, or the children just didn't accept him. He didn't know which it was. Daiya had never been around other children when he was living in the lightening country. His mother had forbid him to speak to others. He was seen as an abomination – as something horrible.

Daiya could still the woman's face that had given birth to him. She was a woman who had been from a lower classed family. Daiya's father had visited on occasion to see his mother – but not him. When his mother tried to talk to his real father about him, the man waved the issue off. He didn't want to know anything about him. Daiya once overheard the conversation his mother had had with the man.

"Don't you want to see him? He wants to know you. He has no one. I don't allow him out of the house much – like you requested. There has to be another way for you to be able to have some kind of relationship with the boy," she said as she slammed her hand on the table. The man Daiya saw looked at his birth mother cruelly. Daiya watched as the man came out of the chair to grab the woman forcefully. He tensed behind the door as his eyes watched in shock.

"I told you before, Haeru, that I wanted nothing to do with that child! You should have drowned him like I told you to! There is nothing I can do about him existing! I cannot provide for you and that boy! My clan doesn't even know I associate with you. If they ever found out, I would be turned out and forbid my rightful inheritance with my father! You are on your own with that child! I don't want to know his name, or see him, so don't try speaking to me anymore about him," he said as he let go of her arm.

"What do you plan to do? Wait until the old man is dead before you can see him? He looks just like you! I cannot raise him by myself! I won't! I'm not in this by myself! What if I decide to confront your father myself? That boy cannot live here! This area is full of crime and it's not safe for a child his age," she said as she demanded her lover to react.

The man looked at her harshly. "You won't have the nerve to tell my father anything. As for the area you reside in, it suits you. You were only trash the moment I became tangled with you and you still remain so. I rid myself of the dirt that clings to my feet," he spat at her. "If you don't want the boy, give him away. He's no good to me if he cannot be accepted as a true Eimino." He walked out of the small hut leaving Daiya's birth mother in his wake.

Haeru slammed her fists on the table. The cups and dishes rattled with the force. She looked out of the window watching the man go. "That stupid, foolish man. If that's the way he wants it, I will rid myself of every foul thing that he has touched!" She whirled around as Daiya stood behind her watching her. "What do you want?"

"Mama, I'm hungry," he said softly as she whirled around. He moved back as the woman looked at him with loathing. Daiya's back hit the wall. He couldn't get away as his mother slapped him hard. Daiya fell to the floor. He tensed, cowering as the woman started to hit him over and over again.

"I don't want anything of that man's in my presence! Get out of my sight! I don't need you! You're not mine! You're lower than a dead rat to me! Go! Fend for yourself," she said as she started to kick at him. "Get out of my sight, Daiya!"

Daiya cried as he ran away from his mother. She had started to throw a chair at him. He heard it hit the wall and break. Daiya fled out of the house into the street. There were people walking along the streets. He looked around at them. They paid him no mind. Everyone seemed to pass him. "Help! Help me!"

A tall man pushed him out of the way. "Get out of the way, kid! There are carts moving in the street! Go back home to your mother," the man shouted at him. Daiya looked up as he saw the man walk away from him. He looked back at the way he had come. The alley that he lived down looked dark and sinister. Daiya didn't want to go back there. The woman who had given birth to him didn't want him.

Night fall came. Daiya looked around at the people on the street as he huddled against the wall of a building. He hadn't eaten that day. He was cold, hungry and alone. Daiya had no choice but to go back to the place where his birth mother was.

As he stepped inside the hut, he glanced around. He could hear his mother speaking to someone in her room. Daiya wondered if his father had reconsidered. He went running to push the door open. He wanted his father to take him away from her. She was mean and cruel to him. As Daiya padded down the hall, his mother came out of the room. It wasn't his father. The man in the room was just another lover of his mother's.

"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to be gone?" Haeru went after the boy. She was furious. Why had he come back? She didn't need him! She didn't want him. Haeru reached down to grab Daiya by the collar of his shirt. She dragged him to the closet where she kept a huge trunk. "If you dare come out of there, I'll slice you to bits! Do you hear me?" She lifted Daiya's small form and locked him in the trunk. He screamed and kicked at the box. He couldn't get free. Daiya cried as he curled up in the box. He awoke some time later to find his mother had forgotten to lock him in.

Daiya lifted the lid cautiously. He wiped his eyes as he looked around. The closet was very dark. He came out of the closet. Daiya walked down the hall slowly. He wondered where his mother was. As Daiya turned the corner, he was caught. She was sitting at the table drinking. Daiya tried to run, but he fell onto the floor as his mother brandished a knife. She started to slice his delicate skin with the knife as he screamed in terror. "This will teach you to listen to me," she screamed in full drunken rage at him.

Daiya's mother got up once she was satisfied and her anger had cooled. She walked away from him, leaving his six-year-old body in the floor. Daiya was bleeding all over the place. She threw a rag down to him before she walked away in disgust.

Daiya gritted his teeth. The pain he had felt then was resurfacing. He was deathly afraid of adults and people he didn't know. He didn't admit it outright. He never did. Daiya only fought off his confrontations by shouting and trying to show he was stronger than the other person. Inside, he was cautious, nervous, and very hesitant. He didn't want to tell anyone why. The real reasons made him feel not worthy of another's attention.

Onari was watching Daiya sadly. Had she done this to him? She had been watching him for some time. It wasn't easy to find the Eimino boy. Idai had told her that Daiya hid in the trees when he wanted to be alone. She had been searching for him for a while. Onari's serious gaze looked around at the trees. There was no one up here but her and Daiya. She lightly brushed her fingertips on the back of his neck.

Daiya felt something touch his neck. His head lifted quickly. He moved back just as fast when he saw someone looking at him. It was Onari. It took him a moment to realize why she was there, or how she had found him. "Are you going to attack me again?"

Onari shook her head. She moved closer to him and stopped. His body was tense. He was afraid that she was going to hurt him. "Onari not hurt brother Daiya," she said softly. "Onari train to fight bad man – to protect family. Daiya Onari family." He was watching her, but he was also relaxing some. "Onari not mean hurt Daiya. Onari not understand."

Daiya's eyes darted around at first, as if he didn't believe her. He wanted to know what she was up to. "What did Idai tell you?" She shook her head. "Why are you out here?"

Onari brought her hands up to touch Daiya's arms. He tensed again. She was being careful. He was afraid of everyone. She could tell that much in the way he acted towards her and Takeru. Her brother was unsure of himself. "Onari protect Daiya. Onari no let bad people touch Daiya."

"I can protect myself," he shouted at her suddenly. Onari didn't move. She didn't even flinch. "I don't need someone else to do it," he tried to tell himself. What he felt inside was a different matter. Daiya bit his lower lip. He watched her move closer. He didn't move. Daiya couldn't. The tree was right behind him.

Onari kissed the side of her brother's head gently, her arms wrapping around him, to cradle him in a soft embrace. She knew something was wrong with the way he acted. She understood that his defiant nature was to protect him. However, Onari didn't believe he wanted to be that way. He was letting her hold him. "Onari love Daiya. Daiya need to understand Onari. Onari continue to fight to allow Daiya to keep blinking lightening bug tail," she said in her broken dialect.

Daiya turned his head to look at her. He slowly raised his hand to touch his sister's cheek. She was watching him very seriously. Even though she was hard to understand, he understood what she meant. "I'm… the reason you fight..?"

Onari lifted her hand in return to stroke his cheek gently. "Daiya one of reason Onari fight. Onari want Daiya smile. Daiya need to smile." She leaned in to kiss him tenderly on his cheek. She could feel her brother relax in relief. He was looking at her with a sad gaze. "Onari serious. Onari toughen up."

"You do realize that you're going to have to take a lot more punches and kicks to make your body stronger right? Your body will have to build up its strength so that the force won't hurt you," he said as he held her hand. "I think I need to toughen up, too. I'm not doing a very good job of being an older brother."

"Brother allowed to be mad. Daiya need let go. Daiya hold sadness in. Onari no like it. Onari want Daiya to be Daiya – no one else," she said as she tightened her hand around his. "Onari walk with Idai and Daiya. Idai and Daiya the same." She was beginning to understand why the two boys sought each other out. It wasn't because they were foreigners, as was expected by most. It was because Idai and Daiya both inwardly tortured themselves. They had both dealt with horrible situations. "Daiya fight Onari now?"

Daiya stood up. Onari stood up with him. "I'll increase your training, Onari. In fact, I think I'll teach you how to avoid an enemy in the trees." He smiled at her as he let her hand go. "You have a ten second head start, Onari. Run," he warned. She nodded at him and turned around to leap off of the branch. "One, one thousand. Two, one thousand. Three, one thousand. Four, one thousand. Five, one thousand," he shouted as he went after her at full force.

Onari leapt from branch to branch, her eyes and ears alert. She knew Daiya wasn't going to hurt her, but it was a real training session. She was going to have to learn to avoid him, or be ready to handle him. Her brother was a tough fighter. He was the strongest on Sasuke's team. Even though Daiya wasn't fully recovered from his injury, he was still a force to be reckoned with. Onari's own kekkegenkai hadn't awakened yet. There was no one to train her who knew about it. She was stronger than she realized.

Daiya was coming after his sister with high speed. He was ready to teach her about obstacles. The obstacle for the moment was the darkness around them. Onari wouldn't be able to use her special technique on him. There was no way for her to see into the dark forest below. Daiya had the advantage and he knew it. "Alright, little sister. Let's see if you can match what you say."

Onari suddenly got the feeling that she was being followed. It had to be Daiya. She pushed off from the last branch she touched and let her body fall into a spin. As she did so, a kunai went soaring past where her form had been. Onari touched down on a branch a few branches below. She was out in the open – which wasn't good. She had the choice of hiding, or defending herself. It was clear Daiya already knew where she was.

Daiya retrieved the kunai he had thrown. He hadn't thrown it hard, so it was easy to dislodge from the bark. If he knew Onari like he did, she was now aware that he knew her position. His eyes looked around at the dark trees. "You have two options. One: stand your ground and fight. Two: Run and I find you again." It was a trick actually. The only real option she had was to fight him. If he could track her that easily, than she wasn't very good at loosing him to begin with.

Onari came out of nowhere aimed at Daiya's back with her body bent and leg held back. She had one arm behind her and the other in front of her face to guard. She made no noise. Her light body structure caused her to zip through the air undetected. Onari swung her leg forward and kicked with all her force. Her foot came in contact with her brother's back and he went flying forward.

Daiya slid hard onto his stomach as his sister kicked him. He didn't have the time to be concerned about the pain in his back. He rolled over and brought his legs up. Onari was on top of him in a matter of seconds, her eyes serious and hard as she tried to punch at his head. He pushed her back with his feet in her stomach. She landed on her back as well. Daiya rolled over to get up. He grunted. "Nice try. At least you're not trying to same move over and over like you were before."

Onari started to spin her legs in a circle. Her rear came up off of the branch and she slammed her feet down as she pulled her upper body forward. She was on her feet in no time running at Daiya again. There was no time to comment. She had to fight him to the best of her ability. Her brother wasn't about to let her go home without a good session in tow.

Daiya leapt back as Onari came towards him again. She was off of the ground in a spin kick, her form turning around in the air as her legs tried to make contact with him. He brought his arms up to guard each of her kicks before he bent his back away from her. Daiya flipped his legs up and kicked back at her. He was right behind her kicking at her side before he spun in the air, punching at her. He was using her technique against her.

Onari turned her body to the right suddenly to avoid his fist as she brought her left arm up to block his other fist from coming into contact with her shoulder. She let her feet touch onto the tree to where her body was parallel to the branch below. Onari glued her chakra to the bark as she kept a hold on it with one foot. She started to spin upward, letting one of her legs loose while the other one stayed glued to the tree in order to give her the ability to gain height. Within a few seconds she was several feet away from her brother. She flipped over to where she saw him start to run up the tree at her. Onari started to form hand seals in front of her body. She was treating Daiya as if he were a real enemy. She had to. Her brother expected no less of her.

Daiya blinked as he watched her hands moving. He had to get away from her. Daiya wasn't fully aware of how many seals Onari knew. He had to bail. Her hands stopped on the tiger seal. His eyes went wide. I've got to get away from her! Sasuke must have taught her one of his jutsus! Daiya formed hand seals of his own. Just as Onari sent the huge fireball at Daiya, he poofed with a substitution jutsu. He ended up coming down upon her from above. "Nice try!" Daiya landed on her and swept at her with his foot. Just as he figured, she was bent on trying to get him again. He ended up detaching her feet from the bark of the tree.

Onari started to fall towards the branch below. Daiya was right behind her. She didn't know what to do. There was nothing to grab a hold of. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth ready for impact. Onari felt something grab a hold of her leg and she felt the heavy pull. She opened her eyes to look up and see Daiya with a kunai lodged into the bark of the tree. He had grabbed her to stop her from falling.

Daiya smiled at her. "That was a pretty nice attempt, Onari. I see you're not familiar with substitution jutsus. You also need to practice coming out of a fall. If you can't get out of it, you do get hurt. I wonder why Sasuke sensei hasn't been teaching you to use ninja tools yet." He had noticed that Onari didn't wear a case on her leg, or a pack on her rear. She was completely unarmed. "We might have to ask him why. I think it would be better if you learned how to use them now. If you don't go ahead with it, you won't be familiar with them."

Onari kept still as her brother kept a firm hold on her pants leg. "Daiya and Onari go home now?" She watched him blink. Apparently, he didn't realize how late it was getting. They might be in hot water when they get back to the Uchiha compound.

"Yeah, I didn't realize it was getting late. I don't think Takeru's parents will be happy about us staying out like this." He looked away as he let go of the kunai and grabbed Onari fast. His feet hit the branch and he set her down.

"Why Daiya not say 'mom' and 'dad'?" She watched him look away. "Izumi accept Daiya. Sasuke accept Daiya. Daiya no accept?" Onari leaned towards him searching his eyes.

"I don't know what a mom and dad is, Onari. I've never had one. It's hard to let an adult near me. They've never helped me before… I'm used to being alone and doing things by myself," Daiya said as he caught the stars shining in her eyes.

"Daiya, Izumi and Sasuke are nice. Onari get in trouble with Sasuke and Izumi for no try. Onari can be Onari. Daiya can be Daiya," she said as she turned her head to look at the moon.

"I can't let them see who I am. I don't know who I am," Daiya said as he stood up. "I'm afraid I won't like what I find." He waved her to follow. "We need to go. Izumi is kind of a worry wart. I've noticed that with Takeru."

"Where have you two been? I've been searching the compound calling you. Not only that, but I also went to Saori's, Ryu's, Neji's, and even Kiba's! Do you have any idea what time it is," Izumi Uchiha said as she put her hands on her hips trying to act motherly and stern. It was kind of a disappointing thing. She wasn't used to being stern. It was mainly the worry of not knowing where Daiya and Onari were that got to her.

"Izumi no mad at Onari and Daiya," Onari said. She saw through the white haired woman's real concern with the way she held her posture. It wasn't tense enough. "Onari and brother Daiya train. Onari and Daiya in trouble?"

"Well, considering how late it is, you should be," Sasuke said as he approached the two in the hallway. "She wasn't the only one looking for you two. I've been out looking and so has Takeru. You two need to train during the daylight hours. At night, is when the village is vulnerable. It's hard to distinguish where an enemy is – even with the ANBU on guard, or other ninja around the village."

"I was training Onari to make her familiar with being attacked at night," Daiya said defensively. He looked at Sasuke with a hard gaze. He moved back when Sasuke approached them.

"Daiya, Onari needs to rely on Neji and me for the time being. I know you're trying to help, but she isn't ready to learn combat skills that a team performs. She hasn't passed the exams and has not been given permission from the Hokage to be placed on a team," Sasuke said. He watched the boy before him raise his shoulders. It was a challenge of authority. Sasuke knew it well with Daiya. He was prepared for an outburst, but Daiya didn't shout at him like normal.

"When is she supposed to be prepared? When someone already has the advantage of getting her? She doesn't even use ninja tools and has no inkling to a substitution jutsu! She has to know those things in order to get out of a sticky situation," he said lowly.

Izumi waved Onari to follow her. She stopped and turned around to look at Daiya. "How she is trained and what she learns is not just Sasuke and Neji's decision, Daiya. I do teach her while you and Takeru are away on your teams. Onari is constantly training. Right now, she has three trainers and we are doing what we can to get her caught up. The fact remains that she is not ready to be jumping ahead. If you jump ahead in any of your training, you're liable to miss a valuable piece of it that an opponent can and will use against you," she said. "Fighting with Sasuke about why you two were out late, doesn't get you or her out of hot water. You two need to learn from poor decision making. If you're serious about being Onari's brother, you can take the punishment like one."

Daiya swallowed. He looked at Izumi as she smiled slyly at him. He quickly looked at Sasuke. Sasuke only crossed his arms. The decision was made. He was going to be punished by Izumi. Daiya wanted to run as fast as he could. Sasuke punishing him was one thing. The man trained him on a team punishment, not as an individual. He had never been punished individually except by his… Daiya turned around trying to run down the hall and out the door, but he felt a huge tug on his vest. He looked up to see Sasuke looking at him.

"You're not getting out of it. I understand you and Izumi are fine with each other now, but she is your mother. You're going to have to learn to respect us. It's not wise to make us worry, or put someone else in the family in danger – even if you had good intentions. I try to get everyone on my team to think about their actions. I thought you would have picked up on that, Daiya. However, we're not on the team – we're family. I'm not trying to be cruel. It's not my intention. All I will tell you is this: Tomorrow, you're going to be heavily embarrassed." Sasuke led Daiya to his and Takeru's room. "Get some sleep. Izumi will be waking you and Onari up early."

Daiya walked past Takeru sleeping. He sat on the bed for a moment reflecting what Sasuke had said. What did he mean I'm going to be heavily embarrassed tomorrow? What are they up to?

Izumi snuck into the room quietly. She had no need to be quiet anyway. She smiled as she looked at Takeru sleeping hard. It was a shame to wake him on account of Daiya, but they had to learn to accept responsibility as a whole. Takeru, sadly, was going to have to take the blunt punishment, in a way, with his new brother. Izumi liked how hard Daiya was sleeping. It let her move around with ease as she snuck up on the boy from the lightening country. Izumi formed a few hand seals in front of her body. Daiya didn't know it, but she was a water user. She snickered as a few drops of water plopped onto the boy's nose. She was being pretty sly. Izumi had used the same tactic with Sasuke. It was a nice calm way to get back at someone for an annoyance they had caused.

Daiya wriggled his nose. Was it raining? He rubbed at his eyes. The water droplets stopped. He turned over to nestle back into his bed, but he soon felt the water drops hitting the side of his cheek. He opened his eyes sleepily as a large amount of water fell towards his face and hit him. Daiya sat up coughing. "What the hell?!"

"Good morning, sunshine," Izumi said as she looked at him with a devilish grin. "Are you ready to take your end of the punishment? Onari's already started on hers." She watched Daiya register what she said.

"You were the one that used the water?" Daiya watched her nod. Izumi had a serious look on her face. It was the first time that he started to realize what he was seeing –and becoming aware of. Sasuke was a strong, powerful man. He was one of the few top ranked ninjas in the hidden leaf village. Daiya looked over Izumi. He was noticing her in a whole new way. In order for Sasuke to feel well-matched, his opponent, or significant other would have to be the same. Daiya swallowed with difficulty. Izumi was not from the fire country. "You're… a foreigner like… me and Onari," he said softly.

"That's right, Daiya. I am. I'm from the hidden village of Mist. I met Takeru's father a very long time ago when I was running for my life. Like Sasuke, I had a horrible past, and had to overcome it. At one point, we were rivals and didn't trust each other – but as time tends to do, it heals wounds and you learn forgiveness. I'm not just Takeru's mother, or Sasuke's wife. I'm Izumi – an elite ninja from the water country who was trained to be the best of the best. I never knew my family, or what it meant to be with someone you cared about. I didn't harbor feelings like that. I only learned what emotions were by living them with Sasuke. I soon found out what everything meant when I fell in love with him and soon had Takeru. I'm kind of like you, but I didn't push others off for caring about me." She looked at him hard.

Sasuke leaned against the wall out in the hallway. He was listening to what Izumi was saying. In a way, it made him blush a little. His wife was a strong individual. She didn't need anyone when it came to doing what was right. Izumi was able to handle herself and defend herself against the strongest of opponents. He knew it all to well. His mind started to think about some of the fights they had been in with a few strong opponents. Izumi had rejected him defending her. She had told him then that she needed to learn to protect herself. He had understood her then, as he understood Daiya's motives for trying to get Onari out into the open, like he was.

Takeru woke up to see his mom giving Daiya one heck of a look. He rubbed his eyes as he sat up. "Mom, what's going on? Did Daiya get in trouble?"

"Yes, your brother is in trouble. He decided to train Onari on his own until the late eve. So since he had me and your father worry about where he and Onari were, they are both down for punishment," Izumi said as she heard her son gasp. "Time to get up, Daiya."

Takeru watched his brother walk out of the room with his mother. "Don't fight her, Daiya! She'll only embarrass you worse," he called after him trying to give him the insinuative to bear it. Takeru flopped back onto the bed. "Man, Daiya has no idea what he's in for. I think Onari does, though. She's gotten in trouble with mom before."

Sasuke pocked his head through the door. "Takeru, since you're not in trouble with them, you can hang out with me today." Takeru was sitting up and scrambling to get his clothes on in a hurry. Sasuke smirked at his son. It was rare for them to spend time together anymore. Usually his missions or his team came first. His eyes widened as his son leapt at him. Sasuke fell backwards. He sat halfway up to look at Takeru. "Well, I guess that's one way to get you ready." He reached up to rub his thumb against his son's cheek. Takeru was ready and willing to go anywhere.

Daiya stood in Sasuke and Izumi's room wondering what he was in here for. Izumi was searching for something. He rubbed at his eyes a bit more. He wasn't really awake. Izumi didn't let him get dressed. All he wore was his shirt and his shorts. What the heck was she up to?

"Hah! I found it!" Izumi stood up. She walked over to Daiya. "Don't bother getting dressed. I already have something for you to wear." She watched him eye her as she took out the kimono from behind her back.

Daiya stepped back. It was a girl's kimono! "No way! I'm not wearing that! You can't make me," he said as he turned around to try and run out of the room. He was met with a huge wall of water blocking him from the door. Izumi was not playing around. He tensed as she stepped towards him.

"This is your punishment for the day, Daiya. You must wear this kimono and walk around as a girl all day. I see you're not considering the fact that I may make you walk around in public," she said hitting him with the last word. "Onari's punishment is kanji lessons with Eiyu. She has to write an entire song out in kanji. You may think it's easy, but she hasn't adapted herself to writing entirely. She hates Kanji and it confuses her. So while Onari's brain gets a little scrambled, I think I'll take a shot at your dignity."

Daiya felt his heart racing as he was forced to wear the kimono. His face was red with embarrassment alright. Izumi was defiantly trying to prove a point. He thought he was just going to spend the day in a girl's kimono, but Izumi had him go grocery shopping with her in it. He was getting stared at by all of the other kids he came in contact with. A little boy pointed at him and commented about Daiya being a scruffy looking female. He blushed so badly he almost passed out from humiliation.

Izumi picked up a basket. She made Daiya hold it like a good daughter while she browsed for vegetables. "Daiya, sweetie, would you help your mother pick out which carrots are the best ones to purchase?" She watched Daiya side walk to her, his body tense, and eyes staring straight ahead. She laughed a little. He was taking it hard. The worse thing anyone could do to a boy was to question his manhood – she had done just that. Poor Daiya. He's going to have to learn to not overstep me and Sasuke though. I know he's used to being on his own, but despite how he wants to keep his independence with us, that's not going to be possible. He is dependent on us for survival. The least he could do is listen to us. We do have more experience than him.

Daiya spent the entire day with Izumi. He sat on a bench in the kimono as Izumi walked over. She sat next to him. He was staring at the ground, completely humiliated. He felt her rub his back. "Mom, can I please take this off now…?"

Izumi's eyes widened as she gasped. He had called her…Mom. Daiya never referred to his own birth mother that way. Her hand froze above his shoulders. She turned her head to look at the boy. She couldn't help the way she was feeling. It was as if he was Takeru all over again and he was just learning his first words. Her heart flopped a little in her chest.

Daiya turned his head slowly to look at Izumi. She was watching him with an alert expression. "I said 'please'," he said lowly. He wasn't even aware of what he had said to her. Daiya watched as her hand moved to run her fingers through his messy brown hair.

Izumi leaned towards him. She smiled at him in her usual happy, carefree attitude that she displayed only in Konoha. Other than that, she was serious outside of its walls – and deadly. "You called me 'Mom'," she said in a joking way. She didn't want him to feel embarrassed about it. "I think you let it slip."

Daiya had only known Izumi for a few weeks. She was one of the nicest women he had met who could tolerate the way he was. She didn't try to change him, or get him to completely sway to her demands. He realized that the entire day had been spent teaching him a lesson. It was a part of growing up and learning. Izumi Uchiha was teaching him like a mother ought to. Sasuke was preparing him to defend himself and others. They were his parents. "I don't let anything slip. If I don't want to say it, I don't," he said trying to get her to understand.

Izumi kissed him softly on the head as she brought him closer to her. She rubbed the side of her finger up and down his jaw line. "You can take it off when we get home. I'm pretty sure Onari is about to explode with Eiyu," she said laughing a little. "We need to go get her."

Onari held up the scroll to Eiyu Hyuga. "Onari no understand lines! Lines not sound! Onari make sound with mouth! Onari no stupid, Eiyu!"

Eiyu twitched his brow as he pointed to one of the caricatures he had written on the scroll for her to copy. "It is a sound, Onari. I'm trying to tell you what the sound is with that caricature. It's not just random lines! You're driving my patience!"

"Onari no stupid, Eiyu! Sounds go in ear and out mouth! This not sound! Eiyu is tricking Onari!"

"I'm not tricking you, you silly girl! If you don't write what I wrote, Ms. Izumi will make you stay longer! You've been here all day arguing and throwing the pencils! Just write it," he said as he came off of the floor slamming his hands face down on the low table.

"Onari no like lines! Onari no understand purpose of lines! How get sound out of lines? It not a jutsu!"

Eiyu cocked his head at her. "What the… A jutsu? You can't perform hands seals to unlock what it says, Onari. Stop trying! You have to read it!" He lifted his hands to practically rip his long brown hair out. "I swear to the Hokage, how in the world is anyone going to get you to pass the academy entrance exams, much less the finals if you can't read or write?!"

Onari crossed her arms. "Onari show Eiyu Hyuga," she said pointing at him with a stern gaze. "Onari not beneath Eiyu! Onari mind faster than Eiyu's!"

"If you're so smart, write the damn caricatures and stop arguing with me! You could have finished this hours ago!" Eiyu pointed at the scroll several times emphasizing that she needed to do it.

"Onari, Eiyu wants you to copy him. If you copy him, you may go home for the day. That is part of your training," Neji said from the entranceway. He watched Onari narrow her eyes at Eiyu. They had been fighting off and on for a while. The girl snatched up the pencil, took one look at the kanji, and began to write it in a hurry. She held up the scroll and shoved it in Eiyu's face. Eiyu's eye was twitching so much Neji dismissed her quickly before his oldest son leapt at her.

Eiyu gritted his teeth. He tried to calm himself down, but he had wasted hours with her trying to get her to understand. "That girl is going to be the death of me. I don't understand how you managed to figure her out in a matter of seconds." He looked at his father.

Neji smiled a little. "That's why I'm the parent. Next time, think twice about using force on her. Force only makes someone back off, not come towards you, Eiyu." He walked off to let his son cool down.

Eiyu slapped his forehead. The reason his father hadn't intervened earlier was to teach him a lesson about himself. He did have a temper. "She's defiantly going to cause me some serious stress," he said as he fell backwards. The pencils on the table rattled as the table vibrated with his weight hitting the floor.


	40. Chapter 40

**V4 ch 9**

**Chakra Control**

Saori Nara dug her nails into the rock as she pulled her boy upwards, grunting. She clenched her teeth as she felt the rope around her waist get heavier. Attached to the other end of the rope was a thirty pound rock. Her team was working on endurance training for the morning. And as of right now, Saori was struggling to keep her grip on the rock wall. She reached her shaking hand to try and grasp onto a nicely shaped rock that was jutting out of the earth. Come on, Saori! You can do this! It's right there! Just grab it!

Eiyu Hyuga was on Saori's right a few feet above her. He could tell when it was getting difficult for his teammates. They had been climbing the rock wall for some time pushing themselves to get to the top. "Saori, you need to let your body rest. It doesn't matter how long it takes for you to get there – as long as you do."

Saori clutched onto the rock. Her fingers dug into the soil. The weight at then end of the rope felt as if it had increased. "I know when I'm tired, Eiyu. I'm just as good as you are. I'm not quitting!"

Takeru came up to Saori. "Saori, I think you need to rest, too. You're seating an awfully lot. You're tired. Don't look at me like that. I rested. It's nothing to be ashamed about."

"I dare you to say that with Sasuke sensei around," Saori said as she struggled to lift her body. As she pressed all of her weight onto the jutting rock, her foot lifted trying to grasp onto an indent in the earth. The rock she was pressing on gave way. Saori's eyes went wide as she yelped and began to fall. A kunai came out of nowhere straight at the rope that was around her waist. It severed the rope tied to the rock. The rock fell faster and hit the water below with a loud splash.

Rock Lee, taijutsu extraordinaire, was running towards Saori, up the rock surface. He opened his arms to catch her in a mad dash of speed and wind. He ran straight up the side of the cliff past the waterfall until he made it to the top. He sat Saori down. "Are you alright?"

Saori nodded as she breathed hard. It was a definant scare. Her chakra and stamina were so low that she couldn't form the chakra strings to try and save herself. She turned her head to see Eiyu crawling over the side. He was on all fours panting, still dragging the rock.

As Eiyu rested, he untied the rope around his waist. He fell onto his side breathing hard. "Please, let's not do that again."

"No, we are finished for the training part of today. However, Takeru will be doing it again with two rocks," Lee said as he heard Takeru yell, 'What', from over the side. "You heard me Takeru. You are last. That makes you the weakest in speed and strength out of the team. You will do it again. Saori will also do it again, but only with one rock."

Takeru crawled up until his hands were finally on even ground. He pulled himself all of the way over. The rock that was tied to him was hanging. He grabbed the rope and pulled it the rest of the way. "How come I have to do it again with two rocks," he said as he panted.

"I told you why. You are the slowest and you took your time with the training. Your father requested me to be your trainer, Takeru. All three of you are going to improve in time. It is my job to get you there. The purpose of the endurance training is to get stronger," Lee said as Takeru untied the rock. "If you lack strength and speed, an enemy can and will defeat you."

"He is right," Eiyu said matter-of-factly as he crossed his arms seriously. He was the team leader for Team 9 and it meant it was his job to instruct the other two on missions. Eiyu couldn't have weak team mates. "Glaring at the back of my head does not get you out of your intense training." He turned around to acknowledge Takeru's gaze.

"You're only saying that because you don't have to do it," Takeru said rather lowly.

"I admit nothing. I only have to prove myself to myself," Eiyu said with his nose in the air. He was finished. Takeru wasn't going to get out of it.

Takeru twitched his eye. I wonder if Mr. Hyuga acted like that when he was Eiyu's age. He ughed. Climbing up the side of the waterfall was one thing but having to do it again made his shoulders hurt worse when he thought about it.

Saori looked up at the waterfall. "Well since we're finished with out training, I guess we can go swimming," she said as she started to take her ninja shoes off. It was already mid-day. The heat index was up, too. She looked back at Takeru and Eiyu. Eiyu was pondering the situation. Takeru was moving away from the water. Saori tensed as she heard a loud yell and large splash.

Rock Lee popped his head out of the water. "The water's freezing but it's invigorating!" He went under the water again. Cold water therapy was perfect for a hard morning of training.

"At least he's happy," Eiyu said about Lee as he started to take his shirt off. He draped it over a sapling. He turned his head to see Masaru walking towards the water with his team. "It looks like we weren't the only ones thinking about it."

"So you guys were too hot, also," Masaru asked as he looked at Rock Lee's team. Saori was already knee deep in the water watching a few guppies swim around. He lifted his shirt over his head and hopped on one foot trying to kick his shoe off.

"No, we're just here to take pictures of the scenery for our photography group," Eiyu said to his cousin. Honestly, what kind of question was that? He hated those that stated the obvious. It was a waste of breath.

"Eiyu, get in the water before I push you in," Kiba said to Neji's son. "I think being the leader for your team has made you quite arrogant." He watched Eiyu stand his ground. He's just like Neji.

"No, he was like that before," Takeru said but not in Eiyu's defense. His mind flashed back to when Eiyu and Kandai had first met him. They were only five at the time. Eiyu had watched Takeru quite oddly when he answered that his father was Sasuke Uchiha. It was like Eiyu felt the need to prove that he was better than Takeru because his father was Neji Hyuga. Sad thing was, Takeru didn't believe in competing.

Takeru yelped as he was pounced from behind. He groaned as he looked up into orange eyes and white hair. "Idai, did you have to jump me?" Takeru flopped onto his back. Idai hovered over him smiling at him. It looks like he's gotten better at opening up.

"You two love birds need to get a room," Masaru said as he ran into the water and slid on his side as he turned his body.

"Takeru, do you know when Daiya is coming back," Idai asked a bit sadly. His new best friend had been absent for a month. He wanted to train with Daiya.

"I have no idea," Takeru said as he sat up and Idai moved back. "Mom is keeping an eye on him. Dad won't let him back on the team until he learns to listen."

"Oh, no, what did he do," Idai asked. Daiya was very headstrong. He watched Takeru shake his head.

"Daiya felt the need to train Onari until it got

really late. They were out by themselves until midnight. Mom was more furious than Dad about it. Daiya isn't well and he was over doing it."

Idai hung his head. "At this rate, he won't be allowed to come back for a year. He's extremely stubborn. He doesn't trust your parents fully, either, Takeru."

"I can understand why. He's never had a family before. He has to realize that we're not trying to hurt him. We want him to get better," Takeru said.

Idai pulled his shoes off. He signaled for Takeru to follow him. They both sat on two large rocks as they soaked their legs in the icy water. "Sorry, I didn't' want anyone else to hear. It's not polite to talk about someone behind their back." He looked away and stared at the water. "Daiya acts the way he does to protect himself. Think of him as a small, loud and noisy animal. The reason small animals get loud is to appear equally threatening so that the other animal backs off. It's to keep them safe and from harm."

"So it's a security issue. You could have just said that in the first place." Takeru watched Idai clap his hands.

"But if I had, you wouldn't have pictured Daiya growling and trying to stand his ground with your dad, right?" He laughed as he caught the shock on Takeru's face. "Ah, so you did!"

"Idai, you-"Takeru splashed him with water. Idai fought back. He countered Takeru's water attack by using his sound wave sword to send a hurdle of water at him. Takeru fell off of the rock into the water. He came up coughing and spewing water.

"Takeru, are you okay," Yanagi called to him.

Takeru's teeth started to chatter. He sneezed. "Oh, no," he said groaning.

Kiba threw a stick into the fire. He had made Takeru take off all of his wet clothes so he could get dry. The boy was shivering lightly as he rubbed his arms.

Eiyu walked over to Takeru. The boy was sitting in his wet shorts, long hair dripping water onto the ground. He grabbed his team mate's hair and began to ring it out. Then he forced his shirt over the other boy's head to cover him. Takeru looked up at him. "Team leader responsibility," he said trying to cover it all up.

Kiba stood up. He ruffled Takeru's hair. "Just sit there for a little while." He went off to grab more wood for the fire.

"Fighting against Idai isn't fair. He plays dirty," Masaru said as he glanced at Idai. His team mate didn't even apologize.

"Ninja aren't supposed to fight fair. Life isn't fair. The only reason you think it wasn't fair is because he lost," Idai said with a smirk.

"Idai, where did you hear something so inappropriate? And to repeat it at a time like this is just pure mockery," Masaru said. He watched Idai stick his tongue out at him. Masaru went after him swinging. Idai dodged each punch and swiftly moved back. He was laughing at Masaru's antics.

"Masaru Uzumaki throws a punch to the left. Idai dodges with the speed of a hummingbird. Can the Hokage's son make contact? The sound-nin pushes back with tremendous force as he brings his leg up to kick. Ah, too late folks! Masaru didn't react in time! Can our hero rebound his efforts? Will Team 6 be able to complete their training for the day, or will all hope be lost? Stay tuned after these important messages from Kiba sensei," Idai said as he dodged more of Masaru's punches.

"Shut up, Idai," Masaru yelled as he kept attempting to go after the older boy.

Takeru had to laugh. Idai was amusing. It's no wonder Daiya likes him. He's happy and positive. Daiya needs to be around him. Takeru watched as Idai was tripped by Kiba on purpose. Masaru landed on top of him and was shaking the older boy.

The sunlight lazily made its way into the quiet room. Daiya slept hard with his fist under his chin. It was required for him to take a nap every day now. Daiya wasn't accustomed to obeying the adults he lived with. He fought with Izumi and Sasuke about resting all of the time. To him, it revealed a sign of weakness.

The boy from the lightening country opened his eyes slowly. He rubbed them gently before he yawned. Daiya looked around the room. Takeru and Onari weren't back from training. Normally, when he awake Onari was watching him like a cat. He groaned as he sat up slowly.

Daiya let his feet hit the floor. He stood up. As he did, he felt lightheaded and went back onto the bed. He shook his head trying to get the feeling to disappear. Had he arouse too quickly? He put his hand over his eyes to stop the room from spinning. "Mom," Daiya called in a hoarse voice. There was no answer.

Daiya took a deep breath. He sat up again. As he stood up for a second time, he felt out of sorts. He walked slowly out of the bedroom, his feet softly hitting the wood. The dizziness came over him again. Daiya leaned on the wall in the hallway trying to wait it out. The dizziness soon left.

What is wrong with me? I haven't been over straining myself. I just got up. Ah, man, it feels like it's coming on again. Daiya had to find Izumi or Sasuke. He didn't feel well at all. He started to walk again, but it was becoming more difficult. He was having trouble picking his legs up. They were heavier than normal.

Then Daiya felt it. It was a sudden clench in his chest that caused his body to tense. The clench held him and let go only to repeat itself. His eyes went wide. His body started to sweat as his lungs tried to force air in and out. He shut his eyes tightly as his legs went out from under him. Daiya was having an attack.

He gasped hard as his heart issued its demands to continue pumping despite the rhythm being off. His chest hurt badly. It felt as if someone had his heart in a vice and was teasingly tightening and letting go.

Daiya tried to crawl on the floor. He had to find someone. Soon his body refused to allow his muscles to perform the normal actions he needed to move. He was frozen on the floor, his half-lidded eyes staring into the hall. Time seemed to stop. The world around him was still.

He felt like he was slowly dying. He couldn't move – he couldn't stop it. Daiya had to signal Izumi. He didn't know where she was but he knew she wouldn't leave him alone. She was very bent on his recovery. "Mom," he started to call softly. His voice wasn't loud enough for his own ears. "Mom," Daiya said again a bit louder. His heart clenched a few times, hard. The sharp pain brought tears to his eyes. Daiya forced his voice out in a panicked scream, "Mama!"

Izumi had just wrapped a towel around herself when she heard Daiya scream for her. She was out of the bathroom in a run, searching the two halls for him. Oh, no! She found Daiya in the hall near the kitchen. He must have been looking for her. She turned him over to feel his chest. His lungs were pushing in and out rapidly. "Daiya?" He didn't answer.

Izumi picked him up and held him to her tightly. She didn't know how to help him. Her and Sasuke had been afraid that Daiya would eventually upset the arrhythmia he was now plagued with. It was the real reason for his previous punishment regarding Onari's training.

Daiya didn't move. His body was limp. Izumi stared into his face. An attack was a horrible thing for a thirteen-year-old boy to go through. She lifted the shirt Daiya wore to listen to his heart. It was calming down. She stroked his cheek sadly. "I have to find out how to help you." Izumi shut her eyes. The tears were gently flowing down her pale face. She breathed out of her mouth, her lips kissing his forehead. Izumi opened her eyes as she heard someone enter the house. She turned to see Sasuke watching her with a concerned expression.

Sasuke stood for a moment. He took in what he was seeing. Izumi was in a towel and Daiya was unconscious as he was being held by her. "Izumi, what happened?" He went to her and crouched. He felt for a pulse on the boy. It was weak.

"I think he had an attack. I was in the bathroom and I heard him scream for me. By the time I found him, he was unconscious on the floor," Izumi said as she closed her eyes. She coughed.

"We have to let the medics check him, Izumi. It could be worse than we know now. They will know what will help him if he has another attack." She was looking at him fearfully then looking back down at Daiya.

"I'm supposed to be the one to help him, Sasuke. Daiya called me… Mama when he was screaming," Izumi said as she held him tighter. "We're his parents now. We have to be the ones to fix him."

Sasuke looked at his wife sadly. She had already attached herself to the boy from the lightening country. If things had turned out differently, they would probably have six children running around the Uchiha compound. Izumi loved children and enjoyed being surrounded by them. When Onari had first come to live with them, his wife had taken a lot of her time to make Onari feel like one of the family. If Neji wasn't able to train the girl, Izumi stepped in.

Sasuke brought his hand up to caress his wife's cheek. "We're going to help him. I know you're upset, Izumi, but the only way to gain insight on Daiya's condition is to let a medic check him. I promise I won't let them hurt him or keep him, okay?" He opened his arms. Izumi had to let go of the boy. She slowly released Daiya into his arms. Sasuke lifted Daiya's limp form up. He was sure to not let the boy's head fall back. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Onari searched the compound for her brother. Kandai had taught her to use a shuriken before she was dismissed by Neji. She was happy that she was finally learning to use ninja tools. "Daiya! Onari use shuriken!" She peeped in on Izumi. Izumi was sitting at the low table with a cup of tea between her clasped hands. "Izumi, where brother Daiya? Onari use shuriken."

Izumi looked up slowly to regard the girl standing in front of her. "Sasuke took Daiya to the medics, Onari. He's very sick," she said choosing words the girl would understand. Onari tilted her head. "Daiya's heart is hurting him." That Onari fathomed.

"Daiya no come back," Onari asked. She wanted her brother home. She was adapting to him and the way he looked out for her. "Onari like brother Daiya. Onari want Daiya," she said as if he was going to come walking around the corner.

"I know, Onari, but we have to be patient. Sasuke is trying to find out what we can do to help him. If we can't find out how to assist him, the attacks will only get worse."

Onari turned her head. She heard Takeru come in. She ran out of the kitchen to meet him. He had just stepped up when she saw him. Takeru looked terrible. He was sniffling and his eyes were half-lidded. Onari tilted her head. "Takeru, Daiya sick. Daiya heart hurt. Takeru sick?"

Takeru felt awful. He had defiantly caught a cold. "Daiya's sick? How is he sick?" Takeru watched as Onari came at him. She picked him up and carried him to his mother. He didn't really mind though. His body ached. "Mom, what's this about Daiya being sick?"

"Takeru, have you caught a cold?" Izumi noticed it right off. "Looks like you're headed for bed." She instructed Onari to put Takeru in bed. Izumi went straight for a rag and medicine. She laid the rag on her son's forehead after she made him swallow some awful medicine she had received from Kurenai.

Takeru coughed and made a nasty face. "What is it with you and Kurenai sensei? Both of you use horrible remedies on me and Ryu." He coughed more. If he could get the taste out of his mouth, he'd get better instantly.

"They work," Izumi said as she sat on the bed. She watched her son scratch his face. "Sasuke has taken Daiya to the hospital. He had an attack this afternoon. It was bad, Takeru. I fear for Daiya. He was unconscious and limp – not able to know what was going on around him. I couldn't wake him. I-," Izumi stopped. Takeru was sitting up watching her alerted.

"Are… these attacks Daiya feels, going to be permanent?" The look on her face told him she didn't know. "Is there any way to help him?" Takeru's voice became urgent," I don't want to lose my brother. I just got one."

Izumi looked at her son. "I don't know what his future holds, Takeru. I can tell that you and Daiya are getting close – that you two accept each other without restraints. All I know is Daiya needs us right now. He has to accept his condition for what it is. And in saying that, we have to be mindful and watch him, but not stop him from living. Can you manage to do that?"

Takeru nodded but with difficulty. The way he felt was nothing compared to how Daiya was feeling. He closed his eyes reflecting what his mother said. Daiya's probably fighting the medics. He doesn't respond well to any adults but Mom and Dad now.

Daiya awoke to a low lit room. He blinked his eyes a little. How was he sitting up? He moved his head a little to look at a face watching him. "Dad…?"

Sasuke furrowed his brows some. The word Daiya had stuck to him strung a cord. "Hi, Daiya. How are you feeling?"

"My heart… hurts," Daiya said weakly. He closed his eyes. He could feel his heart beating softly in his chest, but it ached. "Where… am… I?"

"We're sitting in a room waiting for someone to check you. Your mom and I are worried. We have to know how bad it is and how to help you, Daiya. The medic is going to listen to your heart," Sasuke said as Daiya tensed. "They're not going to hurt you."

As he said it, Ino Akimichi walked in. She was surprised to see Sasuke Uchiha with one of his students. "How'd it going, Sasuke," she asked as she pulled a chair in front of him. The boy sitting on his leg tensed badly. He clung to Sasuke and turned his head to avoid her gaze. She moved the chair back to try and ease his cautiousness.

"Daiya, Ino's not going to harm you. She's an old friend from way back. She's a nurse at the hospital." Sasuke issued Ino to come closer. Ino moved a little closer. "She has to check you. It's not a choice." Daiya was not reacting well to Ino's presence. He was afraid of female adults more than he was of males – and for good reason.

"How about if I show you what I use? Will that be okay?" Ino showed the boy her stethoscope. "This is what I use to let me listen to a heart beat and air flow in the lungs." She held up a tongue suppressor. "I use this to look down the throat and make sure someone's not sick," Ino took out a black pad with a hose and pump attached to it. "This is what we use to make sure the blood going through your body is being sent with a constant normal flow. It goes around your arm like this," she said as she grabbed Sasuke's arm. She lifted his sleeve and put the device on. "Watch. We'll check Sasuke first."

Ino pumped the device until it was good and tight around the man's arm. She started to release it slowly. "Sasuke's blood pressure is 130/95. Hmm, that's a little high for the bottom number. Are you anxious?"

"To find out what's wrong with Daiya, yes," he answered. Daiya blushed a little at the recognition. Sasuke had a right to be worried. It wasn't any different if it was his family, or his team. He had to know what was going on.

Ino went through each of the steps with Sasuke to show Daiya how things were done. The boy was easing up. That is, until she was finished and tried to get him to let her check his throat. Daiya turned his head quickly and tensed back up. "Daiya, I'm not going to hurt you." She looked at Sasuke for insight.

"He's very cautious. I'm not leaving the room, Daiya. I'm right here. Ino has to check you. You're stopping her from helping you. We have no intention of issuing harm against you, or anyone here," Sasuke said. Daiya clung so tightly to his vest that his knuckles were white. The boy was slowly turning around.

"I promise I won't do anything to cause you pain or discomfort. If I do, I'll let Sasuke pull me by my hair and drag me out," Ino said. That got Daiya to open his mouth. She went through checks easily with him after that. As she lowered the ear attachments to the stethoscope she looked at Sasuke. "Are you aware that he has arrhythmia?"

"Yes, that's why we're here. Daiya had an attack this afternoon. He passed out and Izumi couldn't wake him. We need to know how to help him, or if it can be treated," Sasuke said. Daiya was leaning on him, avoiding Ino's gaze again.

"The only thing we can offer for his arrhythmia is medicine. He has to take it every day and needs to rest –regardless of where he is or what he's doing. If he overworks his body, it will put more strain on his heart – that's what causes him to pass out. There isn't a cure for the arrhythmia. But if it gets out of hand, he'll have to come back and we'll have to run more tests on him in order to check for other problems. When he has these 'attacks' what is happening exactly?"

"My heart hurts," Daiya answered softly. "It clenches… and I get a sharp pain in my chest. I can't breathe. I get dizzy. My arms and legs won't move either," he said before he hid his face from the nurse.

"It sounds as if his heart kind of locks itself to try and regain its natural rhythm pattern. I'm not sure if I can help, Sasuke. I've never dealt with anything like this before. He needs a technique performed on him that will stop his heart from locking. Kind of like a massage to calm it," Ino said as she pondered. "I think I have an idea. This reminds me of Hinata and Neji who are able to pinpoint chakra points on the body. They bend blasts of their own chakra against enemies to sever a current flow. What if you could precisely control the chakra flow and manipulate it?"

Sasuke blinked. "You mean like when Naruto learned to do Rasengan by using his chakra to burst the water balloon?" What was Ino thinking? That could kill Daiya.

Ino snapped her fingers. "Exactly! But we can't use that much force. It could seriously injure him. This is all in theory, mind you. Let me talk to Hinata and Neji to see if we can come up with a solution for Daiya. Until then, he'll be taking medication."

"Thanks, Ino," Sasuke said as she arose. She left. He looked down at Daiya. "From now on, you have to take medicine. No more defying me and Izumi. Understand?" Daiya nodded slowly.

"That's really sad," Hinata said as she brought tea for Ino. "I'm trying to think if there's a way to help him without hurting him. Chakra is a powerful energy flow."

Naruto sat with one arm across the table. He was deep in thought. Who would have ever thought Sasuke to be the type to take in these abandoned children? First it was Onari – the girl from the snow village. Sasuke was outraged at how she was treated. He didn't hesitate to take responsibility of her. Now it's the boy Kurenai found on a mission a few years ago. I've been watching Daiya's progress along with Onari's. Onari has adapted better than her new brother. I fear Daiya will take longer because of his past situation. He exasperated.

"Um, Naruto, would you like some tea," Hinata asked her husband. He had a concerned look on his face. She wondered what he was thinking.

"No, thanks. I'm just thinking about these kids that keep popping up who have been abandoned. Daiya Eimino was the first child I allowed to live here that was a foreigner. He wasn't adopted by anyone and no one seemed to concern themselves with him – until he met Sasuke. It was the same with Onari. I let Idai come in because of how he was found. Anko found him half-alive in a forest struggling to get away from the Sound Village. He was officially adopted by Gai so he could have a positive role model. Unlike Daiya, Idai isn't afraid of anyone. He has, up until this point, only responded to Gai with no restrictions. Now that Idai has been accepted on Kiba's team, he has bonded with Daiya, Onari, Ryu, Saori, and Takeru. He's wide open like a fish in water."

"More like a bee, Dad," Masaru said as he walked in. "Idai's rather hyper like a bee." Masaru laughed. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. Mom, do you know where Niru's swim suit is? I was gong to take her out to swim."

Hinata arose from her sitting position. "I think it's hanging up. I'll go and check."

Ino turned to Naruto's son. "Masaru, what do you know about Daiya?" She watched as he shuffled his feet.

Masaru scratched at his head. "You mean how he is, or what I know in general?" Masaru didn't like to talk behind Daiya's back. The older boy was aggressive when it came to that sort of thing.

Ino had to think. "Can you tell me what you know about him? We're trying to help him."

Masaru took the swim suit from his mother. "Daiya is very restrictive to who he talks to and who he's around. He doesn't like adults much. I think Idai has told me that Daiya's been hurt by his mother. She used to physically hurt him, I think. Oh, Idai is on my team. We're friends."

Naruto brought his hand up to rest his chin. "So Idai has bonded with Daiya to the point where he confides in the sound-nin. Masaru, who does Daiya and Idai act like?"

"Seriously? I think Daiya reminds me of Uncle Sasuke and Eiyu and Kandai's father. As for Idai, I think he acts like… his dad a bit, but there's something else there. I can't pinpoint it. It's like he's not who he says he is. There's a different glint in his eye when he speaks."

"Masaru, can we go now," Niru asked as she poked her head around the corner. The adults were talking and it wasn't polite to interfere. She looked a lot like her mother.

"I'm coming. Well, see you guys later," Masaru said as he went chasing his sister.

"What are you thinking," Ino said as she sipped the tea.

"Daiya does remind me of Sasuke. That could be why he took him in. they're similar. However, he reminds me more of Gaara. That boy has a lot of power in him – it just hasn't fully awakened."

"Idai kind of sounds like you, Naruto. He's hyper, silly, and has a lot of good qualities. Oh, Gin's infatuated with him. I've caught her watching him from time to time," Ino said. "It's regrettable that she hasn't the nerve to tell him." Ino sighed.

"So how are we going to help Daiya with his heart condition," Hinata asked. They had became rather sidetracked with Naruto's curiosity. "Is it possible to control the force of chakra in a safe sequence to as not hurt the boy?"

"The force of chakra can be adjusted to stop an enemy or kill him. The problem is how to emit just enough to without hurting him. This is reminding me a lot of Rasengan. That kind of force can't be on him, but the technique would kind of be similar. Chakra can be directed in a sequence by the user trying to perform certain techniques. If it's not precise by a person who is adamant in chakra control, it could burst Daiya's heart," Naruto said. His mind was shifting through images of strong ninja that were in the village. His brain stopped on one particular person. It was a water user whose chakra control was one of the highest in the Hidden Leaf Village.

"So who do we recruit for this assignment, Lord Hokage," Ino asked with dignity.

"Send someone to get Izumi Uchiha," Naruto said. He smiled with a plan in mind.


	41. Chapter 41

**V 4 CH 10**

**Responsibility**

Takeru opened his eyes slowly. He looked up into his brother's sleeping face. Ever since Daiya had returned form the hospital, he and Onari had stayed glued to him. Takeru knew he didn't understand why they were acting that way towards him. Daiya was apprehensive when it came to them being attached to him. However, he had finally accepted his family in whole now. Daiya was sleeping peacefully in the middle of the joined twin beds. Onari was sleeping behind him with her back pressed against his. For once in his life, Takeru felt satisfied around others.

Takeru Uchiha had always watched from the side lines when it came to other people. It was mainly due to the fact that he was Sasuke's son. Sasuke was known throughout the fire country on both good and bad terms. His parents had kept him away from the prying eyes of others due to his father's past. Sasuke wanted Takeru to grow up happily, unlike how he did. Regardless of their effort, Takeru had grown up to only know Masaru, the Hokage's son. He was lonely for attention from his peers and his father.

Sasuke Uchiha was at the top of his class – an elite ninja with skills beyond those with normal training. Because of that, he was prone to secretive and special missions that his family could not know the details of. Takeru knew what his father's real title was. He knew his father's skills and techniques and after all, he watched him train. Sasuke was an assassin by trade – and a damn good one.

Takeru's mother was an assassin from the water country. She had been raised and trained to take orders from the Mizukage. Izumi never knew her real family. She had been stripped from them the moment she was born. It was the clan leader's decision to offer her as a strong combatinant in fighting since her clan was the strongest at the appointing time.

Like Sasuke, Izumi grew up alone with a set goal in mind. His was to avenge his clan from his brother, Itachi, who had been instructed to do so by the head of the Uchiha clan. Hers was to get away from her clan for sole survival. Izumi started to think outside of the box as a teenager. This caused her to be in constant fear for her existence with her superiors. She knew there was more to life than fighting and following orders. She had started to question the very people who made sure she survived.

Izumi's soul had been awakened by a small boy whom she had been ordered to kill on one of her missions. The leader of his clan had been in constant war over the years with the water country. The one in charge, demanded her to act in his favor, and she did, without question. It had all been the aftermath of politics and power. Izumi had been hired that moment on to annihilate all of the remaining survivors. As she looked down at the child –his parents' blood all over his face- her kunai ready to do away with him, the boy raised his arms at her.

Not understanding the child's gesture, she only stared back at him for a moment. The boy tugged her clothes as Izumi kept her weapon raised. Izumi leaned towards the child watching him with her hollow gaze. The boy wrapped his arms around her neck as she came towards him. Izumi felt the boy's warmth. He was alive. He was life. And she was death; A beautiful, pale form of death with lavender eyes. This caused her to re-think her objective motive.

Ever since she had encountered the youth from that mission, Izumi had started to change. She wouldn't follow orders fully. She refused to adhere to the wills and selfish needs of her clan. The water country demanded her life to be terminated. They sent assassins after her to do just that. But Izumi had been trained to be the best – the top of the line. After all, it's coy to think that such underclassman could defeat her so easily. She slaughtered them all in the end.

Takeru only knew about his parents because he asked. They normally didn't keep things from him. His mother wanted him to be informed, but only to the point of where it didn't upset his normal life. She was protective of him, as his father was, and they only wanted him to live and grow in the sun, instead of in the dark. Takeru was the unity of their love and he knew it. His parents deeply cared for each other, as they did for him. They were both orphans who had found each other. Takeru yawned a little. He moved closer to his new brother. He closed his eyes again to go back to sleep. Rain started to lightly hit the roof of the Uchiha house.

The rain hit the roof hard as it echoed thunder over the hidden leaf village. Lightening soon followed. It flashed the sky for a moment before sounding its crackles throughout the clouds. The weather outside was terrible. Takeru had the shoji screens open so he, Daiya, and Ryu could watch the weather from the back hall. "It looks like it's getting worse."

Ryu sighed. "I hate the rain. I don't like being indoors if I can help it." There was never anything to do except practice his art jutsus on scrolls. He wasn't in the mood. "Where is Onari anyway," he asked as he looked at Takeru.

Daiya threw the sheets back on the bed to reveal Onari balled up with her face hidden on his stomach. "She's afraid of storms," he said seriously. The girl was clinging to him as if she was going to be stripped away by the weather.

"It's nothing more than rain and noise. What kind of ninja is afraid of the natural elements? Daiya uses lightening, Onari. You have to understand that you're being ridiculous," Ryu said as thunder sounded over head again. She grabbed her brother tighter.

"She hasn't seen Daiya use it," Takeru said as he watched her. "It's only fitting for her to be scared of it. I'm not sure she's even seen a thunderstorm before. It's the first bad one we've had since she's arrived."

Daiya lifted Onari up so he could hold her. He wasn't used to seeing her afraid like this. She was looking around constantly, her ears listening and body tense. Daiya took his role as her brother quite seriously. For now, he was guarding her and protecting her from her fears.

A loud deafening crack echoed through the sky over head. It was just enough to make all of them jump. Onari started to scream as she covered her ears. She didn't stop either. Thunder and lightening meant the bad man was coming for her. She lowered her head trying to block out the terrible sounds. Daiya latched onto her. He pressed her head against him hard. He wrapped his other arm around her to shield her. She was tense and not letting up. "Onari", he said loudly over her screams. He looked to Takeru and Ryu. "She won't stop."

Ryu tried to calm her, but she wasn't having any of it. The girl wouldn't look at them or move. Her body wouldn't let her. He could tell by the way she was acting that it was a learned fear. Ryu knew all about those because he had a few himself. He wondered what had caused her to be afraid of thunderstorms. "Something must have happened to her for her to be scared like this," he said calmly.

Takeru was at Ryu's side trying to calm Onari, too. He wrapped his arms around her trying to comfort her. Onari untensed a little, but her screams were coming frequently, even if they had lowered in pitch. "Onari, there's nothing to be afraid of. There's no one here but us. It's just noise!"

"You guys still don't know much about her, do you," Ryu asked as he watched his friends trying to get the girl to stop.

"Her language isn't precise, Ryu. She's still learning it. It's not like she has someone to teach her. She picks up whatever she hears, or Mom tells her," Takeru said. Onari's body was lightly shaking now. He didn't know what to do for her.

Sasuke walked into the room slowly. His sons were trying to comfort the small girl, but it wasn't working out very well. "Guys, having the shoji screens open, isn't going to help the situation." He walked over to close them. Onari eased up as they clicked shut. "She's scared of the weather for a reason. I might need to take her, you two. It has nothing to do with you guys trying to help. It's more of an authoritive figure… thing," he said trying to word it correctly.

"Just say what you mean, sensei. It's because you're stronger than us and she feels safer," Ryu said as he crossed his arms. That landed him a smack on the back of the head. "Ow." Ryu rubbed the back of his head where he had been struck.

"No, it's more like an older brother scenario or father figure," Daiya said. "Although, I don't understand why Onari calls you by name." He opened his arms as Takeru moved aside. Sasuke plucked Onari up. Daiya watched as she instantly calmed down.

"I don't know how she views me. I know Onari trusts us, or she wouldn't let us assist her in any way," Sasuke informed the boys. Onari was hiding her face on his arms. She wouldn't look at any of them. "Well, she can just stay with me for a while. She's not going to be very interactive as long as the storm is blowing the way it is." He headed out of the room.

"That has me curious I wonder why she doesn't call him 'Dad' like Daiya," Ryu pondered. "And when did you start calling sensei that? Do you think of him highly now?" Ryu smiled at the boy from under his mask.

Daiya blushed immensely. His body froze. Why did Ryu have to pick on him about it? He grabbed one of the pillows and hid his face. Sasuke was the first person who had bothered to notice him. He was the only person in Konoha who had asked about him and wanted to take him in. Daiya felt funny when he thought about it.

"Ryu, stop picking on him," Takeru said angrily. He threw the other pillow at the tall boy with spiky hair. "You can be such an insensitive jerk!" The pillow hit Ryu in the face. "If you're going to bring out someone's feelings like that to make them look stupid or embarrass them, then go home!"

Ryu looked at Takeru with the same lazy eyes he gave everyone. It was one of the traits he obtained from his father. "I wasn't trying to embarrass him. I just wanted to know why he thinks so highly of Sasuke sensei all of a sudden. He's always distanced himself from adults."

Daiya wouldn't look at them. He didn't favor being put on the spot. He heard Takeru tell Ryu to stop asking. Ryu fired back about how Takeru needed to calm down and act more mature. That caused Takeru to rebound and shout at Ryu. "Shut up," he said with the pillow against his face. "Just shut up," Daiya yelled as he leapt off of the bed. He was out of the room in seconds.

"Don't look at me like that. You were involved, too," Ryu said annoyed with the glare from Takeru. "I'm not about to stay where I'm not wanted." He turned his head and left Takeru.

"Go ahead, Ryu! Walk home in the pouring rain! I don't care," Takeru shouted after him. He tched. "Now I have to find Daiya. Ryu doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut, or think before he speaks."

Takeru walked out of the room to find his mother pulling Ryu. She had an annoyed look on her face. Uh, oh. Either Mom saw Daiya bail or she heard us. He looked at her. She stopped and signaled for him to come to her. Takeru swallowed.

Izumi kept a firm hold on Ryu's throat with her arm. She had heard the boy's fighting – about what she was unsure of. Ryu tried to force her to let go. Izumi tightened the grip around his throat. She heard him choke. She let go just slightly. Her gaze was serious and threatening. "Explain yourselves."

Takeru averted his gaze. "Daiya got upset because Ryu questioned him why he calls Dad 'dad' instead of 'sensei'. I told him to shut up and we got into a fight. Daiya yelled at us. He took off. Ryu said he didn't mean it and I told him to go home."

"Do you two have any idea how it makes a person feel to be put on the spot regarding something as sensitive as that?" Izumi let go of Ryu. He stood up rubbing his throat. "First off, it's inappropriate to question a child why they have taken refuge in someone. Especially if that child has never known love, or a real family." She turned her hard gaze to Ryu who backed up. "You need to think before you speak, Ryu, and use better judgment. It wasn't your intention to issue harm, but it has been. As for you, Takeru, shouting around Daiya can startle him. What do you think will occur if he's frightened unexpectedly?"

Takeru's eyes looked into his mother's serious lavender eyes. "An… a-attack," he said softly just then realizing it. It wasn't something he had yet witnessed. His father said it was like watching Daiya die.

"We have not gained the knowledge on how to prepare for the upsets his arrhythmia may cause. I've already seen the aftermath of the first one. It's not a comforting sight to see your child on the floor unconscious and struggling to survive. Don't ask me to bear that image any more than I have to because two boys I know cannot hold their tongues!"

Ryu lowered his head. He was ashamed of himself. When Izumi described what she had seen, it got to him. He didn't realize that such things were occurring for his team mate. Daiya was added to Team 2 because he didn't understand team work, loyalty, friendship, and acceptance. Ryu hadn't fully understood what the concern was over the boy. It wasn't common to come across a ninja who refused guidance. Somehow, his trainer had managed to chip a hole in the fortress Daiya had put around himself.

They watched Ryu pass them. "Where are you going," Takeru asked. The tall Genin stopped. He didn't look at them for a moment. Takeru wondered what was going on in his head.

"To make amends." Ryu walked away. He was trying to figure out where Daiya would have gone. He wouldn't be waiting in one of the usual rooms. He was hiding – but where? Ryu thought for a moment. The thunder rolled overhead after a flash of lightening lit the sky. He went outside to the wrap around porch. Ryu walked slowly, listening. As he turned two corners, he saw Daiya sitting with his knees up to his chest, chin resting on his folded arms. "I didn't mean to offend you," he said softly.

Daiya didn't answer. He only stared at the rain falling off of the roof onto the ground. His eyes were focused on the wall in front of him. Rain cascaded down the wall causing the beige color to change as if it were darkening.

Ryu stopped beside him. He crouched with his hands in his pockets. "The scenery can't be too enjoyable. It's just a wall." Daiya glanced at him. Ryu instantly grabbed the boy. He held him tightly in his arms despite the tension he felt going through Daiya's form.

Daiya didn't understand why Ryu was being

sentimental towards him. They didn't know each other very well. It's not like they were close at all. Ryu didn't allow anyone to understand him. "Why are you touching me…?"

"To make sure you haven't become part of the house." Ryu looked down at him. Daiya wasn't objecting to the hold he had on him. He still wouldn't look at him though. "Are you going to stay mad at me? It wasn't even intentional."

"I'm not angry with you. If a giant turkey notices how I'm acting, than it must be pretty obvious," Daiya said unhappy with himself. It wasn't like him to react the way he was with the adults. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

Ryu sat down. He let Daiya go, placing his hands in his lap. "You aren't sure what to think about being accepted. Your normal instinct is to question it- to think it's a trick. You initially want to be accepted by others and would probably like nothing more than for it to all be true. Your head's getting in the way of what your eyes see. What does your heart feel?"

Daiya stared at the rain. The thunder rolled overhead, issuing its existence as the boy from the lightening country tried to sort out what he thought and what he felt. "It feels like it's in a cage." Ryu watched him with his usual hollow expression. "It's always in a cage." The lightening flashed.

Rain drops left over from the previous storm dripped off of the leaves as birds chirped their songs sweetly into the air. Saori was up early looking out of the window. She smiled a little, her heart flip flopping in her chest as the realization came to her. She was going on a date with Ryu today. Her first real date with the spiky haired boy on Sasuke's team. Saori blushed as her mind ran through the images of the day when Ryu had kissed her. He was older than her by three years. And naturally, her father was cautious. He knew Ryu better than she did.

Saori felt strange when she was around Ryu. It wasn't due to his age though. Even though his expression was calm and not interested most of the time, she got the sense that he was paying attention more than anyone. He noticed her. He didn't ignore her at all. No, Ryu challenged Saori to think for herself. She was sly like her mother and smart like her father. Saori Nara was trying to prove to the boys on her team that she was just as good as they were. She didn't want to be seen as anything less than that. Her main goal was to become a Jounin like Kurenai. Women becoming a top level ninja were far and few. Saori planned to change that. Even if, she had no direction. She stretched her arms over her head and got up to prepare for the day.

Ryu sat on the couch staring at Chame, Saori's brother. He kept staring straight back, his red eyes never wavering from the boy's. The kid was challenging him. "Why are you watching me like that?"

Chame grinned at Ryu before he pointed at the older boy. "You're going on a date with my sister. I have to make sure you're date quality for her!" He watched as Ryu rolled his eyes back at him. "I challenge you, Ryu Yuhi!"

"I didn't come to train babies to walk. You're under my mom's care until you get out of the Academy. I also won't be made a mockery of," Ryu said as he chose to ignore the boy. He heard Chame scowl.

"Chame, leave him alone. He's here for your sister," Temari said as she sat a tray down with snacks on it. "In fact, why don't you eat away from Ryu?" Her son picked up an apple slice. He left the room eying Ryu immensely. Temari made sure he was gone. "Saori will be out in a moment," she said. She could tell the boy was nervous – he kept bouncing his leg up and down.

Ryu sat quietly by himself. He breathed out slowly, letting himself calm down. It was his first date ever. He didn't know what to do. There wasn't anything planned for it. Ryu wasn't the best with girls. Then again, he wasn't good with anyone really. Most of the girls he knew lashed out at him or avoided him entirely. His heart was slightly skipping in his chest. Ryu forced himself to swallow. Saori was the first and only girl he had known to be nice to him. He stared at the floor. A face popped into his view. A girl with long blond hair, pink tips, and gorgeous ocean blue eyes was smiling at him. Ryu blushed. He had never seen her with her hair down.

Saori watched Ryu thoughtfully. He was taking in her presence. He was dressed in his usual attire, but lacking the green vest he normally adorned. He was still wearing his face mask. She supposed it had to do with his insecurities about how he resembled his father. "Hi, turkey, have you been waiting long?"

Ryu found himself absentmindedly reaching to touch her face. His hand froze once he realized what he was doing. He let his hand drop and averted his eyes. What had caused him to react that way? "Sorry," he said rather embarrassed.

Saori sat next to him. From what she knew about him from her father, Ryu was generally shy unless he felt accepted. He was unsure about the others around him because no one gave him a chance but Sasuke. Ryu didn't try for anyone – not even for himself. The reason for his existence was unclear to him. He was a general loner and had only recently made friends with a few kids on the other teams. Despite the low self-esteem he had and how he kept a distance from others emotionally, Saori thought he was wonderful. She kissed him quickly on the cheek. Saori reached for his hand and tugged. "Come on, Ryu. Don't be so shy," she said smiling at him.

Ryu walked with Saori until they came to the forest. He looked down at his hand. She was still holding it. "Saori, I… don't have the proper knowledge about what a date is supposed to be like." He didn't know what she expected from him.

"Neither do I. This is the first date I've ever been on. You're the only guy who has given me a chance," she said as she looked at him. "Tell you what; let's get to know each other better. I know you like me and all, but we need to be closer to each other if we are to understand the other. That's why I brought us out here. You like to hide in trees a lot, from what I hear. It's only fitting for you to be in a comfortable environment until you feel like coming out. I won't force you," she said. Saori tightened her grip on Ryu's hand. She felt him wanting to lock up. "Why are you trying to hide? It's kind of difficult out in the open isn't it?" She watched him glance at her shyly. He was defiantly shy all alright.

Ryu felt a little vulnerable. His heart was racing a bit and his eyes were looking around. He was on a date with a girl. The thought kept registering in his head. The first date in his life and he didn't have a plan. Saori was a very pretty girl – more so with her hair down. Ryu was panicking. He was going to mess up. He felt stupid for asking her out. There were other guys she could date besides him. She had a lot of options. He wanted to bail. He closed his eyes thinking it was a better choice than to be faced with rejection. Before he knew it, Saori was hugging him around the waist. Ryu tensed a bit as he looked down at her.

Saori could hear his heart beating wildly in his chest. He was nervous to be with her like this. "Ryu, thank you for noticing me," she said softly. He eased up. "I appreciate you taking your time with me." Saori felt him gently put his arms around her. He was very unsure of how to react to her. "I'm sorry if I'm scaring you. If it makes you feel any better, I don't know what to do either," she said as she looked up at him with a light smile. He was watching her with the same expression he had given her on the bench that day.

Ryu felt a little more at ease. She wasn't all over him, or expected him to act a certain way. "Um, how is your training coming along," he asked as he tried to find something to talk about. He scratched the back of his head as he watched her.

"It's fine," Saori said. She figured he wasn't used to this sort of interaction. It sure showed. Saori smiled at him again. "Say, Ryu, maybe I could get you to teach me how to be faster at climbing."

"Climbing? Are you a monkey," he asked her. The shock on her face made him laugh. "Why would you need me to teach you to climb? You don't know how to do it?" He watched her look away embarrassed. "Saori, tell me why you wish to take tutoring of that kind."

Saori glanced at him. "Lee sensei had us climbing the cliff a few days ago. Eiyu was faster than me. So he didn't have to repeat the lesson like I did. Takeru was the slowest, so he had to repeat also. He took his time getting up the cliff and it showed sensei that he wasn't concerned about how he needed to hurry. The point of the exercise was to teach us our strengths and weaknesses. Eiyu was only concerned with himself. Takeru wasn't concerned at all. He was only doing it because he was instructed. I refused to take advice from my team mates and ended up falling. If Lee sensei hadn't caught me, I would have hit the river with the rock." She played with her shirt. "I want to be just as good as the boys."

"Why are you worried about how strong the guys are on your team?"

"I want to be a Jounin like Kurenai sensei," Saori said softly. "I'm just as good as they are. I don't need someone to tell me what to do. I need guidance and the force to do it." Saori felt Ryu put his finger under her chin. She looked into his red eyes.

"Show me," Ryu said seriously. If she wanted to become a Jounin level ninja, Saori was going to have to step up and prove it. "Unfortunately, most ninja are males. If you want to become something, you have to work at it. You're going to have to beat all of the guys, Saori. Plain and simple: Your training is going to increase. Now… show me."

Saori yelped as she was startled by Ryu forming behind her out of the tree. She turned around trying to block one of his hands from hitting her shoulder. She reacted slowly and he hit her on contact. Instead of crying about it like a sore loser, Saori brought her leg up to kick. He blocked that, too. Ryu was avoiding her quite easily. He even started to whistle while she came at him spinning and throwing punches and kicks. Ryu moved back each time with his hands in his pockets. He appeared to be playing more than training. "You don't have to whistle," she said annoyed. She was suddenly hit from the side. Saori fell and slid. She looked up to see Ryu crouched beside her on the tree branch.

"Sometimes noises are used to taunt, or distract you. You had no idea I wasn't really in front of you. It was a copy, Saori. See, if you get advanced enough, the copies can mimic whatever you want them to. The Hokage's famous for it. It seems you and Daiya have a lot in common. Both of you worry about what someone is doing instead of where they really are." He helped her up.

"What do you mean? You were in front of me. I don't know when you copied yourself." She rotated her shoulder.

"I was never in front of you to begin with," Ryu said as he sat next to her. "Remember when I appeared behind you and startled you? That was a copy. I'm a strong Genjutsu user, Saori. I use copies and other forms of jutsus to let me know how many of an opponent is lurking in an area without having to give my position away. It also lets me know how strong someone is. You never go into a situation blind. You need to have more confidence in yourself."

Saori smarted off at him, "Oh, you're the one to talk. You were scared of me earlier at the house." She watched him twitch and fall over. Saori laughed. "Gee, Ryu, what happened to your self-confidence?"

"Woman, back off," he said to her narrowing his eyes. Saori only laughed at him as he did so. Ryu sat up. He leaned towards her looking at her with angry eyes.

Saori looked at him cutely. She kissed him softly on the cheek. His anger suddenly left him and he fell over onto his side defeated.

"Girls are confusing," Ryu said lightly. Saori kissed him again, but on the other cheek. He blushed red all over as his heart flopped around in his chest. Before he knew it, Saori had him up and leading him back to the village. She hugged his arm tenderly. "Where are we going?"

Saori led him to her favorite part of the river that ran through Konoha. It had gotten quite dark by the time they had returned to the village. Saori found herself staring into the water. She loved how the stars were showing. "I like this part of the river the most. It's near the hospital, but I like to come here to think. It's nice and quiet." She hooked her legs around the rails and sat down. Ryu leaned against it crossing his arms. He glanced at her. "I really like you," she said shyly.

Ryu didn't understand why. He had never been liked before. "Why…? I haven't done anything special to be liked." He watched as she turned towards him.

"You may not think so, but you have. You make me think. You… make me do for myself and realize what it takes. You gave me a chance, Ryu. That's more than most have done," she said moving her hand to go through his hair.

Ryu noticed the sound of her voice. She was lonely. He had never seen Saori in Konoha before. He wondered why that was. Ryu moved closer to her slowly. She was watching him even shyer as he was her. He leaned towards her and lowered his face mask to kiss her sweetly. He felt a powerful wave of energy when he was in contact with Saori physically. She transferred energy to him when he was near her.

Saori and Ryu kissed each other several times. She didn't want to part from him. Ryu kissed her beside the mouth before wrapping his arms around her tightly. She was a little nervous, but she leaned into him regardless. Saori could hear his heart beating wildly in his chest again. She wanted to calm him down. There was nothing to be afraid of. It was only her. She rubbed her cheek against his chest fondly. The day had been spent with them trying to get to know each other. Saori had learned a lot about Ryu in the ways he thought and how he acted.

Ryu breathed out slowly, afraid that what he was experiencing would all vanish like one of his genjutsu illusions. This girl was completely different. He noticed that even though Saori hid what was really bothering her, she toughed up her persona and moved on. She had a very strong character. Ryu was concerned about how much she was going to have to push herself in order to match the males who were training. He wanted to see her achieve her goals. Just because he didn't have a reason to fight or train, didn't mean he couldn't help her. "Saori, who do you train for?"

"Hmm?" She looked up into his handsome pale face. Ryu appeared dashing in the moonlight with how his red eyes matched his dark hair. Saori found her heart racing again. "Who do I train for? What do you mean?"

"Well, there has to be a reason for you to train. Most that become ninja feel a certain responsibility for their clans, or family. Some are out to prove themselves to someone. Some ninja fight to protect, or are upholding a promise. There has to be a reason for you to train – to move on in life. It's selfish to be your own reason. If that were the case, than there would be no point in following orders, or working with a team. I couldn't believe in myself if I knew I was the only reason I wanted to exist."

"But you don't fight at all," Saori caught herself saying. She covered her mouth quickly. He was looking at her with his brows furrowed. "Ryu, I'm sorry. I didn't

mean,-"

Ryu averted his eyes before he looked back at her sternly. "What has your father told you about me? Is that why you agreed to go on a date with me?" His body became tense. He moved back. If Shikamaru had been informing Saori of the type of person he was, Ryu was going to be angrier than hell.

"N-No, Ryu, I didn't know anything about you until after I met you. I only asked my dad because you're so… guarded," she said the last word softly. Saori was always messing up when it came how to communicate with others. She put her hand to her forehead and shook her head. Putting her foot in her mouth was beginning to be a habit of hers.

"There's a reason I'm guarded. That's my business. What has Shikamaru sensei told you? Answer me!" Ryu was furious. His team worked with the others in order to get familiar with working together. Still, there was no right, or cause for Saori's father to be slandering his name.

Saori looked up at Ryu. He was watching her intently,

his teeth gritted. "My dad only told me that you were shy. He said that you get in trouble with Sasuke sensei a lot because you don't try for yourself. He also displayed worry due to the fact that you think little of yourself. He said you acted like you don't exist. But… you do. Just as I do. He wasn't trying to make you sound like a bad person, Ryu."

"If you wanted to know about me… why not ask me yourself? It's rude to go behind someone's back. So your problem is you don't have a backbone," he snapped at her. Saori's eyes went wide. Ryu saw the hurt in her face. He was erupting and she was worried. Ryu moved away from her more. It was too good to be true, he knew it. There was no chance of her accepting him for the way he was. "Asking about me is not the same as experiencing. You can tell your father I said that."

Saori watched as he lifted his face mask. Ryu formed hand seals in front of her. "Ryu!" His body sunk into the ground. He vanished. Saori stared at the spot where he had been standing. Ryu was sensitive to judgment. She turned around to stare at the river for a long time. Her eyes didn't lift when a figure stood next to her. Saori kept thinking about how Ryu had bailed on her. Right when she thought she was getting to know him, he turned corners on her and she lost him.

"The water doesn't have anything interesting in it but the stars. If you wish to see them and not an illusion, it's best to look up," Idai said. He watched her look at him slowly. "Are you alright? You look sleepy."

"No, I'm fine," she lied. The words didn't sound right coming out of her mouth. She was sure Idai knew she was lying. Saori felt odd. She felt as if her heart was being crushed.

"You don't sound fine," Idai said. He watched her body language closely. All of the years he had under his belt observing others paid off. "Whatever it is will come to pass. I'm sure you've done nothing wrong. Maybe the context was blow apart by someone who doesn't understand himself, much less, understand others."

Saori looked at Idai. "Did you see what happened?" Had he been watching her all this time? Saori watched him tilt his head at her.

"No, but usually when someone is staring at an object, it's due to sadness or anger. I don't think you're angry. Also, when others tend to quarrel or have communication problems, it's because one person misinterprets what the other is saying. You can only wait for the other person to get over it."

Saori swore it was like Idai was in her head sorting out her thoughts. She pictured him as a clerk stamping scrolls and making comments. "You speak as if you have a lot of experience in that arena."

"Well, my dad is Might Gai," Idai said smiling at her. "He gives me a lot of advice. He has for a long time. I might not be the best example because I'm hard headed."

Saori smiled at him. "So if the other person likes you, but is showing anger at you for repeating what someone said, what should you do?" Saori hopped off of the railing.

"Well, I hate to tell you this, but it's never wise to repeat another's words unless it was helpful information." He watched Saori sigh heavily. "Apologizing is all you can do. If the person you're referring to wants to remain with you, they'll forgive you. If not, you have to move on."

Saori crossed her arms thinking. "Well, I'm not about to let Ryu get away with it. I know he likes me and he knows how I feel. He was trying to bail on me at the beginning of our date. I could sense it."

"I kind of figured that's who you were talking about," Idai said as he scratched his head. "I don't know anything about Ryu. I only recently met him. I only know what I hear from Daiya and Takeru. I try not to base what I hear on personal experiences. It's not the same."

"I think I may have done that. It's probably why he's mad at me," Saori said a little depressed. "Should I leave him alone for a while, or seek him out?"

Idai pondered. "Leave him alone for now, but first thing tomorrow, you need to talk to him. If you let it go for days on end, he may start to think he was right, or that you're not interested in him any more. One thing I've learned about Daiya is that he uses anger to make someone back off. He feels threatened and doesn't know how to handle a situation. Maybe it's the same thing with Ryu. He might not know how to handle someone prying into his life. I know that in the short time that I've spent around him, he's calm for the most part, but he jokes around a lot to get attention, or defuse a situation. He seems sad – at least in his eyes." Idai stiffened. "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to be so philosophical. It's just how I view things."

"No, you've helped me a lot, Idai. You're sweet to do so," Saori said giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. He blushed. Now Idai was acting shy. "I think you're the best person to talk to when it comes to these sorts of things. Thanks! It's getting late and I better go before I get grounded." Saori waved at him and took off running.

Idai took out his flute. He stared at the stars in the water. Closing his eyes, he let his fingers move across the holes as he started to create sounds. Idai loved the night atmosphere. It was the only time he could be himself without anyone watching.

Izumi Uchiha concentrated on the water balloon in the palm of her hand. She was an avid water user and was familiar with how water flowed. After all, she was from the water country. Izumi opened her eyes breathing hard. The balloon in her hand had not changed at all. The water inside of it was bouncing around, but it wasn't in the flow she wanted. At this rate, she wouldn't master the technique the Hokage was trying to teach her. "I don't understand how this is going to help Daiya."

Naruto Uzumaki, the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, had been watching Izumi's progress for the past week on mastering the technique he had learned from Jiraya. The balloon had not changed at all in the past week, nor did he expect it to. Her thinking was not right. He was going to have to guide her. "It seems you have the strength for keeping your chakra flowing for long periods of time despite the fatigue you possess. You're not trying to pop the balloon in this case. If you were to pop it, it would hurt your son. We're simply trying to maintain constant water current. If the current changes and you can keep it that way, then the chakra can be used to aid someone in medical need."

Izumi looked at the balloon. "Too much force would kill him. Chakra can be forced out, but to cause motions in pushing like in a wave, requires lots of training. It's one thing to perform hand seals to unlock a jutsu, but if there is no understanding, it cannot be accomplished."

"I picked you as the best candidate due to your experience with water jutsus. The balloon is a test, Izumi. You're not looking at it from the right angle. It's significant to the heart muscle. It's the same size and contains fluid. Think of the water in the balloon as blood flowing in the heart. If blood is pushed backwards with the force of chakra, it would case the valves in the heart to not fully close. This would lead to a heart attack when the blood cells in the heart cluster together. I want you to continue working on trying to get the water to flow in a wave. The wave has to keep occurring, or the valves will become blocked. It's a hard task, but if you can accomplish it, you'll gain the knowledge on how to help him and others in his situation."

Izumi nodded. It was going to take a lot of thought on her part on how to approach it from a different angle. She had to figure out how to keep her chakra pushing in a pattern. The Hokage was right – it was a challenge. Izumi thanked him for his time. He bowed back to her.

Izumi walked home with her eyes downcast. She was trying her best to master a new technique and it wasn't going very well. Her chakra skills were advanced; therefore, she didn't understand the problem she was having. Why can't I figure this out? I know how water moves. Water moves in the direction that force tells it to – or gravity. It has no shape of its own. Manipulating chakra takes a lot of skill. I know I have it. I'm doing something wrong. She watched a young child blow bubbles as he held his mother's hand. No, that's not it. As she walked, she tried to find other means that would help her.

Izumi watched how the water flowed in the river for a long time. She furrowed her brows trying to sort it all out. The river flows because it is being pushed by air and gravity. Each molecule is affected. When the molecules are combined, they create water – a fluid and source for our survival. Blood is simply a combination of cells that our bodies need. Blood cells contain oxygen – like water. So to be able to push the blood in the way it needs to go without causing a backflow, I need to focus on pushing the oxygen in the cells – not the blood itself! Her eyes widened. Izumi realized what she had been doing wrong. The Hokage was trying to get her to think outside of the box – to think for herself. Izumi left the river to return home. She still had to learn to harness her chakra in the right way.

Upon returning home, Izumi noticed how quiet it was. Normally, the kids were training or learning. Onari was usually challenging Takeru throughout the day. Daiya was always correcting one of them and Sasuke was either training or working on mission reports. He took his missions when the kids were asleep to keep them in the dark about what it entailed. She checked the boys' room first. They weren't in there. Izumi looked in the kitchen – nope. She checked her room, but it was barren. They can't possibly be training. She proceeded to the dojo anyway.

Izumi stepped into the dojo. She found Takeru following Sasuke slowly. Onari was holding onto Daiya's hand and he was being held. "Guys, what's going on?"

Sasuke turned around to greet his wife. Daiya grunted as he moved. "Hey, how was the training session with Naruto?" He glanced down at Takeru. His son was staying glued to his back, his eyes focused on Daiya. "He's okay, Takeru."

Izumi walked over. "Has he…-," She watched Daiya move his head slowly. He was basically unconscious. "Sasuke, is he alright," she asked worriedly. She came over to check him.

"I believe he is. He over exerted himself. Daiya was trying to show Onari what she was doing wrong in her training, from what I understand. I tried to warn him earlier to stop when he felt tired. I think our little lightening bug doesn't like to admit his weaknesses to anyone."

"I take it you weren't with them. Sasuke," Izumi's eye started to twitch as she looked at the towel wrapped around his waist. "Why aren't you dressed?"

"Well, that's because I was taking a bath when I was alerted to what had happened," he started out to tell her.

Onari's face popped into view. She looked at Izumi with wide eyes. "Izumi, Onari saw Sasuke butt."

"It would have to be Onari, wouldn't it," Izumi said. She sighed as she leaned her head towards Daiya's chest. Sasuke turned him slightly so she could listen more closely. Izumi heard his heart beating gently. She closed her eyes to focus on the rhythm. Soon, she heard the way his heart's rhythm changed. Izumi lifted her head. "He's alright. When he wakes, he's going to get the roughest lecture he's ever had," she said merely on the fact of her worry. "I still need to work on my training. I only gained the knowledge of how to help him a little while ago."

Sasuke felt Takeru grab onto his sides. Takeru pressed against his back hiding his face. He looked over his shoulder. Takeru was afraid. He could feel it. "Takeru, Daiya's alright. He just needs to rest. He'll wake up when his body recovers. Do you want to help me put him in his bed?" Takeru nodded. "Alright, we'll go take care of Daiya first." Sasuke left the dojo with Takeru tagging along.

Izumi looked at Onari. "We have to talk Onari. What parts of Sasuke did you see in the nude?" Onari tilted her head. "Uh, without clothes on. No shit and no pants, Onari," she said rephrasing it until the girl understood.

Onari turned around. She pointed to her back, rear, and legs. She had only seen him from behind. "Onari see Sasuke butt."

Izumi sighed relief. Onari didn't know the difference between males and females. She knew this because whenever it was possible, the girl tried to get Daiya to take a bath with her. On rare occasions, she had seen Takeru run from her on account of it. "Onari, sit down. You're fixing to learn why boys and girls are different." Onari tilted her head.

Sasuke laid Daiya down on his bed. The boy grunted lightly as he felt the movement. He was responsive to touch and motions despite not being able to fully respond in other areas of cognitive function. Takeru was pulling the sheets over the foreign boy to keep him warm. Sasuke looked down at his son. He probably sent Onari after me while he stayed with Daiya. "Takeru, how did you know Daiya's heart was acting up?"

Takeru kept his eyes focused on Daiya's sleeping form. "When he was blocking Onari's punches, he was breathing hard. It doesn't take much effort to block someone. Onari caught onto what he was doing and slowed down. He couldn't match her movements. He started to tense up and he just suddenly fell to the floor. I told her to go get you while I stayed. Dad, will this happen every time he feels fatigue?"

"I'm not sure, Takeru. It's happened before when he wasn't active. Daiya knows better than anyone what he feels. He needs to be made aware that when he feels what he does, to stop whatever he's doing. It could help prevent his arrhythmia from getting out of hand."

Takeru watched Daiya sleep. His brother was fine while he was resting. Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair. Takeru was more determined to protect his family. One thing he had learned from his training with Rock Lee was that he needed to try harder. "Dad, can we train now? I need to improve." Sasuke glanced at him. "I need to know how to protect Daiya and Onari when they're not able to protect themselves."

Sasuke nodded. His son was finally learning the purpose of a team. "Put your shoes on and grab your ninja tools. We'll go to the training grounds."

Ryu scratched his head as he yawned. He had been practicing with his art scrolls for hours. He was tired of fooling with the illusions he was trying to create. Ryu wanted to be a strong genjutsu user like his mother. Genjutsu could only be pulled off by a strong ninja would was able to maintain his focus and concentration. It required a lot of skill in order to trick someone's senses. He went to the kitchen to get something to drink.

Kurenai was stepping out of the apartment when she ran into Saori. The girl had a determined look on her face. She was marching straight for the apartment. Saori looked up at her as she stopped. "Hi, Saori, how was your date yesterday?"

Saori averted her eyes for a moment. "Kurenai sensei, why is… Ryu so angry all of the time? I know I shouldn't be asking because it will make him despise me, but I'm at a loss. Our date went fine yesterday until the point of me putting my foot in my mouth. I shouldn't have brought Ryu out like I did and I know I was wrong to do so. I told him he doesn't try for himself. Whether that's true or not, is not my knowledge. I was basing it off of what my father has said – which infuriated him. I don't know how to make it right."

Kurenai looked over Saori. The girl really wanted to be close to Ryu. If she didn't, she wouldn't have bothered to come all of this way to do so. Saori lived on the other side of Konoha. She was trying to make amends. Kurenai wasn't sure if Ryu was going to understand what it meant when someone was determined to get to know him. She could only hope that he would give Saori a chance to accept him – and not keep pushing her away. "I think I should tell you some things about him, from my point. Ryu has always been hesitant and shy to get to know others around him. It's been like this since he was little and attending the Academy. Part of it, is due to what others have said about him. Everyone has talked about him – children and adults alike. He wasn't meant to hear those words, but he did. What others have said about him has always played over in his head like a recording. It's prevented him from trying to get to know others. Ryu is afraid of what others say about him, because deep down, he's afraid they are right."

"But they aren't right. None of them are! Ryu is stronger than people give him credit for. If no one thought he was worth it, they wouldn't try for him. I don't want him to give up just because some people are cruel and can't keep their mouths shut! He's not the only one that has had to listen to what others say who are ignorant. Everyone has talked about me since I joined the Academy. It was mainly because my uncle is Gaara. People fear what they don't know. They also try to put someone in their place because in turn, that person is stronger than them, and they don't like to be faced with it!"

Kurenai kept her eyes on Saori. The girl was being empowered by what she had said. "How do you think it feels to be singled out of everyone? If you were in Ryu's place, how would you want to be included?"

Saori thought for a moment. "It doesn't feel spectacular to be alone. There's nothing great about it. The only way someone can be included is when someone else never… lets go," she said looking up at Kurenai who was smiling at her. "I won't let go of Ryu. I promise. No matter what he says, or does, I'll still be there – even if I have to cement my feet to the floor."

Kurenai chuckled. Shikamaru's daughter is something else. She defiantly has the willpower, I'll give her that. She moved her hand back to gently open the door to the apartment. "Last time I saw Ryu he was in the kitchen. It's on the left."

Saori smiled at Kurenai before she went in. She took off her shoes. Saori took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She really liked Ryu and now it was time to prove it. Kurenai had empowered her alright. Saori walked slowly to the kitchen. She poked her head around the corner to see Ryu drinking out of a carton with his back to her. Saori tip toed towards him.

Ryu sensed a disturbance in his ninja way. He raised a brow. Was his mother back to catch him drinking out of the carton again? He felt like he was fixing to be hit from behind. Instead, as he lowered the carton, he felt arms wrap around his waist from behind. Ryu looked down. It wasn't his mother. His body tensed a little as he looked over his shoulder to see Saori looking up at him with her ocean blue eyes. He froze. Why was she here?

"I still like you, you giant turkey. And no matter what you think, I didn't say those words. I apologize for putting my foot in my mouth, but it's something everyone does at one time or another. I'm not giving up on you, Ryu Yuhi. I don't care what you say, or what you do. You're not getting rid of me that easily. I already told Kurenai sensei that I'd cement my feet to the floor so you had to look at me every day!"

Ryu's eyes softened. Why is she trying for me? He set the carton of milk down. Ryu turned around fully to look at her. Saori was matching his gaze. She didn't flinch when he lowered his head to look dead into her eyes. He was an inch away from her. "You're awfully persistent for a girl. Are you trying to say your will is stronger than mine? So by bursting into my home, you think you can change my mind?"

Saori looked into his eyes hard. "I don't know what your mind thinks, or says about me. I'm determined to find out. The only way to show you how I am is to not let go of your hand." She grabbed onto his hand and interlaced her fingers with his. Ryu didn't snatch his hand away.

It took him a moment to realize Saori was serious. He felt the warmth through her fingers. "You want to know what my mind thinks about you, or my heart?" Before Saori could answer, Ryu started to kiss her. He closed his eyes letting his guard down.

Saori could feel his soul calling out to her with each kiss. She reached her hand up to touch his face while he kissed her gently, before going all out on her. He was kissing her with pure passion – something she had never felt before. Her body was being ensnared by Ryu's true feelings. She looked up into his eyes as he parted from her. "I want to know what every inch of your body feels about me," she said softly.

Ryu looked at her with a new awareness. She was the only girl who had bothered to try with him. She was the only girl who had overcome the obstacle he threw at her. Saori had feelings for him. She wanted to be near him. Ryu could feel it in her words, in her fingers, in every aspect of her form. He felt his heart beating hard in his chest. Was he falling for her? He didn't know, but only time would tell. "I suppose I could apologize for the way I acted. I'm not very good with saying 'I'm sorry', so I'll take you out

for lunch, if that's alright with you."

Saori smiled at him gently. She kissed him on the lips tenderly. He kissed her back before he pulled her close to him. Saori wrapped her arms around him hard. She wanted to feel him against her for a little while. "Ryu, can I just hold you for a while," she asked.

Ryu petted the back of her head as he rested his chin on the top of her head. "Yeah, I'll allow it." He tensed his back some. "However, you don't have to hold me with your chakra strings." Saori only smirked.


	42. Chapter 42

**V 5 Ch 1**

**Go Fetch!**

"Hey, guys, sorry I'm late," Sasuke said as he greeted Ryu and Hire. Ryu was leaning against a tree ignoring Hire for the most part. The older girl was standing with her legs spread out and arms crossed. "I had to make sure someone was going to listen to me today."

Ryu raised a brow as he opened his eyes. He saw Daiya walking behind Sasuke with a blank expression. "Daiya's back?" Ryu felt happy. He liked the foreign boy.

"Yes, but this is a trial for him. If he fails to listen to any direction, or not take breaks when feels fatigue, he goes back home. No 'if's, 'and's, or 'but's." Sasuke looked at the boy sternly. "Do you understand what Izumi and I are trying to get across?"

Daiya looked up at Sasuke. His new dad was being serious. If he failed any part of the training today, Izumi was going to start him from the bottom like Onari. Not only that, but he wouldn't be allowed to work with Ryu and Hire anymore. He would have to move to another team, or be off of the teams for good. "Yes, sir," he said softly. Right now, Sasuke was his trainer – so Daiya was going to be treated like everyone else.

"We're going to work on evasive maneuvers. It's important to know how to use offensive attacks, but sometimes, it's also necessary to learn how to get away. What are the reasons that would make you want to avoid an opponent as much as possible," Sasuke asked his team.

"When you're out numbered," Hire answered. It was common sense to her. She glanced at Ryu. He was keeping an eye on Daiya. She sensed her annoying team mate had changed somehow.

"Also, if a team mate is injured. It's not wise to fight anyone when you're main outlook should be to protect someone," Ryu said rather seriously. He watched the shock appear on Sasuke's face. Even Daiya looked up at him. Ryu stared back at his trainer. "What?"

"What happened to you this past weekend? You've changed. It's not like you to answer me – much less seriously," Sasuke said. He watched Ryu avert his eyes. He wasn't' about to tell him for anything in the world. "What other reasons would you want to avoid someone?"

"When someone's stronger," Daiya said softly. Right now, he felt vulnerable. What was Sasuke planning for their training? He was limited on what he could and couldn't do. Daiya wouldn't be able to fight Sasuke, much less, Ryu, or Hire. They were all much more advanced than he was.

"Those are all good answers. How about if you were carrying valuable information? Or what if your enemy was insane and violent? The documents or objects you carry are only valuable to whoever hires you. If there is nothing to return to our employer, we don't get paid. An enemy, who has mental issues, is not in control of their own actions. We cannot gain control of a situation if there is none altogether. It's best to leave the matter alone. Our missions are what guarantee our survival. No missions – no payment – no shelter and other necessities we need to survive," Sasuke said. "I see the expression you have on your face, Hire. Our training from here on out is going to exclude us from attempting the Chuunin exams."

"Why are we backing down? We have to take them, or we can't advance! What reason is there this time," Hire demanded. She was sick of her rank. Last year, she wasn't allowed to participate due to the problems her past team had. They didn't get along at all. It was the Hokage's decision to get rid of Hire and move her to Sasuke's team. Ryu had also been held back and demoted in his rank due to the same problem.

Ryu looked at Hire. She was furious. He understood why they couldn't participate. "You cannot take the Chuunin exams unless all three members of a team agree to do so. And, even if you took them, you still have to pass the written portion. After that, it's the survival exam – a week spent in the forest fighting off other teams. A month later, it's the arena." Ryu watched Hire glare at him. "Daiya wouldn't survive the survival exam. You're constantly being tested to the limit of your abilities. It would kill him."

Daiya moved back. Hire had turned her hard gaze upon him. He was causing his team to be held back from something important. Why hadn't Sasuke taken him off of the team so they would have a chance? It wasn't fair to them. Daiya closed his eyes. He felt terrible.

"If he's that incapacitated, he needs to go to another team! Why let someone train who has no hopes for advancing? It's a waste of everyone's time," Hire snapped. The foreign boy was a huge problem. They were being reduced to baby steps. She hated that.

"Teams don't abandon each other. I'm not abandoning Daiya, even though, you have," Ryu said. "That is something you'll never understand. It doesn't matter what you think, Hire. You're only out to benefit yourself. And unfortunately, I have to look out for you because it's my job."

"No one's asking you to look out for me! I'm damn capable," she shot back. Hire lifted her hand pointing at Daiya. "As for you, I won't forgive you for this! I'm tired of having to wait for my Chuunin title."

Ryu stepped in front of Daiya. He narrowed his eyes. "It's not his fault for what's happened! You're not going to stand there and blame him for it, either! Being demoted is your problem and your responsibility! The reason I was demoted is my fault – not Sasuke sensei's! We could have both been kicked off of the teams! You're not looking at the big picture, Hire!"

Sasuke was impressed. Normally, Ryu didn't say anything to Hire. He hated dealing with her at all costs. Ryu was protecting Daiya from her. It had taken a long time, but Ryu also had admitted his own mistakes. The decisions he made in life, were his own. Ryu only blamed himself for how things turned out. "Hire, it isn't your decision. It's mine. If you have anger to explode at someone, I dare you to do it at me. My job is the survival of this team. Whether Daiya was injured or not, it's apparent that not all of you have the maturity to take the Chuunin exams." Hire balled up her fists. She gritted her teeth and backed down. Whether she liked it or not, Sasuke determined her fate.

Daiya looked up at Ryu then to Sasuke. He wanted to stay on the team. He wanted to belong. Daiya needed an outlet and this was it. "I'm… sorry," he said rather softly. That caused Ryu to turn around. "I.-"Daiya broke off. The problems he had were now his team's problems. He didn't like that.

"It isn't your fault," Ryu said as he turned fully around. "You cannot hold blame for something that is out of your hands. Ignore Hire. So we don't take the Chuunin exams this year. So what? Which is more important: to prove yourself to an enemy, or to your team?" Daiya slowly looked up at him.

Sasuke crossed his arms. Ryu's attitude and beliefs had finally overruled his thoughts. A ninja cannot give up on his team. If he chose to do so, he was lower than dirt. It was a saying Kakashi used on team 7 when they were first formed. It held true in its meaning and intention. "Hire, if you want to drop the team, be my guest. I'm not forcing you to train since you think your skills have perfected enough." He watched her look at him angrily. "Your attitude is going to be the destruction of this team and I won't allow it."

Ryu turned his head to be started by Kiba. His right leg went up like a flamingo's, his arms bent up like a praying mantis', and he fell onto his side like an opossum. He stared at the ground from a side view as his heart raced. Ryu felt like he was having a panic attack.

"What just happened," Daiya asked. He crouched to shake Ryu's shoulder. The boy remained still. "Ryu…?"

Sasuke turned his head. "I figured it was you," he told Kiba. "You've really got to stop scaring him like that. Ryu, calm down."

Kiba pushed Ryu's foot with his. "Stop taking a break, Ryu, you haven't trained yet." His team followed him over. They were looking around at the trees. "Are we ready to get started?"

"As soon as Ryu calms down," Sasuke said. He watched Daiya get tackled by Idai. Daiya went backwards and laid flat. So Ryu wasn't the only one who missed him. I wonder if I can get Idai to watch him – or pair up with him. "Idai, come here for a second." The white and red haired sound-nin walked over cautiously. Sasuke crouched, looking up into his orange eyes. "I need to ask a favor."

Hire and Masaru hopped from branch to branch. Their training consisted of learning how to avoid Sasuke and Kiba. It was kind of unfair for the Genins to be up against two Jounins. They had no idea if Kiba and Sasuke were pairing up, or if they were working alone. It was going to teach them to work with someone other than their usual teammate. Right now, anything was game. Sasuke had warned them to have their guard up. All attacks were possible, as well as, all weapons. The students were allowed to fight back, but at all costs, they had to get away with their object. If Kiba or Sasuke nabbed it, they were out of the game.

Masaru had decided he would carry the object. Hire was going to be the main defender. She always boasted about how advanced she was with her training. Now it was time to prove it. He looked around with his white eyes. Masaru had a bit of an advantage. He was inherited with the Byakugan from his mother, Hinata. "Hire, do we even know what the object is we're carrying?"

Hire glanced at him. Her long black hair flowed behind her. "We're not supposed to open it. Who knows what those lame trainers have given us," she said watching the object tied to Masaru's waist. "For all we know, it could be a scroll, or an unimportant object. Our mission is to avoid them and make it to Lee sensei's team. They're training at the waterfall."

Masaru nodded. "Alright, we make it there even if we have to beat the snot out of one of them. Kiba sensei and Uncle Sasuke won't give up, or let us go so easily. We have to be prepared to right."

Idai kept his eye on Daiya. His best friend was to his left moving swiftly through the trees. Sasuke had pulled him aside to make sure Daiya was alright for this training session. I need you to do me a favor. Today is Daiya's first day back on the team. The training we're doing today is going to test his limits. If you see him tense, or he appears tired at any point, make him rest. Your main focus is to keep Daiya from overexerting himself. If he over does it, he'll be out of commission and be a burden. At all costs, you two will defend the object you are carrying. To survive today, get to Lee over at the waterfall. He's already aware of the training. Kiba and I won't hesitate to get the object from you guys.

Idai kept looking at Daiya from time to time. The boy wouldn't admit when he was tired. Daiya didn't like to appear weak. Idai knew he wasn't. Daiya was very strong for a kid who had remained on his own and gone through what he had in the past. Daiya caught him looking at him. He raised a brow. "Hey, I'm really glad you're back," Idai said smiling at him. "Let's see if we can get Kiba sensei, or Sasuke sensei to yell 'Uncle'."

Daiya smiled a little. He liked working with Idai the most. Idai didn't put him down like Hire, or treat him differently like Masaru. He secretly wished he had been placed on Kiba's team because of Idai. "You're an idiot," he said with the smile on his face.

Idai grinned from ear to ear. Daiya was teasing him outright. It was part of the bond they had with each other. "But I'm your idiot," he said happily.

Daiya smirked. "Yeah, you are." And I wouldn't change you for anything in the world.

Ryu narrowed his eyes. He and Yanagi had decided to change their directional approach. The trees were an easy route to take for ninja. They acted as a defense, in a way. It was hard for enemies to hit you because of them. He smiled under his face mask. "Let's see if either of them can catch us on the water." He looked at Yanagi.

Yanagi kept her pace with Ryu. They were both running on the surface of the river. Water walking was a basic technique. She supposed Ryu was going to push in one of the trainers. It would make sense, on his part. "Who do you think will come after us?"

Ryu thought for a moment. "My guess is Kiba sensei. I already know Sasuke sensei's moves. I feel for whoever gets him. He's a tough opponent. Say, Yanagi, how much do you want to wager that he goes after Hire and Masaru?" He grinned.

"Ryu, that's horrible." Yanagi smiled back at him. "I'll bet three ryo."

Daiya touched his hand to his forehead. He felt tired. Today was a trial for him. He caught Idai watching him. "Don't look at me like that. We have to complete our training."

"Daiya, I'm not buying it," Idai said as he grabbed onto his friend's wrist. He made him touch down. His friend was constantly closing his eyes. "How tired are you?"

"Only a little," Daiya answered. He watched Idai turn around suddenly. The boy was alerted by something. "What is it?"

"Don't move. They're onto us. I can hear them," Idai said pointing to his ear. He unsheathed one of his swords. They won't go after Daiya. I'm the one with the object. I chose to carry it for a reason. Idai closed his eyes, listening. He concentrated on the sounds he heard occurring around them. He could tell where they were. Kiba was off to his dead right while Sasuke was straight in front. They were choosing to attack him together. They're completely serious about this. Alright, no games and no backing down. I'm protecting Daiya and we will get past them.

Idai heard Sasuke jump off of the branch he was on. The boy started to rotate his wrist behind his form with the sword. He unsheathed the other sword and held it parallel to the ground. A huge force of wind was being created. "Sorry, sensei, anything goes," he said as he aimed the wind down his sword. "Sound knife!"

Sasuke Uchiha wasn't taking any chances. He was using Sharingan for the time being. Idai was a strong kid to be up against. His sound waves were deadly in offensive and defensive attacks. Just as he hopped off of the branch, he saw the leaves on the trees get ripped away. He formed hand seals in front of his body. A large block of ice started to form. As the wind hit the ice, it allowed Sasuke a few seconds to change his course. He moved away just in time to see the block of ice shatter from the sound waves.

Kiba started to go after Idai the moment he saw the boy launch an attack at Sasuke. His student was on his toes. "That kid's going to have to defeat both of us if he wishes to get away." Kiba formed hand seals in front of his body. A clone popped next to him. "Let's see if Idai can take this on!"

Idai turned his head just in time to see Kiba and a clone coming at him. His eyes widened. He dove for Daiya. Kiba's two forms started to spin in the air. They were bearing down on him. Idai snatched the object off of his waist and thrust it into Daiya's hands. "Go!"

Daiya gasped. He saw a large fireball coming at Idai's back. "Idai!" His friend whirled around. Idai kicked Daiya off of the branch as he saw Idai send another sound wave towards Sasuke. His best friend's body was thrown around as he was hit by Fang over Fang.

Daiya had no choice but to make a run for it. He knew Kiba and Sasuke weren't going to kill Idai. This wasn't a real mission. There was no way he could go up against two Jounins by himself. Daiya flew through the trees headed for the waterfall.

Idai landed on a lower branch. His body hit the hard wood with a loud thud. He was unconscious instantly. Kiba was on top of him in seconds. His clone poofed. Sasuke was also at his side. "Not bad, huh? Although, it seems he gave the object to Daiya."

"Yeah, but he did what he was supposed to do. You could have chosen another move to use on him, Kiba. You do know Daiya will get you back for that," Sasuke said. He watched Kiba hoist Idai onto his back. "Who do we go after next?" Kiba grinned.

Masaru Uzumaki sent his large shuriken through the trees as a large purple snake barred down on him and Hire. His plan for letting Hire defend was back firing. Maseru's heart sunk as the snake knocked the shuriken away with its head. It went off to lodge in a tree. "What is that thing," he yelled as it started to come towards them at a faster pace. He and Hire jumped back as it snapped at the branch they were just on.

Hire knew it had come to this. It was a test and he probably sought them out because of her attitude earlier. "It's Sasuke sensei's snake! He summons it to get rid of powerful enemies! We don't have a chance against Manda!"

"Manda? That thing has a name?" Masaru formed hand seals in front of his body. "Clone Hurricane!" Several of Masaru's clones went straight for the snake. When they came in contact, they surrounded the reptile and started to spin. In a matter of seconds, their forms became a blur. A tremendous cyclone of wind was created and the snake was in the middle of it. It tried to right the wind despite its upper body being tossed about like a rag doll.

Hire formed hand seals of her own. "Quicksand of Oblivion!" The ground underneath the snake started to give way. It was going under slowly. Hire smirked, but as she did, the large snake knocked Masaru's clones away into trees. They poofed into nonexistence. In order to save itself, Manda put all of its strength into his upper body and lunged forward. It sunk its fangs into a tree and started to pull itself free from Hire's trap. "It's not going to hold it! We

have to bail!"

As the two started to flee the scene, Sasuke was after them. He threw several kunai at the two kids. Masaru poofed to avoid them with a substitution jutsu as Hire threw her own. The kunai were deflected and went astray. He smirked. Sasuke started to speed up. If he knew his student correctly, she would have given their little object to Masaru. Sasuke formed hand seals instantly.

Hire wasn't going to lose easily against her trainer. He was coming after her fast, too. This isn't good. I'm an Earth user. We're in the trees! Hire freaked as a few small fireballs shot over her head. That's too close! She formed hand seals again. A Minotaur beast made of hard clay appeared next to her. It only had hooves on its lower legs. At the end of its arms were two balls full of spikes. "Two can play at this game. Minotaur, defend!" The Minotaur rebounded on one of the trees. It went in the opposite direction to do as it was instructed.

Sasuke knew Hire better than she knew herself. Nice try, Hire, but that thing is only clay. The Minotaur was on him in a matter of seconds. He twisted his body to the side and kicked it in the chest. The creature went back, but it wasn't far. He put his hands on the branch, twisting his body to sweep the Minotaur's legs out from under it. As it fell onto its back, Sasuke formed hand seals. A stream of water came out of nowhere to hit at the creature's legs. Sasuke kept focused as the thing's limbs started to crumble and break. It fell over waving its arms around trying to still hit him. Sasuke smirked. Hire wouldn't be able to control it if she had fled – which meant she was still in the area. "I thought I taught you better than that," he said as he felt a presence watching him from overhead.

Hire watched her trainer from upside-down on a branch. He had defeated her creature pretty easily. But she had a plan up her sleeves. "You did. Don't underestimate me, sensei. You said our objective was to get away from you and Kiba sensei with our object. Masaru is gone, so now it's my job to keep you from pursuing him."

Sasuke looked up at her. "I did. So you're actually going to stop being selfish?" He caught the look on her face. "I see. It's only about the training because you would hate to be seen as a failure to Ryu, much less, the others on Kiba's team."

Hire threw a kunai at Sasuke's feet. "Stop reading me! I know what my objective is! I want to become a Chuunin! This is only to perfect my skills against a tougher opponent. I don't care what Ryu think," she said knowing full well she didn't believe it.

Sasuke knew better. He kind of figured the girl liked Ryu secretly with the way she acted. Some girls were shy towards someone they liked; others were bullies. Then again, it wasn't like he was paying attention to that sort of thing either. "You're easily distracted by taunts," he said as Manda appeared behind Hire's form. He watched the girl freeze. She turned her head slowly to look up at the overbearing snake. "Your move, Hire."

Hire's eyes were wide. She was in a tough situation. Sasuke was below her and Manda above. If she chose to attack Sasuke, the snake had the advantage. It could swallow her whole in an instant. There had to be a way to get out of this. She was a sitting duck.

"Can't think of how to get out of this? It looks like I win this round." Sasuke signaled for the snake to attack. Manda lunged forward at the branch. The branch was soon snapped by its mouth and Hire was falling. Sasuke shot forward and grabbed the girl before the branch came crashing down on her form, thus killing her. He watched the wood fall into the abyss below. Sasuke looked down at the girl. "Say it." He waited. "Say it," he said again.

Hire crossed her arms annoyed at how he had managed to defeat her. He was more advanced than her for sure. "Uncle," she said refusing to look at him as he smirked.

Kiba had a little trouble tracking Yanagi and Ryu. Their scent wasn't on the wind through the trees. The only other place they could be was near the water. Ryu was being clever by masking their scents. However, Kiba wasn't stupid and it didn't throw him off for long. In order to resume the training, he had had to drop off Idai with Lee. Idai was still unconscious. Kiba supposed he had overdone it. He knew when Idai woke up that he was going to be feeling it.

If Kiba's way of thinking was correct, he was going to meet Yanagi and Ryu head on. He grinned. It was going to be interesting to see how Yanagi was advancing. He saw her improvement on the team every day. She was a hard worker like her father. A soft breeze made its way down the river. They weren't that far ahead. He had caught their scent just now. Kiba formed hand seals quickly. He had to act now or be trapped by Ryu in one of his illusions. A clone popped next to him. Heads up Ryu and Yanagi. I'm coming for you!

Yanagi Lee felt a panic overcome her. The more she thought about who they were up against, the more it got to her. Kiba was strong in his taijutsu and it was one of his best qualities. Sasuke was deadlier and more advanced than any of the Jounins on the teams. She felt like they didn't have a chance.

Ryu glanced at her. Yanagi was nervous. "Yanagi, snap out of it! If you don't have the confidence to defeat whoever we're up against, you won't! Our objective is to keep that thing away from them. At all costs, you must get to the waterfall."

"Ryu, we don't have a chance when it comes to defeating either of them. They're more advanced than us. How can we be expected to take either of them on," she said worriedly.

"This is only training, Yanagi. They're not going to kill us over it," he said making a gesture to the object they were protecting. "I'm not going to let either of them hurt you," he said as he started to form hand seals.

Yanagi's attention went back to their route. Kiba and a clone of his were head. They were moving quickly. Yanagi gasped. "Ryu!"

Ryu was ahead of the game. "Time to teach an old dog new tricks," he said as three clones of his own popped around him and Yanagi. The three clones went straight at Kiba. Ryu went for Yanagi and picked her up. "They should keep him busy for a moment. I want you to away as fast as you can. We're not far from the waterfall." Ryu unclipped a scroll he had on his waist. He opened it.

Yanagi watched as Ryu formed hand seals. What was in the scroll he was unlocking? She watched as the art on the scroll started to erase itself. A large water dragon appeared next to them. Ryu hoisted her upon the creature. He waved at her then sped off to attack Kiba. The last thing she saw was two of the clones poof and Ryu tackle Kiba into the water.

Daiya breathed hard. He had no idea if Idai was alright. He didn't know where anyone was or if they had succeeded. He stopped on a branch. Learning against it, he closed his eyes. Before he knew it, he was sinking and his legs were going out from under him. He had reached his limit.

Hire sat rather annoyed on the ground. As was the custom in getting caught by your enemy, she was tied with her arms to her sides. She looked around at the trees half-expecting to see someone form the other teams, but no one came. The waterfall behind her made adequate noise and shielded other sounds from getting through. Where are they?

"Shouldn't they be back by now," Saori asked as she looked at Lee. "We're not that far from where they originally started. Do you think Sasuke sensei and Kiba sensei have injured all of them?" She glanced at Idai. He was tied up like Hire. He was still unconscious after being done in by Kiba.

"I'm not sure. Sasuke and Kiba are serious about getting their teams ready to be able to hold off a stronger enemy. They won't hurt them that badly. It's meant to be a wake up call. The only reason my team hasn't gone through the same form of training is because you guys need to improve more. You are right, Saori, they should have been back by now," Lee said as he kept his eyes and ears open.

Hire watched Sasuke's son whip his head around every few seconds. He was worried, too. "What has you so jumpy, Uchiha?" She watched him look at her with a bit of surprise that she had actually chosen to speak to him.

"Where's Daiya? He was supposed to be with you guys," Takeru said. He wanted to take off and search for his brother; however, Lee wouldn't allow it when the area was an open battlefield.

"Daiya was paired with Idai. I was working with Masaru. Ryu is with Yanagi. From the looks of it, Idai took a beating from Kiba sensei and Sasuke sensei. He must have given the object he was entrusted with to Daiya. It's not on him," Hire said.

"Wouldn't they have taken it from him," Eiyu said as he searched Idai's form, double checking.

"They could have, but if they did, Daiya would be here. There would be no reason for him to hide, or go off on his own," Hire told the Hyuga boy. "Idai and I may be out of the game, but the others aren't. Unless they get here and hand over the object, the training isn't completed."

"Takeru." Lee looked down at Sasuke's son. The boy was really worried and it showed in his eyes. He put his hand on his shoulder. "Daiya is alright. He'll get here."

Takeru closed his eyes. He had to tell Lee. "Sensei, Daiya's sick. He won't get better. That's why Mom and Dad waited so long for him to come back to the team. Dad probably paired him with Idai for a reason."

"Takeru, tell me what is wrong," Lee said. He listened for a bit about what condition Daiya Eimino was in. lee noted the emotion being displayed in Takeru's voice. He also paid attention to the kids around him. Saori knew and so did Hire. He suspected Idai knew also due to the close blond he had with Daiya. "I understand. I will send someone to look for him. No, Hire, you will remain here. I know he is on your team, but you are in training and cannot leave. Eiyu, you're the best candidate. I want you to search as best as you can from here to the point of origin. If you encounter Sasuke, or Kiba, inform them why you are in the area."

Eiyu nodded. This was his first lone assignment. He was being entrusted with a serious task. Daiya could be injured out there. "I won't come back until I find him," he promised Takeru. He sped off and took to the trees.

"Well, slap me twice and hand me to my mom. The pink haired girl made it," Hire said as she watched Yanagi coming down the river on what appeared to be some sort of water dragon. She could see the water inside the form of the creature swirling about with its movements. Hire knew at first glance it was one of Ryu's tricks. He was learning to incorporate art with his genjutsu.

Yanagi waved at her dad and Saori as the water dragon moved closer to the bank of the river. Suddenly, its form popped into water. Yanagi yelped as she went into the cold water. Her head popped up. She coughed several times. What had happened?

"It looks like Ryu was defeated," Hire said answering their stares. Ryu's illusions only lasted as long as he did. She wondered who had gotten a hold of him.

"Yanagi, are you okay," Saori called.

"Yeah," Yanagi answered. She swam to the bank. "The water's c-cold," she said smiling, even though, her body was shaking. Yanagi blinked as a shirt was thrust into her view. Takeru was offering her his clothes. Yanagi slightly blushed, but took it.

Takeru and Saori had a fire started so Yanagi could dry off. She came back wearing Takeru's shirt. Her dad had draped her wet hoodie over a stick to get it dry. "Thanks for letting me borrow your shirt, Takeru."

Saori glanced at Hire. The older girl was constantly searching the area. "Didn't you say you were paired with Masaru? Where is he?"

"That's anybody's guess," Hire said. If he had gone back to retrieve the shuriken, she was going to deck him. Something told her that's what he had done. Hire grumbled. "So far, only Yanagi is safe. Unless Daiya or Masaru get back, we're all out."

Sasuke searched the trees for Masaru and Daiya. Yanagi had made it to the waterfall safely from Ryu's efforts. Unfortunately for Kakashi's son, he had taken on Kiba at his own game and lost. Sasuke smiled a little. Ryu was improving in his way of thinking. He narrowed his eyes. He had to think like Masaru. Daiya wouldn't come out so easily. Masaru, on the other hand, was like his father at that age. He went back to the scene where Manda had first appeared to Hire and Masaru. The shuriken was from Naruto. There was no way the boy would leave it behind. He betted on it!

Masaru pulled with all of his might at the large shuriken. The snake had lodged it so well into the tree that he couldn't pull it free. His dad was going to kill him. Maseru looked at the weapon sadly. Man, if I can't get out, it'll be stuck here. I promised to take care of it. They're expensive. Masaru turned his head to look at Sasuke. The man was behind him, watching.

Sasuke kept his blank stare on Masaru. "You are aware that going back for a weapon on a real mission is completely foolish? What if we weren't training, Masaru?" The boy averted his gaze. "Is that weapon more important than your life?"

"It's my dad's," Masaru said softly. "He used it when he was my age. I promised to take care of it. It's really stuck in the tree," he said as he tried to pull it out again.

Sasuke shook his head. Naruto would have given that to his son. Masaru's going to value the shuriken more than himself because of it. He walked over to try and get the weapon out. Sasuke pulled it with all of his strength. It was seriously stuck.

Masaru looked at the branch they were standing on. He was more afraid of punishment from his dad. "Uncle Sasuke, if dad throws me out, can I come stay with you?" He felt Sasuke pet the top of his head.

"He's not going to be angry with the fact that it's stuck in a tree. Those things happen. However, he won't be too thrilled to know you came back for it. If this was a real mission, you'd be dead right now." Sasuke bit his thumb. As the blood dropped, he formed hand seals. He pressed the palms of his hands to the tree. A smaller version of Manda popped next to them. "Let's see if Manda can dislodge it. He was the one that put it there in the first place." The purple snake slithered past Masaru. Sasuke watched the boy tense.

Manda wrapped its body around the tree. Its large head came around with its mouth open. The snake latched onto the shuriken by slipping one of its fangs into the hole. It started to pull. It hissed angrily as its head jerked left and right in an attempt to wiggle the weapon free. The shuriken started to break out of the bark. Manda pulled with all of its force again. The weapon came out with a clink. Its master reached up to take it.

Sasuke handed it over to Masaru. The boy clipped it onto his back. "You have a three second head start," he warned. Masaru turned tail immediately and started to get away as fast as he could. He didn't honestly think I was going to let him get away, did he? Manda poofed as Sasuke went after his best friend's son.

Eiyu Hyuga searched the area for Daiya Eimino. He should have already been back. So Daiya was now forced with a heart condition. That was the real reason Eiyu had not seen the boy with his team. He didn't know what to think of him. They weren't friends and had never gotten along. Eiyu was proper and strict. Daiya was standoffish and reserved. He wondered how Lee expected him to work with someone like that.

As Eiyu flew through the trees scouting, he passed a yellow blur. Wasn't that Masaru? It can only mean he's running from Kiba sensei or Sasuke sensei. Eiyu stopped on a branch. Just as he did, a stream of fire shot where he had previously been. His eyes went wide.

Sasuke touched down on a top branch. He looked below at Eiyu. For a moment, he thought Masaru had used a clone so he could hide. "Aren't you supposed to be with Lee?"

Eiyu looked at Sasuke seriously. "Everyone has made it to our location but Ryu and Daiya. Lee sensei sent me after Daiya. He should have been back around the time Kiba sensei dropped Idai off."

Sasuke furrowed his brows. "Kiba went after Ryu and Yanagi. If Yanagi made it back, then he has defeated Ryu. Ryu can't take Kiba on. He's more experienced. If Daiya's missing, he could be fatigued or had complications. Change of tactic. I'll help you search for him. This can be Masaru's get out of trouble card."

Eiyu parted from Sasuke as the Jounin took off in another direction. If they didn't find Daiya soon, it could mean the boy was hurt. He was helpless and vulnerable when his heart gave him problems. Eiyu had to put aside his differences right now. It was trivial to focus on it.

Kiba carried Ryu over his shoulder as he neared the waterfall. He was soaking wet thanks to Ryu tackling him into the water. It was brave of the Genin to choose to keep him occupied while Yanagi got away. It was downright smart. But alas, Kiba had gotten the better of Ryu. The boy was unconscious.

As he approached Rock Lee's team and the students in training, there were two students not back yet. He also noticed Hire was tied up. Idai was awake now. "Well, I see Sasuke got you pretty good, Hire, he said with a toothy grin. "Where is Masaru and Daiya?"

"Daiya has not returned. I have sent Eiyu to search for him. As for Masaru, that should be him now," Lee said as he turned around. Masaru came flying out of the trees at him. The blond haired boy ran to him quickly and threw himself at his feet. The boy turned his head, his eyes wild as he searched the trees. "What is going on?"

"I think Dad's after him," Takeru said. He watched his friend nod his head. Maseru was watching the area frantically. "Masaru, Dad can't touch you. You're already here."

Idai closed his eyes listening. He only heard the leaves rustling through the trees. "Sasuke sensei isn't behind Masaru. I don't hear him at all."

"Aw, man, I ran that fast for nothing," Masaru said.

Saori came back with Yanagi. Yanagi had changed into her hoodie again. Saori took one look at Kiba holding Ryu's limp form and froze. "What did you do to Ryu," she said bewildered.

"He's fine, Saori. He's only unconscious," Kiba said. Saori walked over to shake the boy's shoulder. "What has you so concerned about him?"

"They're dating," Yanagi said smiling. "You can't blame her. Sensei, how badly did you beat Ryu up?"

Kiba laid Ryu on the ground. "Not too badly. He was asking for it though. He kept copying himself and getting his clones to hold me under the water."

"Um, can we be untied now," Idai said as he looked at Kiba. He really didn't expect to wake up with his arms and wrists in a bind. His trainer shook his head. "How long do we have to stay like this?"

"Whining about it doesn't help matters," Hire said glancing at him. It was bad enough they had failed. She wanted to beat Sasuke so bad and he had gotten the better of her.

Idai narrowed his eyes. Hire had an attitude problem. "For your information, I have to go to the bathroom. And unless you're going to hold it for me, I'd shut my trap." Hire blushed as she looked at him in horror.

Ryu opened his eyes. He looked up at the sky. "The things I wake up to." Before he knew it, Saori was looking down at him. She had a worried look on her face. "Hi, gorgeous. Where's the old man that punched me in the stomach?"

Saori tilted her head. "Are you okay?" She watched him sit up rubbing his temples.

"Yeah, except for the pain in my gut," Ryu said looking at Kiba angrily.

"Knock it off, Ryu," Lee said. "In training, everything is fair game. It's how you learn. If you move from that position, you won't just take Sasuke's punishment; you'll take ours, also."

Takeru paced back and forth. His mind was on his brother and his dad. Where are they? He sat down on a rock watching the trees for any signs of them. Masaru walked over to him. He glanced at the Hokage's son.

"I'm sure they'll be back soon," he said watching Takeru's face. "Sasuke sensei won't give up looking for him. Neither will Eiyu. Eiyu is stubborn when it comes to fulfilling his assignments. He won't stop until he's ordered to."

"I know, but Eiyu doesn't get along with Daiya."

"Takeru, Eiyu doesn't get along with anyone. He's very formal and… odd," Masaru said with a smile. "He needs to learn to put his differences aside. I had to. Sometimes when you let your head get in the way, you miss out on having fun with a really great person."

"You're talking about Idai," Takeru said. "Masaru, you weren't the only one that was cautious of him. Everyone was." He watched the boy cross his arms and lean against the rock.

"But it's wrong, Takeru. I refused to work with Idai because I was biased. Idai is a really nice guy, though. He's fun to hang out with and more so in training. He pushes me and Yanagi. I can see why Kiba sensei made him the team leader," Masaru said.

"Yeah, I like Idai, too. He gives great advice from what I hear. Daiya has bonded with him more than me," he said disheartened. His relationship with his brother was going to take a while. Takeru wanted Daiya to accept him fully, but his relationship wasn't there yet.

Masaru knew Takeru was lonely. He was always playing it off. "Don't you have Onari? Isn't she like your sister?" Takeru shook his head. "So you have two new family members and they haven't accepted you." He looked away.

"Onari has. She's just busy training all of the time with Eiyu and Kandai's father. If she doesn't train with him, Mom or Dad wears her out. I wish she was on the teams."

"Why isn't she again," Masaru asked.

"Onari can't read. She has to learn. It's been difficult for them to teach her. She doesn't comprehend that caricatures are sounds. Unless your dad approves of her, she's not allowed to take missions with us."

Masaru glanced at Hire. "I wish we could trade her for Hire. Anyone would be better than that girl. An enemy would even be better." Masaru watched as Eiyu returned with Daiya on his back. "Hey, they're back."

Eiyu walked over to Lee. "Assignment complete," he said seriously. He glanced over at Daiya. The boy was half-awake. When Eiyu had found him, Daiya was leaning against a tree, his eyes closed, trying to wait until his energy returned.

Kiba placed his hand on Daiya's head. "Daiya, are you still tired?" The boy moved his fingers some, but didn't answer. Kiba figured he wasn't fully aware of what was going on. He lifted the boy off of Eiyu's back. Takeru and Masaru had walked over. "He's okay, Takeru. See?" Kiba turned to where Takeru could see Daiya's face.

"Daiya?" Takeru lifted his hand to touch his face. He saw Daiya close his eyes for a second then open them again slowly. "Kiba, Mom's been making him rest every day. That might be what's wrong. He's really tired."

Yanagi was watching them with Idai. She had never seen Daiya weak before. The sadness she felt for him made her turn away. Saori was the only one that knew she had a crush on him.

"He's not going to rest until he hands over the object we had. That's why he keeps moving his fingers," Idai said nodding in their direction. "Although, I'm in no position to get it. Takeru, see if he'll let you unclip it."

Takeru leaned towards Daiya. "Can I take the bamboo canister and hand it to Lee sensei? You didn't fail getting it here. You did the best you could and Dad won't be angry with you. You're just tired." He watched Daiya lift his wrist trying to unclip the canister from his waist. Takeru reached forward to do it for him. He put the bamboo canister in Daiya's hand. Takeru turned around. "Sensei, I think he wants to hand it to you."

Rock Lee put his hand under Daiya's with his palm face up. The boy was weakly holding onto it. Daiya dropped it successfully. "Thank you. Good job," he said. Lee watched as Daiya's eyes closed instantly. The boy had been trying to stay awake until he turned in the object he was entrusted with.

Sasuke returned to the waterfall. He couldn't find a trace of Daiya anywhere. It wasn't' until he focused on Eiyu that his stress evaporated. Eiyu had found Daiya. Kiba was holding the boy letting him rest. "So he was tired. At least it wasn't worse."

Idai was squirming badly. He really had to go to the bathroom. He was finding it hard to keep quiet about it. "Sensei, can we be untied now?"

Kiba watched Idai squirm. "Would someone please untie him? I've got my hands full."

Rock Lee crouched. He untied Idai as fast as he could. The boy sprung up like a rabbit and took off to the woods. "He was serious about having to go." He untied Hire and Ryu as well. Hire rubbed her shoulders. "My team hasn't had lunch yet. I suppose neither of yours have. Since most of them succeeded, I'll offer to treat them."

"Guys, what do you say to Lee," Sasuke said looking at all of them.

"Thank you, Lee sensei," everyone said including Yanagi.

Idai felt better as he approached the teams. He stopped. "Hey, since we turned in the objects we had to carry, can we find out what was in them?" He watched the trainers look at each other. "It can't be something that secretive."

"Go ahead and open one. They all have the same thing inside," Sasuke said. He watched Idai grab one and open it. His eyes blinked. He looked up at Sasuke. "Yes, that's really what you guys were protecting."

"Wait a minute," Hire said as she came closer. "What were we protecting?" She looked into the canister. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!"

Saori tilted her head. "What is it? Something invaluable?" She watched Ryu's eye twitch. He was staring down Sasuke for all it was worth.

"Is this your idea of a joke," Ryu asked. He took the stick out of the canister. "We were protecting a stick?"

"The value of the training was how to avoid a stronger enemy, Ryu. The contents of the bamboo canister were not important," Lee said. The tall boy clenched his fists.

"If you ask my opinion it would seem we were all puppies being trained by the big dogs," Masaru said laughing. That caused Ryu to turn towards him slowly. Masaru stopped. He tensed as Ryu started to move closer.

"I'm not a puppy," Ryu said lowly. As he stood staring Masaru down, Takeru came up behind him barking like a large dog. Ryu's right leg went up, his hands went up and he fell onto his side with his heart racing.

Saori walked up behind him. "Ryu, are you okay," she asked placing her hands on her legs as she bent over. He was looking up at her with frightened eyes. "Aw, Takeru didn't mean it. Want me to hit him for you?"

"So much for teaching an old dog new tricks," Yanagi said. Everyone looked at her. She was glad no one knew what she was talking about. It might lead Ryu into more hot water with how he referred to Kiba.

The kids sat happily at the largest table in the restaurant. Everyone was looking at the menus commenting on what they would like. The waitress approached and smiled at the children. She took their drink orders and walked away. Saori was happily seated next to Ryu. She was holding his hand under the table. Yanagi was next to her father watching Daiya sleep on Kiba. Sasuke was next to her in the middle with Takeru and Masaru on his left. Idai was next to Saori and Kiba. "Sasuke, do you want me to take him home," Kiba asked.

"He's alright if you don't mind holding him. We can order him something and wake him up, or take it home," Sasuke suggested. Daiya was sleeping really hard on Kiba.

"I'd hate to wake him. We'll just order him something. What do you suppose he'd want?"

"He can have half of mine," Yanagi said shyly. "He worked really hard today to complete his training. I don't mind sharing." She averted her eyes as Kiba and Sasuke looked at her.

"I say we all pitch in and give him a variety," Ryu said. "He worked harder than all of us. It's not easy to complete sensei's training, much less, to push yourself to your very limit."

"All of you worked hard. Instead of ordering separately, how about we order a lot of different foods so everyone can try them," Lee offered. The kids agreed. "Alright, what should we order?"

"Fried sweet potatoes are really good," Saori said. "I'm not sure what Daiya likes, but he'll have a variety." She leaned into Ryu.

"Gyuniku Teriyaki," Kiba suggested. Sliced beef with sweet soy sauce was a treat. Idai bounced in his seat. "Idai, you're next."

"Tori Mushiyaki," Idai said happily. "Daiya can pick the mushrooms out of the chicken." He noticed the waitress was back. She was taking their orders.

"How about Takara Bune," Yanagi suggested. "Please, Dad?" She smiled at him sweetly. It was one of her top favorite fish dishes.

"You can get it," Lee said giving her the approval.

"Yanagi, have you ever tried mackerel before," Sasuke asked. She shook her head. "I'll order it for you to try. Miso Zuke, please. It has a miso marinade with it. You might like it. Have the rest of you guys decided?"

"Yakitori," Hire said. "Oh, don't look at me like that, Masaru. You can pick the liver out. The scallions are what I'm after."

"Okaribayaki, please," Eiyu told the waitress. "I'd like the shiitake mushrooms limited to half the amount." He heard Daiya hated mushrooms. It was only fair to take most of them out for the boy.

"Yosenabe is my choice," Masaru said. "My mom makes it on holidays. Let's see if theirs is just as good as hers."

"I don't know if you guys will like what I want," Ryu said. "Hakusai Nabe, but hold the mushrooms." He blushed as Saori rubbed her thumb on his hand.

"Tatsuta Age," Takeru suggested. He looked at his father. "You thought I was going to order ramen."

"It wouldn't have surprised me," Sasuke said as he sipped his tea.

"I'll order fried pastries and cobbler for desert," Lee said. That got him a round of applause from the students. "You guys have earned it. It's the least someone can do for such hard workers."

The kids ate enthusiastically. Everyone was enjoying themselves. They were trading off their portions with the others around them. Idai guarded his plate. He moved it away from Ryu's prying eyes. Ryu called him stingy and that got him a glare from Sasuke. Takeru and Yanagi were pointing out what they wanted off of each other's plates. Saori was already wrist deep in pastries. She was breaking them in half to see what the contents were before passing them out.

Yanagi placed some of her food on Takeru's plate. She smiled as Saori placed a pastry in her hand. "Oh, boy. I love the ones with lemon in them." As she took it, her eyes fell onto Daiya. He was watching her. "Hey, he's awake."

Sasuke leaned over the table to look at the boy. "Daiya, have you had enough rest? Do you want to eat something?" Daiya shook his head. I don't think he feels well. Sometimes when he wakes, he wants to be left alone. "It might help you feel better if you eat."

Kiba grabbed a piece of beef with his chopsticks. "Open up, kid. You need to eat like Sasuke says. Your body is not going to do what you want until it gets proper nutrition." He put the food in Daiya's mouth. The boy really didn't want the food. He was chewing it cautiously.

After everyone was full and sleepy, they all parted ways. It had been an eventful day. Masaru learned the importance regarding ninja tools and enemies. Ryu learned how to protect someone other than himself. Eiyu had settled his differences with Daiya. Hire realized that her comments were not always regarded as advice. Idai gained the knowledge regarding how long he could hold it before he panicked. Takeru's concerns were not always his own. Yanagi felt her crush turning into something more. Saori was thankful for Ryu. Kiba and Sasuke now knew what their teams were capable of.

"Dad, Daiya's asleep again," Takeru said as he glanced at his brother. He was being carried. "I think you wore him out."

"I figured as much. He needs to improve. There's going to be times when he's not going to be able to rest. He's lucky it was only training and not a mission."

"Dad, do you think Daiya will ever think of me as his brother," Takeru asked as they walked. He was at a loss. He wanted to know what it felt like to have someone that close.

"He might in time, Takeru. Neither of you have siblings and I know how you feel, to a point. "Sasuke glanced at his son. "I don't want you to be discouraged if he doesn't show you instantly how he is. It's difficult for him to trust someone. He has a very bad past. You are very trusting – more so than you need to be. He might find you to be too open and be suspicious for a while. Be perceptive and be patient. If you try to chip away the wall he has, Daiya will meet you with more walls and it'll be harder than ever to get to know him."

"You've dealt with someone like him before?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No, but the Hokage has dealt with me. I was like Daiya, once," he said. "If someone accepts you for the way you are, they do so entirely, or they're not worth it." They walked into the Uchiha compound in silence.


	43. Chapter 43

**V 5 ch 2**

**OtoMori**

"I want Onari to go with us," Kandai said as he petted the girl's head thoughtfully. "She's been training as hard as we have. Father, can't you talk to one of them about it?"

Neji Hyuga looked at his son. "Onari isn't on one of the teams, Kandai. She isn't allowed to train with you guys. The Hokage probably won't allow it."

"But Father, we're taking a trip for the summer. We're not training at all. How can Onari be expected to work with everyone if she doesn't know us," Kandai asked.

"It isn't my decision, Kandai. Twelve students are enough for four trainers to watch. Onari doesn't understand a lot of our language still. She will be a burden to everyone around her," Neji said. His son frowned looking at Onari. "I know you want her to go. It can't be helped."

"Where Kandai go," Onari asked.

"We're going on a trip with our teams again. Shikamaru sensei says it's to reward us for our hard work. Last time, we went to the hot springs," Kandai told her. Onari tilted her head trying to understand what he was saying. Father is right. Onari doesn't understand anything I'm telling her.

"Shikamaru take Kandai hot springs. Kandai reward vacation," Onari said in her broken dialect. She understood more than she let on. "Onari miss Kandai go Shikamaru."

Kandai looked at Onari with wide eyes. "You understood most of what I said." He turned around to look at his father. "Father, she understood me!"

"She listens very well. Her language is broken – kind of difficult to understand. It's a problem for those that are not used to being around her. Onari will get there. It takes time," Neji said. He turned his head to see Eiyu walking towards the house. "Have you learned where your team is going for this trip?"

"That seems to be in debate the choices are Hansinoto village for its tranquil atmosphere. It was suggested by Gin. Another choice is Yatano waterfall suggested by Gai sensei for swimming. The last choice is OtoMori. It's another village, but it is having a moon festival from what I understand. Ms. Hinata suggested it," Eiyu said.

"Your teams are going to have fun and relax. OtoMori would be a rather nice place to go. I wasn't fortunate to be there for the festival a long time ago. It knocks away Hansinoto village. It's peaceful, yes, but not suited for kids. It's mainly for romantics and shoppers," Neji said. "Gin was probably swindled by Ino to mention it. Ino's family does business with a few gardeners there."

Eiyu was watching Kandai. His brother was holding onto Onari's hand and swinging it. Eiyu kept his gaze focused on her fingers. He wished he was able to tell Onari how he felt, but she wouldn't understand. He looked away sighing. "I'm going to go pack," he said excusing himself.

Eiyu packed his clothes into his back pack. As he did, his mind stayed on Onari. He closed his eyes thinking heavily about all of her training sessions with them. She was improving greatly for a girl who had never known martial arts before. His father was right about her. Onari was a genius. She had learned to copy a few of Eiyu and Kandai's moves merely by watching. He knew she partook in extra training sessions with Takeru's parents when she was able. She was constantly pushing herself. Eiyu opened his eyes. He felt someone's presence behind him. "What is it, Kandai?"

"Onari not Kandai. Onari is Onari," she said tilting her head as she watched him. "Why Eiyu quiet?" He turned around to face her before his eyes fell away. "Eiyu no want vacation?"

"It's not that," he said as he resumed packing. Eiyu closed the back pack. "Isn't it time for you to go home?" He tensed.

Onari wrapped her arms around Eiyu's chest from behind. She laid her cheek on his shoulder. "Onari go with Eiyu and Kandai. Izumi no home." She smiled. "Sasuke get Uzumaki say 'yes'."

Eiyu blushed as he turned again to acknowledge her. "The Hokage is giving you permission to go? How-How is that possible? You're not on a team," he said. Onari only looked at him in return. "Onari, do you… want to be my um… partner for the trip?"

"Onari follow Eiyu?"

"Well, sort of. The trainers pair us with another person for safety reasons. I'd be responsible for you," Eiyu told her proudly. "You'll meet other son the trip you don't know yet, too. Just stick close to me. I'll look after you."

Kandai came running to his brother's room. "Eiyu, the trip has been decided! We're going to OtoMori! Ms. Hinata got everyone to vote on it!" He stopped. "Oh, I guess Onari told you she's going. Ms. Izumi is taking serious training from the Hokage. She won't be able to watch Onari. Everyone's outside. Come on, Onari," he said lifting her to her feet. "Sasuke sensei brought a back pack for you!"

Onari went outside to see all of the trainers with their teams. There were a number of children she didn't know. Onari became shy. She hid behind Kandai watching all of them. The kids were excited about leaving for OtoMori. How far away was this place?

Kiba approached the house. He saw Onari hiding behind Kandai. "Hey, Sprout, how's it going? Did you forget about me these past few months?" He watched her head pop up.

"Brother Kiba," Onari said happily. She ran out from behind Kandai and jumped off of the porch towards the man. Kiba caught her as he tottered on his feet. "Kiba go Onari?"

Kiba gave her a toothy grin. "Yeah, I'm one of the trainers. My team is going on the trip. So is Shikamaru's." Shikamaru waved at Onari. "You know a few of the students already from what I've heard." Onari was looking around. "You've played with Areku before, haven't you?"

Areku turned his gaze to look at Onari. "Hello, Onari. Do you have a partner for the trip?" He watched as she pointed her finger at Eiyu. He was walking out wearing his back pack. "Ah, so you are paired with one of the twins. I need to find a partner." Areku looked around at the kids who were already paired with someone else.

"Areku, why don't you pair up with Daiya," Shikamaru said. He looked at the boys. "You two haven't worked together before nor spoken. It would be good for both of you," he said watching Daiya tense as Areku Inuzuka walked over. "He's not going to hurt you. Areku is very smart and loyal. He won't hesitate to help you."

Areku could tell Daiya was uneasy. He had been the same way with Takeru on the first journey. He held out his hand. "Hello, Daiya, I'm Areku from Shikamaru's team. I'm Kiba's son." He kept his hand still as Daiya lifted his own. He withdrew his hand several times before he finally shook Areku's. "I'm your partner now. I promise to look out for you and hope you do the same."

"Does everyone have a partner," Rock Lee asked. There were a few students who were by themselves. They were eying each other. "Takeru, you can partner with Yanagi. Hire, you're going to be with Idai." The two kids looked at each other with wide eyes. "That leaves Masaru. You will have to pair with one of us."

"Can I be with Uncle Sasuke," Masaru asked. He watched the dark haired man nod. Masaru practically ran to him.

"Shikamaru, you're up for the announcements," Lee said.

Shikamaru whistled for everyone to look at him. He waited until they were quiet. "As always, you guys need to listen to me before we go. Starting off, we have a new person with us. She's not from the fire country and her language skills are not on our level. I will give everyone a warning: Don't assume that when someone doesn't understand words to the full extent, that he or she is not able to comprehend what you mean. Body language plays a huge part in cultural diversity. I want everyone to say 'hello' to Onari, Daiya's sister."

The kids all turned around to look at her. Onari tensed. They said hello and she went behind Eiyu on contact.

"She's also shy," Shikamaru stated. "I believe Onari was given permission to go on account of Takeru's mother taking special training from the Hokage while we're away. From what I hear, Onari's skills have greatly improved. She is somewhat close to being on you guys level. Not bad for a kid who's only had several months of hard training."

"She's only been training for a short while and she's on my level," Hire said bewildered. She looked at the girl. Onari was looking back at her. "If you're that good, prove it."

"Hire, I wouldn't challenge her. Onari takes it rather seriously. We don't have time for you to instigate your superiority over someone," Eiyu said. He narrowed his eyes. "Back off."

"Hire, stay where you are. You don't have to go on this trip," Sasuke warned. "If you want to fight Onari, you do it on the training grounds."

"Are we finished with the setbacks," Shikamaru asked. "I wasn't finished." He watched Ryu and Saori move to stand near Eiyu and Onari. They were backing Eiyu up; Not only them, but also Areku, Daiya, and Takeru. They were guarding Onari. Hire scowled as Shikamaru flicked his cigarette. "Guys, pay attention. We're going to OtoMori for a few days to enjoy ourselves. As always, this trip is a privilege. Your behavior reflects the hidden leaf village. If you mess up, or act inappropriately, you will answer to the Hokage and not be allowed on further trips. It is not debatable.

OtoMori is a very long way from here. It'll take us almost two days to reach it. We'll be camping outside unless we find an inn that will accept us. I want you guys to be mindful and alert. A ninja never lets his guard down. We also need to work on teamwork. Even if someone is not paired with you, you need to look out for everyone. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes, sensei," all of the kids said.

Sasuke turned to Onari. "Firebird, what did Shikamaru say?" He needed her to repeat what she understood. The girl was furrowing her brows trying to sort out the words.

"Brother Shikamaru says listen, look, be nice, and repeat," Onari said.

Shikamaru smirked. "That's about the majority of it. You're a smart kid. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Alright, everyone say 'bye' to Neji."

"Bye, Mr. Hyuga," the kids said.

Neji waved at them as they started to leave the Hyuga compound. "Have a safe trip. Eiyu, take care of Onari." He saw them off until they were out of sight. Neji sighed. He was getting a break. He decided he was going to take the longest bath he ever had in celebration.

Takeru glanced at the others around him. Everyone was getting along so far. He felt bad for Idai though. He was paired with the worst person ever. Takeru frowned. Hire was constantly glancing at Onari. If she even tries to hurt Onari, I'll get after her.

"Takeru, are you excited about the Moon Festival," Yanagi asked. She knew he was watching Hire. "Ms. Hinata said it's wonderful. We'll get to stay up all night!"

"I know I should be, but my mind is wandering. This is Onari's first trip. She doesn't understand our language to the full extent. She can be very frustrating. I don't think I approve of the looks Hire is giving her, either."

Yanagi turned her gaze in that direction. Eiyu was narrowing his eyes at Hire. "Eiyu won't let Hire touch Onari. I know you're worried. You're close to her. Instead of worrying about what she doesn't understand, concentrate on what she does."

Takeru smiled a little at Yanagi. "I guess you're right. Yanagi, how come you keep watching Daiya?" He caught her blushing. "You like him, don't you? It's all over your face."

Yanagi looked at Takeru with wide eyes. He knew? Her heart thumped in her chest.

"Whoa, you really do? I was only teasing," Takeru said as he watched her look away. "I'm not going to tell him. That'd be mean. You need to tell him."

"I can't tell him. I don't even know when it happened. I probably started realizing it when I found out he had lost control of his kekkegenkai. Saori has been giving me advice. I just don't have the courage to confront him. Daiya is cautious of everyone he's not in any position to listen to me. We've rarely spoke," Yanagi said sadly.

"Daiya rarely speaks to anyone. He's afraid of everyone around him. Just approach him on his terms. You have to pay attention to his body language. Dad had to give me advice about him, too. Daiya rarely gives me a chance to be near him," Takeru said.

"I'm sorry, Takeru. I know it's not easy. I don't have any siblings either. I spend a lot of time with my dad because of it. I once asked him why it was just me and he told me that sometimes things work out better that way. Mom is busy at the hospital when she's not home. Her job is very important. I don't like to bug either of them. It's not fair to have a whiny daughter," she said smiling.

"Yanagi, they love you. I know they do. They'd want to hear what you have to say," Takeru told her. "My dad is always busy, too. He still finds time to listen to me."

"Yeah, I know. I just don't want mine to know I'm unhappy. I have to be strong for us," Yanagi said. She kept her eyes on the path ahead. They were walking down an old trail. She wondered if they chose this route for a reason.

Masaru looked up at his uncle. The man was walking solemnly with the others. Sasuke was holding his position at the back of the group. "Since I'm your partner, it means I have to look out for you." Sasuke turned his head to look down at him. "I've improved even more since we've had our training. Kiba sensei taught me some new moves," he said proudly.

"We'll see, Masaru. You better hope an adversary doesn't bother us while we're away. If you think Manda is a challenge, you won't be able to handle another whose skills are not known. Not everyone is able to use a summoning jutsu. It takes a lot of focus, chakra, and training. I only want you to enjoy yourself. I'll look after all of you," Sasuke told the boy.

Ryu walked silently next to Saori. His relationship with her was steady. Every so often, he rubbed his thumb on her hand. Saori would look up at him and blush. And every time she did, his heart flopped around. Ryu was starting to feel protective of her – she was his. He found himself checking the area around them a lot. He was paranoid about someone ripping her away from him.

"Ryu, calm down. You worry too much. Our trainers would know if someone was out there before we would. Try to relax," she said stealing a kiss on his cheek. Ryu blushed.

Hire was finding it hard to stop eying Ryu and Saori. She wasn't aware that he had gotten the nerve to ask out Shikamaru's daughter. Hire felt jealous and angry. She had known him longer. Why did he pick that girl? She's three years younger than us. Is that what it takes? She stuck her nose into the air. Hire didn't approve of Saori at all. She isn't good enough. That girl doesn't have what it takes to make it to the Chuunin level. I'll show her I'm better than her.

Idai hated being paired with Hire. The girl hated everyone around her. She tried to prove it to them all that she was better. He figured she was like that because of insecurities from an unknown source. He glared at her. The look she had on her face told him she was thinking about something, or someone. "Just what are you up to," he said lowly.

"Don't you worry about it," Hire snapped at the white and red haired boy. "In fact, don't talk to me. You're beneath me, you little runt. What kind of kid gets kicked out of his own village as a boy? What did you do?"

Idai gritted his teeth. "SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME! I DON'T OWE YOU ANYTHING!" Idai unsheathed one of his swords quickly. Just as he did, he was grabbed by Kiba. Idai kicked his legs as the man picked him up. He yelled in utter outrage. Kiba forced him to drop his weapon.

"What did you say to him, Hire," Kiba shouted. He kept his hold on Idai. The boy was fighting him for all it was worth. The children around them had stopped. They were staring at all of them. "Idai, calm down!"

Sasuke stepped forward. "Hire, come here." The girl walked towards him with difficulty. She had a hard time meeting his gaze. "What did you say to him," Sasuke asked slowly. The girl wouldn't answer. "Whatever it was, it wasn't appropriate. Your trail ends here. Shikamaru wasn't speaking for the sake of hearing his own voice, earlier. You're going back to the village along with Idai." The boy wouldn't look at anyone.

"Sensei, that's not fair. He wouldn't have reacted if Hire hadn't said something to upset him," Yanagi said defending her team mate. She froze as Sasuke turned his hard gaze upon her.

"Yanagi Lee, I don't tolerate defiance. They were going back. Fighting is not allowed amongst the teams. Turning your own weapon upon a fellow ninja is cause to be excluded from the groups," Sasuke said raising his voice. Yanagi turned to look at Idai.

Idai closed his eyes. Kiba was still holding him in place. If he was off of the team, he had no existence. Would he be banished from the village because of it?

Daiya walked to Idai. He knew how Hire was, but what Idai had almost came close to doing, worried him. He lifted his arm to put his hand on his best friend's head. "Unless you tell them what she said, you're going to appear as guilty as she is. What did she say to cause you to be so furious that you'd risk being banished from the teams?"

Idai answered Daiya softly. "She said… I… I was beneath her. She asked me… what I had done to get thrown out of my village."

Ryu glared at Hire. "Did you really say that to him? You did! What kind of trash spits forth insults like those to someone who has sworn to look out for you! He's not beneath anyone. You have no right to say anything to him!"

Daiya grabbed onto Idai. His friend was vulnerable with everyone watching. "I don't think pairing him with Hire was a good idea."

Sasuke crossed his arms. "So let me get this straight… Hire says something cruel and insensitive. That isn't a cause to place judgment on the value of someone's life. I have no choice but to escort you both back. Daiya, let go of him."

Idai walked numbly to Sasuke. The man waited until he passed before he started to follow him and Hire. Idai had let Hire's taunt cause him to explode rashly. Now he would have to answer to the Hokage. His father was going to be furious.

Yanagi sniffled. Idai was her friend. She wanted him to remain with them. "Kiba sensei, can't you say anything," she asked.

"It's out of my hands, Yanagi. He drew his sword at her. It doesn't matter if that girl started it. Enemies use verbal taunts to trap others into doing what they expect. Idai fell for it," Kiba said.

"If sensei can't do anything, can't we do something," Masaru said looking at Yanagi. "Teams are like family. Idai is on our team. It's not Kiba's job. It's ours."

Yanagi swallowed hard. It wasn't easy to challenge Sasuke Uchiha, or make him listen. She knew how strong the man was. But despite her nervousness over it, she started to run after them. I won't let him take Idai. Idai isn't physically weak. He has a bad past that is constantly weighing him down!

"Where is she going," Eiyu asked.

"She's challenging sensei," Ryu said.

"Isn't that… unhealthy," Areku asked as he watched her gain on them.

"It is, but not impossible. I do it often. You can always challenge someone. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don't. Yanagi's going to have to defeat him here," Ryu said tapping his head.

"Wait, sensei," Yanagi shouted as she ran to them. Sasuke stopped. He turned around half-way to acknowledge her. "Haven't you all taught us that our teams are like our family? If Idai goes back, we all go back. Even though I wasn't involved, I'm standing up for him because he pushes himself harder than us to get where he is. Idai is constantly taunted by others because he's not from the fire country. And despite the fact that he shouldn't have raised his sword at her, Hire says cruel things to everyone. She doesn't have the courage to face us in the training ring so she uses verbal threats to push us down to her level. I'm not on her level and neither is Idai. We're under Kiba sensei's care and the main thing he has taught us is to be loyal to each other. I'll stand by Idai no matter what decision you make on his behalf. If he falls, we all go down with him," she said. Yanagi held her breath. She had stood up to one of the toughest trainers on the teams. She kept her gaze matched with his.

"That's a very interesting argument. You have major guts when it comes to standing up for someone. It doesn't change what either of them did. There will be punishment involved. If you're serious about this 'all for one and one for all' business that you display so well, you and Masaru can take the punishment, too," Sasuke said as Masaru approached the last bit.

Masaru wanted to sulk. Sasuke's punishments were no laughing matter. Ryu and Hire took them occasionally. He toughened up and balled his hands up. "We're ready," he said seriously. "If it prevents Idai from being thrown off of our team, then we'll take whatever you throw at us!"

The Sixth Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki, smiled as he watched the scene play out in the crystal ball at his table. He smiled. That boy has some spunk. And I'm glad to see he's able to stand up to Sasuke. It's not easy, is it Masaru? I was right when I placed you and Yanagi with Idai. You two will have an impact on him. Naruto smiled a little at his son. Yanagi needs more confidence though. I'm also worried about the aggression seen in Idai. It was rash. I really hope the kids can help him. I'd hate to see Idai slip into the darkness that calls him. It's been this way since he's arrived. Naruto watched as Idai's body posture changed. He was being submissive. He was afraid of the kids around him, for the most part.

"Why are you defending me," Idai asked softly. He looked at Masaru and Yanagi. "Now you're in trouble like I am."

Hire rolled her eyes. "If you're going to send me to the Hokage, I'd rather be on my way. It's pathetic having to listen to babies whine," she sneered.

"We're not whining. We're doing something you don't understand. Maybe it's because you've never had a friend, Hire. I think that's why you're cruel. You're hiding something and keeping it in instead of letting others help you," Masaru shot back. He saw Hire's eyes change. Had he pinpointed the real reason? She turned away from him.

"Idai, you may go back to your team," Sasuke said. "However, you're under close watch. I'm pairing you with Areku and Daiya. If you put one toe out of line, I'll

know. Hire, you're being paired with Yanagi and Takeru. If you utter one harsh word to either of them, I'm resigning as your trainer. I'm at the end of my rope with you."

"Wait, I thought we were going to be punished," Masaru said.

Sasuke smirked. "Oh, you will be. I just can't do it right this second. You four are holding up our progress. We've been delayed long enough. You'll receive your punishment soon enough."

"What do you think happened," Saori asked. They were coming back with Idai and Hire. "Did he let them get away with it?"

"Sensei doesn't let anyone get away with anything. He's not letting them off of the hook. Whatever Yanagi said changed his mind. He's only delaying their punishment," Ryu said.

"Sorry, Takeru, I have to be punished by your dad," Yanagi said with an embarrassed smile. Hire was right behind her. "I apologize in advance for whatever trouble or discomfort I cause on this trip. We have to take Hire. Idai is going to be paired with Areku and Daiya."

Takeru glanced at Hire. "If it keeps anyone from having to answer to Masaru's father, I'll do it," he said hopelessly. He made sure Hire caught his gaze. "Behave, Hire. You're supposed to enjoy yourself."

Hire raised a brow at Sasuke's son. He was odd. He wasn't too displeased with the fact that she was now paired with him. Hire walked quietly with her new group. She wouldn't look at anyone.

Idai was walking with his head downcast he stayed close to Daiya. His mind kept reflecting on how fast he unsheathed his swords. Why did I do that? I've never aimed it at anyone less I had a reason. What does Daiya think of me now? He's the only real friend I have. Is he going to hate me? He closed his eyes.

Areku glanced at Idai. He grabbed his arm and yanked him towards him. Idai looked at him in alarm. "It's better to keep your eyes open to see the path before you." He pointed to the stump Idai had almost run into. "Idai, I'm sorry about before. It's not my intention to jump down your throat before knowing the facts."

Daiya rubbed his eyes. He felt someone watching him. "I'm not tired." He turned to see Eiyu Hyuga watching his every move. That was unexpected. Eiyu didn't like him. "What is your interest in me?"

"You have the tendency to throw someone off when they are concerned about you. Don't mistake my concern for assuming you're inferior. I can be mindful of the others around me," Eiyu said in his defense.

Onari watched Daiya give Eiyu the same expression he gave everyone. Her brother didn't approve of being called out. She walked over to him and kissed him quickly on the cheek before he decided to mouth off. "Eiyu no hurt Daiya. Eiyu look Daiya for Onari. Onari love Daiya." She put her hand on his head. "Daiya no want Onari?"

Daiya's eyes softened. He put his arm around her to hug her from the side. He walked with her quietly. Onari was an unusual sister to have. He understood everything about her even when others didn't.

"Gin, when we get there, do you want to compete in the Lotus Competition with me," Kandai asked.

"What's that," Gin said.

"I forgot to mention that," Shikamaru said. "I suppose it would have helped to do a little more research on it before we agreed to go there. Oh, well. Kandai, can you tell everyone what it is please?"

"Hey, can I have your attention," Kandai said looking at everyone. He blinked. "Whoa, I didn't think any of you would actually listen," he said smiling.

"Kandai, get to the point," Areku said.

"Oh, sorry. There's going to be a competition at the

Moon Festival. It's called the Lotus Competition and it's the best one! It takes place close to midnight. If all of you want in, you're more than welcome to participate."

"You're not telling them what it entails," Eiyu said. He shook his head. "It's a competition that involves hundreds of fake lotus flowers. They are turned upside-down in a pond. When the announcer signals for you to go, you have to run to the water and grab a lotus flower. When he signals again, you can choose to keep the flower you have, or trade positions with someone else. At midnight, we turn them over. Some of the flower will have mini prize scrolls attached. Others will be different colors or patterns. If you get a lotus flower with a color, or pattern, you have to search for the other person who has the same one as you. The announcer tells you what you get to share with someone else. Basically, everyone wins something. It's just that some of the prizes are better quality."

"What are the small prizes," Masaru asked. He was really curious. He liked games a lot.

"I think Ms. Hinata said they ranged from coupons at the restaurants to dates with the person you with. You can also turn in the flowers if you don't want the prize you get. I think she said in return you get to eat somewhere for free," Kandai said. He turned to Gin. "If you participate in the competition, you might win a date with Idai."

Gin blushed. She looked at Idai. He was still handsome when he was sad. "I'll do it!" Everyone looked at her. Gin shrunk back blushing badly.

"I'm defiantly in," Rock Lee said. He pointed at Sasuke. "Sasuke Uchiha, I challenge you at the Lotus competition! I will not lose to you!"

Sasuke twitched his eye. "It's supposed to be for lovers you spandex wearing idiot." All of the students were laughing. "However, if you think you can beat me, I'll prove you wrong."

"Those two act like old men who have tried to beat each other at Shogi for the past fifty years," Hire said out of nowhere. Takeru busted out laughing at her. "What?"

"That's pretty much how Dad and Sensei act when they're around each other. They're always trying to out do the other," Takeru said. "It was odd when we were little because me and Yanagi had to watch them hold these ridiculous matches."

"Takeru, you're talking too much," Sasuke said embarrassed.

"Here's some more wood," Areku said as he threw it onto the pile. They were near a small village off of the main road, but there wasn't an inn willing to take in so many students, nor a room to accommodate all of them. They were going to have to camp out. Some of the kids didn't mind but others haven't done it before. "Gin, no one's going to harm you out here. The trainers are taking turns keeping an eye out."

Gin sat on the ground looking around. It was getting dark. "I've never been camping before. I've never left the village unless it was wit our team, Areku." She looked up to see Rock Lee watching her. "Sensei, are there wild animals out here?"

"Don't worry about a thing. Nothing gets past me. We are all looking out for each other. Who would dare to attack seventeen pairs of eyes?" Lee dumped his pile of wood. "At this rate, we're going to have a bonfire."

"I thought that was the idea," Masaru said. He looked at the large pile. "It's almost as tall as I am. Idai, you don't have to be so depressed. You weren't forced to go back." Idai glanced at him before looking away. Masaru walked over to Daiya. He leaned down. "Hey, isn't there something you can say to him? He listens to you the most."

Daiya was surprised to see Masaru concerned. "There's nothing I can say to comfort him. What he did was wrong. He has to settle it with himself and overcome it."

Masaru sat next to him. "I suppose you're right. Still, if it was me, I would have acted the same way. Hire is always taunting us. She's been doing it a lot more since you've been gone. She says ill things to Idai and puts down Yanagi's abilities."

"She's insecure. You can't let someone like her hold power over you. You guys are the only ones that can make her stop. I had a bad vibe about her the moment I met her," Daiya said. He watched Onari move back as Lee lit the fire. The wood started to crackle. Onari moved towards it. "Onari, don't play with that. If you get too close, it'll singe your hair."

"Onari use fire. Fire same? Onari no scared," she said pointing at it. Daiya shook his head at her. She went over to him. Onari started to pad his vest down in search of food.

Daiya turned his head. "Onari, what are you searching for?" She started to put her hands in his pockets and pulling them out.

"She's totally fondling you," Masaru said blushing.

"No, she's searching for food," Daiya said. He grabbed her wrist as she started to unclip his vest. He growled a warning at her. "It wouldn't be in there. My vest is off limits," he said lowly. Onari tilted her head.

Idai whistled. He held up a pear. He waved it at Onari. She immediately went for it and took it from him. As she nibbled on it, he petted her head. "Don't be mad at her, Daiya. She doesn't really know how to ask."

"I wonder when they're going to get back," Gin said as she looked at the village in the distance.

"They will be back soon enough. They're probably putting as much as they can into their back packs," Lee said as he jerked a thumb at the pile of clothes on a sheet.

"I was going to ask about that," Areku said.

Kandai came back laughing with Takeru and Saori. "They put a wet, cold fish in Kiba sensei's pants!" He dropped his back pack.

"Who did," Lee asked.

"Sasuke sensei and my dad," Saori answered.

"Kiba was running off at the mouth about how cheap they were being. They decided to purchase a lot of small things we could carry instead of large quantities that lasted," Takeru said catching his breath. "So Shikamaru sensei held onto Kiba with his shadow possession jutsu in order for Dad to put a fish down his pants." He tensed as Kiba threw down his pack. The man found a water bottle, grabbed a shirt, and took off.

"That's not going to do any good, Kiba," Shikamaru said smiling. He puffed on his cigarette. "We've got plenty of food."

"Where'd he go," Sasuke asked as the kids all brought their bags over.

"I'm assuming he went to wash the smell off," Lee said. "You two are a bad example fro the students. They're supposed to be learning how to get along."

"We do get along. We don't fight," Shikamaru said. He

looked at the students. "Let that be a lesson to everyone: Running off at the mouth will leave you feeling like a fish out of water." Most of the kids laughed.

"I heard that Shikamaru," Kiba said angrily. He threw his shirt down. "And the last laugh is mine! I used your water and Sasuke's shirt!"

The kids froze. They moved away from Kiba, scrambling. Sasuke and Shikamaru were approaching Kiba slowly. "Guys, now is not the time," Lee said as he got to his feet. Kiba was standing his ground.

"Bring it on," Kiba challenged. They both came at him fast. Kiba brought his arm back to swipe at them. As Kiba brought his arm back around, Sasuke came into full contact first. He sneered as he attempted to swipe his claws at the dark haired man. As he did so, his arm was forced back and held. Sasuke was also being held back by a foot that came out of nowhere. Not even Shikamaru could move. The other small foot they saw was forcing him back as well. Kiba looked down to see yellow eyes watching him.

Masaru's mouth dropped. "She stopped them from attacking each other." He pointed at Onari. The girl was eying Sasuke and Shikamaru, "Is she really that strong?"

"That girl is incredible," Lee said. To take on a Jounin at Genin level was foolish. Yet, Onari had no level and was holding off all three of them. He watched as Sasuke grabbed onto Onari's ankle. The girl pushed Shikamaru back with her foot, rotated her body and brother her other leg up to side kick at Sasuke's shoulder. The man's arm came up to block her kick.

"Now, where did you learn a move such as this one," Sasuke said seriously.

Onari held her serious gaze. "Onari watch Sasuke and Izumi. Onari change move." He let go of her ankle. She dropped to the ground.

"She's exceptional for changing someone else's moves to benefit whatever she's trying to pull off. Onari has been working with me and Kandai experimenting. We aren't as quick as she is to come up with our own moves," Eiyu said.

"I can't believe we were stopped by a kid," Shikamaru said.

"It's because you're both acting like one," Areku said seriously. They stared at him. "The truth hurts."

Shikamaru took a drag on his cigarette very slowly. "Say Sasuke, Areku's kind of challenging us, isn't he?" He looked to the dark haired man with a playful smile.

"It sounds like it to me," Sasuke said as he looked at Shikamaru.

Areku looked from one of them to the other. He had no

idea what was going on. They were walking away from Onari and his father towards him. They were moving awfully slowly.

"Areku, you idiot, run! They're tag teaming you," Ryu yelled as he went for the boy. He grabbed him around the waist and took off. He glanced over his shoulder wishing he hadn't. They were right on his tail! Ryu skidded on his feet trying to lose Shikamaru. He was more afraid of Sasuke.

Areku didn't know what to do. He looked at Ryu. The Genin was hailing serious tail. "Are we supposed to fight them? They're not using any techniques against us."

"No! If you use anything against them, they'll come back at us stronger! I can't fight Sasuke alone much less when he's paired with someone else! We just have to avoid them!" Ryu picked up the pace. He could run faster than Sasuke if he was determined enough.

"Shouldn't we help them," Kandai asked. He looked at Kiba and Lee. They were both watching Ryu dodge Sasuke. Shikamaru was coming at him from an angle. Areku freaked and Ryu skidded reversing his trail.

"They're not going to hurt them. I think they're toying with Ryu and Areku. We should eat. They'll get tired soon," Lee said. He sat down checking the provisions. Lee and Kiba both cooked the meat and fed the students. Shortly, Ryu returned being carried by Sasuke. Areku was being carried by Shikamaru. "You two are ridiculous," Lee commented.

Shikamaru sat Areku against a log. The boy slumped over and fell onto his side. "I guess I wore him out more than I thought." He ruffled the top of Areku's hair.

"Shikamaru, what'd you do to my kid," Kiba asked as he came back with several students who were carrying camping equipment.

"He's just tired, Kiba. We only chased them," Shikamaru said. Areku was fast asleep.

Sasuke sat on the ground with Ryu leaning against him. He looked down at him. Ryu was trying to stay awake. Sasuke placed his hand on his student's head. Ryu looked up at him tiredly. "Nice job. We couldn't get our hands on you. Sometimes, even trainers need to let loose and remember what it was like to be your age."

Ryu smiled under his face mask. "Heh. Sensei, can we play again," he asked sleepily with his eyes closing. Ryu felt Sasuke lean back so he could rest on him.

"Yeah," Sasuke answered. Ryu was fast asleep. Half of the students had fallen asleep after dinner. The other half were laying out sheets for everyone to sleep on. Sasuke watched as Lee laid Takeru down. His son rolled over and moved closer to Daiya and Idai.

"I'll take the first watch," Kiba volunteered as he lifted Gin. The girl stirred a little but went back to sleep. He put her on a sheet by herself.

"Yanagi, it's time to go to bed," Saori said shaking her friend's shoulder. "You can lay with me, Eiyu, and Areku." Her friend got up and crawled over to the sheet where she plopped down.

Kandai crawled next to Gin. He yawned hard. "Hire, you can sleep with us if you want," he said tiredly. The dark headed girl shrugged and threw herself next to Kandai. Pretty soon, even Shikamaru lay next to them. Kandai watched Sasuke signal for Onari to lay down with him and Ryu. She lay down, but with trouble. She wasn't familiar with Lee and moved so close to Sasuke that she was to the point of pushing him off of the sheet. Kandai smiled as he closed his eyes. I like camping with my new family.


	44. Chapter 44

**V 5 ch 3**

**OtoMori Village part 2**

Idai yawned as they started out for OtoMori the following morning. He rubbed his eyes sleepily. They had walked pretty far the previous day and it had worn them all out. His body ached. Daiya was walking slower than the rest of the kids. Idai stopped until his friend had managed to catch up. He looked at him. "Are you okay," he asked softly.

Daiya shook his head slowly. "I feel strange." His body hurt all over. He felt as if he couldn't focus. He watched Idai move closer to him. Idai brought his hand around as if he was hugging him from behind – only to put his hand over Daiya's forehead. "Idai," he said softly. The world was spinning. He didn't feel well at all.

Idai caught Daiya as his legs buckled. "Sensei," he called to get one of their attentions. "Daiya?" He shook his shoulder.

Saori turned around. She tugged for Ryu to stop. He looked in the same direction. Shikamaru ran past them to Idai. "Is he alright?"

Ryu's heart practically stopped. Idai was holding Daiya on the ground. Please don't let that be what I think it is. He felt Saori wrap her arms around him. Ryu felt numb as he watched Shikamaru check Daiya. Soon Sasuke was with them. Everyone had stopped to wonder what was going on. They had departed from camp two hours ago. Ryu looked around at the forest. "We're not near a village that could aid him," he said worriedly.

"Dad, what's wrong? Is he okay," Saori asked as her father approached them. She watched Sasuke pick Daiya up. He had to carry the boy in his arms.

"We think he's having an allergic reaction to his medication. The most important thing right now is to make sure his throat doesn't close. Don't worry. He has Sasuke and me keeping an eye on him. We should reach our destination this afternoon." Shikamaru gestured to the forest. "This whole area is part of OtoMori. When we get closer to the village, you guys will hear all sorts of sounds. It's the reason for the name. Alright, we're off again."

Yanagi put her arm around Takeru to comfort him. His eyes were full of sorrow. His view was directed at his brother. Even Onari was keeping her gaze on him. She was walking with Eiyu. Eiyu reached for her hand and held onto it. Yanagi wondered if he liked Onari. He sure was taking his position rather seriously about being her protector.

Hire also looked at Takeru. "It's alright, Uchiha. Don't doubt Sasuke sensei or Shikamaru sensei. They are both very intelligent and have lots of training experience with students. Daiya's not the first to have a medical ailment."

Takeru looked at Hire. "Who else has had complications like he has?" He watched her nonchalantly point to Ryu. "Ryu? When?"

"Ryu has asthma. He's had to learn to push himself and learn how to handle it. Your father is had on us because an enemy is going to be. Ryu's passed out before when he first started training with Sasuke. Your father has had to aid him in the past," Hire said.

"How much do you know about Ryu," Takeru asked.

"How much do you want to know," Hire asked him in return. She watched him glance at Ryu then back at her. "I don't mind questions if they are the right ones. I cannot answer personal ones simply because I don't have the knowledge. That girl is the only one who sees his true self," she said nodding to Saori. Takeru started to ask her mild questions about Ryu.

The children walked for hours hardly talking. Whether they were doing it out of respect or concern, no one knew. There was only mild conversations occurring until Kiba, Areku, and Idai stopped. Their hearing was intensified compared to the others around them. "Shh," Areku said. Everyone halted around him. He moved his head, listening. "I hear faint chiming sounds."

"We must be getting close," Shikamaru said. "The chimes are tired to all of the branches of the trees surrounding the village." He started to walk again.

Sasuke rubbed his hand on Daiya's head. "Daiya." The boy moved a little. "Daiya, it's time to wake up." Sasuke started to shake his shoulder gently. He could feel Ryu watching him. Daiya stirred slightly, but his eyes remained closed. "Daiya, come on, son, look at me," he said softly. Was it possible the medication was still in his system?

"Sasuke, how long does his medicine last? It can't still be active, can it? There has to be something to counter it," Ryu said. He was worried.

"It's not wise to give Daiya anything, Ryu. It could react badly with what's in his body," Lee said. "We have to find someone who can help him in the village."

Ryu swallowed. "How far is the village from here?" Saori looked up at him in alarm. He was making a serious decision.

"The village is still a few hours away," Kiba said. He noticed Ryu was deciding on something. "Ryu, leaving the group is not wise."

Ryu looked at Kiba, then to Sasuke. "I'm the leader of my team. He's my responsibility. I'll take him to the village. They need the four of you," he said gesturing to the others around him. "You have to let me take him, Sasuke. I'm the oldest."

"Ryu-," Sasuke started out to say. He looked at Daiya. His eyes left the boy in his arms to drift to his son watching him. Takeru was wide eyed.

"Sasuke," Ryu shouted in alarm. "Let me take him!" He felt a panic strike him.

Saori's heart was beating wildly. They were all inexperienced and vulnerable by themselves. She grabbed onto him hard. "Ryu, there might be an enemy out there. We are safe with our group."

"Daiya is my responsibility," he told her softly. "I have to make sure he gets help. My team can't survive without me. Please understand." Ryu walked past her. He looked at his trainer and opened his arms.

Sasuke handed Daiya over to Ryu. "Run as fast as you can, Ryu. You're on your own. If you come across an enemy, we won't be there to help you," he said seriously as he made him aware of the situation.

"No, but we will be," Eiyu said walking forth with Gin and Idai. "We are family. We don't let one of our own take on a burden alone. We will make sure you get there."

The trainers were speechless for a moment. Each one of the team leaders was stepping forth to help Ryu. The children before them showed a new sense of responsibility. "You three must keep up with Ryu. He's fast on his feet, as many of you noticed last night. Do not hesitate to defend him against an opponent. Keep your eyes open, ears listening, and guard up," Kiba said. "Do not freeze," he said directing the last part at Idai. They turned around and were off.

Saori put her hand over her mouth. Ryu was gone. Oh, please make it. She looked around her. Yanagi was being shielded by her father. Takeru was also being comforted by Sasuke. Kandai was staring at the ground. Hire had her hand on his shoulder. Saori looked around the group several times. Her eyes darted around, searching. She gasped. "Sensei, where is Onari?"

Onari ran after the group that was escorting her brother to the village. Her eyes darted around searching the area. It wasn't the fact that she didn't trust them to take him. Onari was protective of Daiya. She was the same with Takeru, although, he wasn't aware of it. She was keeping a fair distance behind them. If someone were to attack the group, she'd have to assist them. Onari's training was going to come into play.

Idai ran on the left of Ryu. Eiyu was in front so that he could use his Byakugan to search ahead for foes. Gin was to his right. It wasn't easy keeping pace with the older boy. Ryu was alarmed and Idai suspected his body was full of adrenaline. They were trying their best to get medical aid for his best friend. Idai glanced at him. Daiya had no idea where he was, or what was occurring. Idai was really worried. He couldn't help it. Daiya had been through a lot in the past month.

"We need to get off of the main road, Ryu. There are a lot of travelers coming this way," Eiyu said. "It would be wiser to stick to the trees."

Ryu adjusted his hold on Daiya. "Alright, we change course. We're traveling through the trees, you guys." He ran up the side of a tree, hopped onto a branch and leapt off. The kids were right with him.

Onari stopped. She felt she wasn't going the right way. Had they decided to go another way? It wasn't easy to lose her. Onari formed hand seals and closed her eyes. Her form shot above the trees. From her aerial perspective, she could see for miles around in a 360 degree area. Onari's eyes shifted searching the road for the quarry. There were only strangers approaching. A flash of metal caught her attention off to the right. She was instantly drawn to the light reflecting off of one of Idai's swords. Onari knew where they were.

Her form shot back down into her body. She opened her eyes coming out of her dreamy state. They had taken to the trees to avoid the people on the road. Onari didn't blame them. She climbed into the tree and started to follow them. "Ryu fast turkey," she said smiling.

"Where could she have gone? Is it normal for her to take off on her own like this?" Rock Lee had scouted the area with Kiba. There was no sign of Onari. Her scent was not around them. If they had lost her, it was going to prove a problem.

"I can't believe she took off like this," Shikamaru said. He flicked his cigarette. "This is causing stress and it's supposed to be our vacation. So much for relaxing."

Takeru was trying to think like Onari. She is aware Daiya's sick. I don't think Onari would have given up easily on letting the others take care of the matter. He furrowed his brows. Onari's a fighter in more than one way. She does defy the adults like Daiya if she knows something they don't. He adjusted his back pack. Takeru tilted his head. He had it. He turned his head to look at his father. "Dad, Onari followed Ryu and the others to the village!"

"How do you know this?" Sasuke watched Takeru scratch his head. "No one saw her leave, Takeru."

"No, but Onari doesn't follow orders like Daiya. She's overprotective of him. It would make sense for her to have gone after them to protect them. Her skills are advancing. Even Eiyu said so."

"I understand your reasoning, but we can't know for sure where she is. It would seem we were easily distracted by Ryu and his concern for your brother. She was paired with Eiyu, right? Maybe she sought the need to follow him because he swore to look after her," Areku said.

"I don't know, Areku. Onari is very observant. She watched everyone constantly – that's why she's so quiet. When I've visited Takeru, Onari is always on the move learning. If someone goes near Daiya, she's close by, or watching them like a hawk," Saori said. "I can understand why she is like that. They're both orphans from the same country. I don't believe I'd put it past her not to protect him to some extent."

"Let's hope you guys are right in your train of thought," Shikamaru said. "If we lose her, it's going to be one hell of a search to locate her." He really hoped they were right.

"We have to rest," Ryu said. He touched down on a branch. He was breathing hard. The area around them was quiet. They could still see the road below.

"Ryu, I think we're being followed," Gin said as she pointed behind them. "The trees said we've been sought after for some time. Do you think one of our trainers is behind us?"

Eiyu turned around. "They wouldn't have left the others. We're on our own. Let's see who is daring to get this close." He closed his eyes for a moment then reopened them. Byakugan! Eiyu's body tensed as his eyes focused on the direction they had just come from. His vision zoomed ahead. He could see a figure leaping from each branch. Eiyu gritted his teeth. "I'm going to hurt her!"

Gin looked at him in shock. "Eiyu, who do you see?" She watched him close his eyes in frustration. "Eiyu?"

"Onari is following us! Why didn't she stay with the group," Eiyu said angrily. He punched the tree.

Idai looked behind them. Was she following them because of Daiya? He leapt off to go after her.

Gin watched Idai leave. "Where is he going?" Ryu was standing up again. Eiyu had his arms crossed, thoroughly annoyed with the situation. They waited until Idai came back with Onari.

"You're in a lot of trouble, Onari! You made us think you were an enemy! You're supposed to be with the trainers," Eiyu shouted at her.

"Daiya Onari brother. Onari protect brother, Eiyu! No different Eiyu with Kandai," Onari said with a stern voice. She met his gaze and held it. "Onari fight Eiyu over Daiya!"

"Nobody's fighting anybody. My concern is to get him help! Onari, keep up," Ryu said as he started to leap off. His body jerked as he felt someone grab him. "Onari, we have to get moving!"

"Akaihi faster. Daiya sick boy, Ryu. Village too far. Ryu tired. Ryu sick," she said. Onari watched him stare at her.

"What the heck is Akaihi," Ryu asked.

"It's her bird," Idai said. "I've seen it before. I don't see how it can help us, Onari. It's small." He watched her roll up her sleeves. Onari's arms were covered in bandages. She was unraveling them.

Gin watched Onari curiously. "What is she doing?" Onari's arms were covered in tattoos containing symbols and colors. She had never seen such a thing in her life.

"She's attempting a summoning jutsu," Idai said answering her. Onari bit both of her thumbs, smeared the blood on her arms, and started to form hand seals quickly. He watched her press the palms of her hands to the branch.

"Summoning jutsu! Akaihi!" Onari kept her hands still as patterns started to form around her in a circle of light. The trees around them started to crack. The ground below gave way and several of the trees fell over. Everyone was on guard as a large hole appeared. Light started to flicker in the darkness of the hole along with sounds of a beautiful melody. Then there was silence. The group looked at her wondering what was up. Suddenly, a large ball of feathery red came out of the hole. They all lowered their bodies, turned, and stared as the large phoenix touched down. It eyed them all with a serious gaze. "Akaihi dramatic. He take Daiya to village."

"That is the biggest chicken I've ever seen," Ryu said. He watched Onari approach it. She signaled for it to lower

its form. Daiya stirred a bit, grunting.

"He looks awfully pale," Gin said softly. "I don't think it's his medicine, Ryu. If he was allergic to it, he would have reacted this way the first time – not weeks after. He is having a reaction to something else."

Idai felt Daiya's forehead. "He doesn't have a fever. In fact, he's cold to the touch. What would make your body react this way?"

Eiyu stayed silent for a long time. He anger at Onari had finally subsided. "Poison," he said seriously. "He could have been poisoned by something he ate. We have to hurry."

"Eiyu's right. Everyone get on the… um… get on the… chicken," Ryu said with his eye twitching. The large bird made noises at him. The others hopped onto its back. He took a deep breath and leapt.

"Grasp these," Onari said to the feathers on its back. "Akaihi fly fast. Tell him where Ryu." The bird started to run. Ryu was on top of Daiya pressing his body to his to keep him from falling off. Eiyu and Idai had their arms hooked under Gin's as they held on for dear life. The bird took off flapping its wings. It soared into the air.

"The village is the other way. We're going towards the sea," Ryu said. He held on tighter as the bird started to change its course. He really had to press his body against Daiya and use a lot of his upper arm strength. "Sorry, Daiya," he said softly.

"How long will it take us to get there," Gin asked.

"At this rate, we should be there soon. We're covering a lot of area quite quickly." Idai looked out at the forest. They were passing the trees rapidly. It looked as if Akaihi was pushing them back with his feet. "Ryu, we should get there sooner than you think."

Onari crawled back slowly to look at her brother. Ryu was watching her as she kissed Daiya on the cheek. "Onari not in trouble no more?"

Ryu's eyes softened. Onari was an amazing girl. She had a few tricks up her sleeves. "No, I don't think you're in trouble. Not with us, at least. I don't know what the trainers are going to say about you leaving though. You didn't tell anyone what your plans were. Despite how he is, Sasuke sensei worries and so does Takeru."

"Sasuke mad at Onari," she said knowing it fully. She hid her face on the phoenix. He was probably going to send her back to the village, or make her scrub floors when they returned. She felt Ryu pet her head, smirking.

"Hey, I found out where the clinic is in this place. We're not far from it. It's two streets over," Shikamaru said. "I believe our little group got here quite a while ago. Several of the children that were hanging around were telling me about a pretty red bird they saw."

"Onari must have used Akaihi to get them here," Sasuke said. He thought for a moment. "Why don't you guys go ahead and find an inn. The kids need to rest. Shikamaru and I can retrieve them."

"We're going to find a place to let you guys rest," Lee said. "I'm not sure if this village has large rooms or not. We might have to pair three or four of you guys to a room. Three students will be placed with a trainer." Lee led the students down the road.

"Can we wait until the others come back before we decide," Masaru asked.

"I think that would be best," Lee said agreeing.

Onari watched Daiya lay back. His color was starting to return. The doctor had checked him out and given him something once he was awake. He was watching them all curiously. "Daiya feel better?"

Daiya nodded slowly. "Where… are we?" He looked at Ryu, Eiyu, Idai, and Gin. Why was he being surrounded?

"We're in OtoMori. We had to leave the others behind in order to get you help. We didn't know what was wrong with you. Shikamaru sensei thought you were having an allergic reaction to your medication. Ryu made the decision to leave the others on his own," Eiyu said as he jerked a thumb at the spiky haired boy.

Daiya's gaze drifted to Ryu. He was sitting with his back against the wall, embarrassed by Eiyu's praise. "Why did you risk the chance of someone attacking you? We were in a group for a reason."

Idai watched Ryu close his eyes. "Ryu was going to carry you alone, but we wouldn't allow it. We're supposed to look out for each other. We were his guards."

Gin shyly tugged on Idai and Eiyu's sleeves. "We need to go. Sensei might be here soon." She watched Idai's eyes meet hers and she blushed badly, averting her eyes. They left Ryu along with Onari and Daiya.

"Why did you abandon the group? They could have gotten hurt, Ryu. We're not as experienced as you," Daiya said not understanding.

Ryu turned his head as he opened his eyes. "You're my friend. When it comes to someone I care about, there is no hesitation, Daiya. I'll fight whoever gets in my way if they dare to interfere. My decision was made. We didn't know what was wrong. Regardless, I promised Sasuke I'd take care of you."

Onari leapt onto the bed. She looked at Daiya hard. "No be mad at Ryu. Ryu like Daiya. Daiya let Ryu?"

"Ryu, come here," Daiya said softly. Ryu just looked at him. "Please?" Ryu got up. He walked over slowly. Daiya reached up to ruffle his hair. "Thank you," he said rather embarrassed.

Onari turned her head as she saw Shikamaru say 'I found them'. She darted off of the bed and went under it. Onari saw two pairs of feet enter the room.

"Boy, we were sure worried about you. You seem to be doing better. What was wrong," Shikamaru asked.

"They made me throw up," Daiya said disgusted.

"The doctor said he had food poisoning. What did you guys purchase last night," Ryu asked. He watched Shikamaru scratch his head.

"We purchased a lot of things. There's no way of really knowing precisely what it was. As long as it's out of his system, he should be fine," Shikamaru said. He watched Sasuke check Daiya's forehead.

"Onari, hiding under the bed won't get you out of trouble," Sasuke said as he got Daiya to stand up. The girl poked her head out. "I know you used Akaihi to get them here. Don't let him be seen, Onari. You were lucky only the children saw it and not the adults. It could get us a lot of unwanted attention."

"Sasuke mad Onari?" She crawled out from under the bed. He gave her one of his stern 'You know better' expressions. She scurried and hid behind Ryu. Onari peeked out with her hands on Ryu's sides.

"Alright, well, I hate medical facilities. Let's go find the others," Shikamaru said. The truth was he needed to find a place that was selling cigarettes. He was on his last one.

"How are we going to figure out the room situation? Would the girls have to sleep in the same room with the boys? Is that allowed," Masaru asked as he eyed Yanagi, Hire, and Saori.

"Masaru, we slept in a huge room together the last time. Why are you being so biased," Saori asked. She crossed her arms. The boys were on one side of the entrance to the inn and the girls were on the other. They were staring each other down.

"We're going to draw names out of a hat, so to speak," Lee said. "That way, fate decides and there aren't any complaints. Here come the others now." He greeted the group as they approached. "I see you are doing well. I'm glad to hear it wasn't worse," he said to Daiya. The boy stiffened and averted his eyes.

"Sasuke, we're drawing for rooms. They don't have a huge area to accommodate us," Kiba said. "There's going to be one of us in each room with the kids." He wrote names down onto four columns. Kiba put the first group as himself; the second group was Sasuke; the third group was Lee; and last was Shikamaru. "We're going to do this a little differently than last time. Instead of names being chosen, you guys are going to draw numbers. Draw a piece of paper out of this bowl. Tell me the number and I'll write you down on a spot. Once the numbers are all taken, I'll tell you all where you guys will be sleeping. The numbers are not in order and are completely random. There are no take backs. You get what you get."

The children started to draw numbers. They looked at their pieces of papers then told Kiba what numbers they got. Kiba wrote them down on his paper. Once everyone was finished, he began to announce the sleeping arrangements for their stay at OtoMori.

"First group consists of Eiyu, Saori, Ryu, and Hire. You guys are with me. Second group is Yanagi, Kandai, and Daiya. You guys are with Sasuke. Third group is Gin, Idai, and Takeru. You guys are with Lee. Last group is Onari, Masaru, and Areku. You guys are with Shikamaru. The festival isn't until tomorrow night. You guys can rest and stay up as late as the trainers you're with. When he says 'lights out', he means it." Kiba waved at them. He signaled for his new group to follow him.

Hire looked around at the bare room. "It's not too bad. It's the size of our living room." She set her bag down. She couldn't believe her luck though. On a good note, she was with Ryu, but so was Saori. Hire glanced at the girl. Could she win Ryu over? Not likely. He loathed everything about her. Hire felt sad and hopeless; however, she had to make due with the situation.

Saori ran to the window. She opened it and looked out amongst the village. There were people putting decorations up everywhere. Saori watched a couple stream star lights all of the way down the street. She looked off into the distance. There was a pond in the middle of the town. "That must be where the Lotus Competition is going to be! Wow! They're putting up some sort of huge statue," she said.

"Statues of what?" Hire walked over. "It looks like a couple holding hands and in love or something," she said squinting. "Nice details. Whoever designed that has some talent," she said as Saori glanced at her. Hire caught her eye and back away. She felt out of place. Hire moved to sit against the wall pretending to go through the back pack.

Eiyu went through the closet checking the size of the futons. "There are two futons currently in here. Should I go downstairs and ask for another?" He looked at Kiba. He wasn't sure of the sleeping arrangements.

"No, we should be fine. They might not have another one available. This place is pretty packed. Heck, the entire town is filled with people from all over the area. Everyone's here for the festival. I can sleep on the floor. It doesn't bother me any. However, you can go see if she has any blankets and pillows available. If not, I can make do."

Eiyu nodded. He didn't like to sit in the room and stare at everyone. He liked to be useful. Eiyu walked out of the room to do as Kiba asked.

"Are we allowed to explore," Ryu asked. Kiba nodded. He ran forth and hoisted Saori into the air. "Let's go find a bakery!"

"What is it with you and bakeries? Ryu, if my father sees you picking me up like this, he'll be furious," she said looking down at him. He lifted his eyebrows at her. "I have an idea! Since everyone is tired and resting, let's buy treats for everyone!"

"Hey, that sounds like a great idea! I could help if you want," Kiba offered. They started to walk out of the room. Kiba stopped. "Are you coming, Hire?"

"No, thanks," she said softly. "I don't like baked stuff. I'll just guard the room." She felt really stupid for ever thinking Ryu would notice her. They left her alone. Hire didn't want to be in the same room with them anymore. I don't even have anyone to hang out with at the festival. She closed her eyes trying to block out her loneliness. Who needs them? I don't…

Masaru stared at Onari. The girl was eying him right back. He moved a little towards her. Onari shot back pressing herself against the wall. "You're awfully jumpy," he said. He raised his hand trying to touch her.

Areku popped him on the head with one of his books. "She's not a dog. She's cautious because you're unfamiliar to her. Leave her alone." He sat on the floor checking provisions. One could never be prepared enough.

Shikamaru came into the room annoyed. "We need to find another inn. This place doesn't allow smoking." His eyes shifted to Masaru trying to approach Onari. "I wouldn't do that. She hits hard and fast." Masaru stopped.

"None of the inns allow smoking. Besides, we can't go to another one anyway. They wouldn't accept this many of us." Areku watched Shikamaru open the window. He lit his cigarette and smoked it with his head sticking out.

"There's always a way," Shikamaru said smirking.

"Sensei, aren't you setting a bad example," Masaru said.

Shikamaru turned to look at the boy. "Have you learned nothing about speaking out of place?" He watched Masaru move away quickly.

Yanagi watched Daiya. He was staying near Sasuke. Kandai looked at her and shrugged. "Is he always so defensive?"

"It looks like it," Kandai said. He smiled at Daiya. "We're not going to hurt you. How come you're way over there?" He saw Daiya move closer to Sasuke to where half of his body was hidden from view. "Hmm?" Kandai blinked.

Sasuke looked down as he hung a line in the room for their clothes. "Daiya, Kandai and Yanagi aren't going to harm you. They're trying to befriend you. Will you let them?" Daiya only stared back.

"Who are you going to the Moon Festival with? Are you going to compete in any of the other competitions," Yanagi asked. Daiya stayed silent. "I'm not gong to bite," she said smiling. Yanagi stepped closer. Daiya tensed and moved farther back. She stopped in her tracks.

"Daiya, you're being rude," Sasuke said lowly. It was hard for the boy to accept others. It was no wonder it was difficult for Takeru to get past Daiya's walls. "You don't act like this with Idai or Takeru. Stop treating Yanagi as if she's going to attack you."

Daiya clung to Sasuke's vest. "Dad, I… don't know them," he said very softly. He looked at Kandai and Yanagi. They were watching him curiously. "Can't I go stay with Takeru?"

"No, you picked this group. It wouldn't be fair to the others if you changed sleeping arrangements. Why are you so afraid of them? They're the nicest kids out of everyone on the teams. You were put with them for a reason. Sometimes, fate intervenes, Daiya. Try to let them get to know you. It doesn't hurt to have friends," he told him.

"Daiya, we're going to watch the villagers put up decorations. You can go with us," Kandai said thoughtfully. Daiya was very hesitant.

"Why don't you go with them? It's not going to hurt." Sasuke moved away so he couldn't cling to him. "The idea of teams is to work together. Pairings on vacations let you get to know everybody's different personalities and styles. Go," he said pushing Daiya towards the other two kids. He dug his feet into the floor. Sasuke still pushed him.

Daiya gritted his teeth as he was stopped right in front of Kandai. The Hyuga boy smiled at him. He moved his hand towards him. Daiya jerked until he realized what Kandai was doing. He stared at the boy's hand.

"I promise I'm not going to snatch your arm off," Kandai said. "It's just a hand. See?" He moved his hand around so Daiya could see he didn't have anything. It took him a while to shake Kandai's hand. "Are you going to shake Yanagi's, too?"

Yanagi's eye widened. She blushed badly. Her eyes went to Daiya's hand. He half-lifted his hand at her, trying to make friends. She was the one who ended up freezing. Kandai shook her shoulder. Yanagi's heart raced as she moved her hand slowly towards his. She swallowed hard. As her hand touched his, her body tensed badly.

"Yanagi, you can let go of his hand now," Kandai said still smiling. He had to force their hands to part. Aw, I think she likes him. She sure is acting strangely.

"Nope, sorry! You can't have it back now," Idai said as he held the box away from Takeru. He laughed as he watched the boy try to snatch it out of his hand. Idai kept moving his arms around to avoid Takeru.

"Idai, give Takeru back his box. You will behave under my watch," Lee said. He put a futon down. "If you three need to rest, you may. I may do the same," he said as Gin shyly lay down.

Idai crawled onto the futon. He crossed his arms as he rested his chin on them. "What's in the box anyway?"

"Nothing," Takeru said as he trucked it into his shirt.

He watched Idai raised a brow. "It's nothing," he said again. Takeru closed his eyes thinking about the box and its contents.

"Here, Eiyu, hold this box," Saori said. She put the box of baked goods into his hands. Saori couldn't help herself when it came to a sale! The baker had to get rid of everything before it hardened. She looked at the donuts. "Should we get some for later," she said spotting the different varieties.

"Yes," Ryu said all a little too eagerly. "Nothing would please me more than to wake Sasuke sensei up on a sugar high!" He gave her the thumbs up and she laughed.

"I dare you to wake that man up. He'll meet you head on with a snake," Eiyu said seriously. He was watching Saori pick the different donuts out. He saw a blue frosted donut that caught his eye. "I want that one!"

Saori smiled as she picked it out for him. "Gee, Eiyu, why are you so interested in the blue frosting?" She had never seen him so happy over something before.

"Those are the blueberry ones. I like those the most. They have real fruit in the middle," he said as his mouth watered.

"Watch it, Hyuga. If you start to sway away from acting like an adult, we'll have to tell the entire Hyuga compound," Ryu teased. Eiyu blinked.

"Ryu, leave him alone. Eiyu's not under any pressure right now. He doesn't need you giving him any. Here, you can carry the donuts," Saori said as he gave him the box. "I wonder where we can find a tea shop."

"There's a small restaurant here that serves all sorts of teas. If you ask nicely, Mrs. Nagori might let you buy some from her. Just tell her Myaku sent you. After all, it's the least I can do for the kid that bought out my store," the baker said laughing.

"You're telling me. He doesn't have to carry it," Eiyu griped as Saori gave him two more boxes and Ryu three.

"That shouldn't worry you. Wait until we get to the teas. I don't know what it is, but Saori loves it. You can say it's one of her dignified characteristics," Ryu said. He smiled.

"Hey, where did Kiba sensei go," Saori asked as she turned around from paying.

Kiba whistled as he walked back towards the bakery.

He grinned. Tomorrow night was going to be remembered for years to come. He waved at the group as they walked towards him. "I see you bought the bakery out. The others will be in debt to you."

"Where did you go," Ryu asked as he looked around the towering boxes at Kiba.

"I went ahead and signed our groups up to participate in the festival. You guys will have to go back and sign-up for the individual events yourselves. They're doing something different this year. Everyone gets to wear necklaces with charms on them. The different charms tell others what events you are participating in. They're also handy keepsakes," Kiba said.

"Isn't that costly," Eiyu asked.

"It sure is. That's why I paid for everyone," Kiba answered. He caught the shock on their faces. "The necklaces were five ryo a piece. Not too bad. You can participate in up to three events. The only event all of you will be in is the Lotus Competition."

"Wow, Kiba sensei, that's really nice of you," Saori said. "We could have bought ours though," she said softly. Kiba was being very generous.

"Oh, I'll get it out of the others somehow," Kiba said with a toothy grin. "I'm utterly broke now." He watched them roll their eyes at him.

Yanagi ran through the garden looking at all of the plants. She crouched to admire an iris. Kandai had found Kiba earlier and was hanging out with the others. Daiya had stayed with her. He was shyly walking behind her keeping his distance. "Oh, wow! They're decorating the garden for people to eat out here." She saw people bringing out tables and seats. They were arranging them in a nice pattern.

Daiya stood still. His gaze was attracted to a cloth that had been hung. It displayed a constellation that he was familiar with. It was beautifully painted. "Horus," he said softly.

Yanagi walked beside him. "You know astrology?" He moved away from her quickly. Yanagi looked at him sadly. "I'm not going to hurt you. I was only curious."

Daiya stayed his distance from her. Why was she looking at him like that? He tensed as he felt a hand plop onto his head. The shock of it made his heart clench. Daiya gasped in pain.

Ryu looked down at his team mate. "Daiya…?" His friend's eyes were closed. Ryu noticed his breathing was quick and sharp. "What's wrong?"

Yanagi watched in horror as Daiya collapsed. Ryu was shaking his shoulder hard. Daiya wasn't getting up. What's happening? He's not moving. Her eyes were wide. She was afraid for him.

"Shit!" Ryu turned him over so he could put his ear to his mouth, listening. Ryu sat up. "Kiba," he yelled to the top of his lungs. Kiba came running along with the others. "Daiya won't get up," Ryu said in a panic.

Kiba crouched. "Daiya?" He went over his vital signs. His fingers then went for the boy's vest. Once his fingers found the lining, he tore the Velcro loose. Kiba put his ear to the boy's chest. He heard the uneven rhythm of Daiya's heart.

Saori, Kandai, and Eiyu put down their boxes and other purchases. "Is he having an attack," Saori said bewildered. Kiba looked up at her. "Takeru said Daiya has attacks that cause him to pass out. It's due to his heart problems."

"What did Takeru say about fixing it," Kiba asked.

"There isn't anything to fix it. That's why his mom is taking training from the Hokage while we're gone. There isn't a way to help Daiya right now," Saori said sadly. She watched as Kiba lifted him.

"I have to get him to Sasuke. You guys stay here," Kiba ordered. He took off at high speed.

Ryu slumped against a tree. "I scared him," he said ashamed of himself. "I didn't mean to. Ms. Izumi warned us about loud noises and sudden movements around him." Ryu closed his eyes. No one could say anything him. They all watched as he hid his face in his knees.

Sasuke sat on the futon with his hand over Daiya's chest. He could feel his lungs pushing air in and out. It was lucky an adult had been with him. I hope Izumi is making progress. "Takeru, I need you to watch Daiya for me, alright?"

Takeru nodded slowly. He watched his father get up. "Dad, are you angry with Ryu?"

Sasuke looked away as he gathered his thoughts. "No. If he had done it intentionally, he wouldn't be here right now. Although, he assumes I'm going to harm him in some way."

"Saori said Ryu wouldn't budge from the garden area. It took all four of them to persuade him to come back," Takeru said. He played with the box in his hands.

"Ryu takes things very hard. He always has. If Daiya is in pain come and get me. Don't hesitate, Takeru." He put his hand up in a wave.

Takeru thought back to his conversation with Masaru earlier. "Aren't you jealous of Daiya," Masaru asked as they drank the tea Saori had made. Takeru put his cup down looking at him strangely. "He takes a lot of attention away from you. Your parents have to worry about where he is and what he's doing all of the time."

"They're supposed to. My parents are his parents. What harm is there in letting them take care of him? He's never had anyone before, Masaru. I think you're saying those things because you don't like him."

"I don't understand him. I'm trying to like him. Idai is my friend and I shouldn't have a reason to not like Daiya, but-"

"You don't. You've always been annoyed with him. If you don't have a valued reason why you don't like someone, it makes you a jerk. Areku didn't like him or Idai, at first. They were afraid of his persistence. You're acting like you're concerned about me, but you really aren't. I'm not taking sides. I've wanted a brother since I was little. I like Daiya. I know why he is the way he is. My dad told me. I'm not sitting here and listen to you try and persuade me to hate him." Takeru left disgusted with Masaru.

I'm not going to hate Daiya. He's my brother whether he accepts me or not. Takeru turned the box over a few times in his hands. The object shifted as he did so. He closed his eyes. Masaru's a jerk.

"What's in the box," Daiya asked as he opened his

eyes.

"Hi, are you rested?" Takeru crawled over him. "I bought you a present a few days after you came to live with us. I just haven't found the right time to give it to you."

"You bought me something?"

"Uh-huh. Do you want it now," Takeru asked. He helped Daiya sit up. "If I give this to you, it's a secret. You can't let Dad see." He handed the box to Daiya once he agreed.

Daiya stared at it. No one had ever bought him anything before except the Uchihas. This was a gift. He slowly tore off the blue wrapping paper. Carefully, he lifted the top off. Daiya furrowed his brows as he took the necklace out. There was a charm on it. He held it in his hand as he examined it. His throat clenched.

"It's the Uchiha clan symbol – a fan. I added a lightening bolt in the middle of it to signify you. You're part of our family now. I didn't want you to forget your heritage." Takeru took it from Daiya and put it around his neck. "It looks good on you," he said smiling.

Daiya gasped hard. He grabbed Takeru and wrapped his arms around him tightly. He gritted his teeth trying to suppress his emotions. The necklace was custom made. Takeru had spent a lot of ryo to have it designed. "I've never had a brother before," he said gently as he shut his eyes.

Takeru turned Daiya's chin so he could look at him face-to-face. There were tears in his brother's eyes. "I love you, Daiya." Daiya started to cry harder. "I've waited for you all of my life. I want to keep you." Takeru hugged Daiya and let his head rest on his collarbone.

Daiya clung to Takeru for some time. He hid his face on him. Once he wiped his eyes, he coughed. Takeru put his arms around his neck and tackled him to the futon. Daiya stuck the necklace in his vest. He watched Takeru with a blank, calm curiosity.

"Do you know what events you're signing up for? Lee sensei has gone to get the sheets. Do you want to be my partner for the Lotus Competition?"

"Yeah, but if we get a date together, I'm not kissing you," Daiya said. Takeru laughed at him. He kept his new brother close to him for a little while. Takeru didn't seem to mind at all. He was contempt for the time being.

Yanagi grumbled as she and Masaru were being carried under Sasuke's arms. It was time to take their punishment. She noticed how everyone seemed to be coming out of their rooms as they passed. She waved at Saori smiling. "I have to go take my punishment now. I'll see you later, Saori!"

Hire and Idai followed after them. "I wouldn't be voicing that too happily. You've never taken one of his punishments before. Watching is not the same as experiencing."

"And common sense doesn't go hand-in-hand with intelligence. If you had kept that in mind, you would have thought twice about what you said to Idai," Masaru said with his teeth gritted. He acked when he was squeezed hard around his sides by Sasuke.

"Quiet – the both of you. All of you are fixing to learn the real meaning of mental torture," Sasuke said as he went down the stairs.

"Um, Ryu, will they be alright," Saori asked worried about all four of them.

"For the most part. He's basically going to break them down. It's the only way to break Hire. Normally, I get ran to death," he said with a smile. Saori blinked. "Sensei makes me run up and down a tree using chakra. It's hard work trying to glue yourself to the bark and run back and forth without falling off."

"You can do that," she asked rather amazed with him.

"Yeah, it's some form of training sensei was under by his trainer. They had to learn to balance upside-down and run up trees. It's difficult to master," Ryu said. He winked at Saori.

"He learned it from your father," Eiyu said out of nowhere. "Chakra control was one of Kakashi sensei's specialties." Eiyu noticed the heavy shock on Ryu's face. "You weren't aware that your father was his trainer? He trained the Hokage and Yanagi's mother."

My father trained Sasuke? Is that why he wanted me on his team? He's paying my father back by training me. Ryu lowered his head. He felt unworthy about being on his team all of a sudden.

"Eiyu, it wasn't your place to say that," Lee said. He pointed to Kandai, Gin, Areku, and Onari. "Go over there and sign the sheet for the events you want to participate in." Eiyu walked away glancing back at them. Lee put his hand on Ryu's shoulder. "Ryu, Sasuke did not volunteer to be your trainer because of Kakashi. He did so because you needed his help like Daiya. His sole purpose to his team is to bring out the best in all of you. Do you remember when you first met all of us?" Ryu shook his head slowly. "The day the teams were decided, you were very nervous. There was trouble on where to place you. No one knew who would benefit you the most. There was a fight over you, you know."

"A fight," Saori repeated. "Why?" She watched Lee smile.

"Kiba and Sasuke argued about which one of them would be better training Ryu. It lasted for two days," he said holding his fingers up. "They are both very competitive. The Hokage wanted them to settle it amongst themselves. It was two days of having to listen to those guys argue, along with constant competition. Kiba lost to Sasuke over a pie eating contest." Ryu raised a brow. "It was a harmless event decided by Sakura."

"I don't understand how Kiba sensei lost to Sasuke sensei," Saori said. She looked at Lee. He smiled at her rather happily.

"Simple. Sasuke cheated," Lee said matter-of-factly. "He put small grub worms into a few of the pies. Kiba saw them and got sick instantly."

"That's horrible," Saori said.

Ryu smirked. "That's downright funny. It sounds like something I would do."

"My point is, you were wanted, Ryu. Sasuke didn't choose you out of pity. If he was that determined to get you on his team, than you shouldn't assume he was doing so as a favor to Kakashi," Lee said. "Don't forget to sign up for the event you guys want to take place in." Lee walked off.

"Why in the world are we at a bath house," Hire asked. She looked at Sasuke. He pointed for them to go inside. She glanced around at the establishment. It was humid in the place. Steam drifted through two side entrances that led to the back.

"Welcome to the Habinaro Bath House! Ah, you are the trainer that has come with students. We are glad to have you help us today," the man said from behind the pedestal. "The robes you are to wear are here," he said as he handed them to the kids.

"Robes?" Masaru looked at it. It was a bath robe. Was he supposed to undress and walk around in this?

"I don't like the looks of this," Idai said as he watched

two elderly men pay and walk through the door.

Sasuke looked at all of them seriously with his hands in his pockets. "Yanagi and Hire will be working in the men's bathing area. Masaru and Idai are in the women's bathing area. You guys are to clean the areas, get supplies, and assist the customers." Masaru started to blush. "Don't get too comfortable, Masaru. It's Senior Citizen's Day at Habinaro's. All of the young customers are attending to festival preparations."

Sasuke had to refrain from laughing. The students were all in total shock. They were probably envisioning what they would see in the bathing areas. "I wouldn't try to bail, either. I'll be sitting right here." He pointed to the couch in the waiting area.

An elderly woman paid the man at the pedestal. She made a comment about how Idai and Masaru were attractive young men and they about died. "Chop, chop. Time to get to work," Sasuke ordered. This is going to be amusing. I need a good laugh. Perhaps this will teach them to think twice about defying me.

Masaru swept the hall as Idai walked past him with dirty towels. Idai was eying the basket as if it was going to leap out at him and take his face off. Idai slipped on a puddle of water in the hall. He yelped as the filthy towels fell onto him. "Idai, are you okay?" Masaru ran to him and stopped.

Idai had the look of pure terror on his face. "Get them off of me!" Masaru started to sweep the towels off with the broom.

Yanagi sat on a wooden seat scrubbing the back of an elderly gentleman. She had her eyes closed and shivers running up and down her spine. Hire screamed as an old man slapped her on the rear. Yanagi was alerted and stood up to be faced with an elderly man fully nude in front of her. Her eyes widened and she screamed so loudly and high-pitched that Hire came running.

Hire flew at the man with a side kick to get him away from Yanagi. The man flew into the water with a splash. Yanagi was shaking all over. Hire put her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Hey! Snap out of it!" That old geezer is supposed to be wearing a towel! Hire grabbed Yanagi and carried her out of the area.

"Your punishment is not over, young lady," the man from behind the pedestal warned.

"Stow it! Your customers are supposed to be wearing towels! Yanagi's scarred for life!"

Sasuke walked down the hall annoyed. "What is all of the commotion?" Hire was challenging the owner.

"Sensei, some old fart walked right up to Yanagi without a towel on! Look at her!" Hire turned to where he could see the girl's face.

"Is that true? I thought you assured me that they would be covered at all times," Sasuke said threateningly. "Her father is one of the trainers with us."

The man bowed several times lowly to the trainer with raven hair. "I'm sorry, sir. I will go see what happened immediately," he said as he backed away. He hurried off to the bathing area.

Sasuke carried Yanagi out of the area. "Your punishment is not over, Hire. The rest of you will continue." She went back to work.

"Pillow fight!" Ryu hit Kiba on the back of the head with it. "Oh, come on. You're acting like an old man, Kiba sensei." That got his attention. He ran around the room with Kiba trying to tackle him.

"Ow, Ryu, that was my foot," Hire said as she threw her own pillow at him.

Eiyu twitched his eye. "It's hard to meditate when they're so noisy." He watched Hire tackle Ryu by his legs. Kiba was on top of him with a pillow smacking the spiky haired boy with it.

Saori came back with her pink pajamas on. "You

guys, Dad said we need to be quiet. It's almost morning. We need to get some sleep."

Hire looked out of the window. Birds were already starting to chirp. She pulled the blinds down. "If we don't rest, we won't be able to stay up all night for the festival."

Saori crawled into the futon. "I can't wait! It's going to be so much fun! Hire, what did you sign up for?"

Hire blinked as Saori spoke to her. "I signed up for Spider Crawlers and Hunter." She sat next to Saori cautiously. Ryu had to share a futon with Eiyu. Shikamaru would freak if Kiba had let Saori and Ryu sleep next to each other.

"Who are you doing the Lotus Competition with," Saori asked.

"Um, Areku volunteered to be my partner," Hire said rather embarrassed. Why had Kiba's son wanted to participate with her? She turned over. "Anyway, we need to get some sleep."

Kiba dragged Ryu to the futon and threw him on top of it. "I don't think it was wise for you to eat sweets after dinner. Settle down, Ryu."

Ryu flopped back. He looked at Eiyu. "Are you asleep?"

"No, and I never will be unless you shut up," Eiyu said as he put the pillow on his head. He heard Ryu smirk.

"Alright, whose sleeping where?" Sasuke watched Yanagi smile at Daiya. Daiya stepped back. He went around Sasuke and hid. He sighed. "She has to sleep next to one of you."

"Come on, Yanagi. It'll be like bunking together," Kandai said. "Daiya's not going to let us near him. It's better to let sensei take care of him," he said trying to coax her into leaving Daiya alone. Yanagi frowned.

As the lights were turned off, Yanagi glanced at Daiya. He was balled up into a fetal position, his eyes watching all of them. There has to be a way to help him adjust. "Kandai, turn your back towards me. I think he's afraid we'll hurt him while he's asleep. We shouldn't face him," she said gently. Kandai rolled over as she did. Yanagi sensed Daiya easing up.

Sasuke studied Daiya. He was very nervous about being in the room with the other kids. He wondered what would have happened if the trainers had decided to let the kids board alone. It was probably not going to be a good outcome. "Daiya, come here," he said softly. The boy didn't move. He was studying Sasuke for a moment before he finally moved a little closer. "It's okay. I don't have anything on me," he said showing Daiya his open palms. He lifted his shirt and shook it. Nothing fell out. Daiya's fear of adults dug deep. He had every reason to be cautious.

Daiya moved closer, but caught himself in mid-crawl and hesitated. "Daiya, it's alright," he said again as he tried to coax him over. After another minute or so, he managed to crawl over fully. Daiya lay down slowly next to Sasuke.

Sasuke gently wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him closer. He put one of his hands on his head like he used to do to Takeru when he was afraid. If I move right now, it'll frighten him. Sasuke relaxed his body. When he did, Daiya relaxed. He closed his eyes. You're defiantly a challenge, Daiya.

Daiya stayed awake until the sun rose over the trees. Yanagi and Kandai were fast asleep. He looked up at Sasuke. Daiya bit his lower lip. He actually felt safe. He moved even closer to where he could feel Sasuke's chest rising and falling. Sasuke wouldn't hurt me. I don't think he would… He never has no matter how angry I was, or what I did on the team. He's never hurt me. Is that what a Dad is? Daiya closed his eyes. "I like having you as a dad," he said softly.

Sasuke opened his eyes. He petted the boy's brown hair softly. And I like having you as a son, Daiya. Let's hope I never meet the bastard that chose to abandon you. "Sweet dreams, lightening bug," he said as he pulled the comforter over Daiya's shoulders.


	45. Chapter 45

**V 5 ch 4**

**The Moon Festival**

"I can't wait! I can't wait! We get to do the talent show together," Yanagi said as she put her necklace on. Her three charms were already added.

"I'm nervous about it, Yanagi. Ryu's participating, too. He's going to hear me sing," Saori said rather embarrassed. What would Ryu think of her voice? She and Yanagi sang together in their rooms – not in front of others.

"Is Ryu singing? Really? I didn't know he had the voice for it," Yanagi said as she sat outside with Saori. The festival started as soon as the sun started to go down. Last minute preparations were taking place.

"I've never heard Ryu sing. Sasuke sensei talked him into it. He said Ryu has a rock star kind of voice," Saori said dreaming. "I wonder what the prizes are."

"The prize," Yanagi corrected. "There is only one prize being given. It's dinner at the Heaven Café. It's expensive, too. You get to eat culinary food under the stars high in the trees. Whoever wins is going to be very lucky. There are forty people participating in the talent show."

"Forty people? Yanagi, my confidence is slipping." Saori sulked as her best friend patted her back.

An old man wearing a ceremonial robe walked slowly up the steps. He took a breather half-way before continuing. Once he was at the door, he put on his hat. "Every year the turn out gets better and better," he said. The man opened the door. There was complete silence amongst the crowd as he walked out onto the balcony. He looked out at the massive number of people below.

"Welcome young and old; boys and girls; ladies and gentlemen – and the young at heart to the OtoMori village. Our village was founded long ago by a beautiful woman who was carrying her first child. Her name was Aita. Aita and her lover moved way out here where they could live peacefully from war and famine that was plaguing the country.

As the story goes, Aita loved astrology. She named her son Astra and they studied together late into the eve, focusing on the stars and heavens. Astra loved all creatures of the night and found solitude in the darkness with his mother. However, Aita and her family were not immune to the outside world. There were others that soon found their way to our area. Some were good. Some were bad.

Aita and her family were robbed this time of year and killed. Their friends who lived here made a plot that once a year they would celebrate her with a festival like no other. Thus, The Moon Festival was created. Certain events tonight are based on the interest of Aita, Astra, or her husband. Can you decipher which ones? The first person who can tell me which ones belong to whom at the end of the festival, wins a hidden prize," the old man said with a smile. "Enjoy yourselves and the company of each other. Let the Moon Festival begin!" Fireworks popped in the air as all of the star lights came on. Music started to play along the streets. Signs were everywhere directing people what events were happening where.

"The first competition is the pie eating contest," Lee announced to the students. "The ones signed up for this even are Ryu, Masaru, Kandai, myself, and Onari. Apparently Onari understands the word 'eat'." He watched her run around trying to find the area. Ryu and Kandai quickly grabbed her to prevent her from running off. "Alright, if you guys follow me, we'll go. Let the best man or woman win!"

"We look kind of silly holding her hands down the street," Kandai said as he swung Onari's arms. He smiled at her. She was constantly looking around. Every fight or buckle of noise seemed to alert her.

"It's not a big deal. She doesn't know where she is," Ryu said. Someone set off a sparkler for a child and Onari tried to go for it. He kept his grip on her. "No, Onari. We have to stay with our group. We'll get you a sparkler later if you want one."

Onari's yellow eyes looking up at Ryu. The spiky haired boy was watching her to make sure she behaved. "Boy Ryu get Onari fire stick?"

Ryu tilted his head at her. "Sparkler. It's not a fire stick, Onari. It's a sparkler. We'll get you one later if you promise to stay with me and Kandai."

"Ryu get Onari present? Onari be good for Ryu," she said. Onari started to skip. They walked to a set of tables lined up in a row. "What for," she asked pointing at them.

"Just follow us, Onari," Kandai said. They had to show someone the charms on their necklaces to get in. Onari tensed and immediately moved back from the unknown man. "Onari, we have to show him, or we can't go in."

"That's not going to work for her." The man was eying them. "Hold on," Ryu said. There was a line forming behind them. "Onari, can I show him? You don't have to go near him." Onari backed up to him. Ryu showed the man the pie charm. He let them in.

"Wow, look at how many people are here. There sure a lot of tables," Kandai said. He stood on his tip toes to look behind them. "I see Lee sensei with Masaru two rows behind us."

Onari tugged Ryu's sleeve. "Ryu, what Onari do?" She pointed at the pie in front of her. "What is it?"

Ryu blinked. "Onari, who helped you sign up for the events?" She pointed to Lee off in the distance. "Kandai," Ryu said as he pinched the upper part of his nose. "No one explained to her what she's supposed to be doing."

Kandai put his hand on Onari's head so she'd look at him. He pointed to his mouth. "Eating contest. Understand?" Onari nodded slowly. "This is a pie. When that man waves the flag, we start eating. Eat as many as you can to beat everyone. Now what did I say?"

"Onari eat pie. Onari beat Ryu and Kandai. Onari watch man say 'go'. Correct?"

"She's trying. Although, I'm not sure about this," Ryu said. Everyone around them became quiet. They were waiting for the signal. Ryu whispered to Onari, "Just watch me and Kandai. Do what we do."

"Everyone listen up," the man with the flag said. "When I wave this flag, all of you are to start eating the pies in front of you. You must eat everything in the pans to qualify. If you get sick, or stop eating for more than fifteen seconds, you're disqualified. We have people moving up and down the rows in front of you and behind you. They are counting the pies and putting them out. Ready?" The man lifted the flag. He held it high over his head where everyone could see it. His arm went down fast. "Go!"

Ryu bent down and lowered his face mask on contact. As he did, he put one of his hands on the back of Onari's head to get her to copy him. "Eat, Onari. It's a race!" He started eating the pie as fast as he could. Ryu glanced over to see Kandai already finished with one and half-way finished with his second one.

Onari ate the heck out of the strange food she was supposed to eat. It wasn't on her mind to think about what it tasted like. Pie was an odd mushy type of food. After eating three whole pans, she was feeling nasty. Onari grumbled.

The people around them were scarfing down food as fast as they could. Spectators were clapping and cheering them all on. People moved up and down the aisles putting out more pies for the contestants. Several people had given up. Lee, Ryu, Masaru and Kandai were all going fast. Onari was finding it more difficult to enjoy herself. She closed her eyes.

"Onari, keep eating. Don't stop! I know you can do it," Yanagi said. She was trying to cheer the dark headed girl on. "I think she's getting sick. That is a lot of sweets."

"It doesn't seem to be stopping Ryu or Kandai. They are managing to keep up with some of the larger competitors," Areku said. He watched as Onari stood up. She had a terrible look on her face. "I do believe she's out."

"She's never had that much food at one time. Ri, are you okay," Takeru called to her. Onari fell onto her fear. "She's out."

Sasuke appeared behind the kids. "It seems Masaru is enjoying himself." He looked down the line. His eye twitched. "Who let Ryu sign up for this contest? He's going to be unbearable after this."

Ryu shook the cream off of his face. He looked down at his sixth pie. "I can't do it anymore. I'm about to bust." He fell back onto the ground with Onari.

"Oh, man. This is too much of a good thing," Lee said. His eighth pie was almost finished, but he couldn't do it anymore.

"Agreed, sensei," Masaru said. He looked at Lee. All he saw was black hair on top of pie filling. He busted out laughing.

Ryu walked out of the area with Onari, Lee, and Masaru. Kandai was still eating his heart out. Ryu wiped his face with a wet towel before he proceeded to clean Onari's face. "Check it out. There are only ten people left. Our little Hyuga twin is still in the game."

"Come on, Kandai! Keep going! Don't stop! Let those other turkeys drop," Yanagi cheered at him.

Now there were eight people remaining. Kandai wasn't thinking about what he was doing. The others around him were chewing and lapping at the pie. He was swallowing huge hoards.

"If he beats everyone, I'll be shocked," Areku said. He watched as one person puked and another fell over. "Oh, that's disgusting." He had to cover his nose and turn away.

"Come on, Kandai! You can do it! Just swallow – don't simply chew it," Yanagi said keeping up her cheer. She hopped on her feet excitedly as it came down to Kandai and a larger man. "He's going to do it! Look!"

"Is he really," Lee said. He watched as the bigger man's eyes rolled into the back of his head. "He did it! Way to go, Kandai!"

The man who judged the competition came over to Kandai clapping his hands. "We have a winner! Number 22 – Kandai Hyuga! Congratulations!"

"I won?" Kandai looked around. He was the last one standing. The man handed him a towel to clean himself off. "What did I win?"

The man held out a large sum of ryo. "Your reward is all of the ryo everyone paid to participate in the contest. There is two hundred and forty ryo total. Congratulations, young man!"

Kandai stared at the money in his hands. "What am I supposed to do with it?" He had never had this much money before. He tucked the ryo into his pouch.

"Kandai, what are you going to do with your prize money," Yanagi asked.

"I have no idea really. I guess I should save it," he said. "Father would want me to be wise and responsible."

"He would want you to enjoy yourself," Sasuke said. "You can be wise and responsible if you spend half of it and save the other half. Go have fun, Kandai."

"Yeah, listen to Uncle Sasuke. What's the point of having a vacation if you can't enjoy yourself," Masaru said giving him the thumbs up. "It's a festival!"

"The next event is Spider Crawlers," Kiba said as he looked at his list. "The ones signed up for it are Hire, Gin, Eiyu, and Lee along with me. If you guys could be so kind as to round them up, I would appreciate it." The kids were off.

"Areku, have you seen Hire anywhere," Yanagi asked Kiba's son. She found him throwing away a container. He was alone. She had noticed that Areku kept to himself.

"No, but I could track her if you want. She's been acting oddly. It seems ever since she was put in the same room with Ryu, she's avoided contact with others." He walked with Yanagi past the people. He was searching the festival for her scent.

"Hire isn't a very nice girl. She's too competitive with others. I haven't heard her say anything nice to anyone, Areku. She chooses to push others off," Yanagi said.

Areku glanced at her as he moved out of the way to avoid a large man with two kids following him. "She pushes others off for a reason. If no one is around her, they can't get to know her. Hire doesn't talk about herself and her guard is up. From what I understand, she's pressured into becoming a top ranking ninja by her father. She remains by herself to avoid others noticing her problems."

"You seem to be noticing her despite her efforts to avoid everyone," Yanagi said smiling. Was Areku blushing? He turned his head away to walk down a side road. They were moving away from the village.

"I notice everything and everyone. If you stand still long enough, you hear all sorts of things," Areku said. "I like to watch everyone's progress with their training. Those that are at a stand still, like Hire, concern me."

They found Hire sitting on a bench in the dark. She was staring at the ground. "Hire, Spider Crawlers is going to start soon. Kiba sensei asked us to locate you," Yanagi said.

Hire glanced at them through her long dark hair. "Oh. I don't feel like participating. You two can go back. Sorry for the trouble." She turned away.

Areku wasn't fooled. "You can't give up that easily. My father already paid for everyone to have fun tonight. The festival is a huge event, Hire. You shouldn't count yourself out of it due to the worries you have."

Hire tensed. "How long have you two been watching me," she said rather softly. She despised being spied on.

"We just got here," Yanagi said. "Why are you so far away from the festival? It's not safe out here by yourself."

"I can take care of myself pink-haired girl. I prefer to be away from people. They're awfully bothersome," Hire said with a soft smile. She kept her eyes on the dirt. "I suppose it's not easy to hide from an Inuzuka. Your eyes and nose are too perceptive, Areku. It's best to worry about your team."

Yanagi looked from Areku to Hire. Was Hire aware that he noticed how she acted? Areku was keeping his eyes on her. What is going on?

"I wasn't trying to be rude, Hire. You're the only one here out of everyone that remains alone. Is it because of how you are treated, or worries that are playing over in your head," he asked.

"That's not your concern," Hire said as she closed her eyes. "I've never gotten along with anyone. Worry about yourself," she said.

"I think you worry too much about what others think of you. If you show who you really are instead of hiding all of the time, you never know who will be drawn to you," Areku said. "You're not the only one who watches others, Hire. Get up and go enjoy yourself. Allow yourself to run free, for once."

Hire looked at him. "Why do you care, Areku, huh? It's only a game. The whole thing is just about who wins more than the others," she said referring to ninja lifestyle. "They're all the same. Adults are liars. They expect you to do what they want without hesitation. But, I have to admit, the trainers are not like that. I don't understand why."

Yanagi tilted her head. "So this entire time, you've been trying to get them to lash out at you? You're doing it to prove your thoughts correct. They don't expect you to do what they say, Hire. They expect you to get along with everyone. You're choosing for others to hate you. That isn't a better outcome."

"I'm not like you, Yanagi. I'm not like any of you – not even close to what certain people are attracted to. I'm sick of playing around. The only reason I was held back was because I chose to fight with everyone on my team. They didn't want to work with me from the start. It's the same with the team I'm on now," she said punching the bench. "They both hate me – especially Ryu. I thought I had a chance with him, once, before we were put on the same team. He was always by himself like I was. But he wouldn't talk to me or try to work with me. He always ignored me." She paused. "I don't need anyone."

Yanagi figured Hire out. "Hire, I'm not standing up for Ryu. I wasn't there, but if you know for a fact that I would never work between you two, why keep thinking about him? If a guy had snubbed me that badly over and over, I would assume he was a real jerk. I wouldn't want to associate with someone like that. I know you're in an awkward situation. Boarding with Ryu and Saori has to be the pits. But you need friends in order to take your mind off of the bad stuff."

"Yeah, well, I don't exactly have a bubbly personality like you. I was raised to be like my brothers. It seems I was a huge disappointment for my father because I was a girl. I'm only allowed to train for the sake of my family. My father has no interest in anything I do. Be grateful for the ones that love you." She turned away to ignore them.

"Instead of worrying about your stupid old man, go enjoy yourself. He isn't here to prevent you from being human. If he's that much trouble for you, move on with your life, Hire. Once you're off of the teams, you're on your own anyway. He cannot control you," Areku said. He walked towards her. "Spending a once in a lifetime chance worrying about an insensitive low-life is not going to sit with me. Your life is your own responsibility," he said. Areku grabbed Hire's hand. He pulled her up. "Come on! The event is starting soon!"

Yanagi ran with Areku. The announcer was calling for all participants. Hire was being pulled. Areku wasn't letting her get out of it. Just as they neared the area, the announcer checked the last person. "Wait, there's one more," Yanagi called. Areku pushed Hire forth.

Hire was going to argue with them about how much she didn't want to be in it, but Areku caught her eye. She stared into his dark eyes as he stood behind the rope. He smiled at her and told her to do her best. Hire felt weird. She walked away to stand in one of several large circles around a guy with a bag. Those can't be real spiders, can it? She watched everyone tense as the guy walked around to let them peek into the bag. Hire wasn't afraid of bugs. However, some of the contestants bailed immediately after looking into the bag.

Kiba gave Gin a thumbs up. "Don't panic, Gin. They're

just harmless spiders. I think this event tests your tolerance." He looked to Lee and Eiyu. Eiyu was standing with his eyes closed and arms crossed. Apparently he was slightly bothered by the event. Lee was announcing to everyone how a leaf village ninja had great skill in training and to be afraid of a bug was ridiculous.

"Alright everyone this is your last chance t leave the

even before we get started. The rules for Spider Crawlers are quite simple. The person holding the bag will remain in position with the bag open. You will put your entire arm into the bag. Spiders will crawl up your arm and onto your body. You are to go back to your spot and stand. Here's the fun part. Each of you will hold your arms up to where your fingers touch the person next to you. Your job is to try and get your opponent's spiders onto your body. If you get scared and brush the spiders off, someone else can nab them. The reward for this event is four hundred and fifty ryo. Everyone in the village has chipped in. Is everyone ready? Go!"

Lee walked up to the bag first. He put his arm into the bag. The spiders were not small, but medium sized hairy ones. They reminded him of baby tarantulas. He watched as five moved up his arm. He let them crawl most of the way before returning to his place in the circle.

Each person in every circle approached the bag. Some people only let the spiders crawl half way up their arm before they gave up. Others just had to feel the furry legs and they took off. Eiyu had four spiders on his body. The guy next to him was twitching. Eiyu calmly moved his hand in a sliding motion on top of the man's arm. He took all of the spiders off. Now he had ten. The man was out of the event.

Kiba stood still with his seven spiders. They were remaining on his vest. He watched as several people lost their spiders to others around them. "This is a bit eerie. No one's bothering to make any noise."

"Sensei, I think your spiders like me more," Gin said getting his attention. Kiba looked down as his spiders started to crawl over to Gin. She smiled. "I have on rose scented lotion. I think they prefer it more."

"No, you stupid bugs! Get back here! Stop going to her!" Kiba swore Gin was cheating. Every one of his spiders transferred over to her. "Oh, man!" He was out of the event.

Lee tried to take the spiders from a man next to him. The man noticed what he was doing and became angry at his attempt. "It isn't your choice who they go to. Looking at me like that doesn't solve anything." Lee brought up his hand to block a swing from the man. As he blocked the advances of the stranger, all of their spiders fell off.

"You two are disqualified," the man in the middle said.

Eiyu crouched with his arms out. He was trying to gather the fallen spiders. Hire and Gin saw what he was up to and decided to get in on the action. "You two go back over there. These are mine," he said.

"They're game for everybody, Hyuga. We have as much right as you to nab them," Hire said. She scooped up as many as she could. Eiyu was trying to push her aside with his shoulder. Hire narrowed her eyes. "Back off, Eiyu. I'm not afraid of a pampered brat."

Gin got pushed by Eiyu when he went to shove Hire again. She fell onto her stomach. The spiders she had were thrown off. Gin looked down at her kimono. It had nasty spider goo all over it. The other spiders she had harvested were now squished by her weight. She froze. Her eyes went wide. "I killed them," she said. Gin started to cry.

Areku jumped the rope. He went to retrieve Gin. She was emotional when it came to animals or children. "Gin, it's okay. It wasn't your fault." He lifted her up. "We'll get you cleaned up okay?" He looked over his shoulder at Hire. "Hire, beat the pants off of him."

Hire looked up at Areku. She blushed as he smiled at her again. Hire took one look at Eiyu and grinned evilly. "There isn't a rule about fighting dirty. I have to pay you back for getting Gin disqualified."

"You wouldn't dare," Eiyu said rather seriously. He watched Hire move towards him. "You aren't getting them. These are mine," he said putting his arms up to block.

"Oh, you can have them," Hire said. She went behind him and grabbed a hold of his pants. Hire dropped two spiders down his bare back. "This might teach you to be a little more considerate!" She let go of him.

"Oh, it looks as if the competition between some of the contestants is getting ugly! Did she put spiders down that poor kid's pants? I would say as much as he's hopping around, there's no doubt about it," the announcer said.

"Hire, you ass," Eiyu said angrily as he tried to get the spiders out. They were crawling over parts of his body that he didn't want to think about. He grimaced as he latched onto one of the spiders and pulled it out. The other spider wouldn't let him nab it. In fact, it was moving to the front of his pants. Eiyu yelled, "Get it out!" He threw the spiders off as he twisted his body trying to shake the spider free.

Hire snickered. "Serves you right," she said as she scooped up the spiders he dropped. She had twenty-three now. "You're disqualified, Eiyu. I beat you." He looked at her with a sneer as the last spider crawled out of his shorts. She plucked that one, too.

Lee had to drag Eiyu away from the event. The boy was bent on having it out with Hire right then and there. Lee didn't agree with Hire's method, but he also didn't condone fighting. "Get her in the training ring, Eiyu."

"There are only a few others left," Areku said. "If she

manages to beat those guys, I'll kiss her dead on the mouth." That got him a surprised reaction from Yanagi.

"Kid, you might as well forfeit. My brother and I win every year," a tall man told Hire. He smiled at her.

Hire narrowed her eyes. She was tired of taking directions from males. She started to form hand seals in front of her body. "Oh, yeah? Well since you two are so excellent at maintaining spiders, lets see if you choose to keep them."

The ground started to lift itself. As it towered above her, a large form started to break free of the earth. It snorted into the night. The crowd around her moved back. Hire smirked. She pointed at the men who ere boasting. "Minotaur, retrieve."

The Minotaur went after the remaining contestants swinging its spiked arms. The contestants it chased took off running. The spiders dropped onto the ground plopping on top of each other. Hire scooped them up. She placed the spiders all over her body until she was covered. The Minotaur sunk back into the earth once it was finished. She was completely covered head to toe in spiders. Only her eyes were visible.

The man from her circle walked up to her. He removed each of the spiders, counting as he dropped them back into the bag. "One hundred and ninety-six spiders. Contestant number forty-seven: Hire Yamanaka wins this event." The crowd cheered. "You fought a big dirty, young lady, but it was very entertaining."

Hire walked up to Areku and Yanagi. "I could care less about the money. All I wanted to do was beat Eiyu. He disqualified Gin and made her cry. What a jerk!" she waved Gin over. The Akimichi girl walked over slowly. Her kimono was wet from being washed off. Hire grabbed her hands and turned them over. "Here, Gin. We'll never know if I would have beaten you due to Eiyu's interference." She gave her a hundred ryo. She also gave Yanagi and Areku each a hundred ryo. "That's for forcing me not to give up."

Areku looked at the money. Hire was being generous. "Well, a bet is a bet," he said. Hire tilted her head as he walked up to her. They were the same height. He put his hands on her face gently. She was watching him with wide eyes.

"Areku, what are you doing?" Hire was cut off as he kissed her dead on the lips. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. She blushed so badly she felt as if she was going to faint. He stole my first kiss! She gasped for air when their lips parted.

Areku coughed as he blushed. "Um, nice job," he said softly. Hire was watching him. "Um, do you want to go get a snack with me?"

Yanagi smiled as Hire nodded shyly. "My event's next! I forgot! I have to find Saori! We're in the talent competition!" She hopped from one foot to the other before she turned tail and ran. I have no idea where Ryu and her are!

Ryu walked with Saori down the streets looking at the decorations. She leaned into his arm. Ryu bent down to kiss the top of her head. He looked behind them once he heard Takeru running away from Onari. "Maybe I shouldn't have bought her a sparkler."

Saori laughed lightly. "She's a funny girl. I like how curious she is. Onari explores everything as a small child would."

Ryu sweat dropped. Onari was not only after Takeru, but also Daiya and Idai. They were running from her in a circle. "They're probably going to get me for that later."

"Ryu! Saori," Yanagi called as she raised her hand. She finally found them. Yanagi placed her hands on her knees as she breathed hard. "You'll never guess who won Spider Crawlers! Hire beat these two men who were taunting her. She won 450 ryo!"

Saori blinked. "Wow, that's a lot of money. I'm glad to see she's not holding up in the room. I don't know why she's refusing to take part in anything." She watched Yanagi smile. "Spill it, Yanagi. You know something."

Yanagi nodded slowly. "I do, but I'll only say what I can. It's not polite to throw some things out in the open. When Hire won the event, Areku kissed her. He invited her out to eat afterwards. If it wasn't for him talking to her earlier, she wouldn't have won, much less, participated. We gained some insight about her. I'm not trying to change how you guys feel about her. It doesn't excuse her for how she's been acting. I'm just hoping she changes."

"Yanagi, I don't like hire at all. I've known her longer than any of you. Despite how she seems to be changing in your eyes, doesn't mean she will. I already know about the type of family she comes from. She's rude and has thrown inconsiderate taunts at everyone she encounters," Ryu said with a non-threatening voice. "How I view her is never going to change. She doesn't work well with the others on her team and hates being wish us. No offense, but I'd rather not hear it."

Yanagi looked away. "Ryu, when you first met her, how did you act?" She looked at him again. Saori was watching him, too.

"I don't trust others," he admitted. "You have to understand that I grew up listening to the entire village compare me to my father. I was afraid of everyone around me – especially girls. Boys I could fight, but girls I couldn't. I was raised to respect females, Yanagi. I'm a gentleman despite how others treat me. Females are the worst when it comes to saying things to hurt you. I don't remember the first time I met Hire. I only remember the first insult she gave me. Saori has never been insensitive – regardless of how I reacted to her. She kept pressing. Those that give up too easily on me are not worth my time."

Yanagi felt sad. Hire had no chance with Ryu. Ryu was aware Hire taunted him to get his attention. He knew she liked him, but the way Hire acted, caused Ryu to put up walls around himself. He wasn't ever going to trust Hire or consider her a friend. Hire had lost a long time ago. "I'm sorry the situation can't be solved. I don't prefer to see two people quarreling. I'll stop interfering. The event all of us are scheduled to be in starts soon," Yanagi said before she walked off.

"What just happened," Saori asked. She watched Yanagi disappear into the crowd. "Yanagi wasn't trying to fight with you, Ryu. It's not in her nature."

"No, it isn't. She's trying to find good qualities in Hire and I don't believe there are any. Hire has a crush on me, Saori. She has for a long time. I can't be with someone who hurts others due to her own problems. Hire treats me with a lot of disrespect because I don't value her actions. I'm never going to be friends with someone like her."

"Ryu, please don't be mad at Yanagi. She only wants everyone to get along." Saori squeezed his hand. "You weren't very approving of me either, at first."

Ryu leaned down. "No, but unlike Hire, you came back each time I threw a stone at you." He kissed her deeply. Ryu rubbed his thumb against her fingers. I have the person I want to be with. I don't wish Hire an ill fated existence. She needs to find the person she deserves.

"Oh, man, I'm so nervous," Saori said as they sat behind the curtain. Two people had been booed off of the platform. "I can see why only forty people signed up for this event."

"That's nothing. Last year, we had an old broad unicycle and juggle. Her eye sight wasn't the best. It wasn't the best show until she rolled off of the platform. They had to take her to the clinic," a young guy told them.

"Excuse my brother. It wasn't funny! It was scary. She ended up with a broken hip," the girl said slapping his arm hard. "Just concentrate on what you want to do in your act. Ignore the crowd," she offered.

The brother laughed. "Take your own advice, Shisa, we're up." He lifted the swords he had in his hands. They were going to juggle them in front of the crowd. "Best of luck," he said to the three ninja.

"Ryu, what are you singing," Saori asked. She watched as he opened his eyes. He was refusing to look at the other people.

"Something I just threw together," he said. Some guy laughed at him. He narrowed his eyes. "I'd worry about myself if I were you."

They heard the crowd gasp and scream. Suddenly, two men were carrying the guy they had talked to previously on a stretcher. The sister was right behind them crying. "I'm sorry, Moro! I had to sneeze!"

Moro groaned. There was a sword sticking out of his leg. "I'm not working with you anymore after this!" That caused Shisa to cry harder as they were being issued through the crowd of onlookers.

Twenty people went ahead of Saori and Yanagi before they were called. "Deep breath, Saori. Deep breath," she said as she stood up. Her heart was jumping around in her chest. She felt Ryu grasp onto her wrist. She looked down at him.

"If it helps, Gorgeous, try to think of something that makes you incredibly happy," Ryu suggested. "While holding that image in your mind, sing your heart out." He kissed her hand tenderly closing his eyes.

"Saori, the crowd is being impatient. We have to go, or forfeit," Yanagi said. She tugged her. "Come on, we've been practicing all year to show someone."

Saori walked out onto the platform with Yanagi by her side. The crowd was staring at them. Her mind went back to Ryu and what he had said. Think of a happy memory. Make it stick. The music started to play. A happy memory that puts me at ease. Ryu is my happy memory. I don't have to prove anything when I'm around him.

Yanagi looked at Saori. She smiled. "Sing to the one you want to hear you," she said softly. "Are you ready?"

A certain set of notes played. Saori started to sing with her mind focusing on Ryu. "To-morr-ow~ the world is a~ new~. I wish to sp-end it be-ing with you~. When we part I miss your te-nder kiss~ You're every-thing and mo-ore at the top of my list."

Yanagi chimed in after Saori's intro. "Won't you co-ome and sit with me~? Wa-tching the stars under the oak tree~ I've wanted to show you how I feel~ that hope isn't a dr-eam and, baby, I am real~"

Saori and Yanagi sang the chorus together as people started to sway with their voices. "Your touch and str-ength is in-side of me~ It's some-thing so precious – My on-ly key~ It unlocks all I've kept hi-dden in-side. So hold my ha-nd. Let's jump far and wide!"

"Teach me the ways of your he-art~ Let your hand take mine to ne-ver part~ I've waited for you si-nce the sun went down~ Turn back the clock. Our jo-urney is bound~."

Saori focused more on Ryu as her voice echoed into the night. "I wi-sh to see the stars gl-ist-en in your eyes~ To experience all I can as time flies by~ Pl-ease let me be a sweet mem-ory~ One you won't for-get with hi-story~"

Yanagi piped up again, her voice matching Saori's. "My love for you is flee-t-ing like the wind~ It seeks you out a~round ev-ery bend~ I lo-ng to mold with you~ To be-come one as lo-vers do~"

Saori and Yanagi went back to the chorus again. It seemed the children were dancing as some of the adults leaned into each other. Once the chorus was over, it was Saori's finishing number. Her voice became softer as she sang her lines. "As the mo-on turns my gaze~ My eyes meet yours~ in a daze~ Let's keep hol-ding on~ You're the best at ma-king me strong~ Memories never fade~ Not the ones we share- the ones we've made~."

Her voice became even lighter, almost as if singing to a small child. "I'll ch-ase away your fears~ like the sun after the rain~ I'll be your song-bird si-tting on the window pane~ And as you drift upon those flu-ffy clo-uds in your dreams~ I'll be watching over you- my one- and ev-ery-thiiing."

The crowd cheered, whistled, and clapped their applause. They blushed as someone threw flowers at their feet. The girls heard someone yell, 'That's my daughter!' Yanagi smiled. It was her dad alright.

Saori and Yanagi walked backstage. Everyone who was performing gave them an extra round of applause along with whistles. The girls blushed immensely. "I suppose we did alright," Yanagi said. She looked at Saori. Saori was looking away, blushing worse. "Who were you thinking of that made you sing like that? That had to be the best performance you've ever given!"

"I was thinking of Ryu," Saori answered softly. "I don't want to tell him though. It's too soon to say those kinds of words to him." She put her hand over her heart. Saori felt complete when she was around the older boy. She wondered. "Yanagi, how can you tell if you're in love?"

Yanagi smiled as she tilted her head. "You can't get enough of him. That's how you know. Although, if you find yourself coming up with plans on how to get into his house, that makes you a stalker." She laughed with Saori.

Saori stood out in the crowd waiting. She wanted to hear Ryu's voice. A number of acts had already performed. When was his turn coming up? She decided to sit on a bench with Yanagi. Saori's eyes drifted to the stars above the village. They were twinkling radiantly.

Yanagi waved at Takeru, Kandai, Idai, and Daiya. They walked over. "So have you guys been enjoying yourselves? When is Ryu supposed so sing? Takeru, stop smiling. He tells you everything."

Takeru sat on the table. "He doesn't tell me everything. All I know is Ryu won't be performing for about three more acts." He glanced back at the others. "Daiya, you can sit down." His brother shook his head.

"Wait, Takeru. The sign that girl is holding up says this act is number thirty-seven. Oh, boy, Saori, Ryu's last," Yanagi said.

"As badly as that guy is singing, it should come sooner," Daiya said out of nowhere. They all started to laugh at him. He tilted his head. "What did I do?"

"You made a joke," Idai said. He clapped his hands as he bounced around. "We have much work to do, Takeru. The stick lodged in his rear is affecting his mind. We should take him to the clinic for further assessment!"

Daiya's hair spiked out on all ends. He began to chase Idai around the area. They watched Idai cartwheel away from Daiya laughing. Daiya was throwing aggression all over the place, but Idai was avoiding him quite well.

"He moves like a grasshopper," Kandai said smiling. "Hey, do you guys want something to drink? I'm buying."

"Aw, Kandai, you're a sweetheart," Yanagi said.

Kandai moved his arm up quickly to grab onto the back of Daiya's collar. Daiya looked back at him surprised. "I'm buying drinks for everyone. Since you have so much energy, you can help me carry them."

"He started it," Daiya said lowly pointing at Idai. Kandai only tugged him along. He looked back at Takeru. "Takeru," he called. He wanted to be saved.

Takeru waved at him. "Kandai's not going to hurt you. You're only getting tea, Daiya," he called back. "We have to come up with more ways to get him to be more sociable."

"Hey, I'm working on it," Idai said as he flew into Yanagi. He smiled at her as she leaned back. "We have to get Daiya to be more sociable and receptive to others. Right, Yanagi?"

Yanagi blushed. "Why are you asking me?" Idai covered her eyes with his hand. She could feel her heart knocking against her rib cage.

"That is why. I'd hate to see the person it's intended for to not be able to understand its meaning." He removed his hand. "I've seen the looks you've given Daiya when we train. He needs to know how you feel. But right now, he's not perceptive of others as being his equal. That's why Takeru and I are working with him."

Saori leaned forwards to look at Idai. "Have you told him how she feels? Either of you? Because if you have-"

"Saori, we haven't told him anything. Daiya isn't able to comprehend what acceptance is fully. He still doesn't trust me, Idai, or Ryu. Until he does, I'm afraid he'd turn Yanagi away. Right now, he wouldn't listen. It's not to be mean, Yanagi. Daiya comes from a really bad environment," Takeru said.

"What kind of environment," Yanagi asked. She could see Kandai trying to persuade Daiya over something. He was tensing his body and lowering his head.

Idai looked at her seriously. "All I can tell you is he came from a woman who didn't want him. He has no other family but Takeru and Onari. Daiya is difficult because he was never given a chance. We're trying to make him realize that that chance is still there."

"The fact that he's so guarded all of the time makes it impossible for others around him. He refuses to adhere to an adult, much less, someone he respects," Takeru said. He glanced at the platform. People were throwing food at a man who was trying to do magic.

"I suppose Ryu's not having much luck with him either," Saori said.

"No, Ryu's making progress. It's just going to take time," Idai said. "They have things in common. It's helping to bond them to each other. I'm sure you can figure out which, Saori."

"Hey, we're back. Here's the tea," Kandai said. He

handed the tea to them as Daiya held the tray. "Daiya, would you prefer the peach tea or cranberry?" Daiya mumbled something under his breath. He didn't look at Kandai. "I can't hear you. It's okay," he said reassuring Daiya. "I'm not picky. You can have whichever you prefer."

Daiya closed his eyes. He felt like everyone was staring at him. Kandai was not someone he knew very well. "I don't like cranberry tea. It's tart," he said softly. Kandai took the cranberry. He handed Daiya the peach. Daiya stood next to Takeru.

Takeru moved his arm up to hook it around the back of his brother's neck. He leaned his head into Daiya's. He spoke softly to where only Daiya could hear him. "I'm proud of you. You've stayed out in the open all night. Do you feel better with us, or by yourself?"

Daiya looked up. Number thirty-nine was leaving. "I'd rather be with you guys. Takeru, can we switch teas?"

Takeru traded his black tea for Daiya's peach flavored tea. He made his brother sit on the table with him. He was learning to watch for small hints concerning fatigue with Daiya. He turned his body so Daiya could lay his head on his shoulder. "It looks like Ryu's next, Saori. You're going to get quite a show." Idai was watching him with Daiya. "He's alright. Idai, can you get the cup out of his hands for me? Thank you. I think we need to let him rest for an hour."

Saori watched Ryu walk out onto the platform. There was a man appearing to play drums. Two other guys showed up with guitars. The music started with a fast guitar intro. Ryu lowered his face mask. He's not ashamed to show his face?

Ryu grabbed a hold of the microphone with both hands. His voice started to echo through the speakers onto the poles. He found Saori and singled her out. His red eyes focused on her beautiful face.

As the second guitar chimed in with the first, he started to sing louder. "Hold on-to me my dear~ We will begin as always~ I'll ke-ep figh-tin on- just as mem-ories are lingering- each day. For-get your tears, they are only jea-lousy from fake i-di-olo-gies~ You blind me with your ra-diating soul and because of you, I fight- for ever in-to- into the nev-er-ending night~"

The drums picked up in rhythm as the guitars were strummed. Ryu turned away from the microphone for a moment to allow them their solo before continuing. "The roads I walk aren't free~ there are al-ways demons pulling at me- but you cast them a-side- My Sunshine- my rose that used to hide~ I had to wait- for fate- to pull me by the collar – it threw me right at you~ Not be-lieving my eyes, I didn't bother~"

"My Sunshine- had to show~ What it felt like- to be able to let my-self grow~ Against all odds that ex-ist, you're wonder-ful- with each and ev-ery kiss~"

The crowd below was really getting into Ryu's act. People were dancing with his music. Young girls were screaming and yelling at him – their voices lost in the crowd. Ryu jumped on the stage and as he did, the lights popped. They rained down onto the crowd.

"For-give me for wan-ting to stay- With you- each waking day~ I have to know- how it is- to be free- for I am lost without you- you see~ I am com-pletely chained and never free~" The guitars were the only things playing now. "I am- completely- lost without you, Sa-ori~"

Saori's heart stopped. Her eyes were wide. Ryu had written a song about her. He had sung it in front of a hundred people. She was speechless.

"Holy, heck. Saori, are you still breathing or do we need to get someone," Idai asked. Saori was frozen. "Yanagi, check for a pulse."

The contestants lined up on the platform. The judges were calculating the results. "The winner for the talent competition is number forty, Ryu Yuhi."

Ryu took his four passes to the Heaven Café. Everyone cheered as he excited. As he moved the curtain aside, he let it fall. Saori stood watching him with tears in her eyes. His eyes softened. "Saori, I didn't mean to embarrass you." She ran at him and threw herself on him. He caught her.

Saori hugged him tightly. "You didn't embarrass me," she said choking on her words. He wrote a song about her. Ryu thought of her in the ways he had depicted.

Ryu lifted her chin. He wiped the tears from her eyes. "You're still my songbird." She gasped. "I know about what you were singing earlier. Sometimes singers have hidden meanings in their songs." He lowered his head towards her. "When do I get a private concert?"

Saori kissed him madly at that point. She was overcome with emotion. Her tongue twisted with his as she kissed him deeply. Their lips parted only to go back towards each other again. Saori breathed him in. She kissed the side of his lips. He opened his eyes. She ran her fingers down his cheek.

"At least let me take you out for a nice dinner," Ryu said. He kissed her softly again. "Let's go see if Yanagi wants to go. I need to make it up to her for earlier."

"Who else are you taking," Saori asked. She interlaced her fingers with his. He scratched the back of his head. "Since Sasuke sensei talked you into it, you should take him."

"Yeah, I know, but one meal isn't enough to pay him back for all of the trouble I cause," Ryu said. "Let's go find him. His event isn't for some time."


	46. Chapter 46

**V5 ch 5**

**The Otomori Festival continues!**

Idai glanced at Masaru as they leaned against a building. The night was pressing on. Parents tugged their children along as street venders called out about their sales. Masaru had remained quiet for some time as he stood with Idai. The Hokage's son was deep in thought as he stared at his feet. "What's bugging you? You're normally as excitable as I am."

Masaru couldn't look Idai in the face. He sighed as he shifted his feet. "I got into an argument with Takeru," he said softly. He crossed his arms. "I'd rather not talk about it," he said cutting Idai off.

Idai glanced at him. "I wasn't going to pry, Masaru. Instead of sulking, I'd worry about me kicking your butt at tag later," he said smiling slyly. Masaru looked at him at that point. "If you can't keep up with me during training, how do you suppose you'll catch me in an event?"

Masaru frowned. "You're also three years older than me, Idai. I'm a little more mature than you," he said straightening his posture. "I don't go around taunting someone else."

"More mature than me are you…?" Idai put his hand on the back of Masaru's head. He pushed the boy's head forward and held it. Masaru started to yell at him to let go. "For someone that's talking about being more mature than me, you sure don't have the strength to back up your mouth."

Masaru gritted his teeth. "Let go of me, Idai! You're being a jerk!" Masaru moved back once Idai let him loose. He raised his arm to hit Idai. As he did, Idai moved back to stick his tongue out at him. "You're so immature!"

"Who's more mature, Masaru? The guy instigating or the one following the instigator," Idai said as he laughed. He moved away just as the blond haired boy came at him. Idai grinned as he twisted his body to avoid Masaru. The boy fell over. Idai kept a hold on his legs.

Masaru started to drag Idai on the ground. "Idai, you idiot! People are staring at us! Get off of me!" He rolled over pushing at Idai.

Idai grinned as he let go only to jump Masaru head on. The boy yelled as Idai tackled him. "What's wrong Hokage boy? You can't take it? Quit acting so stuck up. You're acting as if you don't know how to have fun."

"He doesn't," Takeru said as he located the both of them. Masaru instantly averted his eyes from Takeru's gaze. Idai sat up slightly confused. "You still can't look me in the face?"

Masaru sat up crossing his arms. "What do you want, Takeru? Why don't you go spend your leisure time elsewhere? Get lost."

Idai came in between Takeru and Masaru. He had his arms out to stop them from coming into contact with each other. He looked from one to the other. "What is going on with you two? Neither of you have fought before. Masaru, there's no reason to be rude." Idai pushed Takeru back. "Takeru, why are you so angry? Will someone tell me what's going on? Now, if you please," he said sternly.

Takeru looked at Masaru with a hurt expression in his face. "He doesn't like my brother. He tried to get me to hate him," he said softly. "I don't like you, Masaru. You can't be happy for anyone. You're selfish."

Masaru clenched his fists. "You're blind, Takeru! I guess you'll find out the hard way about people! They're all liars! No one means what they say, or appreciates anything! You're just like them!"

"Shut up! You have a sister and your father doesn't leave the village like mine! I like Daiya as my brother! Just because you don't like him doesn't mean I want to follow the same train of thought as you!" Takeru tried to hit Masaru square in the jaw, but it was blocked by Idai's shoulder.

"I really don't understand what you tow are quarreling about. I'm only a bystander. It seems Masaru is jealous of Daiya. You're reading him wrong, Takeru." Idai turned his gaze on Masaru. "You need to choose your words more carefully. Takeru is thinking you don't want him to be happy. Your concern is being viewed the wrong way. Daiya isn't taking away any attention Takeru needs from his parents. He's actually giving Takeru more attention. See, Daiya needs Takeru and Takeru needs Daiya. They both don't have anyone, without the other. Is that what you want deep down?"

Masaru looked away as Idai's words got to him. "No, I didn't think of it like that," he said softly. "I'm sorry, Takeru," he said as he apologized. "I'm going to go ahead and wait for the event." He walked around Takeru.

Idai looked at Takeru. "You really care about Daiya, don't you? You were prepared to fight for his honor just now. Doe he know about Masaru's feelings regarding him?"

"No, and I'd rather he didn't. Daiya doesn't deserve a spoiled brat's approval," Takeru said with disgust. "Masaru is the first to talk about someone that is different from him. I know he was aggravating Onari last night because her eyes are different. That was enough to make me mad."

Idai rubbed his shoulder. "You hit pretty hard when you're angry. Are you sure you and Daiya aren't really related?" That made Takeru smile. "Where is lightening bug, anyway?"

"I left him with Kiba and Onari. He should be fine. He slept for a while, so they took him to get something to eat." Takeru watched Idai rotate his shoulder. "Idai, wasn't Masaru mean to you, too, when you first joined the team?"

"Hmm? Yeah, he was. He was talking about me to Yanagi. In fact, I think I remember him hiding behind her as if he was afraid of me. Sound-nin don't have very honorable positions with the Hidden Leaf Village. Who knows what he was taught, or what he has heard around the company of the Hokage. I don't blame Masaru for what he hears. It influences his beliefs. Both of you are the youngest in the teams. And in saying so, you two are still learning.

I try to teach Masaru how to be quicker, but unfortunately, his temper gets in the way. It blind sides his thinking. You're much like your father, Takeru. You stand your ground when someone close to you is being threatened. You need to control your timing a little better though. Coming at Masaru from the front, is not wise. It will get you nailed. He works with that large Shuriken on his back; so his arms are stronger than yours." Idai lifted Takeru's arm sleeve. He tsked. "Such a shame. The Uchiha kid has chicken arms. We need to tie on some weights at this rate."

Takeru blinked. "I don't have chicken arms... Chickens don't even have arms, Idai. Why are you on my back?"

Idai smiled at him as he put his arms around Takeru's neck. "This is a new form of training. It will help with your arm strength," he said smiling.

Takeru turned his head around. "You just want me to carry you to your event." He wasn't buying it. Idai was heavier than him. He was struggling to keep a hold on him.

"Why, Takeru, what kind of person do you take me for?" Takeru just stared at him. "And that's exactly what it is! Mush!" Idai kicked his sides like a horse. "Mush, Uchiha! I did the same thing to Masaru, Takeru, don't think you're excluded."

Takeru sighed as he started to carry Idai. "That's what worries me. This better work or I'm going to get you."

"It can't be any worse than your brother," Idai said smiling. He ruffled Takeru's hair. "At least, I'm not making you jog like I made Masaru."

Kiba sat at a table with Onari and Daiya. He crossed his arms and looked around at the night scenery. Star lights hung high overheard the entire area. People were gathered around eating snack foods and drinking tea. Various painted cloths of constellations were hanging around the tables. "You're still groggy from your nap, I see. The stew should help you wake up."

Daiya yawned hard as he rubbed his eyes. Takeru had only let him sleep an hour before he was rudely awakened. "I want to go back to sleep," he said softly. He tried to lay his head on the table, but Kiba stopped him.

"Sorry, Daiya. Sasuke said you had to rest only for a little while, before we got you up. We can't let you over sleep. Your body has to adjust to its endurance level. Out in the field, you might not be able to rest. Staying in a place too long makes you vulnerable. Come on, sit up," Kiba said coaxing him to do so.

Onari tugged Kiba. "Brother Kiba, Onari more?" She showed him her empty bowl.

"Yeah, I can get you more. You must be hungry with all of the running around you've been doing. Daiya, eat." He pushed the bowl at him.

Daiya slowly stick the stick into the stew. He ate it slowly, his body not wanting to do its normal functions. He was so tired, he kept closing his eyes. Daiya felt as if his body was shutting down. He ate a few pieces of stew before his hand dropped the stick. Daiya's hand hit the table as his head fell forward.

Onari turned her head. "Daiya," she called. He was falling asleep whether he wanted to, or not. "Kiba, Daiya," she said pointing.

Kiba turned his head back into the kid's direction. He caught Daiya before he went face first into the bowl. Kiba arose from his chair. He crouched to look up into his face. "Daiya," he called. The boy was sleeping hard. "Dammit, I don't think this idea of Sasuke's is going to work." He lifted the boy out of the chair. Kiba waved to Areku as he saw him pass the small area. His son was walking with Hire, from Sasuke's team. It was something he thought he'd never see.

Areku and Hire both walked over. "Hi, Dad. I would ask if you're enjoying your evening, but it doesn't seem to be too enjoyable. Is Daiya having problems again?"

"Not like before, no. He's exhausted. Sasuke told me to let him rest, but he had to get up and remain so. Daiya was only awake for twenty minutes before his body gave out," Kiba said as he looked at the boy in his arms. "Can you watch Onari until she's finished eating? I don't want her wandering off."

"Yeah, no problem. We can sit with her for you. Take care of him," Areku said as he and Hire sat at the table. Onari was stuffing her face with bread.

"Sasuke sensei, I managed to get some," Saori said as she returned with the smelling salt. She handed him the glass bottle. Sasuke waved it under Daiya's nose. Saori watched as his head moved.

Ryu sat near Daiya watching. Kiba had found them at Heaven's Café earlier. The waiter came close to refusing Kiba to enter because he didn't have a reservation. Sasuke had to meet Kiba at the front in order to find out what was wrong. If Daiya can't force himself to stay awake, he's going to be a huge burden on us when we start taking more advanced missions. There won't be time to assist him if an enemy is on our tail.

Sasuke waved the bottle of smelling slats under Daiya's nose again. "Daiya, you have to get up. We can't let you sleep like this." He shook his shoulder. Daiya whimpered. "Sorry, you have to get up now." Daiya opened his eyes. He was annoyed at being disturbed. Sasuke made him sit up. Daiya pushed at Ryu's hand when Ryu tried to comfort him. His shoulders were tense. "Daiya, stop acting like that towards Ryu. He hasn't done anything to you."

"He's grouchy when he wakes up, isn't he," Saori said. Daiya had a hurt expression on his face because he was being forced to wake up. He was moving away from Ryu with his head lowered. "Daiya, the event you're in is coming up soon. Don't you want to participate?"

"I want to go home," he said. Daiya shook his head trying to get himself to shake off the fatigue. Izumi let him rest if he was at home. In fact, she made him lay down. Sometimes he minded others he didn't. "I can sleep at home. Why can't I go to bed yet?"

"It's a festival. It's also not that late, Daiya. You have to adjust for the sake of your team and yourself. It's not all about you anymore. It's about the others around you," Sasuke said as he placed is hand on his head. "If something were to happen to someone on your team because you couldn't defend yourself, how do you think it would make them feel?"

Daiya looked at Ryu. "Is that why you chose to help me earlier? All of those times? It was because you're the team leader. You're afraid to get in trouble with Sasuke."

Ryu shook his head. "No, I help you due to how I place you amongst the others, Daiya. You're my friend, first. You're my team mate, second. I told you this before. Don't doubt me so easily."

"If you keep pushing Ryu off, you'll never know the truth," Saori said with a soft smile. "I know you second guess everyone. I expect you to, but we're not out to get you. We like you and want to do things with you."

Daiya looked at his feet. "I'm scared of people, Saori," he admitted very softly. "They're cruel and have never given me a chance."

"Sasuke sensei gave you that chance," Ryu said as he leaned forward to look at him. "Idai has never been cruel to you as a friend. Neither have I. You're stronger than you realize, Daiya. Regardless of what we could do to you, you have the ability to electrocute us first. Lightening is faster than a kunai or a shuriken. You're stronger than us. You just have to realize it."

"Daiya, why don't you go watch Idai compete? You should be there to cheer him on," Sasuke said. Ryu stood up with Daiya. "I'll see you later. Our event's up after that one. Go have fun," he said waving at them as he walked off.

Idai waved at the group approaching. He missed a swing from Masaru before he leaned over and kicked the young boy on the rear. Masaru slid in the dirt. Idai bounced over to Daiya, Saori, and Ryu. "Did you guys come to watch me beat Masaru?"

"I heard that, Idai," Masaru yelled. He went running towards him. Idai moved to his left, stuck his right arm out and grabbed Masaru as his right leg kicked Masaru's legs out from under him. Masaru fell onto his back. "Ow," he said. He looked up to see Daiya watching him with a blank stare. Masaru tensed. He kept his eyes on him as he sat up slowly. He moved away, scooting.

Idai watched Masaru out of the corner of his eye. He was protective of Daiya. If Masaru had said anything foul to him, Idai would have decked him. His serious posture relaxed. He smiled happily at Daiya. "I see Sasuke sensei woke you up. I can't wait till we team up against Kiba sensei and your dad."

"You guys are doing the Star Lantern search together? See, if you hadn't of participated in the pie eating contest, we could do that even together," Saori said as she looked at Ryu with a pouty face.

"And what would Takeru say about you wanting to ditch him," Ryu asked. "At least we're pairing up for the Lotus Competition tonight. Idai, are you and Daiya doing that event together, too?"

"No, I'm paired with Masaru for that one. Daiya promised he'd do it with Takeru." Idai noticed Daiya was playing with a chain around his neck. It slipped into his vest. "It looks like someone gave you a present," he said as he smiled at him. "Where'd you get the necklace?"

Daiya lowered his head. He hadn't realized he was playing with it. "T-Takeru gave it to m-me," he said nervously. "H-He doesn't want Dad to know."

Ryu put his fingers on the chain. He lifted it slowly out of Daiya's vest. On the end of the chain was the Uchiha fan with a lightening bolt in the middle. Sensei might get angry for the clan symbol being altered. It's Sasuke's decision whether he adopts Daiya, or not. I don't know what his thoughts are about him. During training, he treats him the same as each of us. Sasuke is confusing me about it. Ryu let the chain go. "I won't tell sensei. It's not my place to. Just be careful about letting him see it. Takeru might get the back blow for altering the clan symbol."

"But he was only trying to include Daiya in their family," Saori said. She watched as he clutched the symbol in his hand. "Sasuke sensei wouldn't punish Takeru, would

he?"

"Alteration of a clan symbol is much like defacing it. It

can be seen as a shameful gesture, or the union of two houses. Sadly, sensei is the last of his clan, other than Takeru. Takeru doesn't know any better, but that's no longer an excuse," Ryu said.

Idai hugged Daiya unexpectedly. "Don't let it worry you," he said softly. "We won't let Sasuke sensei get a hold of Takeru. We'll set up camp elsewhere and go on the road as entertainers if we have to."

"Idai, your juggling hasn't improved," Daiya said rather seriously. He gave him a serious look. His thinking was nowhere as crazy as Idai's.

Idai lowered his head sulking. "Why'd you have to bring that up, Daiya? My hand-eye coordination is off."

Saori smiled. Daiya and Idai got along pretty well for opposites. "Idai, they're signaling for everyone who's in this event to come over."

Idai turned his head. He turned back around to look at Daiya just as serious. His friend raised an eyebrow at him. "Paybacks are rough," he said as he grabbed Daiya's face. He blew two loud raspberries on his cheeks before he took off for the event.

Daiya stood in his wake with his body tense, shoulders raised and cheeks flourished. Saori was lightly laughing. Ryu ruffled his hair.

"The rules for this even are as follows: Tag only on the back, arms, legs, or torso. There is to be no rough play, or hard hits. When I blow the whistle, you all are to avoid each other. Last person standing wins," the announcer for the event said. He blew the whistle. All of the contestants were off.

Idai avoided three older guys who were chasing him. He skidded to his left then to his right and repeated the pattern. One guy jumped at him, but Idai moved back quickly. The man fell to the ground and was tagged by someone else. Idai laughed. "Hah! You couldn't avoid someone if you wanted to!"

"I wouldn't be boasting so soon into the game," Shikamaru said from behind Idai. The white and red haired boy leaned back to look up at him. "Hi, Idai. Enjoying yourself so far?" Idai tensed. "Gai has taught you about mockery, hasn't he? I thought so…" Shikamaru took a puff on his cigarette. He blew it out slowly. People were running around them tagging others. He lifted his arm and smacked Idai on the arm. "See you later," he said smirking.

"Aw, Idai should have run instead of letting Shikamaru sensei get him," Ryu said disappointed in the boy. "The even just started." He sighed.

Masaru Uzumaki chased a girl around that was near his age. He was set on tagging her. The girl squealed as she ran through the crowd. People were running in all sorts of directions. "I'm going to tag you!"

A tall boy came out of nowhere at Masaru. Masaru moved around to avoid his attempted hits. "Hey! What's your problem?"

"You stay away from my sister," the boy said threateningly. He began to chase Masaru around the others. "Let's see how you like it!"

"What kind of an idiot signs up for tag if they don't want to be chased? Give me a break," Masaru said as he formed hand seals. Two copies of himself popped into view. They started to move around him in order to confuse the older boy. "Hey, I wonder if you can figure out which one I am," they all said in unison. They took off through the crowd with the boy chasing them.

Kandai jumped over two people who had started fighting. He tagged both of them as he went past. "Sorry, he said smiling at their surprised faces. Kandai stood still. He waited. Sure enough, four adults were coming at him with determination.

Kandai let them get into range before he shot his arms out spinning his body and turning in a 360 degree circle. He hit each one of them with precise martial arts movements. "Better luck next time," he said proudly.

Shikamaru grinned as he chased Areku. "Where are you going, Areku? It's just a game. You're making it harder on yourself," he said as he started to get within an arm's length of the boy.

Areku stopped quickly. He leaned his body to the right and tagged Shikamaru on the back as he went past. "Sorry, sensei, Inuzukas don't give up so easily," he said. He ran off to tag the others. It wasn't a problem of avoiding those that were after him. He knew where they were by sight, smell, and hearing.

The crowd was beginning to get slimmer each minute. Masaru avoided the guy who had been chasing him quite easily. One of his clones had tagged the boy. However, his clones had also been tagged by others and were now gone.

Masaru looked around the area. He tensed as some guy came rolling in his direction. He avoided him by jumping at the right moment. Masaru looked back to see Areku with his arm out. Oh, man, if Areku hits that hard, I'm in trouble.

Areku gave Masaru a toothy grin like his father. "Where are you going, Masaru?" He started to walk towards the blond haired boy smiling. Masaru started to run. Areku was after him in seconds. He skidded as Masaru did and kept after him.

Kandai popped a boy lightly on the back as Masaru zoomed past him. Areku was after his cousin. "Oh, that's not good. Areku's faster." He felt something hit his shoulder. Kandai looked up to see a girl smiling at him. He found himself blushing. Her hair was short, and pulled over one side of her face to hide her brown eyes. She smiled at him with a wink.

"Paying attention would not be one of your strong points," she said to the ninja boy. She wondered why he was staring at her like he was. She leaned towards him. He was an inch shorter than her. "Am I so stunning that you can't take your eyes off of me?"

Kandai smiled back at her. He was honest and

truthful. "Yes, he said to the girl. She blinked. "I'm Kandai Hyuga. Who are you?"

She smiled at the friendly boy. "Nozomi Sosogiguchi.

You might want to get out of the event. I disqualified you, Kandai Hyuga." She ran off to tag an older girl who was tiring out.

Areku didn't fall for Masaru's clone trick. "Honestly, Masaru, as if I can't tell which one you are!" He chased the real Masaru as the boy tried to whip behind him and tag him. Areku twisted his body as he came off of the ground. He tagged Masaru on the back so hard, he went flying.

Masaru rolled on the ground. He sat up slowly rubbing his side. Areku hit hard, alright. "Man, Areku, you didn't have to bruise me!"

Areku straightened his posture. "Sorry, a ninja strokes

on instinct." Areku took off to tag a few others while Masaru and Kandai left the event. He successfully succeeded in tagging everyone out. He breathed hard as he put his hands on his legs. People watching the event clapped their hands as a man congratulated him on his skills. The man handed Areku a carved mask in the form of a wolf's face. He walked out of the even tiredly. As he the crowd parted, his eyes fell on Hire. She had been watching him take place in the event. He stood for a moment looking at her. "Hire, are you stalking me?"

Hire looked away as she stood directly in front of him. "Yeah, Areku, you can call it what you will," she said in a strange joking manner. She reached forward to put her hand around his wrist. She tugged him along. "Come on; let's go get you something to drink."

Idai bit into his cotton candy. He blinked as he ate it. It was sticky and sweet. "Hey, I like this stuff. What is it called again?"

"Cotton candy," Saori said. She watched him look at her with a huge chunk in his mouth. "Idai, hasn't Gai sensei ever taken you anywhere?"

Idai looked down as he swallowed. "N-no. I'm normally not allowed to be in um… large crowds by myself." He twirled the stick through his fingers. Suddenly, he didn't fee like eating anymore.

"Why aren't you allowed to be with others? You're fourteen, aren't you?" Saori watched as Idai refused to look at her. Did I say something wrong?

Daiya walked with Eiyu and Onari. He noticed something was bothering Idai. There was a heavy awkward silence in the air. He turned his gaze on Idai. Idai's body language was tense and withdrawn.

Onari crawled past Daiya on all fours. She stopped in front of Idai. He was staring at the ground. Onari tilted her head. "Idai why quiet…?" He blinked, his eyes shifting to look at her. Onari swayed her rear at him like a cat wanting to pounce.

Idai slowly reached his hand towards her to rub her head. He smiled at her softly. "No reason," he said trying to take the attention off of himself. He knew Daiya was watching him.

"Onari, it's time for my event. So let's go," Eiyu said rather authoritively. He felt odd being in the type of company around him. He was used to being by himself, or training.

"Eiyu, you're taking the whole 'partner' thing a little too seriously," Saori said blandly.

"My father told me to take care of Onari while we're here. She's still under constant training and learning. Besides, Daiya's in the same event as I am. He can't watch her right now," Eiyu said as Onari leapt at Idai. "Onari, that wasn't polite."

Onari towered over Idai smiling at him. "Idai take Onari place?" He tilted his head at her. She pointed off into the distance where people were playing games at some of the booths. Onari sorted through the words in her memory. "Onari game." She sat up rubbing her head with both of her hands in frustration. "Onari pl-ply game Idai with." She shook her head at the incorrect dialect. "Idai pl-play game w-with Onari."

Idai sat up. He hugged her lightly. "Okay, we'll go play some games while Eiyu and Daiya go to their event. Saori, are you coming?"

"Yeah, why not? I'll beat you at the goldfish game," she said. She stood up grabbing onto Onari's wrist. "Wish them well, Onari. They're up against Sasuke sensei and everyone in the village."

"Daiya and Eiyu be good," Onari called as Saori tugged her down the road.

"Well, you heard her. 'Be good', Daiya," Eiyu said as they started to walk off.

"Shut up, Eiyu. Leave my sister's vocabulary alone," Daiya said. He narrowed his eyes.

"The next event that is taking place is the Blind Man's Bluff. All participants who are taking part need to check in at the gate," the announcer for the event said loudly. He went through the crowd calling everyone over.

Sasuke stood waiting as he saw two youngsters come running towards him. It was Eiyu and Daiya. He rolled his shoulders. "I was wondering when you guys would show up. The event starts in a few minutes."

"What exactly are we supposed to do," Daiya asked as he watched two boys playing around. Most of the contestants for this event were males. He moved back against Sasuke suddenly when the announcer came walking by with a few others following him.

"I'm not sure if this event is suited for you, Daiya. To play this event, you must be able to not flinch when another person darts at you. If that person succeeds, you're out. It's kind of like playing chicken. I don't want you to be startled by someone. Are you up for it," he asked. Daiya nodded slowly.

"You have to have the mindset that you're stronger than the person you're up against. If you can't set your mind on it, everything else falls out of place," Eiyu said. "You're stronger physically than most, from what I've seen, but it's noticeable you aren't sure of yourself. Step up to the plate and stand your ground, Daiya. You need to be the mountain now – not the tree that is easily torn down."

Daiya pushed his back into Sasuke more. Eiyu was very sure of himself. He knew who he was and what he had to accomplish. Daiya had always been trying to survive before. "I-I don't know how to do that," he said softly.

"You need a reason do you? I thought you were smarter than this. Don't you have a sister and brother now who need you? You're the oldest at sensei's now, right? Onari and Takeru won't know the correct path to follow unless they have guidance. If you're the mountain that stands firm in what's right in your beliefs, they'll follow your example, to be blunt," Eiyu said. "Stop being afraid of strangers and adults. You're just as much of a threat as they are."

Daiya looked up at Sasuke for reassurance. Eiyu was firm alright. Was it possible for him to be the same?

"If you have something you want to change, or something you want to remain the same, you must fight for it. There are people who will try and take away your hopes, friends, family – and your life. You need to learn this now. You must fight for yourself, Daiya. Eiyu is right. You're stronger than you assume," Sasuke said. He placed his hand on Daiya's shoulder. He turned his head. "We're fixing to go in. I wonder how they're going to do this event."

As they showed a man their charms, they were led to an area where they had to stand in a line. The ones behind them were led to stand in front of them in another line, fifty meters away. The announcer stood in the middle of the group and shouted to where everyone could hear him. "This event is the Blind Man's Bluff. It is similar to tag and the game chicken. The person standing across from you is who you are up against. Each person will run straight ahead at the other person. Keep your course and stay straight. The object of this game is to get to the other side and avoid your opponent by using a move against him. You may choose to bluff your opponent by getting him to make a move against you. If your bluff is called and your opponent does not make contact, he is out. Simple and short: To get to the other side, you must make a hit."

Eiyu crossed his arms confidently. He snorted. Those adults have nothing against me. They're up against a Hyuga. He smiled. "Let them come. This will be interesting."

"It's only a game, Eiyu. Try to have a little fun. Don't hurt them," Sasuke said as he smiled slyly at the boy. Eiyu was very competitive for his age. It was no wonder Rock Lee had made him the team leader.

Daiya looked from Eiyu to Sasuke. He wanted to prove to them that he could go up against another person. He wondered if a pair was going to move while another pair was going. Would they have to wait until each pair went? As he thought about it, the announcer blew a whistle. Everybody started to run at the same time. He hesitated, but forced his legs to move.

Eiyu was more skilled than the guy he was up against. He tilted his body to the left quickly as the boy tried to hit him on the arm. The announcer called his opponent out. Eiyu made it to the other side successfully. He looked to his left. Daiya and Sasuke had also made it over. "Good job," he told Daiya. "This will also test your endurance. It looks like we're going again," he said as he sped off.

Daiya slid on the dirt as he turned his body to the side. His right arm went out to keep himself from falling over as his opponent tried to bluff. Daiya lifted his right leg and kicked the boy on the back. The boy didn't think he was out and went after Daiya. "Get off of me," he yelled as the boy jumped onto his back.

"You didn't have to kick me! That was unfair! You ignored the proper rules of engagement," the boy said angrily.

"Hey, you there! Get off of that kid! Yantana, get off of that boy," a man wearing one of the ceremonial robes said as he pulled the boy off of Daiya. "You're out son. Stop being a poor sport."

"He kicked me! He was only supposed to hit me with his hands," Yantana argued. He glared at the ninja.

Daiya clenched his fists. The words Eiyu and Sasuke had spoken to him earlier had empowered him. "Stop acting like a spoiled brat and get out of the event! If you want me to hit you, I'll knock a few stars in your eyes!" The boy narrowed his eyes at Daiya in return. "If you have something to say, spill it." Daiya's hair spiked out as the electrical currents went through his hair. His body was tense.

The man wearing the ceremonial robes grabbed Yantana by the collar. "There is to be no fighting during events. Both of you are disqualified," he said. The boy in front of him gritted his teeth. He kept his hold on Yantana.

"Daiya, that's enough," Sasuke said as he approached the commotion. The event was being held up. He gave the boy a stern look. "Go find Ryu and the others." Daiya hesitated as he contemplated Sasuke's words. "It wasn't a suggestion. Now, Daiya." Daiya walked out of the event angrily. He glanced at the boy who had started it all. "If you're going to pick a fight with someone, I suggest you know your opponent. He was fixing to electrocute you." Sasuke walked back to this position in line.

Eiyu crossed his arms. "Perhaps I shouldn't have spoken earlier." He hadn't figured out that Daiya would actually listen to him and Sasuke.

"No, it's fine. Now he's starting to stand up for himself. It should get interesting. Daiya's also beginning to realize he's a lot stronger than he gives himself credit for." The announcer called for everyone to resume. "Alright, Eiyu, we're up again."

Eiyu ran straight ahead at his new opponent. The older man he was up against, swung at him, but Eiyu moved back swiftly. He sure is persistent. He blocked a direct hit at his face. Eiyu came back as he activated Byakugan. He punched a few of the man's chakra points. The man fell over.

Sasuke moved his body to the side as a large man tried to swing at him, also. He took the man's arm and held it as he brought his leg up. He kicked the man in the side hard. The man groaned. Sasuke watched as the man held his side. He ignored the pain on his opponent's face as he moved across.

"This is getting interesting," Eiyu commented as they went again. He glanced at Sasuke. It seemed the man was just as competitive as he was. This is going to be very interesting. Let's see what these villagers can do. He smirked.

"Look at how many toys I won," Idai said proudly. He put them on the table in a large pile. Yanagi smiled at him. She picked up a stuffed cat. Idai petted the top of Onari's head. "Onari won the goldfish game."

"Wow, you've got a really big bear, Onari. Did you win it for anyone in particular," Yanagi asked as she kept playing with the cat in her hands. It wore a small bell around its neck.

"Onari win bear for Takeru," she said as she put it on the table.

"Yanagi, you can have the cat if you want it," Idai said with a smile. She got embarrassed. "Don't be so embarrassed about it. I'm not keeping them." Yanagi hugged the plush cat.

Saori walked over with a stuffed animal she had won. It was a large alligator. Daiya was with her. He was angry, too. "Well, does anyone know where Ryu and Takeru are?"

"No, we haven't seen them for some time. Daiya, what's wrong," Idai asked. His best friend looked away not answering. "Daiya..?"

Saori sighed. "Sasuke sensei told him to find Ryu. He got in trouble at the event. Seems some kid jumped on him and he tried to fight him." Daiya's hair spiked again. Saori reached over and put her arm around him. He was very tense. "I know the other guy was out of line and you had every right to swing at him, but if we get in trouble while we're here, we won't be allowed out of the village again," Saori said lowly to where only he could hear her. She smiled at him softly as he untensed and looked at her. "Besides, if you want to get him back and not get caught, you have to be less direct and sly about it."

Daiya looked at her seriously. "The wheels are turning in your head. And… you're hugging me."

"Yes, and I'm not so bad huh?" Saori kept her arm around him. He seemed to be pondering. "You need to be more social. Our intention isn't to hurt you. We like you."

"You're honestly not afraid of me being able to electrocute you," Daiya asked. His body was well charged due to his anger. He watched Saori shake her head. "Aren't you afraid because I'm different?"

"Mm, no. I'm not afraid of you, Daiya. I'm afraid for you.

I worry about what will happen to you if you remain so closed up. We don't want to cause problems for you. We're trying to get rid of them."

Everyone watched as Daiya turned all of a sudden to hug Saori. Saori blinked. "Was it something I said?"

"So the next event is Hunter. It sounds a lot like playing Murder, Ryu said as he looked at the sign. "Gin, you should win this even easily. All you have to do is run and avoid everyone. You never know who the Hunter will be. Don't trust anyone."

Gin looked at the walkway they had to walk down. It

was roped off. The woods were dark. "So there will be someone who is going to try and get everyone out."

"That's pretty much how it goes. You can't trust anyone. Not even Takeru," Ryu said as he jerked a thumb in Takeru's direction.

Takeru smiled at Gin. "I think they pick someone once everyone shows up. I think it'll be fun. Areku, Hire, and Yanagi are all signed up with us. It's almost time to go in."

"How much do you want to bet that sensei won the last event? He cheats, you know. I should have gone to see how Eiyu's Byakugan faired against the Sharingan," Ryu said with a smile.

Takeru closed his eyes sighing. Others were starting to approach the pathway. A man unhooked the rope. He called for all participants to walk down the path who were involved in Hunter. "Dad's competitive. Eiyu's no match for his training. Alright! Ready, Gin?"

"I guess so. I'm nervous, Takeru. These guys look serious about it," she said as she watched the men smirk at her. Gin tensed as a few started punching their fists into their hands. Takeru put his arm around her and glared at the larger males.

Ryu waved Takeru and Gin off as they walked down the path. This event wasn't allowed to have spectators. It helped limit the chance of the 'Hunter' being revealed. "Do your best, Gin! I'm rooting for you!"

"We need to hurry! The event is gong to start!" Hire ran with Areku and Yanagi. She grabbed onto Yanagi's wrist and pulled her along. "Run as if an enemy is on your tail! They close the path in one minute!"

Areku skidded on his heels with the girls following him. All three of them lifted their charms at the man who minded the pathway as they shot past him. The man blinked. "Hire, we have to stop being late for everything."

They made it just as everyone waited in a large group.

Yanagi panted hard. She waved to Takeru and Gin as they approached. "Your dad beat Eiyu at Blind Man's Bluff," she said as she caught her breath. "Eiyu was determined, but I think Sasuke sensei was more skilled."

Gin noticed Areku holding Hire's hand. Had something happened while they were away? She smiled. Was her best friend able to get past Hire's defenses? Hire seemed to be less threatening now.

A man wearing a deer costume walked through the crowd. Everyone stopped to look at him. More deer started to appear. Hire watched as the deer mingled for a little while. Suddenly, a deer stood on its hind legs, brandishing a bow and arrow. The man shot the arrow out into a space of the crowd where no one was standing. The deer started to run away from the participants with the hunter chasing them.

"Welcome one and all to this year's event of Hunter," a woman said loudly through the night. "This event will test several things from each of you: your physical strength, reasoning skills, trust in each other, and ability to decipher who the hunter is. The gentlemen going around are handing out scrolls. Do not open them as of yet. Your job is to avoid each other. If you are caught by the hunter, you are disqualified. The hunter who is chosen will have a red mark in his or her scroll. As the hunter, you are to seek out each person in the even and say 'Caught you. You are not to have physical contact with anyone. There is to be no hitting, kicking, or other forms of poor sportsmanship. This even has a time limit of thirty minutes. If the hunter cannot get everyone out, the hunter loses." Everyone booed. "You may now open your scrolls. Do not let anyone see what you have."

Takeru opened his scroll. It was blank. If he didn't get the red mark, who had it? He looked around. Everyone had already looked at their scrolls and closed them. The men, who were coming around, took the scrolls back. The whistle blew and they were off. Takeru ran up a tree using his chakra. He took to the shadows.

Gin ran away from the crowd at high speed. She was more afraid of someone sneaking up on her. She quickly hid in a large bush, her ears listening.

Areku heard the footsteps around him stop. It seems whoever the hunter was, was already in motion. He took to the trees instantly. His guard was up. He sniffed the air a few times. Damn, there's too many scents shifting around to know which one of them are close.

Hire wondered where the others were. She had her

back against a tree. The silence through the woods was starting to bother her. Everyone was hiding. If no one moves, no one will win. She exasperated.

Yanagi Lee crawled on all fours towards a boy who was standing, listening. She approached him from behind slowly and cautiously. She stood up. "Caught you," she said with a smile. The boy jumped. She touched his cheek with red paint. It signaled he was out of the event. "Sorry," she said as she ran off.

Takeru wondered what was going on. He stayed low to the branch as he crawled out onto it. He tilted his head, listening. The gold earrings he wore, clinked. Takeru whirled around as he heard the sound of a drop. A man who had also been hiding not far from him fell from another tree. Whoever it is, is close. He waited. The quietness was getting on his nerves. "Where are you," he asked softly.

"Right behind you," Yanagi said as Takeru flipped his head around. His eyes were wide. She was hanging upside down. "Caught you, Takeru Uchiha," she said with a smile as she placed a red mark on his cheek.

Yanagi dropped. She flipped over in the air, landing on her feet like a cat. "It's only paint, Takeru. It's not real blood. I think I'll go after Hire next. Areku's a bit of a challenge."

Hire put her ear to the ground, listening for any footsteps coming in her direction. She had thought about summoning her Minotaur, but he was primarily for defense. She watched as Yanagi poked her head around a bush. What is she doing? Yanagi was looking around frantically.

Hire waved at her from the dark. "Yanagi, what are you doing? You'll get caught sticking your head out!" Yanagi started coming towards her, her eyes darting around. "Oh, come on. It's not like we're on a mission," Hire said as Yanagi stood next to her sighing as if she was relieved.

Yanagi turned her head, her eyes shaky with fear. "Hire?" Hire raised a brow as she looked at her. Yanagi touched her cheek, leaving a red paint mark. "Caught you," she said as Hire tried to swing at her. Yanagi moved back giggling. "Now let's see if I can catch your boyfriend!"

Hire blushed, her eyes going wide. "He's not my boyfriend!" She stood with her heart flopping around in her chest. Is… he?

Gin wasn't moving. If she did, she knew someone would see her. Gin had an idea. She formed hand seals in front of her body. "Chain link," she said softly. She opened her eyes. Appearing all around her were glowing chainlike threads that went from each plant around her. She lifted her hand to touch one. "How many people are still in this event?" 6. "Are the ninja with me still playing?" Yes. Gin formed the faces of her friends in her mind. "Out of these people, who can you still see?" Areku and Yanagi's faces flashed in her mind. She opened her eyes. Everyone was out so quickly. Gin remained where she was. Whoever was catching everyone was skilled.

Yanagi struck out two others since she had tagged Hire. Alright, Takeru gave himself away. Hire fell for the innocent act. Areku can sniff me out, which is a bit of a problem. However, I'm sure I can find a way to get him. Gin, on the other hand, hasn't moved since the event started. She may be a challenge. She can use the trees to strike at someone and I believe, gain insight on her opponent. Okay, Areku is first. Gin I'll have to think about. I'm running out of time. Yanagi started to cut foliage off of the bushes.

Areku narrowed his eyes. Time was running out for the event. His eyes looked around as he sniffed. Areku started to move through the woods cautiously. Was the event over? He hadn't seen anyone in a long time. How would they know if everyone was out?

Areku heard a few leaves move from behind him. He turned around. There was no one there. He didn't smell anyone's scent on the wind. It's not an animal. Someone's out there. I know it. He walked through the forest looking for any signs of another person. Where are the other participants?

"I know you're out there. I can't catch your scent, but I know you're watching me. Instead of lurking through the shadows, face me," he growled.

"Why, Areku Inuzuka, you're just as impatient as Masaru," Yanagi said as she formed out of the tree from behind him. She touched his cheek. "Caught you," she said with a smile.

"Yanagi? You're the hunter? When did you learn genjutsu," Areku asked.

"My dad isn't the only one who trains me, Areku. My mom is known for getting out of genjutsu traps. So, in saying that, she'd have to be familiar with it, right? Anyway, I still have to get Gin out," Yanagi said as she waved. There was only five minutes remaining in the game.

Gin ducked to the ground. The link she had with the trees broke. So far, she had managed to avoid being caught. She wasn't sure who the hunter was in the event. Gin was aware time was running out. She froze as a scream went through the night air.

Was that…Yanagi? Gin almost stood up, but the event wasn't over. She had to hold it together. She was a team leader now. Gin swallowed hard. I can't let someone defeat me this easily. I have to give it my all.

Yanagi frowned. Gin hadn't fallen for the trick. She looked around. There was no sign of her anywhere. A loud bell sounded throughout the area. Yanagi swore. Time was up. Gin had won. "Darn it. Gin, you beat me! You can come out now!" There was no movement. "Oh, man. She thinks I'm bluffing her. Well, I better get Areku." She walked off to the front of the area to find Areku.


	47. Chapter 47

**V 5 Ch 6**

**The Lotus Competition!**

"Hey, beautiful, you ready to go to our event next," Shikamaru asked as he looked at the kids. They were hanging around the food stands looking at everything being cooked. The Star Lantern search was next.

Onari nodded her head slowly as she watched Idai bounce around Daiya. "Onari go Shikamaru find star," she said confirming she understood what he had just said. Idai yelped as he was tackled by Saori. She smiled at him. Onari tilted her head, watching Saori tickle him.

Yanagi walked up with Gin following her. "Gin, you won fair and square. Stop worrying about it. I tried to trick you and you knew better."

Gin looked at Yanagi before she averted her eyes. "But-," she started to say. She watched as Idai came running towards her as Saori chased after him. He flew behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. Gin's heart was beating wildly in her chest. Why were his hands on her? She didn't mind it, but it made her panic a little inside.

Idai stayed behind Gin using her as a shield from Saori. "I warned you that I kick when I'm tickled. I couldn't help it, Saori!"

Saori put her hands on her hips looking at him rather seriously. "If you didn't mean it, then come out from behind Gin." She watched him hide behind Gin more as he shook his head. "Idai…"

"I'm not moving! You're going to hit me," Idai said as Saori nodded. "Well, that leaves me only one option." He paused for a moment as he stood up. He pushed Gin at Saori. "Go get her, Gin! She's all yours," he said as he took off.

Saori caught Gin. "Idai! Get back here!" She ran after him at high speed.

"Wow, look at all of the lit stars in the tree," Saori said as she stood next to Takeru. They were waiting for the announcer to tell them when to go. She was determined to find a star with a good prize charm in it.

"They all remind me of Christmas ornaments," Takeru said. The whistle was blown. Takeru took off with Saori. They jumped high into the trees searching for a star piece. "Saori, what about those over there," Takeru asked as he pointed at two small stars hanging close together. They were shining a purple light.

Saori smiled. "Let's go get them before someone else spots them!" She and Takeru went after them fast. Saori snatched them off of the strings the moment she came into contact with them. She threw Takeru his. "I wonder how the others are doing."

Hire pulled her partner up onto the branch. She looked at the girl she had been paired with. "Point to the two stars you want me to retrieve. I'll go get them since you can't climb."

The girl looked around for a moment. "Hey, I see stars that are glowing certain colors. Do you suppose the colors have anything to do with the prizes you get?"

"Who knows? There wasn't any mention about it at the announcements. Well, which color should I go after?"

The girl pondered. "How about the ones that have orange light coming out of them?" Before she could utter another word, the long dark headed girl was off. Her partner plucked the stars down. She waved at her. "Wow that was fast."

Shikamaru looked up into the trees. People were climbing as quickly as they could to get to the stars. They were using all sorts of methods to get the stars down. "I wonder which ones we should go after."

"Onari like red," she said as she pointed high. She noticed to red stars spinning on the tree. They didn't have light coming out of them like a few of the others. They were basic, normal simple stars.

Shikamaru followed her finger as he looked in the direction she was pointing at. "So those are the two you want me to get? Alright. Hold on, Onari," he said as he leapt into the trees with her on his back. She clung to him hard. Within moments, Shikamaru was handing her the stars.

Idai jumped from limb to limb with Daiya following him. "Which ones do we pick? They're all different. Some have colored lights, or are plain. I even see a few with glitter on them, or some other form of patterns. Does it matter?"

Daiya landed on a branch. He stared for a moment at the heavens above the tree. The stars sparkled beautifully in his gray eyes. He looked around at the stars spinning with the wind. They were waiting for someone to claim them.

Idai walked up behind him. He smiled softly. Daiya really admires the stars. Idai took out his flute. He held it to his lips blowing softly. A low tune proceeded out of his flute into the wind. The melody he played skipped thoughtfully from one note to the other. Daiya turned his head around to look at him. "Sorry. I couldn't resist." He tucked his flute back into his shirt. "So which ones are we going after?"

Daiya saw a star he wanted high above the trees. It wasn't shiny or painted like some of the others. If it wasn't for the moonlight hitting it as it spun, he would have never seen it. "I want that one," he said softly as he kept his eyes on it. He leapt off.

"Which one?" Idai went after Daiya. "Hey, Daiya, wait!" Idai had to run up the tree after him. Man, what's gotten into him? He sure is fixed on something. Idai skidded to a halt at the same time Daiya did. They avoided running into two bigger guys who happened to be after the same set of stars.

Daiya clenched his fists. "I saw those first! Those are ours!" He was ready to explode as the men placed their hands on the stars. "Go somewhere else!"

"Look, kid, there are well over a hundred stars in this tree. Just because you saw them, doesn't mean they are yours. You have to be the quickest to claim them. Go snatch one of the others," one of the men said with authority. He put his hand back onto the star.

Daiya shook his head closing his eyes. "No! You go somewhere else! I saw them first! I don't want other stars! I want those!"

Idai narrowed his eyes. He placed a hand on one of his swords. They were in a special holster on his back. He was cautious about the two in front of them. The two men weren't ignoring Daiya's tantrum. They were tensing as if they planned on doing something about it. "You lay a hand on him and I'll send you off of this branch," he warned lowly.

The other guy smiled. "Aw, isn't that sweet? He wants to protect the loud-mouthed brat." He started to walk towards the two boys. "Why don't you go cry to your mommies about how the two bad men had to teach you a lesson?"

Idai's eyes stared at the two men. His body felt as if it was being lifted into the clouds. Idai was watching the scene from the back row now. He saw himself moving towards the two men. The sword on his back was unsheathed. Idai watched as his wrist flicked and sent two quick air blasts at the two men. They fell into the abyss below the tree. Daiya was looking at him rather alarmed. He was saying something Idai couldn't hear. He blacked out.

"Idai? Idai, why did you do that?" Daiya froze as Idai's black eyes looked at him with no emotion – no concern, or recognition. "I-Idai?"

Idai gave Daiya a cold smirk. "Those two aren't very good at flapping their wings," he said in a low, serious voice. "You're Daiya, aren't you…? I thought so. Nice to meet you, Daiya."

Daiya's breathing increased. Idai had changed. It wasn't Idai. His eyes were different along with his personality. Who was this person standing before him? The facial expression was sinister and mocking. "Who-Who are you?"

"It's a secret," Idai said as he put his finger to his lips. "I can't tell you. Sometimes, what I hear, he hears, too. Let's not ruin a good thing. Those two are gone like you wanted. Take your prize," he said with a wicked smirk.

Daiya moved back. "I want Idai back," he said as the male started to walk towards him. "Idai," he called in a panic. "Idai!"

Idai laughed lightly. "Oh, come on, Daiya. Don't you like me, too? I'm better than Idai. I know what kind of power I hold in my grasp. He doesn't have a clue what he's really capable of."

"I want Idai! Idai," Daiya called again. His voice was practically screaming his name. He watched as something started to happen to Idai.

Idai's form began to loosen up. He was less tense. For a few seconds, Idai remained still as if something had stopped him. Daiya watched as Idai rubbed his eyes. It was as if he was coming out of a dream. Idai looked around the area a few times before his orange eyes met his. What is going on?

"Hey, it looks like those two guys left," Idai said with his playful smile. "Maybe they were afraid I'd sing and make them go deaf." He giggled. Idai let his long bangs flop over. "Daiya, you okay?" He handed his best friend one of the stars. "You're not tired again, are you? We can go rest if you need to."

Daiya shook his head slowly. As Idai leapt off of the branch, Daiya leapt off with him. He didn't know what to expect from Idai. He had changed so suddenly and reverted back to his old self in a matter of minutes. I don't know who that was just now, but it wasn't Idai. It's like someone borrowed his body. The voice wasn't the same. Everyone will think I'm crazy if I tell on him. He did it to protect me, but I feel afraid of him. Will Ryu think I'm losing it, or imagining it if I tell? If everyone finds out, they'll start to believe that what the others say about sound-nin is true. I can't put Idai in with that crowd! Idai smiled back at him as he normally did when they traveled together. Daiya only glanced at him, his body was slightly tense.

Kiba Inuzuka and Sasuke Uchiha made it to the very top of the large tree with dangling stars. They saw the two small white stars spinning on a thin branch high above the crowd below. Sasuke plucked the stars from their strings. "It looks as if the effort is really worth its sweat and tears," Sasuke said. He showed Kiba the small scroll linking the two stars.

Kiba read the scroll. "It appears we win that beautiful silk painting hanging at the Astrology Café. I'm not all for astrology."

"Neither am I," Sasuke said as he tucked the scroll into his vest. "However, I know someone who is. Do you mind if I give it to Daiya?"

"Not at all. You know, he was at the café when he had his attack yesterday. Yanagi kind of told me he was looking at that very same painting."

Sasuke nodded slowly. "Yeah, I have a feeling the reason behind Daiya's interest in stars has to do with the life he's had." He looked into the sky himself.

"How do you figure that," Kiba asked.

"Daiya's never had anything of his own. If you had grown up without someone to look after you – not knowing what it was like to be happy – how would you spend most of your time," Sasuke asked. He could see Daiya as a small boy staring out of a window, wishing upon a star for a life he didn't have.

"Stargazing," Kiba said as he, too, stared into the heavens.

Shikamaru waved them over as Onari showed Takeru and Saori what she and he had won. "Hey, I see you guys won something, too. I think everyone won something, technically."

Kiba placed his hand on Onari's head. "What'd you win, Sprout? Oh, you and Shikamaru won astrology charts. Those could come in handy for finding your way at night."

"What lines," Onari said as she pointed at the chart.

"Those are constellations, Onari. A long time ago people charted stars and gave them names. The patterns represent certain pictures based on the society the astrologer came from," Sasuke said. Onari tilted her head. "You have no idea what I just said, do you?" Onari shook her head. "I figured as much," he said sighing.

Hire showed Areku the prize she had won. "I think it's an extra charm for another event. I don't feel like participating anymore after we do the Lotus Competition."

Areku touched the charm that was hanging around Hire's neck. It was a silver star with etching upon it. "Well, um, what are you going to do once we get back to the village?"

Hire was watching him. Areku was looking away, concentrating on the charm. Why is he acting so oddly? "I don't know exactly. All I do is train or avoid my family. Why are you asking?"

Areku looked away. He kept his hand on the charm. "Do you want to um… hang out together? It's okay if you don't," he said softly.

Hire smiled at him a little. "Areku Inuzuka, you're acting as if you like me or something," she said teasingly. He looked at her slowly. "You do…?" He nodded at her. "Um… why?"

Areku turned himself fully around. "I think your mental determination is a turn on." Hire blushed badly at that point. "If you're not determined to meet your goals in life, you fall behind and become at a stand still. I'm constantly moving, as you are."

Hire bent forward to kiss Areku on the lips. She felt him place his hand on her cheek as he kissed her back. Hire pulled him closer. She felt that small spark of Areku's wild nature come through his kissing. She liked it. He could be what she couldn't. They parted the kiss and stared at each other with a soft gaze. "Why wait until we get back to the village…?"

Areku blushed badly. He caught Hire as she jumped at him. Areku wrapped his arms around her waist and swung her around. As Hire looked at him, he gave her a toothy grin. She smirked back at him.

Idai held up the iron stars he and Daiya had won. "What are you going to do with yours? I think I'll hang mind on the ceiling in my room," he said as he spun it with his hand. Idai glanced at his best friend. "Daiya, you've been awfully quiet since we got back." Idai stepped towards him. Daiya immediately tensed. "What's wrong? I'm not going to hurt you."

Daiya kept his eyes on Idai. "Why did you hurt those two men, Idai? You could have killed them!"

Idai looked at him with a shocked expression. "I didn't harm anyone. They left… didn't they," he said rather unsure of it all. He saw the two men being flung off of the tree in his mind. "I've never attacked anyone unless they harmed me first. I… don't remember what happened. I blacked out. It's the truth, Daiya! I saw you saying something to me… but I was asleep. It was a dream."

Daiya stood up. "You weren't asleep, Idai! You were moving! Your hand was on your sword the entire time! You used it on them! I saw you do it!"

Idai looked down. He moved away from Daiya on the bench. His eyes were closed. I did something bad again. I don't remember it. Idai felt as if his world was falling apart. He grabbed his head trying to sort everything out. The last thing he wanted was to lose Daiya as a friend. "I-I don't r-rem-member. I dreamed it. I… don't remember doing those things."

Daiya had no idea what was happening with Idai. Idai, in a way, was going through a state of denial. He was saying he was unaware of his actions physically, but his mind was able to recall it. Daiya moved towards him. Idai moved back trying to avoid his gaze. "Idai, I want you to level with me. What is going on inside of your head?"

Idai's eyes were shaky. He was unsure if he wanted Daiya to know. "Flashbacks aren't the only problem I have." He moved his hand up to place it on the side of his face. He was very ashamed. "The r-reason Gai took me in was not because I'm from the sound village." Daiya was watching him with a strong, concerned gaze.

Idai touched the side of his head with a shaky finger. He half expected the other person inside of him to come out at that moment, grab a hold of his hand, and not let go. "There's… someone else in here. He… gets me in trouble. He… makes me do bad things. Anko met him when we were on the way to Konoha. The-The Hokage didn't know what to think about me." Idai swallowed hard. "He told A-Anko he couldn't turn me out. He was the first person to say it wasn't m-my fault."

"So there is someone else who shares your body that is unpredictable. He told me he comes out when you are afraid to show your true strength. He knew my name, Idai. Your eyes changed color! That's not normal! No one can do that," Daiya said. He had to be strong now. What was happening to his friend was no one's fault. It was a large part of why Idai had always stayed by himself. Daiya understood it now.

Idai tensed as Daiya reached up to pet his head. Was Daiya giving him pity? Before he could ask, Idai was brought closer and Daiya's arms were around him. Idai's breathing was soft and quick. Daiya remained holding him in the darkness until he calmed down.

Daiya leaned his head into Idai's. Everyone used to be afraid of us because we weren't from the same village. Now… Idai is more different than me. It's not fair to stop being his friend. If he doesn't have me, he'll be alone again. I can't let him suffer like that. It took a lot of guts for him to be able to tell me what's wrong. Daiya turned his head. He made Idai look at him.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of things that are out of your control. You're still my friend, Idai, and will remain so. The others won't understand though. I've seen it- they haven't."

Idai bit his bottom lip. He wanted to break. He felt if he did, he'd feel better. Idai was worried about his other side attacking someone. If something happened to Daiya because of him, Idai would flip out. Daiya stood by him, unlike others he knew wouldn't. He looked at Daiya shyly. "What's caused you to act so differently?"

Daiya gave him a blank expression. "I'm stronger than anyone realizes. I have to be the mountain that stops anything from happening to the ones I care about. I won't let anyone take you away, Idai." Idai's eyes went into shock. Daiya was serious. "Dad said in order to keep things as they are; you have to fight for it. I'm fighting from here on out. I don't have any pity for anyone that chooses to get in my way."

Idai closed his eyes. Daiya wasn't giving up on him. Idai covered his face with his hands as he lowered his head. He gasped hard. He felt Daiya kiss his forehead tenderly to comfort him. Idai let him grab him and shield him from the world. He wondered what Kiba would say, or how he'd react if he knew Idai wasn't normal.

"Here, Gin, I won you something," Takeru said as he put the flower pin on her kimono. "Saori and I won them at the Star Lantern search. Flowers are better on girls than boys," he said smiling.

Gin touched the pin. It was a pink lotus flower. "Thank you, Takeru. I'll cherish it."

"Is everyone back," Shikamaru asked as he looked through the crowd of students. He noticed a few of them were still missing. "Why don't I call your names and you guys answer me, okay?" Shikamaru went through the names one by one. "Onari," he called.

Onari turned around. "What?" Shikamaru looked at her. "What, Shikamaru? Why Shikamaru say 'Onari'?"

Eiyu put his hand over her mouth. "Onari's here," he said as he looked at her. She didn't understand the purpose of roll call.

"We're missing Daiya, Idai, Ryu, Hire, and Areku. Does anyone know where they are?" Shikamaru looked at the kids shaking their heads.

"It's almost midnight. The Lotus Competition starts soon," Lee said as he pointed to the two large statues that were a man and woman holding hands. As the hour got closer, the statues turned to face each other. They were almost facing.

Areku and Hire showed up together. They were holding hands and blushing when everyone looked in their direction. "Do you two know where Ryu, Idai, and Daiya are," Lee asked. They shook their heads.

"I'll go find them," Kiba said. He walked off as everyone started to get their charms out. People were gathering all around for the most exciting event of the festival.

Ryu listened to Daiya explain what had happened at the Star Lantern search. He didn't judge Idai. He glanced at the boy from the sound village. Idai was thoroughly ashamed. Ryu sighed slowly. "Does Kiba know?"

"I don't really know. Idai is afraid to tell him," Daiya said as he crossed his arms. Ryu was trying to figure out what they could do.

"It's not Idai's fault," Ryu said softly. "I know some things from Takeru. Don't cower, Idai. He didn't tell me to brand you. He likes you. He's only concerned. I'm not sure if we can help him. Gai sensei knows about it and I'm sure is trying to find a solution to help him. Kiba sensei needs to know, Idai."

Idai shook his head quickly. "N-No! I don't want Kiba to know!" He moved away from them. Idai ran into something firm. He lifted his head and looked up into Kiba's face. He panicked.

Kiba finally found the three boys. They were staying away from the festival. "You don't want me to know what exactly?" Idai tried to run, but Ryu and Daiya caught him. Kiba raised a brow. "Guys, what's all of this about?"

"Tell him, Idai," Ryu said. Idai shook his head. "He has to know. He's your trainer." That wasn't good enough for Idai. "Then I'll tell him because he has to know!"

Idai yelled, "No, Ryu! He'll kick me off of the team!" Idai tried to run again, but Ryu had a serious grip on his arm.

Kiba looked at each of them. "Idai, what has you so afraid that I'll kick you off of the team?" Idai wouldn't look at him.

"Do you know about Idai's other personality," Ryu asked.

"Is that what it's about?" Idai turned his head to look at him. Kiba put his hands on his hips. "Gai told me everything not long after you joined my team, Idai. As your trainer, I have to know about each of my students. It doesn't do any good to keep those sorts of things from me."

Idai was in total shock. "Y-You know…?" He crouched hiding his face in his knees. I didn't want Kiba sensei to know. Why did Dad tell him?

Kiba's eyes softened. "Ryu, why don't you take Daiya back to the others? The competition starts in a little while." Ryu tugged Daiya, but he wouldn't move. He was worried about Idai. "Daiya, I'm not going to hurt him; just talk to him."

Daiya glanced at Idai. Idai wasn't moving. He remained crouched, not looking at anyone. "You promise me you won't hurt him," he said lowly watching Kiba.

Daiya didn't trust adults even after Sasuke had taken him in. Kiba crouched so he could be on Daiya's level. It was important to be equals right now. "I have no intention of hurting Idai, or kicking him off of the team. I need to talk to him one-on-one."

Ryu stood in place for a moment to let Daiya ponder Kiba's words. "Daiya, come on." He placed his hand on his arm. "He's not going to hurt him." It took a bit more coaxing until they left Idai with Kiba.

Kiba stood up slowly. He walked over to Idai. The boy only held onto his legs harder. Kiba squatted. "You've never been afraid of me before. Why are you afraid of me now? Is it because I know something that no one else does?" Idai nodded. Kiba sat down. He crossed his legs and leaned forward. "Regardless of what I know about you, Idai, it doesn't change how I view you. You're a very level-headed kid who's smarter and more cunning than some of the others on the teams."

Idai slowly looked at him. "B-But…," he stammered. He was starting to think the worst.

"There are no 'But's', Idai. I chose you to be on my team. I sought you out. The Hokage didn't place anyone on the new teams based on his own judgment. We all had a choice of who we got. Some of the kids were requested to be on certain teams by their parents who wanted to improve their skills."

Idai lifted his head. He covered his face as he sniffled and tried to regain control of himself. His secrets were his own. Or… so he thought. Idai had already been ridiculed about the village he came from – now his biggest secret was out. "L-Like wh-who…," he asked softly.

"Takeru is one. Sasuke wanted Lee's over enthusiasm to bring out Takeru's real potential. He's always been a reserved kid like his own man. Takeru has never had friends until he was put on the teams," Kiba said.

"Lee sensei's over enthusiasm is an understatement. It's like watching a gerbil with a sugar rush see how fast he can run, jump, hit, and kick in a two minute time span," Idai said lowly. He heard Kiba laugh at him. Idai turned his head around fully.

Kiba placed his hand on Idai's head and ruffled his hair really roughly. "That's what I like about you kid! Despite what's going on around you, you always manage to find a way back." He grinned at Idai.

"So… you're not worried I'll be a burden to everyone on the team," Idai asked. His orange eyes met Kiba's wild eyes. Kiba shook his head. "Why not?"

"You're never a burden to me, Idai. Friends aren't a burden to each other unless they give up on themselves. Haven't I taught you, Masaru, and Yanagi to be faithful and loyal to each other?"

Idai nodded slowly.

"So stop sulking. There's no need to worry about things unless they happen. If I was a poor excuse of a low-life trainer, I would have sought another person to take you. Speaking of loyalty and all, how do you view me? Do you have the same concerns and worries as Daiya, or Ryu?"

Idai shook his head. He looked down averting his eyes. "N-No. Ryu thinks you're a jungle gym," he said as he recalled Ryu jumping onto Kiba on various occasions to get away from his team mates and trainer. "And… I don't want to think all adults are bad as Daiya believes."

Kiba raised a brow. "But deep down, you do think it. I've seen you tense before when someone speaks to you. You're not fooling me, Idai."

"You're not like them, sensei. You don't look at me like they do," Idai said softly. "You treat me… like… you do… Areku."

Kiba's playful expression died. The concern on his face appeared heavily. Idai was viewing him as a father figure. Idai had been seeking him out, in return. Kiba wondered if Anko had sought him out all those years ago, would he have fought Gai over Idai? It seemed Idai trusted him more than Gai. If Gai knew Idai's real feelings, it would tear him apart. He treats Idai like his own – even if Idai is cautious about his actions. Kiba honestly didn't know how he could change the situation. He felt a bit flattered that Idai thought so highly of him. "I can't change how things have turned out. Gai does care about you greatly. I'm only your trainer, Idai. I can't take his place. It wouldn't be fair to him." Idai started to hide his face again. "Yet, I see no problem in looking out for you as a big brother."

Idai turned back around slowly. "Y-You mean it?" He closed his eyes as Kiba messed his hair up some more. By now, he looked as if he'd gone through a hurricane.

"We better get going," Kiba said as they stood. "The competition is about to start. It appears the Leaf-nin are looking to be a tardy bunch," he said as they took off running.

Yanagi grabbed Gin's wrist tugging her along as they ran around the lake. Lotus blossoms covered the entire water surface. It was beautiful. The moonbeams fell onto the colorful display of flowers. The competition was not active as of yet. They were being allowed to position themselves around the lake so they could go to an area they desired.

Gin stopped as she looked around with her blue eyes. Everyone was moving around them. She secretly searched the people for any sign of Idai and Kiba. Gin formed hand seals as Yanagi looked around, too. "Chain link," she said softly. The light green chains formed from a cat tail on the bank of the lake. She formed Idai's face in her mind. "Is Idai here?" She waited.

"Hey," Yanagi called. She smiled at the two walking over. "Masaru, are you picking this spot because we're here?" She glanced at Gin. Yanagi pointed at her mouthing, "Look at her face."

Gin opened her eyes. The cat tail never answered her. That's odd. They're just as intelligent as the other plants. She looked up to see two orange eyes watching her. Gin froze.

Idai smiled at Gin rather goofily. "Hey, plant girl, you can't be tired can you? The event starts soon. Do you want me to wake you up?" Gin only stared at him. Idai pouted. "Well, fine," he said as he averted his eyes. He supposed Gin didn't like him at all. He walked away from Yanagi and Gin. Idai had no reason why Gin had any disheartened feelings towards him. He and Masaru went elsewhere to find a good spot.

"Gin! He spoke to you," Yanagi said happily. "How come you're so stiff? Aw, Gin, you've got it bad," she said as Gin finally turned to look at her. Gin's face was as red as a beet.

"I will not lose! This is my moment of triumph, Sasuke. I'll get a fine prize for sure," Rock Lee said as Sasuke glanced at him.

"Everyone wins at this competition. But if you want to go swimming, I can make you a mermaid," Sasuke said lowly. He watched Lee give a thumb's up to Yanagi who was standing with Gin a ways off. At least Yanagi's not like either of her parents.

Onari scrambled as she climbed up Kiba's back. She looked hard at the water. Onari growled at it. "Onari no like water!"

Kiba looked up at her. "Sprout, we have to go in the water. See those flowers?" Onari nodded as he pointed. "We pick two matching flowers to see what the prizes are. Understand so far?"

Onari put her arms around his neck as she put her chin on the top of Kiba's head. "Kiba, Onari no like water," she said softer. She clung hard to him.

"How about I promise not to go in past my waist, okay? You point to the ones you want and I'll get them. Think you can do it," he asked. Onari pondered before she nodded slowly. "Eiyu, Onari is fine if she's with me."

Eiyu kept his eyes closed. He shifted his feet as he stood near them. "Good, then she'll be better if I stand here. Father told me to take care of her."

"Onari take care Onari," she said at how Eiyu had been smothering her as of late. Onari had to stay with Daiya, or Takeru to avoid Eiyu's overprotection. He was being rather overbearing.

"I doubt it," Eiyu said lowly. He didn't believe she could fight off someone else on her level. What happened at the camp sight was not a fight. She only used her strength to keep Kiba, Sasuke, and Shikamaru at bay from one another.

"Eiyu, I can't wait for the day when Onari shows you up," Kiba said confidently with a grin.

Takeru looked out over the lake. They were so far from the others that he couldn't see anyone he recognized. Midnight was not far off. He turned his gaze to his brother. Daiya was watching everyone. His posture was straight and serious. "Daiya, you seem different for some reason."

Daiya glanced at him. "Everyone is constantly changing. New experiences mean new memories and things to learn, Takeru." He looked out over the lake at the fake lotus blossoms. They were turned upside-down. "Which part of the lake do you want to go for?"

Takeru looked at all of the people who were participating. "Well, since some people have their families with them, I suppose they'll want to stick closer to the embankment. Why do you ask?"

Daiya crossed his arms. "Think like Sasuke for a moment. If everyone is competing for prizes, how would you approach the situation?" Takeru only tilted his head. "The best prizes require you to put in more effort to achieve them. Take your shoes off. We're going swimming," he said with a smirk.

"How far are we going in," Kandai asked Shikamaru with a smile.

Shikamaru blew smoke out from the side of his mouth. "I don't plan on swimming if that's what you mean. As soon as we're finished, I'm going back to the inn. It's a good thing this festival only comes once a year."

Kandai covered his mouth yawning. He had had plenty of fun while at Otomori. He couldn't wait to get back and tell his parents how he had won the pie eating contest. He smiled softly to himself how he had gotten Daiya to help with the drinks. He liked the prank Shikamaru and Sasuke had played on Kiba, too. His time with everyone was going to be a favorite memory for a long time.

Areku interlaced his fingers with Hire's as they stood out among the crowd. He blushed slightly as Hire leaned into him. She was a year older than him, but they were the same height. Areku grinned as he had an idea. "Say, Hire, how far can you jump?"

Hire moved her head so she could look up at him. "If I had a running start, I suppose pretty far. Why?" She felt his fingers tighten around hers.

"Let's see if we can get past a bunch of people when the event starts. We're not near the embankment like most of them. It's fair game to get past as many as we can to try and find the best prize," he said aggressively. Areku wanted to see just what the Lotus Competition offered.

"I can't believe you have me doing this, Ryu," Saori said as they crawled out onto the branch. "Isn't this a form of cheating?" She inched along the tree branch cautiously. The lake was right below them. Saori looked at the drop.

Ryu stopped to smile at her. "It probably is. You're not going to have a problem when we drop, are you?" Saori looked at him in shock. "What does Lee teach you? Sasuke puts us through some rough training. How else did you think we were going to get down?"

"Ryu, we're really far up. The lake appears the same as glass. I've never jumped from this height before. Fallen, yes," Saori said. She looked back at the people waiting on the shore.

"Saori, I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Ryu reached behind himself to grab her hand. "I'm not going to let harm befall you. You're the most important person to me."

Saori blushed. She looked down then back up shyly. "Ryu, I-" She heard the gong echo from the middle of the lake. Two men had stayed out there all night in order to hit it at the right moment. Everyone started to run towards the water.

"Now's our chance!" Ryu started to push off of the branch with his legs. He kept his hold on Saori's hand as he did so. "Jump!"

Saori couldn't help but scream as she was dragged down with Ryu's weight. She hit the water hard. As Saori sunk into the black water, she found out that she couldn't move. She was suspended in the cold liquid. As she floated motionless in the lake, Saori felt something grab her around her waist. She was being pulled up towards the surface.

Ryu popped his head up, gasping for air. He kicked his legs as he kept Saori's head above the water. The sheer force of the water hitting her had knocked the wind out of her. "Saori!" He shook her. "Saori, breathe!"

Saori started to cough hard. She gasped for air. For a moment, she forgot where she was. She looked around at the fake lotus blossoms. They were surrounded by them. "I'm okay," she said as Ryu kept his concerned gaze upon her.

Ryu hooked his arm under Saori's "Oh, crap," he said as he noticed the adults were swimming out to their location. "Time to get a move on!" He started to kick his legs like crazy. Saori stayed right with him as they swam.

Kiba moved as quickly as he could through the water. People were everywhere trying to get a good spot, or to latch onto the flowers they wanted. Onari was clutching rather hard at his neck. "Onari, you're not going to fall in the water," he said as she choked him.

Onari buried her head on the back of Kiba's neck. She didn't want to see the black water. She almost yelped as she felt the water touch her feet. It began to move up her legs and thighs until Kiba was waist deep.

"Open your eyes, Sprout. You have to pick the ones we're going after. I'm leaving it up to you," Kiba said as he kept his arms on her legs. She pointed quickly to the two flowers she wanted. Kiba bent over to grab onto them. Onari moved farther up his back to get out of the water the best she could.

Idai swam through the water like a fish. He glided smoothly past people as Masaru followed him. Masaru was having more trouble getting around the others. "Come on, Masaru! You need to be more graceful!" He smiled cheekily.

Masaru gritted his teeth as he bumped into another person. "Graceful, my butt. I'm a ninja, not a ballerina." He dove into the water to move quicker around the people.

Lee jumped through the water as he made progress. He was determined to get a better prize than Sasuke. Lee moved quickly as he found a lotus blossom to grab on to. He glanced off to look over his shoulder. Sasuke was water walking on the surface of the lake. "That's cheating, Sasuke!"

Sasuke stopped to realize he was being yelled at. He smirked. "It's a short cut. Not my fault you didn't think of it." He continued until the men in the middle of the lake hit the gong again. Sasuke lost his concentration and fell in. He popped his head up swearing.

Eiyu refused to get his clothes wet. He moved around letting the water only go as far up as to his knees. He was trying desperately to find a lotus blossom that hadn't been nabbed. All of the younger kids had grabbed the ones at shallow ends of the lake. He grumbled once he realized he didn't have a choice but to get wet. Eiyu tensed his shoulders as he trekked through the water.

Yanagi and Gin decided not to swim to the middle of the lake. They searched for a flower as they kicked their legs. Gin spotted one that had moved away from the majority of the crowd. She spring at it. Yanagi was right behind her leaping onto one she had seen, too.

Takeru shook his head free of water as he and Daiya swam to the middle of the lake. They were close to the two men who hit the gong. He saw Ryu and Saori who were also swimming out as far as they were to get a prize. "It appears we weren't the only ones who through of it."

Daiya saw two blossoms he wanted. Afraid of someone else nabbing them, he swam at them aggressively. Daiya had had enough of people trying to take the prizes he wanted.

"Daiya, calm down. It's not like there isn't enough of them out here. There are only a few people out as far as us," Takeru said as he swam after his brother.

"Hey, is that Takeru and Daiya? Why is Daiya going after those flowers so hard," Saori asked. She watched the two boys swim after them.

Ryu started to swim in the same direction. He got to the lotus blossoms before Takeru and Daiya. He held onto them until they approached.

Daiya breathed hard. He swore. "Give those back, Ryu!" Daiya swam slowly as he kept his eyes on the tall genin. He felt tired. "Those… Those are mine!"

"Ryu, why did you take them if you knew they were after them," Saori asked.

"I'm disappointed in you," Ryu said to Daiya. "You knew better than to come all of the way out here! You're exhausted, Daiya. Takeru, hold him up before he drowns." Ryu threw the blossoms at them. "I had no intention of taking them! What would sensei say if he saw you two this far out?"

Takeru held onto Daiya as his brother put his hand to his forehead. Daiya coughed. "What about you, Ryu?" Ryu furrowed his brows. "What would my dad say if he knew you were pushing yourself like Daiya?"

Saori looked at Ryu. "What is he talking about?" Ryu was mad. "Ryu?"

"Who the hell told you I have asthma," Ryu demanded.

Takeru kept his serious gaze on him. "Does it matter? By the looks of it, you've never told Saori, either. Fine time for her to find out whether you can breathe all of the way out here, or not. There's no one to help you!"

Saori put her arms up to keep Ryu and Takeru separated. "We will discuss this later! Takeru, take care of Daiya," she said seriously. Saori pushed Ryu back. "Not now, Ryu." She forced him to swim away with her.

Hire smiled at Areku as they held onto their blossoms. "Boy, some people swam all of the way to the middle of the lake. One more sound from the gong and we get to turn these over. I wonder what we have."

Areku shook his head. The water from his long hair went flying. "Let's hope they match. If they don't, we have to find the other one that does."

Kandai sat on the embankment frowning. Shikamaru was next to him holding onto the first blossoms he could get. "Sensei, you could at least try," he said softly. Shikamaru raised a brow as he put his chin on his hand.

The gong sounded for a third time. Everyone started to turn their blossoms over. "Now we should see them scramble. It's not easy to find the matching one," the young man said with a hearty laugh.

Gin looked at her blue lotus blossom. It had white circles on it. Yanagi's flower had the caricature symbol for 'yo' on it. "Which one do we keep?"

"Let's just try to find one that matches. If someone has the one we need, we'll have to trade, or bargain," Yanagi said as she started turning over the flowers.

Once everyone had found their matching flowers, they proceeded to the table where a man with a really long scroll awaited. He read the prizes off which matched the corresponding numbers on the bottoms of the blossoms.

Areku sat next to Hire at the Heaven restaurant. He

glanced up at the colorful lights in the tree. The waiter came to take their orders. Areku ordered seafood platters for the both of them. They were the most expensive on the menu.

Hire blushed as a man came with a basket of bread. There was a wine bottle in the middle of the basket. The man kindly poured them two glasses of grape wine, bowed, and left. "This place is amazing, Areku. Do you think we should," she asked gesturing to the wine.

Areku took the glass in his hand. He sniffed it. "It smells really good. I say we should enjoy ourselves." He sipped some of the wine. "It's a once in a lifetime chance." Hire nodded as she began to drink her wine, also.

Eiyu gave the stuffed owl he had won to Onari. She blinked at it before she took it. "It's an owl. It's a bird of the night. What did you and Kiba sensei win?"

"Boat on lake," Onari said. She pointed to a few that were already courting some couples. Eiyu's eye twitched. "Onari no like water," she said lowly.

"Then is Kiba sensei going to be romantic alone," Eiyu asked as he got an awful picture in his mind.

"Onari give to Kandai. Kandai use," she said. Eiyu seemed baffled.

Kandai ran through the festival looking for the girl he had met at the game of Tag. "I hope she hasn't gone home yet." He searched high and low looking through the crowds. Kandai breathed hard as he leaned against a rail. I'm never going to find her…

Nozomi blinked as she walked near a few game stands. "Hey, Hyuga, you appear wet and untidy. I take it you participated in the Lotus Competition."

Kandai smiled at her. "I've been looking everywhere for you." He fidgeted with his scroll.

"Me? Why were you searching for me," she asked. Nozomi blushed as he pointed to the lake.

"Would you like to go on a boat ride with me," Kandai asked.

"Sure," Nozomi said with a smile at the ninja boy.

Ryu and Daiya stood in front of Sasuke averting their eyes. Saori had told on them. Her explanation was it wasn't fair to her or Takeru if one of them had undergone a complication. Ryu wasn't really thrilled with her knowing. He had his asthma under control for the most part.

"I honestly don't know what to say to either of you. The fact remains that you two pulled a stunt without thinking. Do either of you have any idea how it would come off if both of you had drowned?" Ryu glanced at him. "I really can't believe you haven't even told Saori, Ryu. You've gotten close to her and don't even trust her. And Daiya, Izumi is working hard to help you. Your behavior is a poor excuse on how to repay her efforts."

"Just tell me what my punishment is. It's my choice whether I want someone to know, or not," Ryu said angrily. He clenched his hands.

"No, Ryu, it isn't. Not anymore. Tomorrow morning, you and Daiya will tell everyone on the teams your ailments." Daiya flipped his head around. "All of the trainers have taught all of you to work together, train, and trust each other. And despite your experience, you lack comprehension, Ryu. You're setting an example for all of them. You're the oldest."

"I'm not telling them anything," Ryu shouted suddenly.

"It's not an option," Sasuke yelled back at him with pure aggression. Daiya tensed at seeing him that angry. Sasuke kept his stern gaze on Ryu. "You will work with everyone from here on out, or get off of my team! I'm not tolerating the disrespect any further!" Ryu closed his eyes. "We won't have this discussion again. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sensei," they both said rather softly.

Ryu walked down the road as angry as he could possibly be. Saori shouldn't have told him! It wasn't her place to! He turned his head as he heard his name being called. Saori lowered her hand as he gave her a dirty look. "I don't want to talk to you."

Saori felt as if someone had dropped a load of bricks on her. She watched the person she adored walk away from her. Saori shrunk away.

Idai tackled Takeru once the futons were down. "Hi, chicken arms!" Idai gasped. He felt Takeru's arms. "Why, Takeru, what big muscular arms you have. Who're you trying to impress?"

"Shut up, Idai," Takeru said as he hooked his legs around his throat. Idai choked as Takeru started to mess up his hair. "You talk too freely!"

Gin came back from brushing her teeth to find the boys fighting. "Um, T-Takeru, Lee sensei wants us to go to bed. T-Takeru?"

Idai couldn't break free from Takeru's leg grip. He bounced as he tried to breathe. "Gin, help," he said choking.

Gin formed hand seals. The plant Sasuke had given her from the competition, started to grow. It twisted its long branches around Takeru's limps and tightened, holding him in place.

Takeru yelled for Gin to let him go. Idai was finally free from Takeru's grasp. He gasped for air as he sat up. "Only if you pr-promise to behave."

Takeru looked at her bewildered. He tilted his head as Idai stood up to stretch his back. "Are you serious?"

Idai hadn't expected Gin to keep Takeru in a hold for so long. He quickly leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Thanks, plant girl." Gin froze. Idai watched as she fainted. The moment she did, the plant let Takeru go. Idai sighed. "I don't think she likes me."

Everyone waited down stairs. They thanked the inn owner for having them. Kiba yawned. They had a two day journey back to the village. "Where is Sasuke? It's time to go."

Takeru noticed Ryu and Daiya were also not amongst the crowd. He looked around a second time before Onari stuck a large bear in his face. "I see you won a bear."

"No, Takeru bear," she said. "Onari Takeru bear." Onari squished the bear between Takeru's back and book bag.

Takeru was a little embarrassed. He forced himself to smile before petting her head. "Thanks, Ri."

Yanagi showed her doll to Gin. She had gotten it from Masaru and Idai. "I think it's supposed to be the lady mentioned in the story we heard last night from the old man that started the festival."

Sasuke walked down with his hands in his pockets. He asked the lady up front if he could borrow a crate he saw. Sasuke flipped it over with his foot. "The both of you get down here."

Everyone got quiet as Ryu and Daiya walked down the stairs. Sasuke gestured for Ryu to stand on the crate. Ryu tensed as he got on it. Saori quietly watched him as she wondered what was going on.

Ryu talked low. "Daiya and I got in trouble with Sasuke sensei. We swam all of the way to the middle of the lake last night." No one seemed to be understanding the problem as of yet. Ryu grumbled. He looked at his feet to avoid the stares. "The-The reason we're in trouble… is…b-because we have… ailments that affect us… and can also affect you all." Ryu swallowed hard. He looked up to see Saori watching him sadly. "I=I have asthma. If I push myself too hard, I get out of breath. I…can pass out." He stepped down quickly.

"Daiya," Sasuke said. He gestured to the crate now turned pedestal. "You're next."

Daiya lowered his head as everyone stared at him. His heart was racing. "I-I h-have ar-aryth-mia. I-It's a h-heart condition. M-My heart doesn't beat normally." He closed his eyes. His hands clenched. "I-If I get startled, or-" He gasped hard. "Too fatigued, my heart acts up. I-If it's un-controllable, my heart… stops." Daiya came off of the crate so fast, it tipped over. He hid behind Sasuke.

Sasuke looked at all of the students. "From now on, we're pushing all of you. It gets tougher here on out. There won't be any more easy tasks. All of you will have to fight in the Chuunin Exams. You may be up against a fellow team mate, friend, enemy, or complete stranger. If any of you slack off, or have problems meeting the goals of your team, you'll get special training elsewhere. The nine of you – and possibly 10- are responsible for the village and everyone in it."

Lee smiled. "Sasuke's right. All of you will face stronger opponents. Whether you win or lose is going to be based on two things: You're training and your determination. I expect everyone on my team to have more determination."

"And I expect my team to use their heads in tough situations," Shikamaru said.

"If anyone in my team even thinks about quitting, I'll hang all of you by your toes," Kiba said with growl. "There won't be any more games."

They stood for a moment before they left the inn. Ryu kept his gaze on Saori. She walked alone completely in thought. He let her remain as so until they neared the forest with the hanging wind chimes.

Ryu gently stroked the side of her cheek with his finger. Saori snapped out of it. She looked at him, but didn't speak. "I'm sorry for pushing you away last night. And for not telling you about my asthma."

Saori went for him. She put her arms around him as she laid her cheek on his chest. She felt Ryu lean his head into hers.

"I'll make it up to you. I promise," he said softly. Ryu kept her tightly against him.

Idai clucked like a chicken at Takeru. Takeru flipped his head around to glare at him. Idai moved his arms in a flapping motion.

"Shut up, Idai," Takeru yelled.


	48. Chapter 48

**V 5 Ch 7**

**Secrets**

Yanagi Lee moved through the trees with speed, her dark eyes searching the area around her. Masaru Uzumaki and Idai were behind her, following as they had been instructed to do. They were searching the area as well. Yanagi touched down for a moment onto a branch with the two boys. "This assignment is slightly getting on my nerves. How are we supposed to find five coins hidden in the trees?"

Idai tilted his head. "Kiba sensei made you the leader for the day, Yanagi. You have to think how to use Masaru and I. I'm not supposed to take charge."

Masaru crouched as he looked up at Idai. "Aren't you still helping her by giving her hints about what she needs to do?" He leaned back.

Idai looked down at him as he crossed his arms. "Would you rather I help her, or would you like to search the entire day blindly looking for something?"

Yanagi had to think. "I'm supposed to use you two," she repeated as she thought. "Let's see, Masaru mainly uses his shuriken and copies of himself. Idai uses twin swords to send sound wave attacks. How to use you two," she repeated again as her brain started coming up with scenarios.

"Why is she talking out loud," Masaru asked. He was glad for the break. If Yanagi was going to figure the assignment out, she was taking a long time to do it. He was used to Idai being in charge.

"She's always talked to herself when sorting our problems. It means she's really using her head," Idai said. He looked at Yanagi. She was watching him with her chin on her hand.

"You've always known I do that?"

Idai smiled softly. "Yeah. You did it a lot back at the Academy. Whenever we were tested by Kurenai sensei, you were always preparing, Yanagi. That's how you learn, isn't it?"

Yanagi smiled. "Five coins are in this area. They can be anywhere. Unlike Kiba sensei, I don't have a sensitive nose to sniff them out. So how else do we find them? We use Masaru's Byakugan and Idai's flute. Ah. You thought I was going to suggest using Idai's swords. We have to know the location of the coins, Masaru. Idai's swords would send them farther out of our reach."

Masaru stopped on a branch as he searched the area alone. He activated the Byakugan. "It's not in this area!" He moved through the trees as Idai moved above him some distance away. Idai was playing his flute in a three hundred and sixty degree spin as his ears listened for the sound of the notes hitting metal.

Yanagi formed hand seals as she followed the boys from the very top of the trees. "Billions of eyes jutsu!" Hundreds of light pink butterflies shot out from the sleeves of her yellow hoodie. They flew around her waiting for her order. "Find the coins hidden in the forest. One of you stays with the coin while two alert me." The butterflies were off.

"I see one," Masaru called out to his team, unsure if they heard him. He immediately went for it. It was stuck to the other side of a tree. He freed it. "Four more to go, Yanagi!"

Some time later, Idai heard the gentle ping of the notes hitting a coin. He turned his head constantly as he tried to find it. His eyes weren't as handy as Masaru's. Idai jumped from branch to branch sending short notes in the directions he wanted. "Where the hell is it? I can't see it. The sun's blinding my eyes."

Yanagi retrieved a coin from her butterfly scouts. "Nice job," she told them as she put it in her pouch. She wondered where Masaru and Idai had gotten off to.

Masaru swung down from the overhead branch startling Yanagi. "Hey! Guess how many I found!" He showered her the two coins. "Kiba sensei didn't make this very easy. He painted some of the coins to hide them," he said as he showed her that particular one.

"Oh, he would do that. It can't be helped. We never know what we'll face on a mission, Masaru. We have two more to find. Where did Idai go?" Yanagi looked around. She didn't see him, or hear the musical notes floating out of his flute.

Idai breathed hard. He remained completely still. Moving his feet right now would cause him to slip from the height he was at. He was still on the branch, wasn't he?

Idai's world had changed in a matter of seconds. The sunlight that had been blinding him earlier was gone. He wasn't in the forest. He was in a dark place. He could hear people talking. Idai's eyes looked around. What are they saying?

Idai's dark world suddenly came to life. He was sitting on a stone floor surrounded by candles flickering. There were strange symbols carved into the stones around him. Several men were keeping an eye on him as he watched them with his wrists bound.

The noise of objects breaking got his attention. It was coming from outside the room he was in. Idai saw the wooden door get blasted away by a powerful sound wave. The men who were confining him were on guard.

Idai watched as a tall man with short white hair and dark eyes walked through the entrance. His arms were out in front of his body, his hands aimed at the five men. Idai felt happy and relieved. He started to bounce on the floor as his father glanced at him. He was going to be saved!

Before Idai could yell his father's name, the five men started attacking his father with their own sound waves. They sent kunai and air blasts at the man so fast, that there was no time for him to react. Idai watched as his father's body was sent backwards, slamming into the wall behind him. He heard every bone in his father's body snap. He watched painfully as his loving father's body slid to the floor. As his head fell forward, Idai saw the blood glistening on the wall. "D-Dad?" His father was dead. "DAD! DAD, WAKE UP," he screamed. Idai was not aware of his physical movements as he fell from the tree.

Yanagi and Masaru were alerted by Idai's screams. They flew through the trees in that direction. As they saw Idai fall past them, they shot with all of their might to catch him. Idai was screaming constantly, his body jerking as they caught him. His legs kicked furiously as he kept yelling for his father to wake up.

"Idai! Idai! Idai, what's wrong," Yanagi said as they got him to a branch. Idai was not looking at her or Masaru.

"I've never seen him like this!"

Masaru grabbed Idai's face. Idai's eyes were wild with terror. Masaru suddenly tried to shield Idai from whatever his team mate was seeing. Regardless of his effort, Idai continued to scream. "Yanagi, get Kiba sensei! Idai, it's me, Masaru! Idai!"

Yanagi flew through the trees as she left her team behind. She could only hope Kiba was still waiting for them outside of training area number sixteen. Her eyes darted around, unsure if he would still be there. She was trying to figure out what had caused her team mate to go nuts. "Idai's never been afraid of us. He's always been so

reserved and cautious until he was put on the team. No, that's incorrect. It was until he befriended Daiya. Daiya's friendship has caused him to open up. But what exactly has awakened?"

Yanagi hopped from branch to branch until she neared the border of the training ground. Kiba was waiting for them. He was laying on his back with his legs crossed, letting his foot bounce up and down as he chewed on a piece of jerky. "Sensei," she called to get his attention. Yanagi jogged towards him.

Kiba opened an eye as he turned his head. "So did you guys finish the assignment that quickly?" Yanagi shook her head. She was grabbing his wrist to pull him up. "Yanagi, what's gotten into you?"

"It's not me. It's Idai! He fell from a tree on our assignment. Masaru and I had to catch him, sensei. When I left he was screaming about his father. He's flipping out and doesn't realize we're there," Yanagi said in a ramble of panic.

Kiba's brows furrowed as he listened to Yanagi. It had finally happened in front of his team. Idai had had a flashback. Kiba placed his rough hands on Yanagi's shoulders. "Yanagi, it's okay. Idai is affected by memories from his past," he said in a way she would be able to understand.

Yanagi looked at her trainer. "I don't understand, sensei," she said softly. How were memories affecting Idai's mind? Did he have horrible memories that he wasn't able to let go?

Kiba figured it would be harder for his team to understand. "I'll explain in front of Masaru. There's no other choice right now." He was going to have to go against Idai's wishes.

Masaru watched Idai breathe hard. His screams had finally subsided. "Idai, are you okay?" Idai's head fell forward. He was worn out. Masaru lifted his hand to touch Idai's shoulder. Idai tensed and withdrew slightly. "Idai, why were you screaming about your dad? Was it

something to do with your real father?"

Idai gritted his teeth. That particular flashback hurt him so much. It was the last memory of his father he had. The five men, who had kidnapped him from his bedroom, had killed his father. Idai's heart tightened as his father's face kept reappearing in his mind. His throat closed as he tried to suppress his emotions.

Kiba stood silently watching Idai and Masaru. Idai was calm, but he was heavily burdened by his own torment. Whatever had occurred was all over his face. Masaru turned around to look at him. At that point, Kiba walked over. He crouched to make sure Idai was alright. "I know you remember what you saw. Can you tell me?" Idai shook his head.

"Sensei, what is Idai seeing," Masaru asked. He looked at Kiba for truth about the matter. Idai started to hide his face in his knees.

Kiba sighed heavily. "Idai, they've already seen it. They have to know now." Idai tensed as he grabbed onto his pants. Kiba turned to Masaru. He spoke softly, choosing his words carefully. "Idai has a lot of bad memories from a long time ago. We're unsure about what he sees. He won't tell us – more than likely, because the memories are painful." Kiba paused. He looked back to Idai.

"Sometimes the horrible experiences we have don't go away. They're pressed into the backs of our minds where they are forgotten. As time goes by, the same experiences play over and over like a recording – occurring when we least expect them to – tormenting us until we lose ourselves – never able to escape them. That is what Idai goes through. He's re-living events from his childhood that have impacted him. He's unable to escape them."

"But he will one day, right," Masaru asked.

"I don't know, Masaru. That's determined on Idai's willpower and Gai aiding him," Kiba said.

Yanagi didn't like the heavy atmosphere. She unexpectedly pulled Idai towards her. He flinched, but relaxed when she put his head on her shoulder. "Idai, Masaru and I will help you. You're our friend. We like you."

Idai brought his hand up to cover his face. He didn't like the attention he was getting. The flashbacks he could deal with; or so he thought. He was more afraid of the bad side of himself hurting someone. "I… don't want… to hurt anybody," he said softly.

Kiba knew what he was referring to. "Training for today is over. We should get Idai home. Yanagi, would you be as kind as to locate Gai for me? Let him know what happened."

Yanagi nodded slowly. She let Idai go. As Kiba and Masaru made him stand, she was flying through the trees towards the Jounin tower.

Idai walked sluggishly to the living room in the apartment. His feet dragged on the floor. He stared at the short table where he ate every night. His orange eyes drifted over every object in the place. It all seemed so trivial to him. He fell to the floor onto his side. Idai stared at the bare wall for the longest time. He felt as if he was stuck looking in another world. He didn't hear Gai approach.

Gai looked over his adopted son. It was bound to happen while he was on the team. It was only a matter of time. He walked off to retrieve a blanket and pillow. Gai came back to lay the blanket over Idai. He lifted the boy's head to slide the pillow under. "Do you want to talk about what happened?" Idai shook his head. It was the same response each time. "I'm going to make dinner. Just lay here to rest."

Idai curled up bringing the blanket tighter around his body.

Idai rubbed his eyes as he awoke. I must have fallen asleep. He sat up letting the blanket fall off of his body. "How long have I been asleep," he said aloud.

"A few hours," Daiya said as he watched Idai look at him sleepily. He was sitting under the bar, his back leaning against the wood. Daiya had one knee up, his hand placed on the top of it. "Your dad invited me over. Are you okay?" Idai was staring at him. "If you want me to go, I can."

Idai bit his lower lip. He shook his head slowly. He didn't want Daiya to leave. Idai closed his eyes. The memories of the day were still in his mind.

Daiya crawled over to him. "You're not alright. I can tell by the expression on your face. You're remembering everything."

"I want it to stop," Idai said so softly that Daiya had to lean towards him to hear him. "I want to be normal. Why can't I be normal like everyone else?"

Daiya put his face under Idai's so he could look up at him. "Idai," he called. Idai looked at him blankly. Daiya smiled at him. "You've never been normal," he said in his low tone of voice.

Idai smiled a little. Daiya was teasing him. He leaned towards him. "Yeah, well, I'm not the only one who doesn't match Konoha's requirements for ninja. You're too anti-social."

"I'm not anti-social. I'm cautious," Daiya said in his own defense. He watched Idai grin at him. Oh, no. Daiya fell over as he was tackled to the floor. "Idai, did you have to do that?"

"No, not really," he said as he smiled down at Daiya. Idai sniffed the air. He tilted his head. "Do you smell something?"

"I had beans earlier." Idai just stared at him. I guess I am too serious. He sighed. "Your dad's burning dinner."

Idai and Daiya sat up as the kitchen alarm went off. Smoke was pouring out of the kitchen. They ran to the kitchen to find Gai beating a pan with two leaves. Flames were sky high. Daiya snatched the fire extinguisher off of the wall. He opened foam on Gai and the flaming pan. Gai blinked from underneath the foam covering his face. "So how does eating out sound," he asked as he posed all heroically.

Idai lowered his head. He gritted his teeth again. The fire had frightened him.

Gai wiped his face off with a towel. He looked at Idai. He walked over to him. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I'm alright." He bent down to smile at Idai with his white, sparkling teeth. "See? Nothing gets me that easily." Idai went for him wrapping his arms around his neck. "Idai, I'm okay."

"You scared the crap out of him," Daiya said seriously. He gave Gai a harsh look. Idai had had an eventful day and it wasn't improving.

Gai stood up. He let Idai hang off of him as he put his hand on the boy's side. "It's a good thing Daiya was here to put the fire out. I don't think those leaves were working." He smiled at Idai, again, trying to cheer him up. "You and Daiya can pick where we eat out, okay?" Idai nodded. He let go of Gai and dropped to the floor.

Anko waved to Gai and the two boys as they walked into the restaurant. They walked over to her table. "I see you ruined dinner again. When are you going to learn how to cook properly?"

Gai laughed heartedly. "Hey, give me some credit, Anko. I do alright. I just added too much oil is all."

"Hey, cutie," Anko said to Idai. He had grown quite a bit in seven years. She saw him occasionally from time to time, but they rarely spoke. Anko worried about Idai's progress. In her eyes, not much had changed for him despite his acceptance into Kiba's team. "You guys can sit with me if you like."

Idai sat down slowly in front of Anko. He didn't see her much. She spoke to Gai when she saw them out, but it was rare. Idai kept his distance from her. He averted his eyes.

They all ordered seafood dishes. Daiya tilted his head at the creature on his plate. It had a red body and red tail. He was slightly confused at how to eat it.

"It's lobster. You take this," Idai said as he grabbed the small fork. "And put it into the meat like so." He forced it into the back of the lobster. He grabbed Daiya's hand and told him to take it. "See the yellow stuff in that cup? That's butter. Dip the meat into it."

Daiya did as he was told, for once. He looked at Idai. Daiya sniffed the meat. "I don't know if I want it."

"Daiya, just try it. You won't know if you don't taste it," Idai said as he cracked a crab leg. Daiya was stalling. "You've got about two seconds to put it in your mouth before I embarrass you."

Daiya quickly put it in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. Anko laughed at them. "You two sure have a tight bond with each other," she said as she ate her octopus. "It's good to see you two like that."

Idai's face flushed. He didn't realize they were being watched. The rest of the evening, he stayed pretty quiet while the adults talked.

Gai and Anko caught up on a lot of things at dinner. They teased each other, ate, and even ordered sake'. Before long, Daiya left to return home leaving Idai alone. Idai found himself falling asleep at the table. He was asleep in no time with is head on his arms as he breathed softly.

"Man, we need to hang out more," Anko said as she set her cup down. Her cheeks were flourished from the sake'. She stretched her arms high overhead. "I think the owners would like us to go soon. It's getting late." She laughed as she turned her head. Her eyes fell on Idai's sleeping form. "Gai, how is he doing," she asked gently.

"He still suffers from both of his problems. Strange you should mention that. He had one of them occur this afternoon with his team," Gai said as he sipped more sake'.

"Which one? The first one, or the really bad one," she asked choosing her words carefully. People had the habit of eavesdropping on sensitive subject matter.

"The first one," Gai answered. "If the other has happened, no one has informed me about it. I can only hope his team and friends never see it," he said as he, too, watched Idai sleep.

There was a lot of banging at the door. Idai stirred in his sleep. He threw the covers back over himself as he laid on the futon. The banging didn't subside. "Dad… get the door… Dad…" Idai slumped back down as the knocking stopped.

Feet padded quickly to the bedroom. "Let's burst in on him to wake him up," Masaru said happily. He smiled big at Yanagi as he pushed the door open. He ran over to Idai. "Idai, wake up! It's another day of training." He shook his team mate. "Idai, come on," Masaru begged.

Yanagi rolled her eyes. Boys. She walked over to Idai. "Don't you want to come train with us today? Kiba sensei has something fun planned," she said as Idai looked at her tiredly.

"Yanagi, I'm sorry you and Masaru had to… help me," he said before he put the covers back over his head.

Yanagi pulled it away. "Idai, have we taught you nothing since we've known you?" She smiled at him gently. "Friends are forever. They don't give up on each other. So are you going to get up now, or do we have to drag you out?"

Idai yelped as he felt Yanagi and Masaru grab his ankles. He tried to grab onto the futon as they yanked him out of bed. Idai realized he was wearing his boxers and tried to hide himself. "I'm not dressed! Yanagi! I'm indecent!" His team mates laughed as they dragged him down the hall.

"Glad of you to join us," Kiba said as he waited at training ground twenty-one. He smiled as the kids looked around wondering what was so special about a section of the river. "You three are probably wondering what today's training involves. As you can see, we have a river behind us. As trackers, your jobs aren't just to track through the wilderness. You have to be able to search for people and objects through all sorts of environments and conditions. Each of you will be tested individually today, and then as a group. I want to see what each of you has to bring to the table."

"So we're working by ourselves, then as a team. How are we being graded," Yanagi asked. Masaru crossed his arms. He was taking it all in. Idai yawned as he rubbed his eyes.

"You will be graded on a point system ranging from a zero to a five. Zero is the worst. Five is the best. The areas you will be graded upon are your decision making, effort, and completion of the missions you will be given. If you score less than a three in each of those areas, you will receive extra training."

"We have to score above a ten individually to pass the test. Alright, I have that. What is our team score supposed to be," Masaru asked.

"As a team, I expect your workmanship to be heightened. You three must earn anywhere from thirty-six to forty-five points. There is little room for error as a team. If you three cannot function at your best individually, you won't be able to work as a unit. Missions don't always test your endurance, but also your decision making and skills. They put you in situations you may be unfamiliar with and make you work with others whose skills you won't have time to learn," Kiba said.

"A river isn't much of a challenge," Idai said lowly. "It's only water." He looked at Kiba seriously. "This environment won't change."

"Exactly. We're going to have a few others simulate obstacles for you all to get past," Kiba said. He whistled. The three kids watched as Temari Nara, Izumi Uchiha, and Chouji Akimichi dropped from overhead. Three small children from the Academy appeared behind the three adults.

"What kind of training is this," Masaru said out loud. The three adults were the real deal. It wasn't going to be easy to get past them. He looked at the younger kids. "Niru? Why is my sister here?"

Niru smiled softly at her brother. She held onto Izumi's kimono. "I'm helping big brother with his training today."

Idai analyzed the situation quickly. "They're probably going to be hostages," he said about the three kids. "Kiba's not the only one grading us, either. I can hear someone else moving from the trees."

Kiba grinned. "I was wondering why you were being so quiet, Idai. You are correct. I'm not the only one grading you all. You all will meet that person later." He pointed down the line. "The ones helping out today are Temari – Saori's mother, Izumi – Takeru's mother, and Chouji – Gin's father. The little girl with the long black hair is Masaru's sister, Niru. The little guy with the green jacket is Hibiyo and the boy with the long brown hair is Kayto. Your primary objective is to retrieve the item most valuable to your mission. I will be giving each of our helpers a different role to play. I will also be giving each of you a different mission to complete. This will be your individual grade. Understand so far?"

Yanagi went over the directions carefully. It was a lot to remember. "We must get about ten points to pass the test. We have to get between thirty-six and forty-five points as a team to pass. Our mission is to retrieve a valuable item, but we don't know what that is yet. Kiba sensei is grading us, but so is someone else. It could be a hostage situation, but we have no way of knowing for certain. Truth is we don't know what we're up against. We have to make our best judgments based on the information we will be given. You should never go into a situation blindly, so we must watch first."

Izumi smiled. She had heard that lecture quite a few times. It was one her husband stressed to his team. "Yanagi, where did you get that advice from?"

Yanagi fiddled with her hands. "Oh, I heard it from Ryu. He's pretty wise. It only makes sense."

"Alright, let's get started. Each of our helpers is to now leave the area." Chouji, Temari, and Izumi wrapped their arms around the three kids from the Academy and poofed. Kiba grinned. "Now we'll determine who goes first," he said as he challenged his students.

"Bring it on, sensei," Yanagi said with confidence.

Chouji Akimichi stood in the trees with the others. He listened to Kiba's directions through the headset he wore. "I'll tell them the order decided and the roles we're going to play. Alright, Fox out," he said.

Temari smiled coyly. "So who are we pretending to be? This ought to be interesting." She was ready to give Kiba's team a whole new experience.

"Since they saw us leave with certain kids, we're going to switch the kids around. Kiba doesn't want them having any insight about which children are with who. Niru will go with Temari. Kayo is with me and Hibiyo is with Izumi." Chouji signaled for the kids to switch around. "Niru, you're pretending to be Temari's daughter. You two are traveling along the road with a valuable item that Niru will wear. Izumi, can they borrow your necklace?"

Izumi took her necklace off carefully. She bent down to put around Niru's neck. "This is a special protection charm. It was given to me by Sasuke a long time ago." She touched the charm tenderly before she held it out for Niru to examine. "In order to give Kiba's team a hint about what they must take, I want you to touch the necklace every so often. If something is important to us, we don't forget its meaning."

Niru touched the necklace herself. "I'll do my best," she said softly. She looked at her classmates as they stood watching the adults.

"Izumi, you will be a kidnapper. You've taken Hibiyo

from his village. You're attempt to ransom him is going to be foiled by Kiba's team. Use all means possible to get away. Kayto and I won't be carrying anything valuable. The ninja who is after us has been given the wrong information. He was told by his employer that I had stolen Kayto from my son. You'll be acting as my grandson," Chouji told the boy.

"Now since Yanagi and Idai are familiar with the two of you, we're going to cause them some confusion. Temari, you're dealing with Idai. He uses sound waves in his attacks. Izumi, you're up against Yanagi. She uses strong force taijutsu similar to Lee's. I'll be taking Masaru. He uses that large shuriken on his back in most of his attacks, along with copies of himself."

Izumi placed her hands on Hibiyo. "I wonder what Kiba's team will think of us when they find out we know their moves. Who's up first," she asked.

"First up is Yanagi. Izumi, good luck," he said as she dissipated. "Next is Masaru. Temari, you're last with Idai. The kids won't be watching each other's progress. This test is defiantly going to teach them about individual strength."

Yanagi breathed out slowly. She wondered who she was up against. I can do this. She formed hand seals as she molded into the tree she was hiding behind. Gaining information about an opponent is essential to completing a mission. My object is to retrieve the most valuable object at all costs. I am aware that it is a hostage situation. Yanagi waited for her opponent to show.

Izumi walked out from the forest towards the river. She glanced around constantly for any signs of Yanagi. As she walked, she kept her hand on the back of Hibiyo's neck. The boy walked silently in front of her. Let's make this a bit more daring.

Izumi whipped out a kunai. She poked it to Hibiyo's back to demonstrate a real kidnapping situation. "Move," she told the boy lowly. Sure enough, as she had suspected, Yanagi made a move. It wasn't a direct attack. Izumi's eyes darted as she caught sight of several pink butterflies moving around her and the boy. There were too many of them for it to be mere coincidence.

Izumi smiled wickedly. Yanagi must use them to gather intelligence or to be an extra set of eyes when doing retrieval for Kiba. Not a bad idea, but one should be efficient. Izumi threw several kunai at the butterflies. The kunai sliced them in half quickly.

Yanagi swallowed. Izumi was on to her. She wasn't able to get any information about the situation. Izumi had stopped her. Kiba sensei didn't tell us they would be armed. This test is no laughing matter. It's being treated as a real mission. Okay, Yanagi, it's a serious hostage situation. Your enemy knows you're on to her. The boy is in danger. She won't kill him. If she does, she won't be able to use him for ransom. Ms. Izumi is stronger and more experienced than I am. But that's just it, isn't it? Sometimes you have no choice but to go in blindly to learn directly about your opponent!

Yanagi threw a kunai at Izumi before she used a substitution jutsu to move. As suspected, Izumi threw a kunai back to try and give off her position. Yanagi formed hand seals quickly. "Transformation jutsu," she said gently. Yanagi smiled as she popped into a buck with large antlers.

Izumi narrowed her eyes as she listened for any signs of Yanagi. Two deer came walking out of the forest. One was a doe – the other a buck. "I'm not falling for it, Yanagi." The deer went to the river cautiously. They both bent their heads to drink at the water. Izumi turned quickly to see a fawn dart out from the forest towards the other deer. She threw a shuriken at the fawn. The fawn poofed. Just as I thought.

Izumi formed hand seals relatively fast as the buck came charging at her. "Water fortress," she said as water shot from the river towards her. It formed a powerful wall around her as Yanagi's antler attack was slowed down. "Nice try," she told the girl.

Yanagi became frustrated with the situation. She thought she had Izumi, but was unaware she was a water user. Yanagi took off. She came running back at full force towards the woman. Her hooves clacked on the rocks. Yanagi leapt high into the air, popped back into her normal form, twisted her body, and came spinning with a round house kick at the water wall. As her leg went through the wall, Yanagi let several shuriken fly as Izumi moved back to avoid her.

Izumi snickered. "It's not that easy." She flicked her wrist as the water grabbed Yanagi's leg. It wrapped around her leg, moving up her body until she was unable to move. Yanagi struggled to free herself, but she couldn't. "You lose, Yanagi Lee," Izumi said.

Kiba whistled for Izumi to drop Yanagi. He walked out from his location in the woods. Yanagi sat on the ground trying to figure out what she had done wrong. Kiba crouched as he approached her. "You didn't complete your mission. Your overall effort was right on key; however, your decision making was not the best. Based on what was seen, your individual grade is an eight. You received a five for effort, three for decision making, and a zero for incompletion. Alright, now that that's said and done, I'll let you meet who was also grading you."

Yanagi watched as a form poofed in front of her. She froze. It was the Hokage. Yanagi started beating herself up about how she needed to improve.

Naruto sat upon the pebbles so he was on Yanagi's level. She was disappointed in herself. "The mission you were assigned to complete is given as a B rank mission. You weren't expected to defeat Izumi. She is more skilled. After re-thinking over the decisions you made, do you know where you went wrong?"

Yanagi thought for a moment. "Ms. Izumi knew I was onto her with the butterflies. I used too many of them, I guess. I suppose I shouldn't have used the deer to act as decoys because her guard was already up. I wasn't able to get through the water and she nabbed me."

Naruto listened until she was finished. "You didn't complete the assignment because you forgot the real objective. Your mission was to rescue Hibiyo from Izumi. If you had used different techniques, you could have drawn her away from him. He would have been free to get away at that point. Sometimes when we train, our egos get in the way. You did fine for a rookie, but it wasn't the best for a tracker. Izumi, you, Hibiyo, and Yanagi are dismissed for a bit. I'll send someone to get you when it's time to do the team evaluation."

Izumi placed her hand on Yanagi's shoulder. "It's okay, Yanagi. Extra training does everyone some good. Come on," she coaxed until the girl rose.

Kiba opened his ninja tools pack. He took out a pad and pencil. "So who is going to be assigned to give Yanagi extra training?" He waited as Naruto thought about it.

"She has strong determination. It reminds me of Sakura and Lee. Her decision making wasn't as flawed as I had suspected it to be. Yanagi was thinking ahead two actions at a time until Izumi got her with the water jutsu. I know of someone that will test her mentally and physically. He'll push her. We'll have Sasuke test her, if he's able to. If he's unavailable, Shikamaru can step in." Naruto rose. "Bring out the next contestants."

Chouji picked Kayto up as they stood on the branch. He had just gotten the signal from Kiba to go ahead. "Yanagi's finished. It's our turn. Remember Kayto, you're acting as my grandson. So act accordingly. Masaru has been given the wrong information. So regardless of his efforts, try to stay with me." Chouji poofed with the boy.

Masaru Uzumaki laid low to the ground. He wondered who Yanagi had had to go up against. Hell, he wondered who he was dealing with. Masaru waited until he saw Chouji Akimichi walking out of the woods with Kayto. He didn't make any move towards the man. He had been given a mission by Kiba sensei on a slip of paper. It had said:

You are now employed by the Susoguchi clan. Your mission is to retrieve a boy who has been taken from his father. Use all means possible to complete your mission. The reward for doing so is three hundred ryo.

Masaru realized he had been given a private mission. Yanagi had known hers from the get go. He kept his eyes on the man and the boy to note their posture, the placement of their hands, facial expressions, and conversations going between them. He was seriously worried about how he faired with the task. Kiba was not the only one grading him. Who is the other person watching us? Did Yanagi pass? Why was I given a mission on a piece of paper when she was told?

Chouji and Kayto walked around the area a few times.

He was making sure there was enough distance between him and the boy. It was a clue he hoped Masaru would catch on to. The kid wasn't making any moves towards them yet. Chouji had instructed Kayto to act along with the roles they had to play.

Kayto ran around the river throwing rocks into the water. He giggled as he watched Chouji throw a large boulder. It splashed heavily into the water with a loud splunk.

Masaru looked at the paper over and over with the mission written on it. Something's not right. If he had kidnapped that kid, would he be acting that way? The mission said I had to rescue him from Mr. Akimichi. I have to do what it says. Masaru put the paper back into his pocket. He started to concentrate as he formed hand seals. "Get away and get away fast. Ninja are silent."

Chouji signaled for Kayto to come back over. He turned as he heard rustling coming from the area behind him. Three clones of Masaru came running towards him in different directions. Kayto scrambled to get out of the way as the clones jumped. Chouji formed hand seals just in time. His size grew to six times its normal girth. Masaru's clones punched, only to be sunk in his flesh.

Masaru wasn't giving up. As his fists sunk into Mr. Akimichi, Masaru pushed on the man with his feet trying to avoid an attack. He flipped over backwards to avoid the man's arms trying to grab onto him and his clones. Masaru's hands went out to touch the ground as he flipped over a few times to keep his distance.

Chouji brought his arms, legs, and head into his body to where he looked like a giant ball. He heard Masaru yelp as he started to roll straight ahead. Chouji kept up his action trying to pinpoint which clone was Masaru.

Masaru tried to get around Chouji to nab Kayto, but as he curved his running pace, Chouji also curved his course. He put his arms in front of his body to try and prepare for an impact. Chouji hit Masaru at full force causing the boy to soar through the air. Masaru yelled as he rolled harshly on the pebbles.

Chouji popped his head, arms, and legs back out. The other two clones popped. He was correct in assuming Masaru would go for a frontal attack. He waited to see if the boy still had any fire left in him.

Masaru grunted as he forced himself to stand. His body ached all over. He could almost feel all of the places he was going to be bruised. Masaru breathed painfully as he turned to look at Chouji staring him down.

"Well, do you want to try it again," Chouji asked the boy. He watched Masaru stare him down. He was ready for him.

"I'm not finished. I'll get past you," Masaru said as he unhooked the large shuriken from his back. With all of his strength, he threw it at Chouji as he ran again towards Kayto.

Chouji let the shuriken hit him. He dug his feet into the ground as best as he could. The large shuriken went in to his body before it was bounced back. He formed quick hand seals to make a copy of himself. He and his clone went straight after Masaru as he tried to get away with Kayto.

Masaru looked over his shoulder to see double trouble coming at him. There's no way he'd actually hit me with this kid, is there? Chouji was closing in on him. I can't think! He's too fast! Masaru had to make a rash decision. He threw Kayto into the water.

Chouji attacked him from both ends. Masaru was body slammed. The boy's air was knocked out of him. He watched as Masaru slumped to the ground unconscious.

Kiba walked out from his post. He shook his head at Masaru. Chouji picked him up. "We'll tell him what his scoring is when he wakes up. Nice work you two. I'll signal Temari. She's next."

Temari kept her large fan on her back folded as she and Niru walked out into the open. As directed, Niru touched the necklace around her neck absentmindedly. They walked to the edge of the woods. They were being cautious. Temari was aware Idai used sound waves in his attacks. She was tempted to test his strength.

Idai crouched low on a branch overhead. He liked having a bird's eye view. He closed his eyes once he saw Temari walk out with Niru. He heard leaves rustling around the trees. Idai smiled as he heard Temari and Niru walking. Niru sighed softly. He tilted his head as he heard clinking. Idai opened his eyes. So the thing I must retrieve is on Niru. That makes sense. Idai stood up. He stretched his arms. He started to totter on his feet as he unsheathed one of his swords.

Idai leaned back slightly. As he leaned he unsheathed the other sword. Idai started to rotate his wrists causing the blasts of air. He dropped from the branch continuing to rotate his wrists as he created a wall of air pressure.

Temari pulled out her fan. Niru was shoved behind her as she held the fan out to block the gusts of wind coming at them. As the powerful force of the sound waves hit, she skidded on her feet. Where is he? She looked around the area.

Idai threw a kunai straight at Niru's feet. She was his target. The girl yelped, moving away from Temari. Good girl. He rotated his wrist again as he held his other sword aimed straight at the space between Temari and Niru. He smirked as he started to create the ear shattering sound waves. "Sound knife!"

Temari's hands went immediately to her ears. She gritted her teeth. Temari looked over her shoulder to see Niru doing the same. The girl was sitting with her knees up to her chest screaming at the noise. "Niru," she yelled, but the girl wasn't able to hear her.

Idai moved swiftly through the foliage. Now was his chance. He had to grab the girl while Temari was occupied. Temari tried to aim her fan at him, but her hands went back to her ringing ears.

Idai wrapped his arms around Niru. He took off with her at high speed. As he ran, his eyes searched for the necklace. He had to get it from the girl quickly. Temari was moving her arms with the fan in tow. Idai plucked the necklace from Niru's neck. It popped. "Sorry, Niru. You're going swimming," he warned. As Temari's gusts of wind came at him, he threw Niru Uzumaki into the water. Idai was hit instantly.

Temari ran after Niru. Idai hit the ground hard. He yelled as his shoulder came into contact with a boulder. Niru came walking out of the river soaking wet. She checked on the girl before she went to Idai. He was moving away from her.

"Idai, it's over. Let me check your shoulder. Idai, I'm not going to hurt you," Temari said as he held his shoulder still refusing to let her see it.

Kiba sighed as he came out of the brush. He walked over to Idai. The boy was injured. "Idai, Temari is not going to harm you. The test is over. Let her look at your shoulder," he said.

Idai suppressed a whimper as his body tensed. The pain going through his shoulder was excruciating. Temari started to move the leather straps off of his shoulders. She brushed his bruised shoulder and he gasped hard as tears came out of his eyes.

Niru watched as Temari started to lift Idai's shirt. She removed one of his arms easily, but the other was the injured one. Temari carefully put her hand on Idai's arm to keep his shoulder still. Niru took a deep breath. She widened her eyes. Byakugan! Idai's shirt became translucent. She could see the swollen and bruised skin. "His shoulder is black and blue. It's badly swollen," she told Temari.

Kiba started to lift the shirt over Idai's head. He carefully moved it down the boy's arm being sure not to brush against it. Idai was gritting his teeth. "We won't know if it's broken until he sees a medic. Idai, do you want to know your scoring now or later?"

Idai lifted his head to look at Kiba. "I want to know now, sensei," he said softly. Temari was bandaging his arm to his chest to keep his shoulder still.

Kiba crouched. "You received a four in decision making. A five for your effort and a four upon completion. Your total score is a thirteen. Would you like to meet who else was grading your performance?" Idai answered.

Naruto popped in front of the small group. He sat down next to Temari. "Your shoulder is heavily bruised. Temari will take you to the hospital to have it looked at. Do you know what your mistakes were?"

Idai furrowed his brows as he thought. "I retrieved the necklace, but I didn't get away with it." He grunted. "I also threw Niru into the river not thinking if she was able to swim."

Naruto smirked a bit. "I was actually referring to the high-pitched sounds you emitted earlier. If you were trying to separate them, an air attack would have been sufficient. It surprises me you thought of Niru as an afterthought. Temari, would you be sure and see that he gets his shoulder checked?"

Temari helped Idai to stand. She put her arm around his back. They walked away from the Hokage and Kiba.

"So what do you think about him," Kiba asked Naruto in front of Niru. He kept his eyes straight ahead on the boy as he walked away. Idai was trying to toughen up by walking with his posture straight.

"I like him," Niru said softly.

Naruto turned his head to look at his daughter. He took his hat off. "I don't see how the previous Hokage wore this. It makes your head sweat." He ran his fingers through his hair. "To answer your question, Kiba, I think Idai's training is going well. You're doing a fine job working with him. I know all sorts of things about him from Masaru. Masaru looks up t Idai for strength in the situations they face."

"Masaru is annoying. He talks about Idai several times a day," Niru said as she sat in her father's lap. She looked up as her father kissed her temple.

Kiba gave Niru a toothy grin. "Is that so? Your brother's competitive with Idai when they train. I believe it's because Masaru lacks confidence."

"Speaking of which… You two can come out now," Naruto said. Yanagi and Masaru had been watching them for a few minutes. "I see you're finally awake," he told Masaru.

Masaru shifted his feet. He was nervous to learn his father was the one grading them with Kiba. "Did I do poorly?"

"Well, why don't you let Kiba tell you first," Naruto said as he played 'slaps' with Niru.

Kiba turned around. "Your effort was a four. Your decision making earns a one. And your completion is a zero. Your total score is a five. You will get special training with Yanagi."

"What did I do wrong," Masaru asked bewildered.

"For starters, the mission scenario you were given, was incorrect," Naruto said to calm his son. "Chouji was pretending to be a grandfather who had taken his grandson out for a stroll. If he had been a kidnapper, as Izumi was, he wouldn't have let Kayto wander about. He also wouldn't have played with him. You were too concerned about completing the task than to pay attention to what you saw and heard. That was the backbone of your downfall.

Sometimes, ninja are hired to perform tasks that have no moral reasoning. The correct thing for you to do in the situation you were given was to not attack. It would have been more prudent for you to alert Chouji of his son's treachery. You will undergo training with Sasuke that will test you even further."

Masaru sulked. "So I take it Idai passed since he's not here." He glanced around.

"Idai did pass, but he was injured by Temari's wind attack. He has been escorted to the hospital to have his shoulder checked," Naruto said. "I'll be forgiving this one time and let you and Yanagi train with Sasuke before I test you three as a group."

Yanagi nodded. "How much time do we have to train?" She watched Naruto stand with Niru.

"As ninja, there is insight to be acquired through the right efforts. In saying so, I'd start training as soon as I can. When Kiba announces the group test, there won't be any preparation. You two will have to be ready." He turned around to wave at them. Niru wore the Hokage hat as they walked off.

Idai walked home with his arm tied to his waist. The medic-nin had instructed him not to move his shoulder for a week until the bruising went down. It wasn't broken and he was lucky. He stopped as he heard a familiar voice calling his name.

Masaru and Yanagi caught up with him. "Dad said you were injured. Is it broke," Masaru asked.

"No, I'm just heavily bruised. I can't move it for a week," Idai said. "How did you two do on your tests?"

"We have to take extra training with Sasuke sensei," Yanagi said. "Masaru received a score of a five. I got an eight. What did you get?"

"Yanagi, don't tell him how badly I performed," Masaru said angrily.

"I received a thirteen. I was up against Saori's mom. She's one tough cookie," Idai said. "Who did you guy have?"

"I had Mr. Akimichi. Yanagi had to deal with Takeru's mom," Masaru said with a grin. Yanagi smacked him upside the head.

"I don't think I would be boasting too much, Masaru. You got the lowest score out of all of us! Not to mention, you didn't pay attention to your opponent's position! If you haven't noticed, Ms. Izumi is as strong as Sasuke sensei!"

Idai looked at Masaru. "Why did you do so poorly? I've

been working with you when we train and even after Kiba dismisses us. Are you not focusing, or are you rushing in blindly?" Masaru looked away quickly.

"He failed to realize the mission he was given, was incorrect. Mr. Akimichi was acting as a grandfather who was playing with his grandson. Masaru was told he head been hired to retrieve the boy. However, he still attacked Mr. Akimichi and Masaru was defeated," Yanagi told Idai.

"So you weren't using your head," Idai said softly. "How many times do we have to tell you ninjas use their brains as well as their skills? Masaru, you don't get special treatment because of who your father is."

"I don't expect anyone to let me off easily," Masaru yelled at Idai all of a sudden.

"Then I suggest you train until you drop. I'm not giving you any more suggestions when we train. You have to be able to think for yourself," Idai said dismissing the matter. "What did they say about our group evaluation?"

"The Hokage said we were to wait until Masaru and I had a bit more training. We won't know when the test will be issued," Yanagi said as she glanced at Masaru. He

was angry with Idai and himself.

Idai nodded. "Alright, you two go train. I need to take care of my shoulder." He left the two as he walked off.

"Masaru, Idai is serious. We have to learn how to handle missions more properly. A strong opponent is not going to be forgiving."

"I know that. I hate being at the bottom of the group. Even Takeru is doing better than I am on Lee's team." He closed his eyes in thought.

"Why are you worried about where you are placed compared to the others? You need to focus on your own flaws to overcome. We all have to do it. Idai is being hard on you because he doesn't want to see you get defeated. Defeated means 'death', Masaru. There is no time for a correction in a fight."

"I understand," Masaru said softly. "I'm sorry I let you guys down. I'll make for it, I promise."

Yanagi nodded. She was focused on what they had to do. "Well, come on. Sasuke sensei's group is over at training area fifteen." Masaru followed her quietly down the road.


	49. Chapter 49

**V5 Ch 8**

**Flight**

Areku Inuzuka jumped over Kandai as they ran through the training area. They had to locate Gin. Shikamaru was not fooling around with their training for the day. Areku sniffed the air trying to find the girl's scent. Kandai was using his Byakugan to see through objects in case Gin chose to hide in a hollow tree.

Gin Akimichi waited for her team to rescue her. She had decided to fool the boys a little in order to test Areku's nose sniffing capability. Gin smiled coyly. I hope Areku and Kandai do not get mad at me. Shikamaru sensei suggested it.

Kandai smiled. "I see her! She's hiding behind that tree!" Kandai jumped from branch to branch towards Gin.

Areku sniffed the air. "That's not her! It's a clone," he said as he went for Kandai. He wrapped his arms around his teammate to move him out of the way, as a kunai went soaring past them. Areku threw a kunai back to deflect it. He landed onto a branch below.

Kandai blinked. "That wasn't Gin?" He stood up with Areku.

"No, it was one of her clones. Someone can use that trick against us. Gin's starting to use her head," Areku said with a grin. "How much do you want to bet she knew I'd sniff her out?"

Kandai frowned. "She's picking on me," he said softly. He hated not to be useful. Gin was making them dependent on Areku.

"Kandai, we can still use the Byakugan. Don't fret so much," Areku said as they started to search for Gin again. Sure enough, Kandai's inherited ability came in handy each time they had to avoid a clone of Gin's that appeared. Areku was not able to sniff the clones out. It was not long before Kanda spotted Gin hiding in a hollow tree. "That's her alright. I've got her scent."

Kandai ran around the tree spiraling upwards as he tried to find an entrance to it. He looked back at Areku. He was waiting below on a branch. "I don't see how she got in. there's no opening."

Areku pondered. "Gin, I know you can hear us. We already know where you are. Can you come out please?"

The tree they were on, started to sink into itself from the top down. Kandai was thrown off the bark as it sunk away from his feet. Areku caught him as he, too, moved away.

They watched as half of the tree sunk into itself. The other half was standing firmly into the ground. Gin popped her head over the side of the tree. She waved at them. "Gin's becoming rather advanced with her plant jutsus. Without the Byakugan and your nose, no one can locate her," Kandai said. Areku was thoroughly impressed.

Gin placed her hands on the side of the tree to pull herself up. She hooked her legs around it before she slid down the bark with her arms out to steady herself. She jumped off the large root. "You guys did very well about finding me. We should celebrate." Gin smiled.

Shikamaru yawned as he leaned against the tree with his arms folded. It was a nice cool day – perfect for a nap. He looked around lazily for his team before his eyes closed for forty winks of sleep.

Areku walked around the Yamanaka flower shop. He smelled all of the various flowers. Areku turned to look at Gin. "I don't know anything about flowers. That is usually your department. I don't have a clue what Hire would like."

"Are you and Hire dating now," Gin asked as she sifted through the flowers.

"I would like to date her. I do not believe Hire is a bad person. From what I've seen of her family, they're very controlling amongst the other clans in Konoha," Areku said softly out of disgust. He picked up a tiger lily. He looked it over. "This one's nice. How much is it?"

"Three ryo," Gin said as she took his money. "Areku, are you afraid to go to Hire's house?" She could tell he was trying to figure out how to get the flower to the older girl.

Areku smelled the tiger lily for the longest times. "I think Hire's clan despises mine. It has something to do with us working with animals. In addition, they do not like our specialty in tracking. In their eyes, we are as dimwitted as the animals we work with. It's kind of pathetic."

Gin furrowed her eyebrows in anger as she listened to Areku explain things. She slammed her hands on the shelves holding the buckets of freshly cut flowers. "That is uncalled for! Biased people make me angry. It is no different in people treating each other for their different views. It was the same with Idai and Daiya!"

Areku had not seen Gin angry before. She was always so calm and complacent. "Gin, I can't fight an entire clan. I ignore their ignorance and move on. At least, Hire doesn't think the same way they do."

"Areku, they will try to stop both of you from seeing each other. If Hire's family is controlling, as you believe, they'll know her every move," Gin said concerned. She watched him turn around to leave the shop.

"Thanks for the flower," he said softly. Areku left the Yamanaka flower shop. He was not sure how he and Hire would see each other with the way things were. He had to think of a plan.

Hire sat on her knees with her arms in the proper stance. She looked ahead, but her eyes were seeing through the walls of the room. She could see the large maple on the other side of the shoji screen. Hire pictures squirrels running down its long bark in search of acorns as they landed upon the ground. She longed to be free like them. Hire's father finally stopped speaking. She remained still. Her form was under constant stare from her four brothers.

"I will be gone for a few days to assist our allies in the north with their planning. Fushigi is in charge until I return. Nattoku and Daiji are going with me. Hire, you are to continue your training. I expect you to do what your brother says. Things should go over smoothly with our allies in the north. We will get them to help us fight the clan I mentioned. You all are dismissed," Yakedo said. They all bowed low to their father.

As Hire walked out of the room, she went down the hall towards her own confinement. Her feet padded on the wood softly, her hands down by her sides. At home, she had to watch herself. Her brothers watched her as if she was a mouse and they were starving hawks. Hire did not fear them. She obeyed them only for now. It was only a matter of time until her training would be satisfactory. Hire was going to challenge her oldest brother, Nattoku. It was the only way to free herself.

Nattoku met his sister in the hall. She stopped several feet away, as was their custom. "I commend Uchiha for the extensive training procedures he puts his team under. It has made you more obedient. If there is war between our clan and the Inuzuka, you will fight as one of us," Nattoku dictated to his sister lowly.

"Then will I be seen as an equal to you, brother? Or am I suspected to act out of nobility and morals to our family," Hire challenged. Her dark eyes met his.

Nattoku smiled evilly at her. "Despite the strengths you have, Hire, knowledge is not one of your commodities. You will do as our family says, or be subject to death." He held her gaze firmly. "You cannot challenge all four of us that are in charge." He left her alone so she could realize how foolish she was being.

Hire laughed lightly. "Sensei says if you cut off the head of the snake, its fangs are no more a threat." She planned to do just that. Hire would let her older brother assume power for now.

Fushigi, Hire's third oldest brother bowed low with Hire and Ashioto as their father and brother departed the compound. He waited some time before he stood. His dark eyes looked over his sister's form. She caught him noticing her. Hire stiffened her body as she went into a defensive stance. "Father is not here to govern. Nattoku and Daiji are not here to issue orders of nobility against me," he said with an evil sneer. He started to move towards Hire with a longing eye.

Ashioto formed hand seals behind his strange brother's back. Mud shot towards Fushigi's ankles. The mud wrapped around his ankles and hardened to hold him in place. Fushigi fell to the ground embarrassed and angry. "Do not assume that the youngest never prevail against the slow minded. I am still here. You will not touch our sister," Ashioto said with disgust.

Fushigi cackled harshly at his brother's attempts to stop him. "I am in charge. You have to do what I say," he said as he sneered at Ashioto.

"I do what my family says as a whole. Not what a disrespectful sibling says. Hire is our sister. You will not touch her as long as I breathe. Back off, Fushigi," Ashioto warned. "I am not the only one who notices your advances." Fushigi was attempting to break free of his jutsu. "Hire, leave the compound. Go where you feel safe." She looked at him in shock. "Go, Hire!"

Hire hesitated to help her brother, but she did as he said. She ran quickly from the scene. Fushigi was free in no time. She could hear Ashioto struggling to keep him away from her as she fled. Fushigi was trying to come after her. Hire raced away from her house in fear.

Sasuke walked slowly to the door. He yawned slightly as he scratched his head. As he stepped off the wood to the lower area, he tapped the middle of his back with his fist. He slid the shoji screen aside. Standing before him was Hire. She was panting rather hard. She was not in her normal Genin clothes. Instead, she wore a dark purple kimono with white flowers embroidered on it. Her hair was laying flat against her head and over her shoulders. She seemed to be troubled about something. "Hire, what's wrong?"

Hire hated to approach Sasuke on these terms. "Sensei, I didn't know where else to go. I am sorry for bothering you at home. I-," she turned around suddenly as she heard Fushigi calling her name menacingly. He had defeated Ashioto.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He grabbed onto Hire's arm pulling her inside quickly. Takeru and Daiya were at the entrance. Sasuke shut the screen with a clack. He kept his eyes focused on the entranceway.

Takeru watched Hire move behind his father. "Dad, why's Hire here?" His father signaled for them to be quiet. Takeru could hear a man calling Hire.

Daiya never saw Hire as afraid as she was. She had her back pressed against the wall. Her eyes were wide as the voice continued to call her name. The person was getting closer. An electrical current went through Daiya's hair causing his ponytail to spike on all ends. He was ready for whoever awaited on the other side of the shoji screen.

Izumi placed her hand on Daiya's shoulder. "I need you two to take Hire and Onari to hide. Sasuke and I will handle this. Stay hidden. If he gets past us, he deserves to enter."

"Hire, come on," Takeru said waving his hand for her to follow. Hire took her shoes off and carried them before she ran down the hall with the two boys. Takeru found Onari in the kitchen munching on a banana. "Daiya, get her. Meet us across the garden at the old houses."

Daiya went straight for his sister. She tilted her head at him with a chunk of banana in her mouth. Daiya picked her up. "Sorry, Onari, we have to go now."

Onari dropped her banana. "Daiya, Onari hungry," she said as her brother ran down the hall with her. She held onto him as Daiya bailed out of the house. They were going across the bridge in the garden.

Izumi slid open the shoji screen. Her hard gaze befell upon a man in his early twenties. He had a horrible glint in his eye. He stared at her with an evil grin. Izumi gave him a very serious look. Sasuke was on the right in case she needed him. "May… I help you," she asked rather annoyed.

Fushigi let his head fall to the left as he sneered at the woman with white hair. "I know you have Hire in there. The earth tells me so. I have come to collect her. Hand her over," he said softly as he lowered his head. The sneer was still upon his lips.

"You are not the Lord of this dwelling. Furthermore, I don't take orders, brother of Hire," Izumi said defiantly. She did not blink as she spoke. "Leave our compound."

Fushigi gave a warning to the woman. "I do not fear water users, Izumi Uchiha. Earth works with it. You are no threat to me, or our clan. Last chance. Hand over Hire, or I come inside."

Izumi brought her arms up in time to block a direct hit at her face. She dug her heels into the ground. He was trying to force her aside. Izumi let her strength go immediately to her left arm. She let her right arm come back. Izumi swung at his side. The man ughed as she made a direct hit below his ribs.

As Fushigi staggered and coughed, Izumi bit her thumb. She formed hand seals quickly. Moving backwards, she placed the palms of her hands on the two large jugs of water by the step. Sasuke went around the corner. He did not want Hire's brother to know he was there. Izumi waited.

Fushigi came into the house once he recovered. He laughed at the woman. "Is that your only defense?" He slowly walked towards her as he took out two kunai. "Water won't stop these at close range. Your time is up, water user."

"Summoning jutsu! Surien," Izumi said as Fushigi came between the two water jugs. She heard Sasuke smirk as a large water moccasin shot out of one of the jugs. As Fushigi screamed to avoid her companion's powerful jaws, baby water moccasins slithered out of the adjacent jug. They soon wiggled up his legs. Fushigi toppled over. Suiren had him at bay as her children started to cover every inch of his body, but his head. Fushigi shook with fear regardless of the hard gaze he held with the Uchiha woman.

"It only takes one fatal bite from a water moccasin to turn a crusader into a coward," Izumi said as her lavender eyes flashed a deathly warning. "Your first mistake was to threaten me. Your last, was to assume I am a normal water user. I am the elite of the Water Country. You are no more than a grain of salt I am going to wash away. If you so choose to come onto our property again, you will get an attractive kiss from Suiren." The snake hissed. Izumi ordered Suiren to call her children.

Fushigi staggered to get to his feet. He could still feel the cold wet snakes moving over his body. He bailed out of the Uchiha house.

Sasuke shook his head at the mess. "You know, you're awfully scary, Izumi." He looked at her seriously as Suiren's daughters kept guard.

"I thought that's why you married me," Izumi said as her husband stepped closer. Sasuke leaned in to kiss her sweetly. Izumi closed her eyes as they kissed for a moment. She brought her hands up to move his long bangs away.

Sasuke parted the kiss. Despite the warmness in the house, Izumi's lips here slightly cold. "I married you because we're alike. The fact that I'm head over heels for you, is only a small consolation." She laid her head on his chest. "Suiren, would you please find the kids? They should be hiding in the garden." The snake slithered past them.

Sasuke felt for Izumi's hands. They were cold to the touch. "Izumi, your temperature is low." He rubbed his hands on hers.

"I'm fine, Sasuke. I haven't been sick since we took Onari in," she said trying to give him her clean bill of health. He was not going to let her by with it though. "Sasuke…"

"Am I going to have to be strict with you like we have to be with Daiya? At least lay down for a bit," Sasuke said trying to compromise. The kids were back. They seemed wary about Suiren being in the house. Daiya moved back as the snake went past him.

"Suiren has to remain out for the time being. She will protect the compound as long as we need her to. Hire, you're welcome to stay here until we figure something out," Sasuke said. "Suiren is Izumi's companion," he told

the kids.

"So she's like Manda's sister," Hire said as she crouched to gaze at the snake.

"Sort of. Manda is the King of all snakes. Suiren would be more like his knight, or solider," Izumi said. The snake started to slither throughout the house. She caught Sasuke staring at her. "I'm going," she said as she started

to walk to their bedroom. "Daiya, you can lay down with me."

Daiya balled his hands up. "I don't want to lie down! I am not tired! I'm getting stronger every day," he said angrily as Hire looked at him suddenly. It was embarrassing for others to know he was forced to take naps at his age.

Sasuke rubbed his temples before he marched in Daiya's direction. He gave the boy a stern look. "Lay down with Izumi, or I'll have Suiren keep you company." Daiya's eyes widened. He took off to the room. "Takeru, why don't you and Onari go train while I talk to Hire." Takeru walked off pulling Onari along.

Hire sat rather quietly in the living room. She had apologized numerous times for causing Sasuke and his family so much trouble. Hire stared at the floor. She had to spill everything to her trainer.

Sasuke turned his cup around with his fingers. "It certainly explains your attitude on the teams and towards me. Everyone you have been in contact with is male. I wish you had told me sooner. We could have prevented all of this."

"I'm sorry, sensei," Hire said. She was worried about Ashioto. He had defended her. She had not expected him to do that. Hire could only hope Fushigi had not harmed him.

"Speaking to your father about you solely is not going to change his thinking about you. As your trainer, my job is to make you stronger. All of the problems you have explained are a clan matter. If I speak on your behalf, it's going to make you seem weaker than what you normally are," Sasuke said seriously. "Who are you preparing to

fight, Hire?"

Hire stared at the floor. Her eyes narrowed hatefully as if she could see his face watching her. "Nattoku, the eldest out of our clan. He is to succeed the one I call 'Father'. His words poison the man's mind with power and fake realities. I am sure they have gone to persuade another clan for their territory. They see them as weak and inferior –unable to properly govern their families with modesty. I wish to be rid of their ignorance. It cages me as if I'm a wild tiger being forced to obey like a common house cat."

"I think this is only going to increase your concern about the matter, but what about your family's views of the Inuzuka clan?" Sasuke could almost see the invisible knives stabbing at her heart. "They view Kiba and Areku as cockroaches, Hire. They will strip them away from society if given the chance. You will not be allowed to have contact wiYou said before that Nattoku warned of a fight. He is planning to move against another clan. He already has your father's permission. That is why they went to seek out their allies. Who are they planning to attack, Hire?"

Hire's eyes welled up. She gasped as she cried. The tears were flowing faster than she thought possible. Hire covered her mouth. She started to rock her body in order to comfort herself. "Nattoku has encouraged Father to consider attacking the Inuzuka." Hire lowered her head in defeat and anger. "Nattoku wishes to kill Areku and Kiba's family," she practically screamed.

Sasuke was on his feet in a matter of seconds. He ran to his bedroom. He threw the door open. "Izumi, I need you and Daiya to get up!" She half-lifted her body off the bed. Daiya was waking up slowly. "Kiba and his clan are in danger. I have to warn them. Guard Hire. Her brother might come back." Sasuke was out of the door in a hurry. He had to warn Kiba! There was no time to go to the Hokage. He raced to the Inuzuka clan.

Fushigi grinned as he formed out of the earth. His dark eyes foretold malice and destruction. It seems little sister has told on us. Treachery amongst a family is death, dear blood sister. I will slaughter you just like Ashioto. Fushigi licked the filthy short sword he had used on his younger brother. No one defies me.

Suiren lifted her large head. Her children were hissing loudly as she circled the garden to guard Takeru and his friend. Suiren moved quickly to get Takeru's attention. She dropped her large tail on the ground several times.

Takeru stopped training with Onari to notice Suiren acting oddly. "Suiren, what is it?" The large snake opened its mouth hissing loudly. It showed its fangs as a warning.

Izumi forced Daiya onto the porch. "Mom!" She was fighting Fushigi head on. He saw her use the water as a rope to grab the man around his throat. Fushigi gacked as he was strangled.

"You assume because Sasuke is my mate that I am incapable of protecting my family!" Izumi shot several icicles out of her sleeves at the dark headed man. "Daiya, get Hire! She is hiding in the house! Stay with Suiren at all costs! Go!" She round house kicked at a large creature made of earth as it moved towards her. Fushigi was on his feet cackling.

Daiya ran through the house to find his teammate. He could not stand Hire for the way she acted towards others, but right now, he had to help her. He ran sliding on the wood flooring as he heard Fushigi taunt Izumi. Daiya threw open the shoji screen that led into the dojo. Hire was against the farthest wall anticipating someone to strike her. She was standing in defense mode with her legs apart, body lowered, and a kunai out. Daiya heard his mother get thrown against the wall. "Hire, he's in the house! We have to get to the garden!"

Hire ran towards Daiya. They both ran down the hall passing Izumi fighting Fushigi. She was using water to block him from getting any further. Hire made it to the garden with Daiya and the others. They listened to objects breaking as her brother fought his way.

Daiya moved in front of the snake. He saw Izumi backing away as several clay creatures moved towards her. They were all much like Hire's mud Minotaur. Daiya's heart raced. Izumi was holding her shoulder. He could see the blood staining her kimono. If Izumi went down, Suiren would be useless. The snake would disappear.

Onari tried to run forth to help Izumi. Takeru grabbed her around the wait to hold her back. She struggled to free herself from him without injuring him. Onari watched as the water moccasin hissed loudly. Its form started to fade away like mist with a gust of wind.

Takeru's eyes widened as his mother fell to the porch unconscious. The creatures Fushigi used had appeared from all angles to surround his mother. Izumi was hit on the back of the head with a round sphere that was attached to the arm of one of the creatures. Takeru's lip quivered. "M-Mom…?"

Daiya started to charge. He was the oldest besides Hire. His job and focus was to protect the others. He gritted his teeth as the electrical currents started to go down his arms. Fushigi showed himself as the clay creatures started to move aside. "I'll fry your ass for touching our mother!" His arms shook with electrical power as Fushigi's evil gaze sought him out.

Takeru watched as the man signaled his creatures to attack Daiya. Daiya let his lightening jutsu erupt as the creatures came forth. His brother air punched and kicked lightening currents at them. Daiya twisted his body in the air as he aimed the lightening at several creatures that were near each other. He was attempting to fry all of them.

Hire formed hand seals as quickly as she could. The clay creatures were to stall Daiya. Fushigi was coming after them. "Minotaur," she yelled as the large animal formed out of the ground. It blocked Fushigi's kunai. "Daiya's not going to be able to stop them! There's too many of those things!"

Takeru took a deep breath. He turned to Onari. "Ri, we have to help Daiya and hire! All of the training Mom, Dad, and Mr. Hyuga have taught you are going to come into play! Hire can't fight him alone!"

Onari and Takeru both took deep breaths. They held them as they formed hand seals. "Fireball jutsu!" Daiya cowered on the ground as his siblings blew fire at the clay creatures.

Fushigi formed hand seals of his own. "Bottomless pit!" He laughed as the ground started to give way underneath Hire and the Uchiha kids. "Death is a fitting end for a treacherous sister!"

Hire screamed as the earth gave way. She fell into the black abyss with Takeru, Onari, and Daiya. We are going to die! Fushigi has sent us into his hell of darkness. There is no escape! I have gotten everyone in trouble. They were only trying to help.

Onari's eyes could not see the distance they were falling. She was unsure if they were going to hit something or fall to the other ends of the earth. She bit both of her thumbs as they fell. Onari smeared the blood onto the tattoos of her arms. She formed hand seals rapidly. "Summoning jutsu! Akaihi!"

Daiya and Takeru watched as orange light came into their view. An enormous phoenix was forming below them. The bird's wings were spread out aAll four of the kids curled their bodies preparing for impact as they landed on the bird. Daiya lifted his body. The phoenix emitted flames on the tips of its feathers. The blackness was around them. "There's no end to it. It keeps going on and on rI can't see rocks or earth," he said as the others sat up.

Hire sighed softly. "It's Fushigi's most powerful jutsu – a bottomless pit. There is no end to it. We will never find our way out. It was a nice try, Onari."

"There has to be a way out. There always is," Takeru said. He looked around as Akaihi flapped its wings. "If we don't figure out how to get out of here, Akaihi will vanish. He can't fly forever."

"How do we get out of an area that stretches on forever," Daiya asked.

Hire wondered that herself. "No one has escaped Fushigi before. He is completely sinister and twisted. I knew it was going to be troublesome when Father left him in charge." She closed her eyes with sorrow. "He got past Ashioto. I do not know if he is injured, or if he managed to get away. He was trying to protect me."

Takeru's eyes stayed focused on the surreal darkness. "Well, we can't stay here. Onari, how fast can a celestial fly?" She looked up at him with a smirk that reminded him of his father.

Kiba crossed his muscular arms. He growled lowly as Sasuke stood in front of the house. "So they're planning to attack us, are they? What cowardice to entrust their allies to help them. If they want to fight, let them come. I'm not one to back down from an opponent."

"They aren't just challenging the Inuzuka. They have the mindset of annihilating your entire clan," Sasuke warned. "Hire told me the plans of her father and oldest brother. She wishes to warn all of you."

Hana stood behind her brother. Her dog companion was next to her. "Perhaps she is doing so because of Areku. He has talked nonstop about that girl since he has been back. I hear other things from Kiba about her. How can we trust what she says? If we are the first to attack solely on heresy, we could start the war ourselves."

"Hire wasn't saying those things with a useless expression. She was upset over it. She was angry and hurt at her father's ploy against your clan. I am warning all of you. Yakedo has left to have council with his allies in the north. He will be back. I cannot stay any longer than I have. Izumi is on guard at home. We have already had a visit from Fushigi. He is after Hire."

"We'll tell the others what you told us. The Hokage will have insight, also. If our clan makes the decision to confront Yakedo, we will do so," Kiba said as he growled. He was ready to defend his family.

Fushigi touched the ground. He smiled evilly. It was pure joy to his soul to know he was fully in charge. His sister was trapped in his bottomless pit along with Sasuke Uchiha's children. He tilted his head to the side as he saw a figure watching him from the compound wall. Fushigi signaled his clay creatures. They formed out of the ground. "I dare you to come closer," he told the man wearing the rooster mask.

Kaizoku, the Captain of the first ANBU squad, signaled a few of his men. They surrounded Fushigi as they stood on the wall. He looked at the situation. The clay creatures were everyone in the Uchiha garden. Izumi was unconscious. Not a good sign.

A woman wearing a monkey mask popped next to him. "Captain, we have located Ashioto's body outside. He has been murdered. There is no sign of Hire, or the others from the same clan."

Kaizoku figured Fushigi had done it. "Good work, Namanie. Has anyone sent word to Uchiha about what's happened?"

"He is already here," Namanie stated. She moved aside as Sasuke Uchiha ran along the wall. She watched the man search the area with his eyes. He wanted to react to the one called Fushigi. She could see the man's shoulders shaking with anger.

Kaizoku signaled his men to remain on guard. Fushigi could try anything at this point. The fact that the younger mad had Sasuke's wife was enough to cause an all out war. He moved past Namanie. "I'm sorry to have to meet you under these circumstances, Sasuke. Fushigi has taken over the compound. Those creatures of his are everywhere. We're working on a way to get Izumi out of there."

Sasuke knew Izumi could handle herself. When she awoke, she was going to be one angry woman. "Where are my kids?" He watched Captain Kaizoku stand motionless. The man did not know. Sasuke's heart raced. "Izumi was protecting Hire, Fushigi's sister; my two sons and a girl named Onari."

Fushigi laughed manically at the Uchiha man. "It seems you're not so hard to take down after all. Once someone manages to get his fingers on the right leeway, your efforts crumble." The ANBU tried to come at him. Fushigi sent a hoard of his earthen creatures at the ANBU. The clay creatures quickly grabbed them as Fushigi commanded his minions to form around their bodies. "That's three down. I already have your female to add to my lovely collection. Oh, as we speak, your children are falling to their deaths in my bottomless pit!"

Sasuke's eyes widened. NO! He could see all four of them falling in the blackness. Sasuke went for him. He threw two kunai at the man head on to distract him while he formed hand seals. Fushigi was coming at him with all of his clay creatures, in return. "Fire jutsu!" Sasuke exhales a huge fireball.

Fushigi signaled for most of his creatures to act as a wall against Sasuke's attack. The earthen creatures threw themselves in front of him. Fushigi saw the flames licking the top of the wall. "Not everyone is afraid of your fire jutsus," he said with confidence.

Sasuke breathed hard. Takeru. He could see his son in his mind. Sasuke gathered his energy. He started to channel it. "Don't assume I won't kill you here and now for touching my family!" He gritted his teeth as Chidori erupted in his hand. He held his arm as the sound of one-thousand birds echoed into the wind.

Yakin struggled to get free of the earth surrounding his ANBU armor. He could not move at all! I cannot believe we got trapped by a guy like that. If I could just get my hands free… He grunted as he tried to move. He was not the only one attempting to get out of it. His comrades, Boton and Hayaru were struggling, as well. Yakin could hear Hayaru losing his temper.

Sasuke ran at Fushigi's wall of earth. He punches his fist straight at it. Chidori busted through the wall on contact. Dust went into the air as the wall started to crumble. He tilted his body to the right as he brought his left leg up to kick several times at the wall to break it. The wall cracked. Some of it fell apart where Sasuke had kicked. As the dust cleared, Fushigi was nowhere to be found.

Yakin and his comrades soon found themselves falling onto the ground as the earth let them go. He searched the area as he wore his dog mask. "Where the hell has that bastard gone?"

Boton narrowed her eyes behind her sheep mask. "He's planning his own funeral." Her eyes checked the back porch. "Izumi Uchiha is not on the premises. He has taken her."

Sasuke stood staring at his house. A lunatic had kidnapped his wife. His sons were trapped, or dead. He fell to his knees, eyes wide as it all hit. Izumi. Takeru. A cold spike jabbed itself into his heart. He has taken my entire family.


	50. Chapter 50

**V5 ch9**

**Flight (Continued)**

Onari held onto the phoenix's feathers as it soared in the darkness. Akaihi was flying as fast as he could to get them out of the bottomless pit. Soon the phoenix leveled its flying. Onari looked up. She could see earth above their heads. "Takeru, Onari see dirt."

They all looked above as the flames from the bird's feathers flickered. Hire felt a sense of joy. "Takeru, you were right. There is always a way out," she said as her confidence became restored. Hire suddenly hugged Onari. Onari tensed at the unfamiliarity.

Daiya slowly stood on the back of the phoenix. His fingers raked along the earth as they flew. Dirt rained down. "We can't burrow through the rock. We're not moles."

"It seems we can't get past another roadblock of Fushigi's. Akaihi may have saved us, but how are we going to get out of here? Hire, this void of your brother's has to have an outlet. What is the point of being able to control a big hole?"

"I don't understand what you're getting at, Takeru," Hire said.

Daiya did. "He means this type of skill doesn't fit your brother's personality. All of the attacks we witnessed involved him being able to watch his opponent's moves. He enjoyed fighting as long as he could see the struggle of his enemy. Why would he put us in a large hole if he couldn't watch us?"

"He enjoys watching someone suffer, Hire. What makes you think he wouldn't want to see someone die by his own hand," Takeru asked. "How long can he keep us here?" He watched Hire think as Onari checked on the phoenix.

"I'm not sure. I have never seen Fushigi fight.. It was rare for our Father to use him against an enemy. All I know is Fushigi behaves for Nattoku. Most of the time, at home, Fushigi is in his room, or he is guarded by another of my brothers. He's power hungry," Hire said confirming their thoughts.

"You need to taunt him," Daiya said. He crossed his arms as he kept his stern gaze on her. "We won't know what we're up against until you do. That bastard is holding the cards right now. If he has free rule over this abyss, he can crush us at his own disposal. Why do you think he hasn't killed us already?"

"Fushigi is afraid of Father and Nattoku. They are stronger than he is. If he were to harm me, it would be my life over his. I am the only female left from our family since my mother died. Our clan is small. Father views me as a valuable asset to carry on our family traditions," Hire explained.

"Challenge him like Daiya says, Hire. It may be the only way out of here," Takeru said as Akaihi suddenly dropped. He yelped as they grabbed onto the bird for dear life. Takeru felt his stomach go into his throat. It was thirty seconds before the phoenix was flapping its large wings again. "Onari, what happened?"

Onari sat up looking around rather bewildered. Her chest was rising and falling fast. She was alert. That stunt had scared the life out of her. "A-Akaihi tired."

Daiya crawled over to his sister. He pressed her to him tenderly to try and consol her. "Hire, we can't stay here. Who knows how much longer Onari's phoenix can stay in the air. Challenge, Fushigi!"

Hire wanted to challenge her entire family, but right now, she had to worry about where they were. The time and place for such a thing were not going to be hers to decide. Onari was scared. Hire had to admit, she was, too. She slowly stood to her feet, afraid the bird was going to drop again. "Fushigi, you low-life coward! Face me and stop hiding in the shadows," she yelled to the top of her lungs. She waited. There was only silence.

Onari tried to hide in Daiya's vest when she heard laughing coming out of nowhere. Daiya held onto her harder. The laughing was coming from all directions. Her yellow eyes searched for any signs of the source.

"How are you enjoying the darkness dear sister," Fushigi asked with a hint of playfulness on his lips. "I see one of you has conjured a pigeon to stop yourselves from falling. Interesting. Oh, by the way, I am not falling for it, Hire. I took over the compound."

Hire's eyes went wide.

"Ashioto is dead. The ANBU were nice enough to clean his carcass off of the ground for me," Fushigi said as Hire gasped. "And it seems as long as I have Izumi Uchiha to keep me company, I can't be touched by Sasuke. He has no idea where his brats are. It's fun to know I have you all under a plate of glass," he said laughing more, his voice becoming louder in the darkness.

"Fushigi, you ass! Your fight is with me! Leave them out of this," Hire yelled back at her insane brother.

Takeru sat numbly clinging to Akaihi's feathers. His father was searching for them. Fushigi had his mother. Hire's brother could kill her, or use them against everyone. "M-Mom…"

Hire turned her head to look at Takeru. He was separated from the two people who protected him. "Takeru, don't doubt her! Fushigi will mess up! When he does, she'll strangle him."

"They've always protected him, Hire. That is why he is worried. We are in real trouble. Fushigi is out of control. Unless someone stops him, we're going to plummet to our deaths," Daiya said angrily.

Engi signaled his group to be quiet as they moved around the compound. He figured Fushigi had retreated to his home. It was a better ground for the man to stand on. They were at a disadvantage with an earth user. He was sure Fushigi was able to get readings from the ground about their locations. It was a specialty of the clan. He hid behind a tree as he signaled two of his men to test that theory.

Itaru and Jigen moved through the area quickly. Itaru looked around as he wore his rabbit mask. There was no sign of Fushigi, or Izumi Uchiha. There was not any sign of movement either. He signaled Jigen to run straight at the house parallel to him. They were off.

Jigen kept his pace matched with Itaru's despite the added weights to his legs. He was sure Fushigi would pick up his movements before he picked up Itaru's. It was due to the weight displayed with his movements. The earth his feet treaded on did not feel as firm to him as it should. It felt as if he was running on soft dirt. No sooner had he thought that, the ground started to give way.

Itaru started to dart towards his friend. As he did, he unleashed a chain with a claw at the end towards Jigen. It wrapped around Jigen's wrist as he fell into the black hole. Itaru skidded his heels into the ground as his teammate dangled. Itaru watched as the ground started to close over the hole. He swore. Jigen's tiger mask disappeared from his view under the earth. He fell onto his rear as the chain snapped.

Engi gritted his teeth. It is just as I thought. He is going to know where we are. Now we have lost Jigen. There has to be a way to get that guy to show himself. He sent Koshii and Itaru to take to the roof immediately.

Koshii kept his eyes peeled. SHe did not trust the surroundings. "Sir, how is he anticipating our moves so quickly," she asked as her ox mask turned to look upon Engi's rat mask.

"He's sensing the shift in weight upon the ground. I had Jigen wear weights around his legs to prove that theory. He would not be stupid enough to remain in the house. They're only decoys," Engi said. "I was told by Namanie that Fushigi has trapped Sasuke Uchiha's sons, Hire, and a foreign girl named Onari."

"It seems someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Aiming his goals quite high, too," Itaru said with disapproval. He looked over the area where Jigen had last stepped. "There has to be a way to fool this guy. Perhaps we should make an obstacle course for him."

Koshii tilted her head. "An obstacle course? How so?"

"He is sensing our movements on the ground. Therefore, we should add more objects to the surface. Think of the ground below us as water. If there is a fish you want to trap, you do so by stepping on the stones. The fish cannot find you if you are out of the territory," Itaru stated.

Group B started to turn over heavy statues by pulling them down with chains. It was not an easy task to perform. Some of the statues took all three of them to push over. As the ground became covered with stones, the earth around the house sunk slightly inward. Koshii moved away. "Captain!"

Engi and Itaru took to the trees. He snickered. "We've confused him. All of the extra weight added to the ground has sent him panicking. Look!" He crouched as he pointed. The earth was sinking at each statue. "He doesn't know where we are."

"That's great, but how can we taunt him to come out," Itaru asked.

Hayaru from Group A arrived at the compound. His orders were to find Engi. What the heck as been going on here? There were statues littering the ground. "Captain Engi, I have orders from the Hokage."

Engi met Hayaru on the roof with his group. "Orders?" He glanced at the ground continuing to move the statues around.

"The Hokage has sent Captain Aoi's group to retrieve Yakedo and his son. They are going to intercept them before they reach their allies. It was learned from Sasuke Uchiha that there is talk of war between Yakedo's clan and the Inuzuka clan," Hayaru blurted out. "Konoha will be on high alert if Yakedo cannot be found."

"Understood. What are my group's orders," Engi asked as Koishii unsheathed her short sword.

Hayaru bowed low. "Captain Kaizoku's group is to assist Captain Engi. It has been found out that by analyzing the subject, he is not mentally stable. We are to authorized to move forward and to use all means possible in taking down the subject."

"We'll wait for the rest of Kaizoku's group to get here. All we can do is wait right now. There's no telling where Fushigi is, or where he has hidden Izumi Uchiha," Engi decided.

Takeru looked at the man Akaihi had caught some time ago. He wore a tiger mask. "You're an ANBU, aren't you?" The man nodded slowly. "Were you sent to find us?"

"No, we were testing Fushigi's connection to the earth

around him," Jigen said as he took the weights off his legs. He threw them over the side of the large bird. It was no surprise when there was not a sound. "He sensed me and sunk me into this – whatever this is," he said as he waved his hand about to issue the darkness. Jigen turned his head to see a pair of unusual yellow eyes watching him.

Onari pointed at the mask. "Boy tiger," she said with her broken speech. "Onari no see face. Where is boy's face?"

"Onari, he's an ANBU. His face is behind the mask. Don't get so close to him," Daiya said as he pulled her back. "ANBU are the ones that protect Konoha."

"Well, Uchiha will be happy to know you kids are alright. However, I'm not sure hot to get out of this place," Jigen stated. The darkness was endless around them.

"If Fushigi is killed, the pit will collapse," Hire told the ANBU. "He's the one controlling it. He has to be the one to let us out."

Takeru flipped his head around. "You failed to tell us that!" He practically lunged at her.

"I wasn't going to alarm any of you at the time, Takeru. We have enough to worry about," Hire shot back. "We have to give the other a chance!"

"The both of you knock it off," Daiya said lowly. "It doesn't change anything. We are stuck in this place right now. Let's concentrate on staying alive."

Kiba stood with his clan outside. They were gathered in a large circle with their dog companions. Akamaru breathed slowly as he lay near his feet. The dog was up in his age. Kiba could not let Akamaru fight or participate when he trained his team. He was afraid the dog's life was ending. As his clan discussed the Hokage's decision, he glanced at Areku. His son was stiffly sitting, listening to all that was being said.

Areku could not believe what his ears were hearing. Hire's father had been planning to attack his clan for some time. Not only that, but she had warned them against the wishes of her clan. His mind hovered on her faintly smiling face. Hire was missing along with Daiya, Onari, Takeru, and Mrs. Uchiha. Fushigi had killed one of Hire's brothers. "Father, is this happening be-because of me?"

The Inuzuka clan stopped talking. They turned around to look at Areku. Kiba's mother approached the boy. She kneeled to look into her grandson's eyes. "Areku, war does not occur when two people care for each other. It is when there is ignorance from one side, that leads to trouble. It is not because of you. Yakedo, Hire's father has something against the Inuzuka. We cannot back down. We have to fight to protect our own. You are not the one to blame."

"I think Hire's missing due to the fact that she warned us. She would not want another clan to annihilate another. It's poor timing is what it is. Her brother made the decision to act now. I think it is because there was no one to stop him. Stop blaming yourself, Areku. Mom is right. We all choose our own paths," Kiba said trying to make him understand.

"I want to find Hire and the others," Areku said as he stood up determined to change the paths he saw before them.

"Hold on, nephew. The ANBU are trying to locate them. You must stay with the clan despite how hard that may be. If you leave our domain, some harm can befall you. Do not act rashly. I know you care for Hire, but she is with the others. They are all looking after each other," Hana expressed with sympathy.

"This meeting is not for children," Kiba's mother said. She started to push Areku off. "Stay with the others in the house. You can help keep an eye on them."

"But Nana," Areku started. He sighed. They shooed him on. Areku went back to the house with his mind on Hire.

Sasuke punched a tree in the yard. He gritted his teeth. That bastard has taken my entire family! He pressed his forehead against the bark. Fushigi could very well slaughter them, if he has not already. His heart ached.

Takeru splashed in the bathtub as he moved his boat along the water. His big gray eyes looked up at Sasuke as he put a large sailboat into the water. "Daddy, you fixed my boat?"

"Yeah, I sure did. Next time, be careful about carrying it down the steps, okay?" Sasuke pushed the boat to his son. Takeru had been trying to show his dad the boat his mother had built. The poor kid had tripped and fell down the steps on the back porch. He had scrapped his knees and elbows badly. Sasuke had had to attend to the wounds as Takeru cried. It was to be expected. He was only four-years-old.

Takeru jumped at his father in the water. He laughed loudly as Sasuke caught him. Sasuke blew on the space where his neck and shoulder met. Takeru squealed as it tickled his skin. He put his small hands on his father's face. "Daddy, I love you forever and ever until the cow's come home."

Sasuke kissed his son's cheek. "So if the cow's come home, you won't love me anymore?" He watched Takeru tilt his head, letting his long hair flop to where it covered his face.

"I'll make an exception for you, Daddy," Takeru said as he kissed his father. He put his head on his chest as he played for a bit. Soon his mother came in to get him. "Mama, look! He fixed it!"

"He did? Wow, your daddy made it twice as new, huh? Are you ready to get out of the tub?" Takeru shook his head. "No? Do you have raisin fingers and toes," Izumi asked. Takeru checked his hands and feet. "Then it's time to get out. Your father still needs to bathe. Come on," she coaxed. Takeru bounced through the water until Izumi plucked him up.

Takeru held onto his father as he laid his head down. He saw a man and woman holding hands. They were blushing as they passed. "Mommy, why are they acting funny? Are they sick?"

Izumi smiled at her pre-schooler. "No, Takeru, they're in love. I think they were recently married." She ran the side of her finger down his cheek. "You're a sleepy boy."

"I want to marry my daddy," Takeru said rather softly as he started to drift off into sleep. "I love my daddy." His eyes closed as he breathed softly.

Sasuke caught the expression on his wife's face. "What did he say?" He watched Izumi smile tenderly at their son.

"He said he wanted to marry you, Sasuke. Takeru said he loves you." She could not help but laugh. Sasuke was stumped. "He's too young to know what it means. I think it's his way of saying he wants to stay with you."

Sasuke looked down at the small boy. He was comfortably lying against him. I want to stay with you, too, Takeru.

Sasuke punched the tree again. Takeru was still his little boy. Regardless of the advancements, he was having with his training, or what he learned in life, Takeru still needed him. His son was his whole world. Every time Sasuke took a mission, he kept his family in mind. He did it for them. They were the reason he was not going to let anyone get him down. That boy's smile was what he lived for. They are not dead. Izumi will get past that novice. He is not as advanced as she is. Takeru is with Onari and Daiya. They are still alive. They have to be! Onari has Akaihi. Sasuke's eyes widened. The phoenix. He had forgotten about the celestial bird. Onari summons it when her life is in danger. She would have summoned it when they fell. I know they are still alive. He looked back at the ground. I am betting on it.

Izumi Uchiha awoke in an odd place. It was cold and dark. Her fingertips brushed the ground. She sat up slowly. What had happened? She touched her head. It was hurting slightly on the space where she had been struck. The last thing she remembered was fighting Fushigi's mud creatures. The children. Izumi stood quickly only to hit her head against the roof. She swore.

"Enjoying my prison, Izumi Uchiha," Fushigi said from

the darkness. He half-formed his body out of the earthen wall. The woman did not know where he was in the small alcove. "Your children are enjoying my bottomless pit rather well. Although, they seem to have a giant orange pigeon that's stopped their decent for the time being," he said rather annoyed.

Izumi's heart skipped. Fushigi had her kids. Orange pigeon? Izumi's mind flashed to a specific night at the beginning of the summer. A small red and orange bird had flown through the campfire starling Takeru and Idai. Izumi smiled. "Apparently, you don't believe in learning about your opponents before you strike. Those kids are Konoha's new Genin. You have underestimated them, Fushigi. All four of them are trained by Sasuke at on point, or another."

Fushigi narrowed his eyes. "Strong words for a caged snake. There is no way out of my pit! I alone control it!"

Izumi had distracted him long enough. Her hand seals were complete as she smirked. "Summoning jutsu! Suiren!" She heard Fushigi yell angrily as her water moccasin formed around her. Suiren's yellow eyes were useless in the dark, but her tongue was not. The snake hissed as its tongue flickered. It lunged for the man with her jaws open. Fushigi gacked as Suiren's fangs sunk into his neck. "I warned you not to touch my family. Goodbye, brother of Hire." The man's form fell over as the poison paralyzed him.

Suiren started to burrow through the soil forcefully with her head. Izumi was using water to soften the dirt to help the snake. Suiren continued to burrow as the earth crumbled down upon them. Soon the snake popped her head through the hole from the tunnel she had made. The snake lifted her large head fully to examine the area. She flicked her tongue before exiting the trap. Izumi crawled out of the hole coughing. She was greeted by several ANBU who helped her out.

Captain Kaizoku greeted Izumi with a bow. "I see he wasn't able to defeat the most beautiful water charmer in all of Konoha." He smiled under his rooster mask.

Izumi blushed as she tried to recognize the voice. "Kaizoku? The Hokage made you a Captain?" She could almost see him grinning from ear to ear. "Oh, what's the world coming to?"

"What of the kidnapper Fushigi," Captain Engi asked as he stepped forward. "He is to be taken in for the murder of Ashioto." He watched Izumi point down the tunnel she had crawled out of.

"His crimes have already been justified. Suiren bit him. There isn't an escape from a water moccasin's fangs," Izumi said with satisfaction. "Where are my children," she asked taking the focus off herself.

"We have not located the missing kids. We assumed Fushigi would have had you all together. I suppose our foresight is not as keen as it should be," Kaizoku admitted. "Yakin, would you alert Sasuke that Izumi is safe?" Yakin was off. "We honestly have no way of knowing where Fushigi would have hidden the children."

"He mentioned something about a bottomless pit. Such a thing is not relatively possible. There is always a way out. I can only hope those four find it," Izumi said. They were at a huge disadvantage in knowing a psychotic's train of thought.

Daiya heard a horrible sound as they flew through the darkness. It sounded very much as if the sky was falling. Everyone around him stopped. The bottomless pit was collapsing. "AKAIHI! FLY!"

Jigen held onto the feathers of the phoenix as it took off at high speed. The phoenix started to echo its cries through the darkness to miss falling boulders. He wondered if they were going to survive.

Takeru shielded Onari from the falling rocks. A few fist sized ones hit his body. He yelped in pain. He soon looked up to see the man wearing the ANBU gear shielding him in return.

Daiya was air punching his electrical charges at rocks that came too close to hitting them. He breathed hard. The world around them was collapsing faster than he was able to deflect. He felt Hire pull him down.

"It's no good! You cannot ward off an entire mountain! Trust the bird! He's trying his best to avoid them," Hire said as Akaihi maneuvered around a large boulder. Hire was thrown away from the others. Her body rolled off the bird. She grabbed onto the feathers at the last moment before she fell to her death. Hire's body dangled as the large bird flew.

"Shit!" Daiya went after her. Hire was trying to hold on despite the bird flying. He caught onto her wrists just as the feathers came out. Daiya looked behind his form as he felt someone grab onto his legs to steady him. It was the man with the tiger mask.

"Pull her up quickly!" Jigen kept his hold on the boy. "Hurry!" He swore the bird was flying faster.

Daiya pulled her up with all of his strength. Akaihi maneuvered again causing Hire's weight to shift. He held onto her heard. Once the bird's flight leveled out, he pulled her the remainder of the way.

"Someone must have killed Fushigi," Hire shouted over the noise. "It's the only reason why the pit would collapse like this!" She covered her head as debris fell on her.

Takeru looked around at the group. "How much you want to be it was my mom?" Akaihi blew fire out of his mouth at the all of earth it finally encountered. The earth blew apart. Takeru shielded his eyes as sunlight came through. He held on tightly as the phoenix shot out of the mountainside.

Onari turned her head as Akaihi gave a warning sound. Her heart raced as the phoenix flew over a river. "No, Akaihi! Onari hate water," she screamed as the bird's form started to deteriorate in the sky.

"Oh, no! He is worn out! We're falling," Hire screamed as the group fell from the sky. They went straight into the cold river below. She came up coughing as the water moved them down stream.

Daiya swam to shore with Onari panicking. He coughed several times. Takeru and Hire were behind being led by the ANBU whose name they did not know. He flopped onto the ground breathing hard. Onari was shaking the water off. Daiya sat up to look around the area. "I have no idea where we are." He stood soaking wet.

Jigen had no choice but to remove the tiger mask. It was full of water. He poured it out. The kids turned to look at him. He shook his red hair letting it frizzle. Jigen kicked the ground aggravated. He stopped to notice the staring kids. "I'm Jigen, by the way."

Hire rung her hair out as she looked back at the way they had come. "It really was a mountain we were in." She wondered who had ended her insane brother's life.

Takeru helped Jigen gather firewood. They needed to

get warm. Twilight was upon them. He threw the sticks into a pile. Takeru formed hand seals. "Fire jutsu!" He blew fire to get the campfire lit.

"I hate to say this, but we need to get out of our wet clothes. We're going to get sick if we stay in them," Hire said. The boys froze.

"She's right," Jigen said. "Girls on one side of the camp, Guys on the other. Would you mind forming a wall of sorts?" Hire obliged. The campfire was split into two as a large clay wall formed. "Now we don't have to worry about anyone being embarrassed." Jigen threw his armor to the ground. He strung his clothes on a stick line.

Takeru stood in the nudge. He wondered why Daiya was choosing to stay covered. "Daiya, you're going to get sick." His brother backed away. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want anyone to see my scars," Daiya said lowly.

Jigen stirred the fire. "It's not time to be bashful. No one is going to make fun of you. You need to wear your scars like a trophy." The boy stared at him. "Scars are a type of showmanship. It's proof to what you have endured to gain strength and knowledge. It's also a warning to others that you are stronger than they can imagine."

Daiya thought about what Jigen said. He took his vest off. Takeru kept his eyes on him as he unraveled the wet bandages around his chest, abdomen, and arms. Takeru slowly lifted his fingers to touch the scars on Daiya's body. "Now do you realize why I never changed in front of you?"

Takeru nodded slowly. "Who did this to you," he asked rather softly. Daiya tensed under his touch. "Daiya?"

"It's not important," Daiya said moving away. He sat on the ground with his legs crossed. Daiya jumped slightly when he heard Hire yell.

"Ow! A mosquito bit my butt cheek," she said from the other side of the wall. Hire rubbed her rear.

Sasuke sat on his bed holding Izumi. His cheek was rested on the top of her head as she slept. He pulled the covers around her form. Fushigi was dead. It was the best news to him; however, the kids were still missing. He was deeply troubled to their whereabouts. Kaizoku's group had been ordered to search around Konoha while Engi's group stayed within the walls. Sasuke closed his eyes. Please find them. Izumi moved to get comfortable.

Sasuke leaned back. It was hard to sleep with his sons missing. He found himself worrying about Daiya just as much as Takeru. He was accustomed to them being at the house. Sasuke soon drifted off to sleep with his hand on the back of Izumi's head.

Captain Aoi of Group C of the ANBU signaled his men to intercept Yakedo and his son. The two men were staying at an inn in a small village in the fire country. He waited as Sendo and Chasaji moved across the roof in the darkness.

Chasaji used his short sword to break the lock on the window. He covered his hand with a piece of cloth before he broke through the glass. Sendo lifted the window quickly once Chasaji had thrown a smoke bomb into the room. They darted in to retrieve the men.

Yakedo awoke to the room being filled with smoke. "Nattoku, get up! The building is on fire," he called to his son. As he rose out of the bed, he felt a figure grab onto him. "Who are you," he demanded as he felt the blade of a sword press against his throat.

Nattoku's arm was twisted behind his back. He glared at the man wearing the snake mask. They were being arrested by the ANBU. He groaned as the man forced him to move. Nattoku ducked his head as he was led out of the window.

Aoi looked over the tow men in retrospect. "Good job. You are Yakedo and Nattoku, correct?" The men stood staring him down. He signaled for Sendo and Chasaji to press their blades deeper into their throats.

Nattoku winced as the short sword cut his throat. "We are! Dammit, we are! What do you want with us?"

"The Hokage has ordered the capture of Yakedo and Nattoku for treachery against the Hidden Leaf Village on grounds of trying to annihilate the Inuzuka clan. You are hereby escorted to prison where you will remain until your hearing." Namanie rolled the scroll up. She clipped it to her belt.

Nattoku gritted his teeth. They had been found out. He suspected Hire the moment the woman wearing the monkey mask said 'Inuzuka'. That disobedient wench. She informed the Hokage about our plans – my plans!

"Don't' say anything," Yakedo said as they were escorted back to the village in the darkness. "They'll use it against us!" He ughed as a man wearing a boar mask punched him in the stomach.

"Traitors hold no tongues," Sendo said with disgust. The men were gagged and hands were bound before they continued their journey home. They had caught the two men just in time.

Naruto Uzumaki sighed with relief as he watched the ANBU capture Yakedo and Nattoku. "Thank goodness. They caught them. War has been prevented." He felt Hinata wraps her arms around his shoulder. He turned away from the crystal ball. Masaru was watching him. "Masaru, why are you awake at this hour?"

"Have they found Takeru and the others yet," he asked as he stood in his pajamas.

"No, I have a group searching for them. They will find them, Masaru. Do not worry. We are not giving up home. Keep your heart open, son. Go back to bed now. We have to let the ANBU do their jobs," Naruto said. Hinata put her arms around their son. She led him back to his room. Naruto turned around to look at the darkened crystal ball.

Izumi walked out onto the back porch. She had taken a hot bath requested by her husband to ease her weary mind. Her feet padded softly on the wooden floor as she carried a pitcher of water. She looked up. Izumi dropped the jug. It shattered on the porch. "SASUKE!"

Sasuke ran to the back porch. He thought they were under attack again. As he shoved the Shoji screen aside, he stopped. Standing in the garden were Kaizoku and his group of ANBU. With them were four dirty, hungry kids. He stopped off the porch not believing his eyes. He and Izumi ran to them.

Izumi cried hard as she grabbed Takeru and Hire into her arms. She kissed both of them repeatedly. Her hands went up to cup each one of their faces. "Are you alright? Oh, by the blessings of the Hokage, you guys are back!"

Sasuke held Onari and Daiya tightly. The kids breathed him in as he pressed them to his form. He checked both of them over to make sure they were all right. "How did the four of you manage to escape Fushigi's bottomless pit?"

"Akaihi, sensei," Hire said with a smile. "Don't you know phoenixes are as strong as they are beautiful?" She blushed as Izumi hugged her again.

Sasuke turned to Onari. "Firebird, you saved everyone from a horrible death." He crouched then lifted his body to kiss her cheek. Onari looked at him shyly. "You're an amazing kid, you know?"

"Sasuke, Onari stomach talk," she said.

"Sensei, Hire's stomach talks, too," Hire confirmed.

"So does Takeru's," Takeru said.

"Yeah, well, mine's roaring," Daiya said as they laughed at him.

"Everyone deserves a nice hot bath while I cook, alright?" Izumi watched Sasuke lead the kids inside. She bowed low to the ANBU. "Thank you very much for bringing our children home. We are forever in debt to you, Captain Kaizoku."

Kaizoku bowed in return with his group. "It is we who are in debt, Mrs. Uchiha. Onari saved one of our friends who had fallen into Fushigi's trap. She is an amazing child. I can't wait to see what befalls those who challenge her." He and his group dissipated.

Izumi looked off into the sky. She closed her eyes as the wind blew win her direction. We were destined to know that girl. Izumi walked inside to prepare a feast to celebrate the return of her family.

Hire and the boys ate until they were about to bust. She was sad about her brother, Ashioto, being killed by Fushigi. He was only four years older than she was. Her father and Nattoku had been captured by the ANBU, too. They never made it to their allies in the north. There would not be a war against the Inuzuka. She stared at the table as Izumi picked their plates up.

Takeru was a bit on the edge. He was not used to his family being threatened or someone breaking into his home. Now that he knew the Uchiha compound was penetrable, he found himself looking around the room a lot. Daiya was tenser than he normally was and Onari seemed to jump at sudden movements.

Sasuke watched all of them as he leaned against the

counter. They had had a traumatic experience. "Perhaps we would keep an eye on them until the memory fades from their minds."

Izumi agreed. "I'll set the futons in the living room." She walked off to retrieve them.

Takeru moved rather close to Daiya as they laid on their futon. He could not manage to close his eyes for long. Daiya was still tense. Takeru thought he was going to break apart from all of the tension. He gasped hard as his mother rubbed his back.

"Guys, it's okay. Sasuke and I are not leaving the room. We're standing guard," Izumi said as she looked over the kids. Even Onari and Hire were uneasy.

"M-Mom, can you get Lee sensei, Kiba, and Mr. Hyuga to stand guard, too," Takeru asked softly.

"Takeru," Izumi said as she rubbed his back. "The dead don't come back. Fushigi is gone. Suiren bit him."

Sasuke crouched in front of Daiya and Takeru. He placed his hands on the top of their heads to block their chakra. "Shh," he said calmly. It took a moment, but both of them soon eased their bodies. He removed his hands. "Works every time. Girls, you two are next," he said. Sasuke placed his hands on the top of Onari and Hire's heads to block their chakra. It was not long before they soon joined Daiya and Takeru in dreamland.

A large, unhappy man shoved Nattoku into his prison cell. He glared at the guard as scrolls were placed on the outside. If he chose to get near them, they would light fire and explode. His father had been sent to another section of the prison. I will get you for this, Hire. When you least expect it, I will be free!

Hire woke to Izumi shaking her. She turned over slowly. "Ms. Izumi?"

"You have a visitor," Izumi said with a smile.

Hire sat up slowly. "Huh? What? A visitor?" She walked out of the living room slowly. Her feet padded softly to the entrance of the house. Hire stopped. Areku was looking at her. She ran to him and leapt. He immediately caught her. She hugged him tightly around his neck. Hire blushed as he kissed her.

"I was hoping to give you this under different circumstances," Areku said as he held the tiger lily out for her. She took it. "Are you alright? How are the others? Did he hurt you?"

"I'm fine," she said as she kissed his cheek tenderly. "We're all a bit shaken up, but we'll be okay. Is your clan alright?"

Areku ran his hand through her long black hair. "They're actually disappointed the war was cancelled. Hire, I know this is sudden, but I'd like to have the honor of dating you."

Hire's heart almost leapt out of her chest. "You still find me attractive after all of this mess?" He interlaced his fingers with hers to answer her.

"It wasn't you that did those bad things, Hire. You are free now. Your father and brother are in prison. They will have to face the Hokage for seeking to attack my clan." Areku breathed her in hard as she laid her head on his chest.

"Areku, I don't have a home now. I do not know if it is safe for me anymore. Nattoku will seek revenge against me. My father will not survive a prison. He is too refined for such a lifestyle. I'll stay with you as long as I can," Hire said as she looked up into his wild eyes. Areku's eyes softened. Her heart fluttered as his nose touched hers.

"I won't let them touch you, Hire. To anger an Inuzuka is foolish. We're stronger than your father, or your brother assume," Areku said softly as he kissed her gently the moment he ran his fingers down her pale cheek. He would protect Hire as she had protected his clan.


	51. Chapter 51

**V5 CH 10**

**A complicated past**

Idai flipped upside-down on the tree. He held onto it with his hands, as his legs stayed hooked around the thick branch. He grinned as he looked at Daiya. His best friend was looking at the star chart Onari had given him. "Are you sure we're going the right way?"

Daiya ran his finger across the chart. He looked up at the sky as he tried to match the stars with the ones on the chart. His eyes shifted to look at Idai hanging off of the branch. Daiya signaled for him to get down.

Idai flipped down slowly. He walked over to him and crouched his form. "You know if you can't find the right ones, you need to change your perspective." Idai blushed as Daiya ruffled his hair.

"I know. That's what we're fixing to do." Daiya stood up as he rolled the chart. He raised his head to look at the night sky. "If we find out where we are, then we won't be standing around here." He started to climb the tree. "Come on, Idai."

Idai grinned as he ran and jumped. He began to follow Daiya until they reached the top of the tree. He looked out over the dark forest. Idai closed his eyes as the wind blew. He watched Daiya turn the map around. "You do know that you can't always see the same constellations that are on that map, right? Some appear at different times of the year."

Daiya rolled the chart up again. He sighed rather annoyed with the situation. "This chart is useless. IT doesn't say anything about seasons, or times of day. What is the point of the thing?" He threw it away.

"Ah! Daiya, don't throw it away," Idai yelled as he went after it. He scooped it up from the branch it had, luckily, fallen on. His friend was easily aggravated. Idai opened the chart to look at it. He glanced at the sky. "Um, Daiya, did Ryu say which constellation we're supposed to follow to meet him?"

"No, he only told me to keep following the North Star," Daiya said as he leaned against the tree with his arms crossed.

Idai's eye twitched. "If he told you which direction to go, why are you checking the stars?" He watched Daiya turn away. "Daiya, what are you doing with the chart exactly?" Daiya mumbled. "Daiya Eimino," Idai said rather sternly.

Daiya lowered his head and tensed. "I was trying to find them myself, but I don't know what I'm doing! I've never used a chart before," he shouted defiantly.

Idai sighed. He leapt to the branch Daiya was on. "Daiya," he said softly. He moved his head down to look up at him. "I'm not mad with you. If you want to find them, we can check a book out, or something. The only person I know who uses the stars, is Kiba sensei. He's used to being out at night when he takes missions. We can get a book that has more information," he said trying to coax Daiya into calming down. Idai petted the top of his head. "You can't expect to know how to do everything instantly."

"How come you still hang around me when I get angry? Or when I won't cooperate with anyone?" He looked at Idai slowly. Daiya was slightly apprehensive.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because I like you, you hardheaded lightening bug. Friends aren't just your friends for convience. I really think the world of you, even when you can't understand why," Idai said as he looked at him thoughtfully.

Daiya nodded slowly. He turned around to look at the sky again. He found the North Star. "I don't know why Ryu wanted us to keep going north. As far away as he's leading us, it's like he doesn't want to get in trouble," Daiya said lowly. "Right?" He looked over his shoulder at Idai.

Daiya froze. Idai was staring at something on the branch. His eyes were wide, breathing quick and short. "Idai?" Daiya turned around fully to look at the branch. There was nothing there.

"Idai?" Daiya walked up to him slowly. He could see his shoulders shaking. He has no idea I'm here. He's having a flashback again. Daiya grabbed onto Idai's arms suddenly as Idai moved back. He didn't want him to fall. "Idai. Come on, Idai. Can't you hear me?" Daiya's eyes softened.

Idai shot back. He saw a dead body on the ground. The fire was all around him. He tried to get away, but something was stopping him. Was it his own fear? Idai whimpered. The dead woman's eyes were open. She was looking up at him; her face turned in his direction. Kunai were lodged in her body. Idai hopped from one foot to the other. "I don't want to see her!"

Daiya pulled Idai closer. He put him in a bear hug to steady his position on the branch. Daiya pressed his friend's head toward him to try and block the image. However, he wasn't sure that would solve the problem.

Idai's body soon eased as he came out of the horrible memory. He felt terrible. The images were gone for now. He came out of it not knowing where he was for a moment. His eyes looked around at the dark forest. Someone was holding him.

"You're in a forest. It's dark. We're going to meet Ryu and the others. You just came out of a flashback. I didn't want you to fall, Idai," Daiya said softly as he looked at him. "Are you okay?"

Idai reached up absentmindedly to touch his friend's face. "You're real." Daiya smiled at him. Idai stood up slowly as he tried to get his bearings.

Daiya looked at him rather concerned. "What did you see?" Idai tensed as he looked away. "Idai, what sort of images are you seeing? Can't you tell me?"

Idai closed his eyes. "Daiya, can we just go find Ryu," he asked not trying to blow him off. He felt his friend hook his arm around his neck. Idai leaned into him. He really didn't like to talk about what he saw. He never told anyone about the images that frightened him. Even Gai was no aware of what he saw. Idai didn't want to be labeled. His horrible past was his own.

Ryu blocked a hit directed at his abdomen. He smiled at Onari from under his mask. "You're doing well with all of the side training you're getting. When do you think she'll be put on a team," he asked Takeru as he turned her around to hook his arm around her neck and thoracic area to stop her.

"I don't know exactly. Onari's doing pretty good. She can block me on most occasions when we train. She can even perform a few jutsus when asked," Takeru said as Onari looked up at Ryu. "Dad's main concern for her is her comprehension. There's also the problem of authority with her, like Daiya. She only fully listens to Dad. He's not sure if she'll listen to another trainer. He said he was going to approach the Hokage soon about it. Onari is too old to go to the Academy."

"Onari understand Takeru say for Onari to train," she said looking at him. "Onari go Takeru and Daiya. Onari quick. Onari have brother Neji teach."

"Yeah, but you've also got Mom and Dad helping, Ri. It's the Hokage's decision. If he doesn't approve, you won't be allowed to join the others. See, he's the one who decides who goes on what teams," Takeru said trying to make her understand. "The Hokage is the leader of the village. He decides everything having to do with the ANBU, laws, and demands of the people in the village."

"Onari go Takeru," she said softly as her heart sunk. She wanted to be with her brother and him so badly. They were her family. "Onari listen Sasuke say."

"That may be true, but you have to listen to Lee, Kiba, and Shikamaru," Ryu said. He put his arms around her neck. "If you don't listen to everyone, it'll be a problem."

Takeru's eye twitched. "Ryu, you don't even listen to Lee, Kiba, or Shikamaru." He watched Ryu tense at his words. "Quit giving her direction when you're constantly going in three different ones yourself."

Ryu had an idea. "Hey, when the other's get here, let's test Onari's skills. That little trick of hers can't be useful at night, can it? It'll be a disadvantage for her." He smiled at her. "You have to learn how to adapt to certain situations. We're going to test which ones you can handle."

"Ryu, who did you invite to come all of the way out here," Takeru asked. He only knew about Daiya and Idai coming. He was afraid that a 'secret meeting' with Ryu wasn't really a secret.

Ryu tilted his head as he blocked a side punch from Onari. "Daiya, Saori, Idai, Gin, and Yanagi. Why?" He hopped backwards as Onari came at him again from the side. She leaned forward too far and Ryu caught her.

Takeru sweat dropped. "Ryu, you invited everyone on the teams. Isn't that a little suspicious?" He twitched his eye.

"I didn't invite everyone. I invited half of everyone on the teams. I have very sound reasons why I invited who I did and didn't. For example, Eiyu and Kandai couldn't come because of their father. They're too obedient. Mr. Hyuga would nail us for being out this far, this late at night. Areku is with Hire from what I understand. He's been spending a lot of time with her since she moved to the single dorms. And Masaru is the Hokage's son. He also has a big mouth. No way I'd invite him," Ryu said as he looked over his shoulder. Onari had climbed onto his back.

"I hate to say it, but those are pretty logical reasons, Ryu. Did you invite Gin to keep it an even number with the amount of guys and girls?" Ryu shook his head. "I'm afraid to ask. Nothing good will come of this."

"Gin likes Idai. They need time to get to know each other," Ryu said as Takeru face palmed. He crouched and waved at Takeru. "I'd do the same thing if it were you and Onari."

"What is that supposed to mean," Takeru said rather loudly as he sat up suddenly.

"Oh, catch on, Takeru. You and Onari are sweet on each other." Takeru looked away as Ryu started to poke his cheek. "Takeru likes Onari. Takeru likes Onari," Ryu said teasingly.

"Knock it off, Ryu!"

Onari tilted her head at the commotion. She watched Takeru get flustered. "Onari like Takeru," she said

matter-of-factly. Why Ryu say words? Why Takeru mad?"

Takeru blushed horribly as he waved at her to get off of Ryu. Onari walked over to him and crouched. He hugged her around the neck and hid his face on her collarbone. Takeru closed his eyes.

"Takeru, don't take it like that. I was only teasing you. If you two like each other and Onari understands, why haven't you asked her out," Ryu asked rather seriously.

"I don't want my parents to know. They'll take her away," Takeru said with unfound reasons. He lifted his head to look into Onari's wild, intense eyes. He moved her long bangs out of her face so he could look at her scars.

"Sensei wouldn't do that," Ryu said. He couldn't believe Takeru was worried about such a thing. He figured Takeru's parents would think it was cute for them to fall for each other.

"Hey, Ryu, we're here," Yanagi said waving at him as she came through the dark woods. She was pulling Gin along. The brown haired girl looked around the area shyly. Saori began to push Gin despite her nervousness. "Where is everybody? Hi, Onari," Yanagi said rather happily. Onari shrunk behind Takeru.

Gin stood blushing as she saw Idai emerge from the opposite side of the clearing. He was looking around as if he was unsure of where he was. Daiya was checking on him. Idai looked up, straight into Gin's eyes. Gin's heart raced. I can say 'hello', can't I? He's staring at me. I don't want him to think I'm strange. Idai kept watching her as she forced her feet to move. Gin moved closer with difficulty. Her heart was majorily leaping out of her chest. "Hi, Idai," she said very softly, not sure if he heard her.

Idai didn't know what to think of Gin. She didn't speak to him a whole lot. They rarely trained together, or encountered each other. He was still feeling the aftereffects of the flashback. Idai averted his eyes nervously. "Hi," he managed to say.

Saori stretched her arms as she stood near Ryu. "So

you want us to enhance her training? Ryu, you do know that that poor girl is being constantly trained correct? Onari doesn't have time to do anything, much less hang out with anyone. Why don't we just enjoy being around her tonight? It's rare for us to get out of the village, much less, without our parents knowing."

Ryu sulked. He let his head fall. "But I was having a moment," he said rather depressed. Saori was making sense. It was just that it shot down his original plan.

"I know you want to help her, but all of that is in due time. Onari doesn't know what acceptance is, right? So for her to feel like she's part of the village, or part of the teams, we should do things with her." Saori kissed his cheek fondly. "I'm sorry I ruined your plans." Ryu pointed to his forehead. "Oh, so your thoughts came from all directions?" He nodded happily. She kissed his forehead. Ryu pointed to his other cheek. "There, too?" Saori kissed his other cheek. Ryu pointed again, but this time at the space below his eye. Saori obliged and kissed the spot. Ryu pointed at his mouth as he tilted his head. "Oh, now you're just being silly," Saori said as she kissed him through the facemask.

"Hey, let's have a party," Yanagi said as she clapped her hands. "We can have Idai play his flute and Takeru can start a fire. It'll be the best!" She stopped as everyone looked at her rather oddly. "What is it?"

"I don't feel like playing my flute," Idai said softly. He didn't look at anyone. He wasn't even in the mood to enjoy anyone's company. Idai wanted to be left alone, actually. He felt out-of-place.

"If Takeru makes a fire, we'll get seen," Daiya said lowly. "You're not thinking. The idea of coming out here was to be avoided." Yanagi's eyes met his. She looked away as he kept his gaze on her.

"She's only trying to help the situation. You're all standing around afraid to interact with each other," Saori said defending her. "Daiya, stop looking at her so harshly. You say anything to hurt her, and I'll come after you," she warned.

Daiya tensed. "You dare to threaten me?" Daiya's hair spiked out so suddenly it made Yanagi and Gin move back. "You want to challenge me, Nara, you go right ahead. Let's see how much you've learned in the past several months."

Ryu stepped in front of Saori. He narrowed his red eyes at Daiya. "You won't touch her. You haven't seen me thoroughly pissed off. I wouldn't start by instigating a fight, Daiya. You look at others harsher than you realize. Yanagi was not trying to be insensitive." He kept his hard gaze on him. Daiya was meeting him. He could see the foreign boy's body tense as his hands clenched.

Gin didn't want anyone to fight. She formed hand seals without anyone realizing what was going on. A row of vines started to grow out of the ground in between Daiya and Ryu. She closed her eyes, concentrating as the vines towered.

Ryu looked up as the foliage grew. He knew it was Gin. She was the only plant user on the teams. "Gin, that won't stop either of us if we really want to do each other in. I'd quit while you're ahead." He could sense the change of air around him. Gin's mood of defeat was lingering.

"I don't want anyone to fight. We're supposed to get along," Gin said softly as she moved back. "Daiya should watch his tone when speaking to others. Your tone displays your true character," she said as she looked at Daiya. "Saori should not threaten her friends. It's not polite. There is nothing but turmoil to come from it. Yanagi is who she is. As you all are who you are. No one can

change the other."

Takeru tugged Idai a little on his sleeves. "Please, Idai? Why are you so depressed? You came all of the way out here with everyone and you're just going to sit there? Get up," he pleaded.

Idai tensed. "Takeru, I don't feel like being bothered," he said trying to get Takeru to go away. He caught Gin looking at him again. He raised a brow. When he did, she looked away, shifting her feet. "Hey, how come Gin always looks at me? Does she not like me or something?"

"Not like you?" Takeru looked at her. "You're really

clueless, aren't you? What would you do if someone actually liked you, Idai?"

"Don't be preposterous. Who would like a sound-nin..." He acked when he felt Ryu push on the top of his head. Idai looked up at him.

"You're not a sound-nin, Idai. I don't know how many times we have to tell you that. You're a leaf-nin. You were never trained to be a sound-nin. Why do you want to be one," Ryu asked as his red eyes looked at the white and red haired boy quizzically.

"I don't want to be one," Idai said looking away. Something inside of him told him he was, regardless of how he felt. Idai felt a nagging presence at the back of his mind. It made him feel as if it were itching to get out. He brought his hands up to hold his head, eyes slightly wide. Idai's breathing quickened. No... I don't want you to come out! Not now! Not in front of them!

"Idai? Ryu, he's acting weird," Takeru said as he watched Idai's facial expression change. He turned to see Daiya and Onari come back. "Daiya, Idai's not feeling well," he said as he pointed at his friend.

Daiya's feet stopped in their tracks. He suddenly ran towards Takeru and moved him out of the way. At the same time, he pushed Ryu back suddenly causing the Genin to fall on his rear. "Don't get near him!"

Saori helped Ryu sit up. "Hey, Daiya, what's the big

idea? Why'd you push them like that? What is your problem now?"

Gin brought her hand up to her chest. Her fingers clenched onto her kimono as she saw Idai's facial expression change from shock to one she had never seen before. "Saori," Gin said getting her attention as she saw Idai lower his hands with a sinister smirk on his lips. Gin gasped as she saw his eyes. They were black.

Yanagi stood watching the scene. Idai laughed lowly at first, then his laughter became almost maniacal as he stood up. Yanagi's heart froze. Her eyes showed fear as Idai looked at each one of them. "Th-That's not Idai." She knew in her gut that something was deeply wrong. And Daiya seemed to know what it was.

"Get away from him," Daiya said in a panic as he

pushed Takeru back as he walked backwards with his eyes straight on Idai. The boy in front of him smiled evilly, his black eyes showing a hint of playfulness.

Idai whistled at Daiya as if he were calling a mongrel. "Come here, little boy. Why are you running away from me? Don't you want to play," he asked in a low voice that was not his own.

Ryu was on his feet in front of Saori in an instant. He pushed her back as Idai moved around. Idai stepped a few feet, his head tottering to the right and left as if he had no control over it. "What is going on, Daiya?"

Daiya couldn't take his eyes off of Idai. Right now, he was unpredictable. He was more concerned with him lashing out at someone. He could feel Takeru grab onto his sides as he moved farther back. "It's not Idai! Stay away from him!"

Onari tilted her head. She had no clue to what was happening. Idai was whistling at the others around him trying to get them to come towards him. His body movements were not precise. The way he was walking and moving his arms showed her, whoever it was, didn't have very good control at the moment.

"Aw, you kids act as if you've never encountered me before. But you have," Idai said with a sneer followed by a laugh. "I'm always in the back row watching every one of your movements. I know about each and every one of you. Let's play. We can find out whose the strongest. I bet I'll win," he said challenging the small group.

Yanagi was watching his hands closely. Idai's hands were trying to fish into his ninja tool pack on his rear. "Watch out, Daiya! He's trying to get a hold of the Kunai!"

Daiya moved towards Idai faster than the other boy was able to anticipate. He opened the long, cylindrical pack on his back in order to take out a metal rod. Daiya brought the rod out and twirled it in his hand like a baton. The kunai went soaring, but it hit his rod. The rod deflected it. When Idai was distracted by the kunai going astray, Daiya brought his left leg up quickly to kick him in the stomach. Idai staggered as his wind was knocked out.

Yanagi watched Idai's legs buckle. He coughed a few times then fell onto his side. She ran towards him to see Idai trying to get back up. She brought her arms down on top of his to keep him down. She looked up at the others as she gritted her teeth. Whoever she was holding onto was strong. "I can't hold him! He's too strong!"

Ryu leapt forward to put his weight on Idai's legs. In a heartbeat Onari had her hand on the back of Idai's neck to keep him down. Her other hand was on one of his legs. He wasn't going anywhere. "If he can throw me, Onari, and Yanagi off, then I'd say he's stronger than we realized."

Takeru looked at Daiya. His brother's head was lowered. He was watching Idai with sadness and concern. "Daiya, why did Idai try to attack you?"

"It's not Idai," Daiya said softly as they all looked at him. "Idai has someone else inside of his head. He comes out when Idai feels vulnerable. It happened at the OtoMori festival."

Ryu looked at Daiya sternly. "What? He's done this before? You've never told any of us! And in saying so, that's a good indication that none of the trainers know! This is a hell of a way to find out, Daiya! What is wrong with Idai?"

Daiya stood with his eyes focused on his best friend. He was afraid to move. It was as if he would break into small fragments. Everyone was watching him. They were all stopped, staring at him and Idai. Onari was alert as well and confused. Takeru was still behind him not making a sound other than his breathing. The worst had finally happened.

"Someone do me a favor and tell me what is going on, Saori said as she stepped out from the tree she had been hiding behind. She had never seen Idai act that way. Her blue eyes met Daiya's. He was rooted in place. "What was that, Daiya? You know. It's in your eyes."

Everyone started at him hard. Daiya opened his

mouth to say something, but nothing came out. How could he tell them? Wasn't mentioning it, betraying Idai? "I-I can't," he said softly.

"You can't? What can you do to prevent him from hurting someone," Ryu asked. "You don't know when this particular incident will happen again. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was as if someone had snatched Idai out of that body - to replace him." Daiya had a sad expression on his face. Ryu grabbed Saori's wrist to prevent her from getting any closer to Idai than she already was.

"Idai sick," Onari said out of nowhere. She took her hold off of him. He was unconscious for the most part. "Idai and Daiya same. Bad dreams. Idai bad dreams no stop."

"Onari, don't say anything further," Daiya said trying to stop her. "It's rude to talk behind someone's back." He stood his ground with Ryu. The Genin was watching him - waiting for a hint about why this had occurred.

Gin saw Idai's fingers move. "He's coming out of it," she said as Yanagi and Ryu moved away. Onari was the only one staying where she was. Gin watched Idai open his eyes.

Idai blinked. He was laying on the ground with Onari looking at him. He moved his face to study her. "Why am I on the ground?" He lifted his body to a sitting position. Idai winced as he held his stomach. "And why does it feel like someone punched me?"

Yanagi's feet shuffled on the dirt. "Idai, what was the last thing you remember?" He seemed to be regrouping his thoughts. She noted he was unsure of where he was.

"I remember Daiya fighting with Saori and Ryu getting mad," Idai said softly. He looked at each one of them. They were standing way from him, watching. Idai sensed their hesitation. He lowered his head. "I did something, didn't I?" He clenched his hands on his pants. "I have to go," he said quickly. Idai got up and took off from the group.

Yanagi was after him in a heartbeat. She wasn't the only one who had decided to chase Idai. Daiya was right behind her as they ran into the blackness. "Idai," she called with no answer. She slowed down.

Daiya breathed hard. Idai was fast on his feet. "This isn't going to work. He can use those swords of his to boost his speed and alter his course." He looked at Yanagi.

"Yeah, I know. He's on my team. I'm quite familiar with Idai's abilities. He doesn't allude me for long though," she said as she formed hand seals. "Billion eyes jutsu!" Small pink and yellow butterflies poured out of her yellow hoodie. The small insects fluttered in front of her. "Hi guys, I need a favor. Can all of you search for Idai? The quicker all of you find him, the more nectar you get." The butterflies dispersed. She looked at Daiya. He was watching the butterflies until they disappeared.

Idai covered his head with his hands. His face was buried in his knees as he sat on a weathered stump. His other personality had came out in front of everyone. How was he going to be able to live in Konoha now? They all knew he wasn't normal. The bad dreams had started to plague him more now.

Idai woke to his dark room. His heart was racing, breathing intensified, and eyes wide. He had to re-familiarize himself with his surroundings. Where am I? The window to his right let him see the stars and clouds outside. Idai touched his forehead. He was sweating a lot. I'm not at home. Where is... this place? He sat up slowly. Idai went to the window. The buildings outside were not the ones he remembered. "This isn't the sound village. I... went with a man who had black hair." Idai scratched his head as he thought. "G-Gai took me in. Mom threw me away. D-Daddy-," Idai's eyes widened more.

His father's death re-played in his mind. Idai's eyes filled with unstoppable tears. They dropped onto the floor as he saw his father's lifeless body sink to the stone floor. His father was gone. His entire life was altered. Idai was alone.

"We'll see what the Hokage says about letting you attend the Academy. It will do you good to make friends," Gai said as he picked up the plates off the low table. "It's time for bed, Idai. You have a big day tomorrow."

Idai tensed as his eyes drifted towards his room down the hall. "Don't make me go in there," he said with a shaky voice. There was a mean man waiting for him in there. Idai could hear his cold voice in his head.

Gai placed his large hand on the top of the boy's head. "Are you having nightmares?" Idai looked up at him with fear in his eyes. The boy nodded. Before he knew it, Idai was clinging to him. Gai lifted Idai into his arms.

Gai spoke softly to him about different things to see what interests Idai had. Idai leaned on Gai as he sat in his lap. "I like freshly caught fish," he said sleepily. His eyes closed for a second only to reopen. "I'm good at swimming. My dad said I was born a merman. I used to believe him. I tried to make my fins come back, but they never did." Idai's eyes closed. He felt Gai put a blanket over him.

Kurenai stood at the front of the class next to Idai. He blushed embarrassed as all of the students stared at him. "Class, we have a transfer student. This is Idai. Can all of you welcome him to the class?"

The class said 'hello'. Idai was shy about all of the strange faces. He thought maybe things were looking up, like Gai said. Konoha seemed to be a nice place. A small girl with short brown hair shyly walked up to him. She conjured a daisy to grow from a small seed in her hand. Idai took it from her.

Kurenai smiled. "Idai, this is Gin Akimichi. She's interested in plants. She has a knack for using them in all sorts of ways."

"How do you do," Gin said so softly no one heard her, but Idai. He smiled at her. Gin fidgeted with her clothes.

"Hey, where are you from? We've never had a transfer student before," some girl asked. Everyone leaned over their desks to hear him.

"The sound village," Idai said softly. He saw all of the students move back as if he had fired a cannon. Only a few students were not bothered by it. Idai was told to take a spare seat. He walked up the steps to the top of the desks.

A boy turned towards him. "You're really from the sound village? Did they check you properly before you entered the village? I bet you're plotting to start war with us!"

"Huh? War?" Idai didn't understand.

"My father was attacked by sound-nin once. They took something from him on one of his missions. He came back shaking with fear. It was so bad they had to hospitalize him for a week," another boy said.

"I can't believe the Hokage let you in the village, much less, allow you to learn with us. Sound-nin are real scumbags. They're all selfish and mean," a girl said putting forth her comment.

Idai felt out -of-place. He swayed on his feet as all of the children around him heckled him. Kurenai had to quiet them down. He sat down as harsh gazes fell upon him.

Every move he made became difficult. The other children started to throw things at him, beat him up, talk harshly to him, and even play pranks on him. Due to how he now viewed himself, Idai became very withdrawn. He didn't attempt to learn with the others.

Kurenai held him back with Gin and a few others who were showing signs of weakness. Idai refused to take the Academy finals. He didn't care anything about serving the Hidden Leaf Village.

A new batch of students came in one spring. Idai heard they had been accepted to the Academy by the Hokage. Among them were Yanagi, Masaru, Kandai, Eiyu, Areku, Takeru, Daiya, and Saori. He avoided them. They weren't concerned with where he was from. He didn't have an interest in any of them until he overheard Yanagi talking to Saori one morning.

"He's from the Lightening Country. That's really far from here. I heard he lives in one of the single dorms. Daiya's quiet and so handsome," Yanagi said with a light-hearted giggle.

Saori waved at her. "If you're patient, Yanagi, you could become friends with him. He doesn't have any that I know of. He's hard to talk to. Uriko said he avoids eye contact with everyone. He's going to be a challenge."

Idai heard Yanagi whine. He's a foreigner like me. He's also alone like I am. Would he talk to me if I tried? Later, Idai got up the courage to approach Daiya outside after class. "Hi," he said. Daiya tensed and moved back. Idai felt a stab in his heart. "Are you acting that way because I'm from the sound village?"

Daiya lowered his head and gaze. He wasn't comfortable talking to those who were only curious. "I don't care where you're from. I don't know you," he said very lowly.

"Want to hang out," Idai asked trying to make friends with the difficult boy.

"I want to be left alone," Daiya said lowly. He walked away from Idai. He was in a strange village and he hated adults. His mind was in constant thought about the things his mother had done to him. Daiya was in no mood to get along with others.

Idai was shot down. He closed himself off after that. He became more distant. When he trained with the kids in class, his actions were slow. He was hit every time - in a way, to let everyone around him, punish him.

Until...

"I wish they'd get rid of the foreigners in the village. It was ridiculous when they let Idai in after Daiya. Now there's another one they picked up from somewhere else," a woman said to her friend as she let her toddler play in the grass.

Idai narrowed his eyes as he listened from a high branch. Another one? Daiya and I aren't the only foreigners? Idai listened more.

"I overheard one of the Inuzuka kids say his father's missions was delayed due to it. All I know is it's a girl with no home. They don't even know what country she's from," the woman continued in outrage. "She could be worthless like that Daiya brat. That kid throws tantrums with the trainers and defies all of the adults. No one can work with him!"

"Didn't something really badly happen to him to cause his current emotional state," the woman's younger friend asked.

"His mother was killed in a fire. It seems she abused him for some reason," the woman said waving it off. "Maybe it was because of his behavior. Kids these days act like we owe them everything!"

That's not true. Daiya is afraid. I've watched him in class. He backs away from Kurenai sensei. Idai gritted his teeth in anger as the woman made a further nasty comment.

"His mother should have done away with him," she said with her hands on her hips.

Idai unsheathed his swords. "No one deserves to die at the hands of another." He rotated his wrist. A force of wind blew through the trees with a moan. The women turned around. They took off running in a panic.

Idai vowed to protect Daiya with all of his ability from people like that. He saw things no one else did. Daiya was a very caring and concerned kid. He took on the job of shielding another person. He gasped as he felt someone put their hand on his shoulder. Idai looked up into dark eyes.

"Are you going to run from us until your legs give out," Yanagi asked. She smiled at him gently. "Don't be so surprised, Idai. Your my friend and Daiya's friend. We're going to chase you till the ends of the earth, if we have to."

"I'll only hurt you. I'm not normal," Idai said trying to make Yanagi understand what he was going through. He covered his head again, ashamed.

"Of course you're not normal," Yanagi said as she saw Idai tense. "If you were, we wouldn't like you as much as we do. You'd be as boring as Eiyu." That made Idai lift his head. "At least you move around and speak. I should buy you a gift for being my extra trainer. I run after you quite a bit."

"Why would you still want to be friends with someone who could hurt you," Idai said as he lifted his hand to touch her soft face. "I don't want you to dislike me. You should be chasing Daiya, not his friend," he said to where only she could hear him.

Yanagi blushed. Was she taking too much of an interest in Idai's welfare? "But I want to make sure you're alright."

Idai kissed the top of her head tenderly. "You led Daiya to me. He's been watching after me for a while. I'd rather you went back to the others. I'll be fine."

Yanagi glanced behind them. Daiya was watching them out of the corner of his eye. "If something happens, you'll tell me won't you?" Daiya stared at her. "You could at least answer me, Stormy."

"Who are you calling 'Stormy'," Daiya said as he walked to her. Yanagi stood up matching his serious gaze. "I don't take orders."

Yanagi pressed his nose in with her finger. "It wasn't an order, Daiya. I asked. However, it's rude to ignore others who are concerned. You're not the only one who cares." Yanagi walked back to the others as Idai asked her to.

"What in the hell was that about," Daiya asked as he looked at Idai.

Idai smiled. "She's like you more than you realize. Yanagi's protective, like you are. She knows when things bother me. You should get to know her better, Daiya. I promise she's worth it."

Saori stuck her tongue out as she attempted to French braid Gins' hair. It was her third attempt. "I've almost got it." Gin yelped. "Oh! Gin, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pull that hard."

"Saori, you need to cross these over those," Ryu said pointing to Gin's hair. "It has to be tight, or it won't hold." Saori tried again. "Keep holding the strands, or it's going to fall." Saori stuck her tongue out again as she tried.

Takeru wrapped his arms around Onari's neck as he rested his chin on her head. She was sitting cross-legged in front of him. He yawned. "I wonder if they're alright."

"They are," Yanagi said as she came back. "Idai told me to come back." She was disappointed. Yanagi wondered why boys were secretive. They were worse than girls about certain things.

"We need to head back soon. My parents aren't the

easiest to fool," Takeru said as Saori clapped her hands. She had finally mastered the braid. Takeru turned to look at Ryu. "Ryu, how did you learn to French braid?"

Ryu tensed. He froze with his eye twitching. Suddenly, he pointed with his arm shaking. "Run! It's sensei!" They all turned around to look in that direction. Ryu took off away from the group.

Takeru whirled back around. "Ryu, he's not here! You

jerk!" Takeru chased after him.

"Ryu crazy boy," Onari said as she watched Ryu flail his arms and run goofily to avoid Takeru.

"Wow, this place is fantastic! I can hear myself echoing all over the cave," Idai said as he smiled happily at Daiya. "Hey, Daiya, can this be our secret?"

Onari pointed up at the shiny stuff on the walls and ceiling. "What is it?" She looked back at her brother.

"Quartz," Daiya said. Idai was doing cartwheels on the smooth floor. "Idai, you're going to slip. It is slick."

"Whoa, Daiya, I hear water." Idai leaned to his left until he fell over. He scurried to find it. "It's coming from back here!"

Daiya smirked at how happy Idai was. "Come on, Onari, before we lose him in here." They followed Idai in the dark. Soon they came to a creek inside the cave. It glistened with the quartz reflections from the walls and ceiling. "We're going to get lost."

"Not if we follow the creek back," Idai said. He tugged Daiya and Onari. "Let's find where it goes!"

Daiya held onto Idai's hand as he was led with Onari. He was majorily worried about his friend. He felt Idai squeeze his hand to reassure him he was fine. Daiya focused on the happy expression emitting from Idai. He let the images burn into his mind. He's slipping away from me. None of this seems real.

"I wonder what could be in the cave," Idai said as he found a small pond the creek ran from. "What if there's smuggling goods, or this is where cave people once dwelled." Idai went on and on.

Onari tilted her head. There was a large boulder near the wall that seemed to be moving up and down. She tugged Daiya who was trying to talk some sense into Idai. He ignored her.

"But what if this is where dragons come at night, or it's a portal into another world," Idai said rather excited. He bounced from one foot to the other. "It could be true."

"Bear," Onari said with her emotionless voice.

"Onari, you're just like Daiya. He doesn't have an imagination, either," Idai said as he crossed his arms, pouting. "I like my 'portal to another world' idea."

Daiya looked in the direction Onari made his head turn. "Idai, bear," he said. Idai snuffed him.

"Bear," they said in unison.

"I know bears live in caves!" Idai felt hot breath on his hand. His body tensed and shivered as a warm tongue licked him. Idai looked behind him. His eyes about shot out of his head. "BEAR!"

The three of them ran the course of the cave as the bear chased them. Daiya had Onari over his shoulder as Idai ran beside them. "You really need to pay attention more," he shot at Idai.

Onari analyzed the bear as her brother and best friend ran. "Bear. Ears. Leg. Paw. Tail. Fur. Teeth. Sharp teeth."

"Not now, Onari," Idai shouted as they ran out of the cave. The bear yawned as it turned around in place a few times before laying down. Idai breathed hard as they fell to the ground. He turned his head towards Daiya. Onari rolled over. He smiled goofily at him. "I love you,

Lightening Bug."

Daiya lightly blushed. Idai tackled him. "Idai!" Daiya bopped him as Idai blew a raspberry on his cheek. Onari started to crawl over them. She pushed Idai closer to Daiya. Daiya's eyes met his. He saw the unrelenting fear in Idai's eyes. His happy antics were all a ploy to hide everything going on inside of his head.

Idai saw Daiya's eyes soften as he stared at him. There was sadness in his friend's eyes. Daiya tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. He was afraid to voice what Idai already knew. They were really close. It showed in their actions.

"I'll always love you, Daiya," Idai said seriously. "You're my best friend. No matter what happens, or how we change, I'll always be bonded to you." Idai leaned into Daiya's lifted hand. He meant what he said. He cared for him greatly.

Onari dropped a pile of mushrooms near the two. "Onari find food!" She showed Idai the different colors of mushrooms. "Rainbow mushrooms!"

Idai grabbed her hands. "Onari, did you eat any of them?" She shook her head. "Some of those are poisonous." He unclipped his water bottle to wash her hands.

Onari watched Idai scrub her hands with a leaf. "No eat mushrooms? Onari wants them."

Daiya looked at the mushrooms. "Hold on, Onari. Which ones are bad, Idai?"

Idai turned his head to look at the pile. He pointed them out. "Kiba sensei teaches us to track and also about plants. Survival skills come into play when you're out in the middle of nowhere."

Daiya sorted through them. He handed her the good ones. Onari rubbed her cheek on the mushrooms. He petted her head. Daiya thought his sister was cute.

Sasuke closed his folder with a sigh. It was finally finished. His progress notes on Onari were ready for the Hokage to consider. He and Izumi had collected enough data on her to present her unusual case to Naruto. He hoped it was enough.

Izumi approached him with a tray. She set it down in front of him. "I made some snacks for you. You've been adding to that report all day." She sat down beside him. "Are you finished with it?"

"I'm not sure. If it's only our accounts about Onari, it may not persuade him to give her a chance," Sasuke said as he sipped the hot tea. "I wonder if the guys would consider adding to it?"

"I'm sure they would be glad to, if you ask them. Sasuke, why don't the children add to it, also? Not just Takeru and Daiya, but all of the ones on the teams? They've all came in contact with her. It might help the Hokage in his decision," Izumi said as she lifted the top off of the rice pot. She fixed him a bowl.

"It couldn't hurt. Everyone on the teams has had contact with her on the trip," he said as he lifted the chopsticks to his mouth. "What did you add to the rice?"

"Ginger," Izumi said. "It gives it a nice flavor." She reached over to massage his shoulders. Izumi laughed as he relaxed.

Sasuke leaned into her. "Lower, he said as she massaged his back. He kissed her cheek tenderly. Sasuke heard commotion as Izumi kissed him back. His head fell forward. "They're back sooner than I anticipated. I wonder what's going on."

Onari ran into the room. She dumped a pile of mushrooms right in his face. "Sasuke, Onari find mushrooms. Cook, jes?"

"You found a lot of them. Izumi can show you how to sauté' them," he said as Onari tilted her head. "It means you can cook them, Firebird."

"Daiya, Onari cook mushrooms! Sasuke say Onari can!" She scooped them up quickly - only to take off running to the kitchen.

"I'm not eating those things. I hate mushrooms," Daiya said from down the hall. He objected to it outright.

"So much for alone time," Sasuke said. His face was turned by Izumi's tender hand. He blushed as her nose touched his.

"They can wait a moment. I need my time, too," Izumi said as she French kissed him delicately. She felt him lean into her more.

"Ew, my parents are kissing," Takeru said as he went back to the kitchen. Forget about seeing what his mom was doing. He had to make sure Onari didn't mess with anything in the kitchen.

Sasuke smirked. "Wait until he figures out how he got here. That'll really get to him."

"Shh, Sasuke," Izumi said as she put her finger on his lips. "He might hear that. It's sad I can't give you any more children," she said softly, her mind suddenly focused on it. "I had wanted to."

Sasuke cupped her pale face in his hands. "Izumi, there's nothing you can do about that. Takeru has Daiya and Onari now. He's not alone anymore. They create memories together, so it's fine."

Izumi smiled at him sadly. "I guess you're right. Sasuke, should we officially adopt Daiya?"

Sasuke slapped his forehead as he heard Takeru and Daiya argue over who was watching Onari properly. "Speak of the devil. We'll see. They already fight like brothers." Izumi got up to attend to the matter.

Takeru tackled Daiya into the large tub. They splashed into the water. Takeru came up shaking his head free of water as Daiya coughed. Daiya glared at him for the sudden surprise.

Sasuke opened the Shoji screen that separated the large tub from the shower area. "Guys, what was that noise?" He looked from one to the other.

"Takeru tackled me," Daiya said angrily.

Sasuke saw Takeru look at him with a playful glint in his eye. "Takeru, don't horseplay in here. You could have hurt him." Takeru smirked as he looked back at Daiya. "Takeru Uchiha."

Takeru flipped his head around to look at his father. He was trying to hide his mood, but his dad saw right through him. "Hmm?"

"No playing in here. I've never joked with you concerning things like this. Both of you are to bathe and get out." He shut the screen with a clack.

Daiya watched Takeru move slowly toward him with

an evil grin. He sent a wave of water at the boy to ward him off. "You stay over there!" He pointed to the side of the tub he wanted Takeru to remain on. Takeru shook his head free of the water.

Idai wandered the darkened streets of Konoha. He found himself absentmindedly following the moon as he walked. Idai's mind was on everything and nothing at all. The nagging presence in the back of his mind begged to come out. It pushed at the corners of his mind. "Shut up. You're getting me in trouble," he told it. He wanted it to leave, but he knew it wasn't going to. Idai put his hands on his head to press the sides. He felt if he could hold his head onto his shoulders, that the world around him wouldn't be spinning out of control. The stars and moon in his vision started to swirl, making him dizzy. He opened his mouth to scream into the night as the person he was became tangled with the monster inside of him.

Idai fell to the ground, his eyes staring straight ahead. He could see a black shadow with white eyes and evil smile in front of him. It tormented him by swaying left and right, letting him see that it was closer to taking over. You can't fight me for long, boy. I will have you body and your soul to feed off of. I will become you. And when I have your form, I will use it to my advantage.

The fear in his eyes shown with bright lights as the figure continued to dance. Idai's hands shook as he thought about all of the ones around him. He didn't want the monster he heard and saw to devour his friends. Idai didn't know what he could do. He was afraid the evil presence would destroy his friendship with Daiya. Idai whimpered as he tried to get his body to move.

The shadowy figure smiled more. Oh, you want to get up? How silly of me to keep you where I can watch you. The strongest around you won't be able to stop me. You're just a boy. Fear me, Idai. Fear me and let me out! I long to have the blood of others smeared over the foundations they stand on!

"N-No... D-Dad... K-Kiba sensei... S-Some-body... help me!" Idai's eyes darkened as the figure lunged for him. It's form blanketed around him, seeping into every aspect of his being.


	52. Chapter 52

**V 6 Ch 1**

**Idai's Nightmares**

Idai tossed and turned in his bed. His brows furrowed as his body twitched in his sleep. Visions of faces were swimming in his dreams. They were purple faces that were gasping with their mouths wide open. Some were even black and had no eyes. He couldn't differentiate men from women or children. His body suddenly jerked rather violently as he whimpered in his sleep. The visions he saw were intensifying - the colors were starting to swirl together with the faces melting. Idai's eyes were wide in his nightmare - unable to close from the horrible pictures he couldn't escape. Idai started to scream in his sleep.

Idai thrashing and screaming alerted Daiya and Takeru. Both of the boys sat up looking around the room, half expecting someone else to be there - possibly an enemy. The room was completely dark except for a small light on in the hall.

Daiya immediately turned Idai over. He pinned the boy down to keep him from hitting Takeru. "Idai!" Idai's hands turned into claws as he started to fight in his sleep. He was fighting Daiya without even realizing it.

"What is wrong with him? Why isn't he waking up," Takeru said rather loudly. He watched his brother try to calm their friend down.

Daiya yelled again, "Idai!" Idai kept on screaming as his body jerked and tensed repeatedly. "He's having a nightmare. He goes through these every once in a while," Daiya tried to explain to Takeru as he gritted his teeth. "Takeru, put your arms around his neck and hold him to

you."

Takeru did as Daiya instructed him to do. Idai eased up some once his arms were around the older boy. Idai's screams even turned into whimpers after a few moments. Takeru looked up at Daiya. His brother was hanging his head as his body untensed. Daiya appeared to be worried. "How did you know to do that?"

Daiya looked at Takeru sadly. "Idai suffers from some sort of flashbacks. I know you've heard about them. He went through one a few weeks ago on Kiba's team. He's lashed out like this a few times when I was here. I didn't know what was happening either. Gai sense had to talk to me about it. Sometimes, the flashbacks happen when he's awake, Takeru. Like the one you saw at home. Other times, it is when he is asleep. If his nightmare isn't tormenting him badly, he'll wake up. I think this one was a really bad one."

Takeru absentmindedly put his hand upon Idai's chest. He could feel his heart beating out of his chest. "His heart his racing. Why can't we wake him up? We can't leave him like this," Takeru said.

"Do you assume I haven't tried? Do you think I want him to remain this way," Daiya said rather angrily with the situation. He looked away. Takeru didn't understand what was happening. Daiya closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Takeru. It hurts for me to not know what to do for him. I've tried everything. He has no choice but to fight it."

Takeru looked back at Idai. He laid him down with his arms still around his neck. Idai was whimpering on and off from the torments he saw. Takeru pressed Idai to him as he thought. He wanted to help him, but he was like Daiya. He was unsure of what he could do. "There has to be some way to stop it."

Daiya felt helpless. He lowered his body to lay on top of Idai. He wrapped his arms around him protectively, trying to sort everything out. His head was on his best friend's chest in defeat. "I'm the stronger one. I'm supposed to know how to fix him. I have to, -" Daiya stopped. His emotions were getting out of control. He was starting to break inside a little at a time. He knew that if he didn't calm down, his heart rhythm would get out of control. Scaring Takeru was going to enhance the problem.

Takeru reached up to place his hand on top of his brother's unmanageable brown hair. Daiya's face was turned away from him. "Daiya, you take the older brother role too seriously."

"He's the only person that kept trying to get my attention, Takeru. I run everyone off with the way I am," Daiya said softly. "I've noticed how I scare you, at times. I see it in your eyes when I get angry. No one truly accepts me for who I am except Idai. He doesn't judge me."

"Older brothers are supposed to scare their younger siblings. It's kind of like your job," Takeru said as he petted his head. "Yes, your anger scares me. I'll admit it. In a way, it's worse getting into trouble with you than it is with dad. Your approval means more because you rarely give it."

"Why would you want my approval? I'm nobody," Daiya said as he clutched Idai's pajamas. He was only a foreigner that lived in Konoha. "It was only chance that someone found me, Takeru. I should have died a long time ago. I had been alone for days when Kurenai sensei found me. You don't know everything about me. I killed my mother when I erupted and got out of control. I caused it." Daiya felt he had to level with him. "Don't you understand? I'm a murderer."

Takeru kept his hand on Daiya's head although the petting had stopped. He didn't know if he wanted to believe what Daiya was telling him. "Please look at me." Daiya shook his head. Takeru laid Idai down gently as he crawled over his brother. Takeru's dark eyes searched his brother's face. "Daiya, please look at me."

"Go away," Daiya said softly. He hated himself. "Go away, Takeru," he said again. "I have too much respect for you to let you associate with me."

Takeru looked at him rather hurt. "You don't... want to be my brother anymore? You don't like me?"

Daiya looked up at him at that moment. The boy was looking at him with a hurt expression all over his face. "That's not what I meant to say, -" Daiya started out. He watched as Takeru lowered his gaze, shook his head, and moved away from him. Daiya watched him lay back down on the other side of Idai.

Idai came out of his nightmare at an awkward time. He heard some of what was going on around him. Daiya had upset Takeru. He had said something wrong. "Daiya?" His best friend looked down at him. "You didn't kill your mother. She hurt you. She didn't want you." Daiya gasped. His anxiety was showing. "Just because your mom was like mine, doesn't mean Takeru and I don't want you," he said as he reached up to touch Daiya's face.

"I know you didn't mean what you said. You're not a murderer. Takeru is younger than we are. He doesn't understand what we know. He looks up to you a lot. At least let him see the real you, instead of pushing him off," Idai said. "Please? He loves you, Daiya, or he wouldn't keep trying to get your attention."

Daiya's eyes met Idai's as he looked up at him. He bit his bottom lip. "Why is it possible for you to say what I can't and act the way I wish I could?" Daiya closed his eyes.

"Because you don't let yourself. You put too many restrictions on what you can and cannot do. I think you're afraid of what we'll think. It's all in your head. You need to be less reserved. Be spontaneous," Idai said trying to explain things to him.

Daiya took a deep breath. "Idai says to be spontaneous." Idai was watching him curiously. Daiya grabbed his face and blew a loud puff of air onto his cheek. Takeru flipped his head around in alarm.

Idai kicked his legs. "Ah, man, Daiya, I didn't mean like that!" Daiya kept blowing the puffs of air onto his face in various spots. He started laughing, not able to help himself. "Quit! You'll wake up my dad and I'll get into trouble," Idai said laughing the entire time. "I'll sick Takeru on you, I swear!" Idai tried to roll over to avoid it. "Takeru, help!"

In that instant, the misunderstanding between he and Daiya was forgotten. Daiya was actually wide open to both of them. He was letting them in to his world. Takeru grabbed his pillow, closed his eyes, and swung it at Daiya. It made contact aright. Takeru froze with his body tense.

"So the baby has a backbone," Daiya said. Takeru looked at him rather afraid. "Little brother, you're fixing to get it." Daiya tackled him. Takeru was thrown onto the futon. Daiya blew puffs of air onto his cheeks as Takeru squirmed.

Takeru brought his hands up to push Daiya. "You said you didn't like me anymore! Get off, Daiya!" He pushed at him again, harder as his anger rose. Daiya pinned him.

"Takeru," Daiya said softly. "Stop." The boy was still attempting to fight him. "I'm sorry about what I said. I... didn't think you'd take it that way."

Idai crawled over to Takeru and Daiya. He saw the tears coming out of Takeru's eyes. They were angry and sad tears. He had had those before. "Takeru, Daiya didn't mean he didn't like you. He thinks badly of himself. He thinks if you get too close to him, he'll hurt you and cause you pain. Wounds on the heart take longer to heal," Idai said as Takeru watched him. "I know you don't understand right now. You're too young to have the mind of an adult. But some of us have had to grow up sooner than we have liked."

Takeru pushed at Daiya again. "You don't want to be my brother! Ryu doesn't either! I don't need either of you! Get away from me!" Takeru was still crying as he moved back as he sat up.

Idai looked at Daiya sadly. "Takeru, do you think I'm a liar?" Takeru shook his head. "Do you not trust Daiya, Ryu, or me?" Takeru nodded slowly as he wiped his eyes. "Have we ever intentionally hurt you?"

"N-No," Takeru said as his voice cracked.

"Takeru? Look at Daiya," Idai said as he pointed. He watched Takeru look up cautiously. "Daiya, don't look away from him. He needs to know who you are."

Daiya looked back at Takeru, hurt. His stormy gray eyes met his. They were both upset. He was ashamed at how much he was revealing about himself. "You don't need me," Daiya repeated, stuttering. He felt like he did when he was a small boy and his mother cast him aside. "She didn't need me either. I'm a burden to your family. I... can't fight with my team like I'm supposed to because of my ailment. I... can't be alone anymore. Someone has to be with me most of the time. Your dad has to take me in. I only want a family! That's all! I don't want to hurt anybody! I'm not a monster," Daiya yelled.

Takeru saw all of the pain Daiya had dealt with in his eyes. He could se Daiya being shoved aside as a child; hit; and kicked. Daiya was strong on the outside because he was weak on the inside. He was trying to make up for it. "You have to accept them for their strengths, weaknesses and flaws," Sasuke said.

Idai was unsure of how Takeru was going to perceive Daiya from now on. He could see a particular look in the younger boys' eyes of shock. "Takeru, say something." Daiya was not an easy guy to accept. He was afraid that all of Takeru's efforts had crumbled before his eyes.

Takeru kept his eyes on Daiya. "I... love Daiya... and Ryu. They... don't understand. I... can't make them, -" he broke off choking on his words as he opened his arms, closing his eyes.

Daiya threw himself at Takeru. He wrapped his arms around him tightly, pressing his head to his chest, his hand on the side of his head. "Why, Takeru? Why do you keep coming back?"

"You're my brother," Takeru said hoarsely. He held onto Daiya. "I'm not supposed to let you fall."

Daiya looked at Idai. "Who told him to say that?" Idai shook his head. Daiya tried to calm down again. His heart was feeling funny.

"Takeru is innocent, Daiya. He doesn't say words that aren't meaningful. I've watched him for the longest time. He says what he feels," Idai said.

Daiya looked down at Takeru. The boy was leaning into him comfortably. "Are you going to sleep," he asked softly. Takeru shook his head slowly. Idai was smiling and pointing. "I think you are." Takeru shook his head even slower to object. Daiya felt his brother twitch as he laid him down upon the futon. Takeru rolled over. "I don't know what to do with him."

Idai yawned as he lay down next to Takeru. He reached up petting the boy's head. "Keep him," he said tiredly. "If you don't, Takeru's legs will get tired and he'll stop chasing you. He'll fall behind."

Daiya laid down gazing at Takeru's sleeping face. He put his arms around him to cradle him. Takeru moved a little, in order, to get closer to Daiya. "Idai, has anyone ever told you that you talk more sense when you're half-awake?"

"Yeah, I love you, too, Daiya. Just for that, I'll be extra hyper tomorrow," Idai said as he closed his eyes. He moved closer to Takeru. The darkness bothered him despite others being in the room. "I hate the dark."

Takeru rolled over. He yawned as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Idai was sleeping hard next to him. What had happened last night? He turned his head to see Daiya on his other side sleeping comfortably. Takeru vaguely remembered all that had occurred.

Takeru felt Daiya move his arms. That's when he noticed his brother was holding onto him. What did I do last night? Takeru felt as if he was emotionally drained. Yet, he also felt relieved at the same time. He reached his hand up to move Daiya's bangs out of his face. His brother opened his eyes. "You need a haircut," he said to explain himself.

Daiya wondered if Takeru recalled what he had said the previous night. He watched him keep playing with his bangs. "You don't remember anything about what I said, do you?"

"I know some of what you said," Takeru answered him softly. "I was more concerned about the hurt I saw in your eyes and I how I needed to stop it." He quit playing with Daiya's hair to notice a shocked look on his face. "Huh?"

Daiya's mood changed. He was watching him with a kinder gaze. "What have we done to deserve you," he asked no one in particular. He reached forward, placed his hands on Takeru's face and leaned over to kiss him tenderly on the forehead. "I can't say the words you say so freely. If I do, something will happen and you'll slip away from me. I can only show you, Takeru." He hugged him protectively as an older brother should.

Takeru blushed a bit. Whatever had happened the previous night had had an impact on Daiya. He wasn't as closed to Takeru as he was before. No, Daiya was a little more open now. "Daiya, how am I going to get Ryu to understand what he means to me?"

"That might be a bit complicated. Ryu only hears and feels what he wants to. He's not as guarded as I am, though. I think he doesn't want to feel anything," Daiya said, not really trying to shoot down Takeru's hopes about it.

"We could just corner him and make him understand," Idai said with an evil grin.

"I don't think that would be wise, Idai. Ryu can be aggressive if he feels threatened," Daiya said. "I've seen him act that way with Dad. I wonder how he was able to confess to Saori. There had to be a reason behind it."

"Probably timing," Idai said. "What's the point of existing if you only let the trees know who you are?" Idai yawned, covering his mouth.

"I don't get it," Takeru said as he looked at Idai strangely.

"It means you're rooted in place. Instead of letting the world see who you are, you are letting it pass you by," Idai said. He looked at Takeru seriously. "I used to be like that before I had you guys. I was too wrapped up in myself."

Takeru decided to change the subject. "Do you think your dad heard all of the commotion we caused last night?" He watched Idai ponder.

"No idea, but if he's grinning at us when we come out of the room, then 'yes' he knows," Idai answered rather matter-of-factly.

They walked out of Idai's room cautiously. Where was Gai? Takeru looked out from behind Daiya. He was used to high-strung adults by now. Rock Lee was his trainer, after all.

"So did you kids sleep well," Gai asked out of nowhere. All three of the boys jumped. "It's awfully late. Almost noon, in fact. How about the three of you go take a bath and I'll treat you boys to lunch?"

"Seriously," Idai asked rather surprised. Gai nodded as he smiled big and pearly white. Oh, no. He knows. Oh, well. Dad won't embarrass us over it, At least, I don't think he will. He's being pretty thoughtful right now, even if he's laying it on a little thick.

The three of them started to change out of their pajamas. Takeru threw his t-shirt into the basket next to the door in the changing room. He tilted his head as he watched Daiya unravel his bandages. His brother had to wear them in order to protect his skin from the electrical currents he emitted. Daiya threw his shirt at Takeru in return. "Hey," he said as he took it off. "What's with you?"

Daiya started to turn around as he unraveled the bandages around his chest. He didn't like Takeru or Idai seeing how he looked. He was still self-conscious about it. Both Idai and Takeru had seen them now, but it was still uncomfortable for him.

Idai noticed how Daiya was acting. "Hey, Takeru, can you grab the shampoo? I'll show you a trick." Takeru turned around to retrieve the bottle. "Get in before he turns back around," he told Daiya softly.

Takeru handed Idai the bottle of shampoo. "What kind of trick are you going to show me?" Idai signaled for him to get in the large tub.

"Have you ever seen Daiya's hair down before," Idai asked.

"No, he always keeps his hair up," Takeru said as he watched Idai move towards Daiya. Idai got in the large tub with a splash. He started to take Daiya's hair down. Takeru watched as his brother's hair fell. It was a tangled rat's nest. "Good grief, Daiya! Have you ever heard of a brush?"

"It's always like that. I can't get a brush through it. That's just the way it grows," Daiya said trying to ease the weird looks Takeru was giving him over it.

"Watch," Idai said as he poured a ton of water onto Daiya's hair. "It still sticks up no matter what comes in contact with it," he said laughing. "Although, Ryu is still the porcupine of the group." He started to wash his best friend's hair.

"Idai, are you doing that so Takeru won't look at my back," Daiya asked softly.

"Yep," Idai said as he scrubbed Daiya's hair hard. "I figured you didn't want him to pay too much attention to it. I know how you feel about it. Takeru would be worried."

"Thanks," Daiya said as he reached up to pet the top of his best friend's head.

Takeru laughed as Daiya dried his hair. Daiya's hair went through its normal cycle of electrical currents when it came into contact with the towel. It spiked out on all ends. Daiya gave him the usual blank expression he always gave. "Okay, I'm sorry," Takeru apologized. He reached up trying to flatten his brother's hair out. "You need to cut your bangs," he said trying to part them.

"He has to be careful about that sort of thing," Idai said. He put his head through the neck hole of his shirt. "The scissors are metal, you know. It would only cause Daiya to electrocute the person attempting it."

"I have to get my hair chopped off with a special pair of scissors," Daiya said. "That's why I don't do it often. I could hurt anyone who isn't protected."

"Are you boys read to go," Gai asked as he stuck his head into the room. "Son, are you having trouble with your hair?" Takeru and Idai started laughing.

Idai's eyes got wide as he watched Takeru pour half a bottle of hot sauce onto his curry and rice. He wasn't the only one. Most of the people in the place were watching him. "Takeru, you do know that curry is hot, right? And now you're making it swim like a fish in hot sauce."

"That kid is going to be so sick he'll be delusional," some guy said from another table.

"Son, maybe you should ease up on that," Gai said amazed at how much red sauce was on the plate. He figured the plate would end up dyed that color in the end. The rice seemed to be soaking it up, too.

"I eat like this all of the time," Takeru said defensively. "I love spicy stuff." He shoved a spoonful of it into his mouth.

Daiya waited for Takeru to start screaming, but it didn't happen. He was eating it. He's not normal. Then again, I haven't met a Uchiha that was.

"It's not spicy enough," Takeru said rather disappointed. "Can I get more curry to add to it?" He watched Gai's mouth drop.

Daiya and Idai had to grab the bottle of hot sauce to keep it out of Takeru's hand. "No more," they said in unison. Takeru attempted to retrieve it. Daiya slapped his hand.

Idai reached forward with his chopsticks. He grabbed some of Takeru's food. He examined it.

"Idai, I wouldn't eat that," Daiya said alarmed. Too late. Idai twitched. His eyes were wide. "Get it out of his mouth before it makes him sick!"

Gai forced Idai's mouth open. "Well, that's not good," he said as he looked at Daiya seriously. "He already swallowed it." They stared at each other for a split second before the dinnerware was flying through the air. They scrambled to find something to put into Idai's mouth. Daiya grabbed water and poured it down his throat, but it was of no use.

Takeru tilted his head watching the commotion. Everyone in the establishment was also staring at their table. He wondered why it was such a big deal.

"We need something salty," Gai yelled to the waitress. The only thing salty in the restaurant was a can of fish. He took the can from the waitress and opened it with a clank. Gai shoved a sardine into Idai's mouth. The hotness in the boys' mouth seemed to be subsiding. "We might as well go for good measure," Gai said as he took the whole can and stuck all of the fish in the youth's mouth.

Idai whimpered as tears came out of his eyes. Small fish tails were sticking out of his mouth. He was embarrassed. He couldn't even feel his tongue from the spicy food. Idai stared at the table to avoid everyone's gaze.

Gai patted him on the back. "You're having an interesting day, Idai." Idai sniffled.

"Why did it have to be fish," Takeru asked rather baffled with his chopsticks stuck in mid-air.

"Good question," Daiya said as he too stared at the outcome.

Idai brushed the heck out of his teeth. He smelled fish all over his hands, too. He even tasted them, despite how many times he had brushed. Idai spit. "Ah, man, why did it have to be fish?" He came out of the bathroom trying to scrape his tongue off.

"Idai, sit down, son," Gai said as he sat at the small table. Idai sat down next to him. He looked up at him wondering what was up. "How bad was your nightmare last night?"

Idai looked away at the mention of it. "Oh, you heard me," he said softly. He didn't like Gai hearing how afraid he was in his sleep.

"Yeah, I did. I was up, but I stopped coming to your aid when your friends managed to get you calmed down. Do you remember what you saw?"

Idai kept his gaze averted. "I-I saw f-faces, Dad. Th-They were melting and screaming at me," he said stuttering as he remembered it. It was one of the first dreams he had that repeated constantly. Probably because it was the most terrifying to him.

"What part of the dream is scaring you, besides the faces?"

Idai closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. He bit his lip as his hands played with his shirt, clenching on the material. Idai could see the faces clearly the more he thought about it. "The faces are the problem," Idai said gently. "I don't... want them to touch me. Th-They scream at me relentlessly. Th-They know my name, Dad."

Gai moved over to Idai. He embraced the boy. Idai was being tortured by his nightmares. "I know it's difficult to go through this. We have to find out what these dreams mean. Only when we understand them, can we go through the process of handling it. I know you can't control the flashbacks, either. I need to know what makes you feel safe. The dreams are getting worse, aren't they? Normally, you only ask Daiya to come over."

"I don't like to be alone anymore at night. The darkness scares me. I hear things, too," Idai said softly. "Dad, make it stop. Tell all of them to leave me alone," he said about the flashbacks he saw and the nightmares. It was too much for him.

Gai placed his hand onto Idai's head in a protective hold. Idai was calm for the most part as he was held. "I don't know how to stop them, Idai. I'm not going to lie to you. I need to talk to a friend to gain a bit more insight on this sort of matter."

Kurenai Yuhi sat on the floor listening to Gai talk about Idai. She nodded her head as she listened. "So the nightmares are getting worse. He must have had something tragic happen to him as a child. We need to find out what. Idai is reserved about his past. It's painful for him. Has he ever expressed anything to Daiya or Ryu?"

Gai tried to reflect on things he's heard and seen. "I don't think Idai has let either of them know anything that deep. He mainly tags along after Daiya during the day. His main focus has always been to try and get Daiya's mind off of his own problems. Idai isn't as close to Ryu as he is with the other."

"That's not surprising," Kurenai agreed. "Ryu is the type of kid that doesn't let anything effect him, if he can help it. I don't know if my son is afraid of having a reaction out of someone, or if he just doesn't want to get involved. I'm happy that he has friends now, though. He has started to change in the past few months. I need to properly thank Sasuke's son for that," Kurenai said referring to Takeru.

"It seems Takeru is maturer than one would expect. Quite amazing since he is the youngest on the new teams," Gai said. "I don't think Takeru believes another person is capable of being sinister, in any regards. He's always willing to work with another person, despite where he comes from, or what he's heard. He certainly has been generous and accepting of Idai."

"I hear Idai is happier when he's with the guys. Ryu is, too. Children need their friends more than they need us right now. They are their second family. I'd hate to ask Ryu or Daiya to try and get information out of Idai. It would put us in a bad position," Kurenai said as she thought.

"Idai would only withdraw from them if they were to go that far. I don't want to undo what they have worked so hard at achieving," Gai said disappointed with the idea. "It's not easy to get into that kid's head."

"I agree. It is a difficult thing to decide. Should we take the route of asking his closest friends to find out information to aid him? Or should we simply find another alternative to help him? Is there even one?"

"His friends know him the best. He has an unsure past and right now, an unsure future. If we decide to get all of them together, it will have to be without Idai knowing. The last thing I want is to lose that boy's trust. However, his friends need to know what he really faces," Gai said.

"All right, you guys, Idai is running a few errands for me. I gave him a hard list to complete so he should be gone for a while. I need all of you to listen," Gai said as he looked at the group sitting before him.

Ryu sat with his arms crossed and eyes closed. He didn't like going behind Idai's back like this. It really bothered him. They weren't the only ones in on it, either. Gai had asked everyone that Idai was close to, to be present. He wondered how serious it was going to be. He glanced at his mother. She sat next to him patiently waiting. "I don't like doing this. It's wrong to go behind Idai's back," Ryu said speaking up for himself.

"There's a reason we're choosing to do things this way," Gai said trying to put Ryu's mind at ease. "I'll explain everything, Ryu. I know all of you are friends with Idai, or have come into contact with him. As his friends, I expect all of you to give me the chance to elaborate why we're having a meeting."

Daiya opened his mouth to say something regarding the confidentiality of his friend. He needed to be reassured. Sasuke put his hand on his head to get his attention. Daiya looked up at him. Sasuke shook his head. He was going to have to remain quiet.

Saori looked around at each person that was present. Idai's trainer and team were here. Also, all of his friend and Takeru's parents. Each one of them had come into contact with Idai at one point or another. She felt the situation was being intensified with the large gathering. Saori wasn't sure how Idai would react to everyone gathering like this. Wasn't it his opportunity to tell everyone what was wrong with him?

Onari tilted her head a few times. There were a lot of people here. Why were they all being so quiet? Her yellow eyes looked around the room constantly. She tugged on Izumi's sleeve. The woman with long white hair looked down at her. "Izumi, Onari quiet why," she asked. Izumi pointed to her ear than to her lips. Onari had to listen right now.

"Just tell them what's going on," Kiba said. "They have a right to know, but I agree that going behind Idai's back is not a good idea. We need to take extra caution. Him finding out that all of us are involved is going to be troublesome." He looked down the line at Onari. "It's also probably not a good idea to have Onari here. She's not going to comprehend what we're saying." Onari looked at him narrowing her eyes. "Sorry, sprout, it's over your head."

"Brother Kiba, Onari understand Kiba say," she said rather aggressively through her gritted teeth. She punched her fist at the floor. It cracked under her intense force.

"Firebird," Sasuke said lowly. He looked at her sternly. She looked at him with the same gaze. "You will behave, or be escorted home." Onari only stared at him with her intense eyes. "I won't tolerate you tearing up Gai's house, or showing defiance to another person. Do you understand me?" Onari didn't answer. "Onari!"

"Onari understand Sasuke," she said almost yelling at him. She looked away from him, scowling. Her fists were clenched at the thought of someone thinking her to be ignorant.

Takeru was sitting next to Daiya. They were both watching Onari get into trouble with their dad. He had stayed by Daiya's side since the other night. Their emotional explosion had only brought them closer to each other.

"Let's move on," Kurenai said. "Some of you may know this, but I will start from the beginning. Don't interrupt," she said looking at each of them. "I found out a few things from Anko about Idai. We are treating each of you as adults from here on out. All of you are to be respectful and mindful of what we tell you.

Anko found Idai when he was seven-years-old. She said his mother had abandoned Idai. Idai's mother was ashamed of him because he didn't pass the entrance exams for the Sound Village. Unlike the entrance exams that Konoha gives, these are given individually, rather than as a group.

Anko has done a lot of research on a few of the clans that have formed since Orochimaru's downfall. They do not operate the same as some of yours. They take their family bonds more seriously, with the lack of humanitarism. She told me children are thrown into a dark room, at the beginning of their entrance exams. They even go to the lengths of locking them in. The purpose of this room is to have the children overcome their fears of the unknown - to gain inner strength at a young age.

There is nothing in the room that can harm the children physically. Only sounds are emitted. Some of the sounds are pleasant, others are frightening. The sounds are used to break the children into obeying their superiors. What happens is, the students overcome what they hear by fighting back, or they end up like Idai - traumatized and afraid.

Idai was not aware that everything was an illusion in the room. He really thought people were after him and the things he heard were occurring. At least, that's what we speculate. He isn't afraid of pleasant sounds like water, or nature - those are merely guides for survival. However, sounds of war such as screaming, yelling, threats, the clash of weapons, cause him to panic.

Children, like Idai, are seen as failures to their clans. These children are not allowed to train with the rest of the students who pass. Their clans are put under some sort of suspension where they cannot participate in political debates or movements to aid their families. In short, they are demoted to worthless, hardworking jobs that require them to barely survive. It's humility of the highest form.

The sound village didn't just traumatize Idai, in my opinion. They tortured him. Unlike the other children who failed, Idai's mother forced the ones in charge to put him into the room every day for a month until he passed. She refused to let her entire clan take the downfall. The things he witnessed and experienced in that room played with his mind. Soon sounds weren't the only thing he started to fear. They started to send blasts of air at him to dramatize an enemy attack. They thought it would awaken Idai's fighting spirit and he wouldn't cower at his responsibilities.

However, Idai failed time and time again. His mother had no choice but to let her clan take the fall. Shameful of her son, she cast him aside where he wandered the Sound Village for a long time, trying to survive. Finding it best to leave, Idai wandered the forest. Anko found him some time later lying on a riverbank. He told her he had been trying to get across despite his weakness and fatigue. Idai complained to her about voices that he heard that screamed relentlessly at him. It wasn't long after he came to Konoha. Gai then took him in.

I know you guys have been with Idai when he's had flashbacks. We would like to know what he does. How do all of you feel about his situation," Kurenai asked as she looked at their faces. The kids were all concerned and horrified at what she had told them.

"If any of you kids know anything else, please tell us," Gai pleaded. They were all in thought. What they now knew about Idai was having an impact on them.

"He can't come out of his nightmares so easily anymore," Daiya said being the first one to speak up. "Idai wakes up during the day for the flashbacks, but not at night. He screams like he's being tortured."

"Calling his name doesn't work, either," Saori said.

"No, but Onari's singing helps him calm down," Takeru said softly. They all looked at him. "Idai had a flashback not long after Daiya came to live with us. Onari had just met him at the time. He was flipping out waving his arms around and moving away from everyone. His eyes were wild and he was just... screaming. Onari thought someone was in the house. I could see the look on her face. She went to Idai, not knowing what was wrong with him.

I know Onari didn't understand what she was seeing. Only Daiya had seen it happen before. At that time, no one was really close to him, but Daiya."

Izumi spoke up. "I had no idea what was wrong with that child. I thought he was in some sort of pain. He didn't know any of us were there. That boy had no idea where he was, or what was around him. Onari came at him and simply wrapped her arms around. She began to sing into his ear, a song I had taught her. It seemed to work. Idai snapped out of his flashback. I don't know how she knew to do that."

Kurenai looked at Onari. The girl was tilting her head trying to understand the words everyone was saying. "Onari, did you know how to calm Idai?"

Onari looked at Ryu's mother. "Onari sing to Daiya when Daiya heart hurt. Daiya heart stop hurt," she said softly. "Onari not know Idai. Idai hurt. Onari stop Idai hurt like Daiya."

"She understands, but then again, she doesn't," Areku said. "Maybe she thought Idai had the same problem as Daiya." That's what he figured at least. He sat next to his father watching everyone around him, too.

Yanagi leaned forward so she could see Onari. Onari was watching all of them. "Onari, what did Idai do when he saw you?"

Onari furrowed her brows. "Idai cry," Onari said gently. "Idai tears sad tears- angry tears. Idai look at Onari. Onari no understand Idai face."

"What does she mean," Masaru asked.

"She doesn't understand the expression he was giving her," Kiba said. "Sprout, can you describe what Idai's face said?" He watched her ponder.

"Idai happy like... bad day, good day," she said trying to explain.

"He was relieved," Kurenai said once she figured out the girl's meaning.

"How can we help him," Ryu asked. "We don't know fully what he sees. There has to be something else besides what the Sound Village did to him. He's had plenty of time to get over his fears."

"If there is something else, Idai is not talking," Sasuke said.

"It may be something he is not consciously aware of," Izumi said. "The nightmares he has may be a reflection of a locked past. It may not simply be just the training he endured. Children cannot handle horrified situations that they are thrown in to. His mind has pushed something so far back, that his conscious mind has forgotten about it. We need to try and, in an underhand way, get Idai to open up."

"It won't be easy," Gai said. "Idai will know if anyone pries too much. He doesn't trust anyone fully. Especially not an adult. Out of all of the kids, the only one he is a hundred percent open with is Daiya."

Daiya had a bad feeling about this. He sighed closing his eyes. "If I try to get any information out of him, he will hate me for it. And I don't mean to the point where we won't speak for a while and he'll hold a grudge. I mean he will HATE me."

Ryu thought for a moment. He waited until Daiya caught his eye. "Would you rather Idai go insane and lose his mind, or would you rather him hate you for the rest of his life, if it meant you could save him?" Daiya's eyes changed to that of shock. "Do you care about him, or not?" Daiya looked away, trying to avoid the question. "Daiya Eimino, answer me," Ryu said sternly.

"I-," Daiya felt his heart clench. He swallowed. His heart wanted to act up because he was getting emotional. Idai was his best friend. Idai meant the world to him. "I would... rather he hate me than... to lose it all." Takeru was looking at him sadly. "It is better to lose someone, than to lose the foundation you stand on." He couldn't take much more. Daiya got up and walked out of the room.

Izumi got up to go after him. "Onari, stay," she said. She walked out into the hall. Daiya had his face buried in his knees. Izumi kneeled. She put her arms around him and drew him closer to her.

Izumi held him as he cried. "Shh, it's all right. I know you love Idai like a brother. There isn't going to be an easy solution, Daiya. Sometimes when we love someone so much, it hurts us in every aspect to watch that person suffer. Everyone goes through pain for someone they care for. It's just a fact of life. Regardless of what happens, or what Idai may say, you are helping him. The greatest love a brother can give, is freedom from torment," Izumi said.

"I don't want him to hurt anymore," Daiya said through his sorrow. "I'm tired of Idai being afraid. I want him to overcome it. I want him to fight back." He coughed, choking on his own emotions. Izumi kissed the top of his head. "Mom, if he resents me, will he come back to me?"

Izumi held him tighter. She started to rock him softly. "Time heals and love overcomes, Daiya. If Idai truly loves you, he will come back to you."


	53. Chapter 53

**V6 ch2**

**The untold future**

"Want some," Idai asked as he waved his banana at Daiya. He looked at his friend happily, with a huge chunk in his mouth. "Come on, Daiya, what's wrong? You act like someone has died."

Daiya sat on the branch staring at the village below them. Someone did. Me. How am I going to do this? Idai will hate me for the rest of my life. He looked over at Idai. "What was it like when you were a kid?"

Idai stopped chewing. He forced himself to swallow. "Why are you asking me that?" Daiya gave him his normal expressionless face. Idai looked at him seriously. He didn't like where this was going. "Drop it."

Daiya had never seen his friend so serious. "If I tell you about me, will you tell me about you?" Idai kept staring at him not moving. "Idai," he said softly," You have me worried."

"Who told you to ask me about my childhood? I know you're not the curious type," Idai said.

"I don't know anything about you except you like to play around; you use sound waves with those swords, and you have nightmares. Oh, and the fact that you like to hang around me," Daiya said trying to make his point. "Why is it bad if I ask you to tell me something about yourself?"

Idai was not budging. "I like bananas. A lot. I think I was a monkey in a past life," he said as his personality reversed back to his normal playful nature. He smiled at Daiya goofily.

Daiya's gaze softened. The way Idai was able to switch his personality like that was not normal, for anyone. Something was deeply wrong. He had to back off for now, or risk Idai's anger over the matter. "Idai, come here." Idai moved closer to him. He sat in front of him on the branch with his legs hanging over the sides and hands placed on the bark to keep himself steady. Daiya reached forward to hug him. He laid his chin on Idai's head.

Idai blinked. It wasn't like Daiya to be sentimental. "Daiya, what's going on?" He felt Daiya hold onto him tighter.

Daiya's voice quivered. "Idai, I want you to realize that... I care about you. You're one of the few people I'll do anything for. Promise me, you won't ever fight me." Daiya closed his eyes, petting Idai's white and red hair softly.

Idai didn't understand. He clutched to Daiya gritting his teeth. "Why are you saying stuff like that? You act like I'll hurt you one day!" He didn't hear an explanation coming from his best friend. "Daiya? Daiya!" Idai sat up. He looked into his friend's face. Daiya's eyes were closed. He could tell he was in pain. Idai knew his friend was having an attack. His body was tense and face was contorted.

"Daiya, look at me," Idai said. Daiya couldn't. Idai gasped. He grabbed Daiya and held him against his body. He had to see if his friend's heart would calm down. Did I cause him to have an attack? Was it because I can't tell him what's wrong? Idai kept holding him afraid to let go. Daiya soon eased up. "Are you okay?"

Daiya gasped a few times as he tried to speak. "I-I...d-da-," he said trying to say his name. He couldn't say what he wanted to. He had to remain still, or continue to suffer with struggling against his heart's demands. His eyes closed. There was blackness.

Idai looked down at him sadly. Daiya had passed out. He kept holding his best friend, his orange eyes focused on Daiya's face. "I don't know what's going on. I wish I could trust you enough to tell you. You'll leave me if you find out. I don't want to lose you. I can't tell you," he said softly as he continued to lean into Daiya's limp form. "I'm sorry, Daiya."

Daiya woke to someone putting a cold rag on his forehead. "M-Mom?" He looked up to see lavender eyes looking down at him. Where was Idai?

"Hi, sweetie, how are you feeling," Izumi asked. Daiya has been unconscious for several hours. She caught on to the expression on his face. His eyes were searching the room. "Idai isn't here. He brought you home and left."

Sasuke walked closer to the bed. "Daiya?" The boy from the lightening country turned his head. "What caused you to have an attack?"

"I... don't know," Daiya said. He couldn't look Sasuke in the eyes. Sasuke knew he wasn't telling the truth. It wasn't because of Idai. It wasn't! Idai didn't make me have an attack. It was my own fault. I feared the worst. It wasn't his fault.

Izumi looked at Sasuke with sadness in her eyes. Sasuke and her knew Daiya wasn't telling them the truth. She could see it in her new son's eyes. He was in denial. "We need to let him rest." She got up placing her hand on Sasuke's hand. "He's not going to tell us. It's best if we don't pry it out of him," she whispered.

"I know. I don't want to have to separate the both of them. If Idai is causing him to have attacks like this, then I have no choice," Sasuke whispered back. Daiya was staring at the wall. They had to leave him alone for now.

Daiya curled up. His mind was more on Idai than himself. Was it wise of me to tell him how I viewed him? How I felt? I can't lose Idai. I can't lose him to his past. He closed his eyes. He could hear Idai screaming.

He narrowed his eyes at the target. Idai withdrew one of his swords. He rotated his wrist causing wind currents with the blade. The holes in the sword emitted a deafening sound as he turned his body, his arm moving outwards to flick the weapon at the wooden target in front of him. The sound waves he used were directed and went flying at the target, thus shattering it.

Idai kept his sword aimed at what used to be the target. His arm was shaking. Tears were flowing down his cheeks. I'm hurting everyone around me by remaining here. My dad doesn't deserve this. Neither does Kiba sensei, or my team. Not even Daiya. Idai's vision became blinded by his own grief. The voices were talking to him

constantly now. They sounded as if a crowd of people had surrounded him and were demanding attention all at once. "Shut up," he told them as his voice broke. "Shut up! Leave me alone! I don't want to hear any of you anymore!"

Idai dropped his sword onto the ground. He grabbed his head, closing his eyes and crouched low as if he expected an overhead attack. "Leave me alone," he screamed. "I don't understand what you're trying to tell me! Shut up! SHUT UP!"

Two figures came running out of the brush. They had been training since that morning. Yanagi Lee and Masaru Uzumkai, Idai's teammates, knew about the flashbacks. Idai had had one during a training session with Kiba. It appeared this particular one was driving Idai insane.

Yanagi ran up to him quickly. She crouched looking up into his face. Idai didn't seem to see her. His eyes were open, focused on something unseen. She put her hand on his forehead. "Idai, do you know I'm here? Idai?" Idai didn't answer.

Masaru kneeled beside Yanagi. "He doesn't know we're here, Yanagi. Takeru said that when Onari sings to him, he snaps out of it. Try singing to him," Masaru said. Idai was yelling loudly, "Go away!"

"Masaru, I don't know any songs off the top of my head. I only know one my mom taught me when I was little," Yanagi said. "I'll have to make one up." She leaned towards Idai holding onto his wrists so he wouldn't try to hurt her.

"Think of something, Yanagi," Masaru said. "Idai's flipping out worse than I've ever seen." He looked at his teammate with concern. How are we supposed to fight Idai's visions if we don't know what he's seeing?

Yanagi took a deep breath. She didn't know what Onari sang to him before. The words didn't matter. It was the sound. Yanagi's eye opened wide. The sound! Singing is a pleasant sound! It chases away the bad sounds he knows like a candle chasing away the dark! That's it!

Yanagi cleared her head. It has to be sweet in tone, or this isn't going to work. She calmly started to sing to Idai. "As the leave change for the fall, I sit and ponder it all. Will you come and sit with me? Under the maple tree~ We shall talk and laugh, as one~ Till nightfall chases the sun~ amongst the twinkling sky as the baby birds fly~ Come sit with me and listen- as the stars glisten. Let me sail with you- out in the open blue~ As the morning come to dance, we'll both be sleeping by chance, under the maple tree- just you and me~"

Masaru watched as Idai's arms untensed. Idai swallowed as his breathing started to calm down. Masaru looked up at him. "Idai?" Idai looked back at him with shaky eyes. "It's over. It's okay," Masaru said softly.

Yanagi touched his face gently. Idai tensed again as he started to realize she was there. "Am I a good singer?" She smiled at him, before she hugged him. Yanagi was trying her best to lighten the mood.

"H-How long have you guys been here," Idai asked. He was so ashamed he couldn't look at them. I'm hurting everyone around me. I can't do this to them!

"Only a little while," Masaru said.

"I don't need you guys to get involved," Idai said rather lowly. "I can handle this on my own!" He freed himself from Yanagi's grasp, moving back with his head downcast.

"No, you can't! It's hurting you," Yanagi said trying to make him understand. "You're my teammate and my friend, Idai. I can't let you fight this on your own! Don't you trust us?"

"No," Idai said emotionless and with a serious tone.

Masaru clenched his hands. "We're your teammates and you don't trust us? After we've helped you and everything? Why," he demanded to know. "Why, Idai?"

Idai's expression turned to one Masaru and Yanagi had never seen. It wasn't the Idai they knew. The person in front of them was serious, violent, secretive, and resentful. Yanagi's eyes quivered as Idai picked up his sword. The boy half-way aimed it, pointing it a little over her head.

"I don't trust anyone," Idai said harshly. "Especially not ninja from the hidden leaf village."

Masaru gritted his teeth. He unhooked the large shuriken on his back. "You attack her, and I'll attack you," he warned. I don't care if he is my teammate. Right now, the person in front of me, is not Idai. I don't know who that is!

Yanagi had to be brave. Idai could hurt her. She knew that. I have to be strong for myself. I have to be strong for Idai. He's not in his right mind. That's not him. It isn't! Yanagi stood up. The second sword was aimed at her abdomen. Idai's face did not change. "Who am I to you," she asked softly.

"A leaf-nin," Idai answered.

"Incorrect," Yanagi said. She watched Idai quirk a brow. "What is my name? You don't know, do you? You have no idea who I am," she said.

Masaru caught on to what she was doing. "Who am I, Idai? What's my name? Who is your trainer? Who is your dad?"

"Stop it! You are leaf-nin," Idai snapped. "I have no trainer! I have no parents! I am alone!"

"No! You're not alone," Yanagi said. "We're here, but you don't realize it! What about us? What about Takeru? Ryu? Daiya?" She watched as Idai's swords started to shake. "Do you remember Daiya?"

"Do you remember calling him 'lightening bug'? How he saved Yanagi from Hire? Any of it," Masaru demanded. "You have to know who we are!"

Idai's face was changing. He was fighting it. Something had a strong hold on him. The boy from the sound village lowered his swords. He looked at Yanagi. He saw the fear on her face - in her eyes. Masaru had his shuriken out. What... was I doing? Why is Yanagi and Masaru afraid of me?

They were watching him, not moving. He looked from one to the other, his eyes softened. Idai had to leave. He knew it. It had come to this. "I can't be on your team anymore. I don't wish to hurt any of you. Tell Kiba sensei and Daiya 'I'm sorry for everything.' I have to go," Idai said softly. He sheathed the swords onto his back and turned around to leave.

"Where are you going," Masaru yelled after him. "Idai! Idai!" Idai's form faded away amongst the trees.

There was a loud knocking at the door. Areku Inuzuka got up. "Who in the world is causing all of that commotion?" He grumbled. Areku walked tot he door and opened it. Masaru and Yanagi were standing outside panting. "What's wrong? Did you guys run all of the way here?"

"Areku, where's Kiba sensei," Masaru panted. "Idai tried to attack Yanagi!" He grabbed her arm and pushed her inside.

Areku couldn't believe it. It had finally happened. Idai had snapped. "Hold on. Dad," Areku took off to find his father.

"Idai wasn't himself. It wasn't him," Yanagi said. Masaru was looking at her as if he didn't believe any of it. "It wasn't Idai who was doing it!"

Kiba came running once he had learned what was going on from his son. "Yanagi! Masaru! Are you two okay?" They both nodded. "What happened? Did Idai hurt you? Yanagi!"

Yanagi started crying. She didn't believe Idai was to blame. She couldn't accept the fact that he was a bad person. "It wasn't Idai. It wasn't him, sensei. His face changed. He changed. His personality was not his own," she said through her tears.

"Idai has no emotion in him except hatred," Masaru said. "It was like he wasn't his own person - like someone else had taken over inside of him."

Kiba placed his hands on Yanagi's shoulders. He looked at her. Areku was standing behind him watching intently. "Tell me everything that went on. Every action; every detail; everything that was said."

Idai packed his belongings. He sighed as he closed the flap. Someone was behind him. He stood up, not turning around. "What do you want," he asked seriously.

"I want to know why you tried to attack your teammates," Kiba said from the doorway. He had gotten to know Idai over the past few months quite well. The boy didn't turn around. "Idai."

Gai was on the other side of the wall, listening. He had to know how sick Idai was. When Kiba had came to him earlier and told him what had transpired, Gai didn't want to believe it at first. He had to come up with a solution for Idai. He wouldn't caste him out. He had adopted the boy and he was Gai's responsibility now.

"I don't know what happened," Idai answered. "I keep hearing the voices. They aren't stopping. My nightmares are so bad, that my clothes are soaked when I wake. I hurt everybody around me: Daiya, my team, you, my dad - everyone... I cannot stay here and torment the others around me."

"So you're going to run," Kiba said. "That's a fine fix when everyone has tried to help you overcome it. You're just going to pick up and leave like we don't exist! That is not what Gai has taught you! Or me! That is not what your friends deserve, Idai."

Idai turned around at that point. His eyes met Kiba's, but he was looking past him. "I'm not on your team anymore. I'm no longer your concern. You don't have to be responsible for me. Worry about Yanagi and Masaru."

"Being on my team is not why I am here. I am not here as your trainer. I'm here as your friend, Idai. I still hold that bond with you, whether you like it, or not," Kiba said. He looked at the boy more intently. The boy looked away.

"I'll only hurt you. I can't control it anymore. I don't know how. I've tried. Everyone has tried to help me. There is something wrong with me and I don't want it to prevent anyone from living," Idai said as he closed his eyes.

"Then don't you think we need to find out what the solution is," Kiba asked. "We can't leave you to dwell in the past, Idai. You have to move forward with or without us. Right now, it doesn't matter if you hate us for our efforts. I'm willing to sacrifice my bond with you if it means you come out unscathed."

"Adults are weird," Idai said. "You talk as if you really mean what you say. As if your feelings about something are seen on the same level as pride."

"He does mean what he says," Gai said as he showed himself. "Kiba is loyal. He always has been. So are you friends. They would do anything for you, despite what it would do to them."

"That isn't true," Idai said in disbelief.

"It isn't? What about when Daiya approached you? He took the responsibility to try and find out what is wrong - at the cost of his friendship to you. You mean as much to him, as he means to you," Gai said. He could see Idai weighing it all out. "I need to find out what is going on inside your head, son, but you are a danger to those around you."

Kiba looked at him. "So what are you planning to do? Idai won't let anyone help him - not even Daiya. What are we supposed to do?"

Gai only had one solution. "Idai and I will leave the hidden leaf village. We will find out what is wrong with him. You guys will stay here and live. I don't know how long it will take, but I will get to the root of the problem. I have to. He's my son."

"And where do you figure is a good place to start," Kiba asked.

"The root of all of Idai's problems is where he comes from. You will have to face it, Idai, but you won't be alone. I'll be with you every step of the way." Idai looked up at him.

"Why would you be willing to do all of that for me," Idai asked.

"Because you're mine, you hard headed kid," Gai said. "Finish packing. We'll leave soon." He turned to Kiba. "I don't want the others to know until we're gone. Daiya might chase Idai. It's best if we drop everything like it is and go."

"I understand," Kiba said. "What if a solution can't be found for him? The mind is a labrynith of unopened doors. Idai has a lot of confusing turns going on inside of his head."

"If we can't cure him, then we won't return. I cannot have him cause injury to another person. It is better for him to live with memories than regret," Gai said. "I have to look at things from both sides of the fence, Kiba - as his father and his protector."

Kiba looked at Idai for the last time. Idai was walking around like a zombie going through things. "I don't know if I agree, but it is your decision. Take care of him, Gai. He needs all the support he can get." Kiba left. He couldn't bear to hug Idai or comfort him. The decision was made. Idai was going to have to face his past like a man.

Takeru bounced on the bed. "Daiya, get up," he sang to his brother. Daiya was ignoring him. Takeru crawled over him. He put his face next to his. "Daiya, I know you're awake."

Daiya glanced at him. "You don't take hints very well," he said unemotionally. He kept looking at Takeru's happy face.

Takeru flopped over. "Did something happen? All you do is come in here and lay in the bed. Are you sick?" Daiya shook his head. "Has someone been mean to you? Want me to set their pants on fire," he said laughing lightly.

"I just want to be left alone," Daiya said. He couldn't be mean to Takeru. No one knew what had happened between him and Idai. He wondered where Idai was. Why hasn't he came by? Is he angry at me for asking?

Takeru looked at the bed sheets. There was a large mass under them. "Um, Daiya, is that you?" Daiya looked down. The mass started to inch closer. It stopped short of Takeru and Daiya. What is that?

The sheets popped up unexpectedly. A person was under there! Takeru put his arms in front of his body and tried to ward the person off. The figure was wearing a feline ANBU mask. Takeru went over the side of the bed as he fell.

"Onari, that wasn't nice. You shouldn't scare baby Takeru," Daiya said. The girl tilted her head at him. "I don't scare so easily."

"Has she got my ANBU mask," Sasuke yelled from his bedroom.

"Yes," Daiya yelled back. Sasuke padded down the hall towards the room. "She scared Takeru with it."

"Onari," Sasuke said. The girl turned around to look at him. She tilted her head. "Stay out of the closet."

"Onari Sasuke," she said in her broken speech.

"Aw, Sasuke, she looks cute," Izumi said with a laugh. "Daiya, get out of bed. We're not letting you mope any longer. You have to find something to do."

"She's right, Daiya. I don't know what occurred between you and Idai, but you can't lay in bed all day," Sasuke said. He raised his finger for Daiya to get up immediately. Daiya's lip quivered as if he were being punished. "Takeru, you and Onari leave the room. Now," he said with authority.

Takeru didn't like it when his dad was angry, or being stern. He grabbed onto Onari's wrist. He tugged her to follow. She followed him out of the room looking back at Daiya and Sasuke.

"Daiya, you will level with me. I've waited for you to tell me on your own. I want to know what went on," Sasuke said. "I can tell when you lie like you did the other day. Idai caused your attack didn't he? Daiya, sit up and don't look away from me. I am not your enemy."

Daiya sat up. He looked at Sasuke. "Idai didn't cause it," he said softly.

"Daiya Eimino," Sasuke said sternly. "Do not cover for him!" He looked at him with a parenting look. "I won't have him upsetting you to the point where your arrythmia is affected."

Daiya shook his head, his teeth biting his lower lip. "Dad, he didn't make me upset. I-," he closed his eyes. "I did it to myself. I couldn't let Idai know what was going on. The thought of him resenting me got to me."

"Daiya," Sasuke said as he walked forward. He sat on the bed. "Look at me. I don't want you to think I don't have your best interests in mind. As a father, I have to protect the three of you to the best of my ability. No one else matters. If someone ever hurts any of you, he would regret it for the rest of eternity," Sasuke said so seriously that Daiya tensed.

"I can't force you to listen to me. I'm not your real father. The least I expect is for you to not upset Takeru. He is still to young to understand real cruelty that exists in this world."

Daiya slowly reached forward to touch Sasuke's hand. He grabbed onto it; looking at it. "You're the only one who wanted me," Daiya said so softly that Sasuke had to lean forward to hear him. "You're my real dad. I'd rather have you than the nicest guy in Konoha. Takeru is the best little brother I've ever had. He accepted me the first time he was my partner for the first vacation the teams took. Izumi is a wonderful mother. She claimed me as hers, despite how I acted towards her. And Onari came at me without fear - or redicule. She said I was her brother after only knowing me a short while. I don't regret my life, Sasuke. I regret what I can't do to protect all of you," Daiya said in the most adult voice.

Sasuke reached forward. He pulled Daiya closer to wrap his arms around him. The boy laid his cheek on his chest. "Daiya Uchiha, you're sentimental and sincere like your brother. And yet, you're quiet and forceful like your old man."

Daiya's eyes widened. He gasped as his heart started to flutter and beat faster. Sasuke had changed his surname. "Y-You and I-Izumi w-want me..?"

Sasuke petted the back of Daiya's rough, messed up hair gently. "Yeah, I guess so. Takeru and Onari like you. Izumi likes you as her own and I think you're pretty cool. Just hope nothing happens to Kurenai. Ryu would cause more strain in this house than I'm willing to go for."

"I need to find out what's going on with Idai," Daiya told Takeru. "It's not like him to be away this long." He leaned against the garden wall.

"Have you and Idai ever fought before," Takeru asked. He watched as his brother shook his head. "Never? Sometimes, Onari and I fight, but it's basically due to her misinterpretation," he said with a smile.

"Onari's cute though," Ryu said as he looked up at the sky. "She's funny, too. Speaking of which...," Ryu paused as he grinned at Takeru. "I hear you're scared of ANBU masks.

Takeru looked at Daiya menacing. "Thanks a lot. What'd you tell him for? You're supposed to be on my side, Daiya."

"I couldn't help it. It was cute of her to get you so easily," Daiya said. He reached up to ruffle Takeru's hair. "Don't be mad, Takeru."

Takeru crossed his arms. "I guess I'll get you back then." Daiya looked at him. "Hey, Ryu, guess what Daiya's new surname is?" Daiya blushed embarrassed.

Ryu glanced at his friends. "New surname? How did you manage that?" Daiya covered Takeru's mouth to prevent him from saying anything further. Takeru was pointing to himself than to Daiya and back to himself. Ryu raised a brow. "I already know he's your brother." Takeru sulked. "Or could it be Sasuke sensei gave you his surname?"

"Dammit, Ryu, you knew the whole time," Daiya said annoyed. Ryu nodded. Takeru raised his arms in triumph. He let Takeru go.

"Why do you think Idai hasn't come around," Ryu asked seriously. He looked at Daiya. He had to tell him. It was why he was here. Daiya would take it easier from him than from Sasuke. Ryu had found out that previous morning from Kiba.

"He's mad at me for prying," Daiya said as he looked out at the garden.

"Do you think that's the real reason," Ryu said looking at Daiya with no expression on his face. "You and Idai are awfully close. You two are never alone without the other. Idai normally goes out of his way to harass you in some form. So I ask you again, do you think he's not around because he's angry at you?"

"I've never seen Idai angry," Takeru said. "He's always happy and moving around. He wasn't even angry when Eiyu was threatening to kick his tail at the hot springs." Takeru looked at his brother's face. He was worried. Ryu was calmly looking at Daiya.

"Spill it, Ryu, where is he," Daiya demanded.

"First, calm down. If you get upset, I'll feel bad," Ryu said. "I'd rather not see you have an attack, Daiya. I will admit it this one time and only this one time. When I see you in pain like that, it feels like my heart is being crushed. So calm down."

Takeru looked at Ryu concerned. Ryu never admitted to anything. He also didn't like to get involved. Daiya was taken aback by what Ryu had said. Takeru watched his brother ease up.

"Are you going to listen and not act ill rationally," Ryu asked. "Daiya, if you can't understand the situation, then I cannot tell you. I was sworn to not upset you. I can't let you chase after Idai." Daiya caught on to what Ryu said. Ryu watched his friend's emotions play out. The shock was all over Daiya's face. "Daiya?" Ryu leaned forward. Daiya was staring straight ahead.

"Ryu, what is the matter," Takeru asked. "Ryu?" He watched Ryu get up. He moved to sit in front of Daiya.

"H-He's gone," Daiya said with a shaky voice. "Idai is... gone." Daiya could see Idai looking over his shoulder at him.

"Where did Idai go," Takeru wanted to know.

"He went with Gai sensei to unlock his past," Ryu said. "Remember the meeting we had? It was clear then as it is now, that Idai is not well. He snapped, Daiya." Daiya looked at him. "Idai came close to hurting his teammates. Gai sensei had to react."

Ryu watched as Daiya kept his eyes focused on him. "Understand that Idai is trying to fix himself. He does not wish to hurt you, or anyone else. He is doing this so he can come back." Ryu stopped. He had to be careful with his wording.

"Idai cares for you so much, Daiya, that he chose to face his fears like a man. He is not running away any longer. Gai sensei told Kiba sensei that if Idai couldn't be helped, to tell you that Idai loves you like a brother and he appreciates everything you've done for him." He paused and waited. "He might not come back," he said gently.

Daiya stared at Ryu. He couldn't move. The tears were flowing down his face. He couldn't stop them. Daiya's body felt numb. Time itself had stopped. Everything he had experienced with Idai had faded away. It was as if it were all a dream. Idai's teasing; his smile; his pranks; the way he slept curled up -it was all a dream.

Ryu knew Daiya was taking it hard. Daiya was overprotective of Idai. He had every right to be. Idai had been very persistent in getting Daiya to notice him; to be friends with him. Ryu felt himself slightly crack. He liked Idai, too. Idai helped end arguments and liven up the group. They had all gotten to be close to each other.

Takeru reached up to rub Daiya's head. His heart was sad for his brother. They might not ever get to see Idai again. "If Idai can be strong for himself, I can be strong for him, too. I know you guys think I don't understand everything, but I know more than I let on. I just have different ways of playing it off."

"We know you're not ignorant, Takeru, but we try to protect you," Ryu said. "Whether you like it or not, you are the youngest on the teams. We're responsible for how you turn out."

Daiya closed his eyes. His hands started to clench. Why now? Why at this moment is it starting? Daiya gritted his teeth. His heart clenched a few times causing him to wince. "R-R-yu-u," he said, his voice being forced out.

Ryu turned his head quickly. "Oh, no," he said softly. "Takeru, get your mom! Hurry!" Takeru took off running. Ryu grabbed Daiya so fast, that his hat fell off. He pressed him against his chest hard. Daiya was gasping for air. Ryu's eyes were wide, alert.

Izumi came running towards the both of them. She practically threw herself at the ground. "Ryu, we have to get his vest and bandages off," she said quickly. They started to free Daiya of his clothing. Once everything was off, Izumi placed the palm of her hand on Daiya's back right behind his heart. "Ryu, don't be alarmed. This is to help get his heart's rhythm under control. He's going to yell." Ryu looked at her fearfully. "Hold him still at all costs."

Izumi had to act quickly and calmly. If Daiya's heart wasn't calmed soon, it would stop. She began to push her chakra out of her hand towards Daiya's heart. The energy she was sending towards him, was being sent in a chakra wave against his heart.

Daiya started to yell in pain. His body jerked hard. Ryu held him with all of his strength. The pain was so unbearable that Daiya's body started to push Ryu's arms, trying to get away. Soon Daiya felt his heart calm down. His breathing was quick and short. He didn't know what had happened, but despite the ache he felt in his heart, he was okay.

Ryu kept holding his friend and teammate. Daiya's attack had put him out of commission. He was weakly laying on Ryu. "What did you do to help him," he asked Izumi.

"It's a chakra push. Neji Hyuga uses it to send his opponents back. I'm not emitting the amount of force he uses, obviously. Too much force can rip Daiya's heart apart," Izumi said. "So far, it's the only technique that will reverse the attacks he experiences."

Ryu looked at Izumi Uchiha seriously. "Teach me. I have to know how to help him; for the sake of us that care about him."

Izumi nodded. "If you are willing to learn, I will teach you. Everyone needs to learn it that knows him. I don't know Daiya's fate at this point with the condition he's in. His heart is permanently damaged from the electrical currents that wrap themselves around it."

Ryu looked down at Daiya. The boy looked pale. "Daiya has to become stronger. There's no other solution. His heart will catch up with the rest of him."

"I couldn't have said it better," Sasuke said. He had been watching Ryu and Izumi for a short while. "This mess with Idai is testing Daiya in the worst way. We've got to get his mind off of it. I hate to say this, but Daiya has to forget about Idai."

"That in itself will hurt him," Ryu said. "Daiya needs to focus on other things -not entirely forget Idai. You should never forget someone that cares for you."

"Ryu," Sasuke said. The boy looked up at him. "Caught you."

Ryu's eye twitched. "I hate how you do that. Now is not the time, Sasuke sensei," he said angrily.

"Sasuke, stop trapping Ryu into opening up for a moment," Izumi said. "We need to focus on Daiya. I don't like these attacks anymore than you do. It hurts to watch the pain on his face," she said as she rubbed her son's head. "How can we approach this?"

"We need a vacation. It would be good for the kids to get away for a while. Ryu can go - and so can Saori. Everyone that is close to Daiya should. You guys can help him heal. It's important right now that he gets closer to all of you," Sasuke said.

"I understand what you're trying to do," Ryu said. "But do you honestly think Daiya will accept all of us as we are? He was only that close to Idai. He's always stood a distance from the rest of us. Even me. Not saying that I've been trying to get him to like me. I don't worry about that sort of thing."

Sasuke and Izumi both looked at Ryu coyly. "We're not falling for it, Ryu," they said. Ryu was trying to direct the attention off of what he had said earlier.

"Saori is right," Daiya said weakly as he started to come around. "You are a turkey." He looked up at the Genin. Ryu tried to play off being caught by scratching his head.

"Eh, how long have you been awake," Ryu asked looking off into the distance.

"I heard half of what you said about me not liking you," Daiya admitted weakly. Ryu was avoiding looking at him. "To be fair, Ryu, you have to let someone be able to grasp onto something. It's hard when you're sitting on a pedestal and you keep staring at the clouds - not looking around you."

"And where did the little lightening bug hear something like that," Ryu asked glancing at him.

"From my brother," Daiya said. "Although, I stopped staring at the clouds. I saw him waving his arms around to get my attention. Maybe you should take your eyes off of the horizon for a while."

Ryu looked down at Daiya. "Alright, my eyes are looking around starting now. I see you, Sasuke sensei, and Ms. Izumi. Now what?"

"Keep your eyes open," Sasuke said. He placed his hand on Ryu's head. The kid looked up quirking a brow at him. "It's better to see where you're going than to walk blindly, trust me."

"Is Daiya okay now," Takeru yelled from the porch.

"Yes, he's alright," Izumi said. "Takeru, you need to pack. We're going on a family vacation. Help Onari."

"Really," Takeru said bewildered. He ran off faster than anyone had expected. "Onari! We're going on a vacation! Get your clothes ready!"

"Onari no understand," Onari yelled at him from inside the house. "Onari no understand Takeru! Takeru out! Takeru out Onari room! Onari clothes Onari's!"

Izumi sighed. "Well, it looks like I'm up. Ryu, please let Saori know alright?" She shook her head as she went inside to stop Onari from pummeling Takeru.

Sasuke crouched. "I think we'll go camping. Is that alright with you two?"

"I like camping. You can see the stars at night," Daiya said as Sasuke picked him up. He grimaced. Ryu stood up as well. "Ryu." The older boy looked at him. "You're not so bad- even for a turkey."

Ryu watched as Sasuke took Daiya in to rest. He rolled his shoulders. "Yeah, you're not so bad for a lightening bug, either. I guess I'll keep my eyes open." He smiled under his mask.


	54. Chapter 54

**V6 ch 3**

**The wind behind the sail**

Onari clutched onto Daiya as she hid behind him. She was staring at the water in front of them with a very hesitant reaction. Sasuke and Izumi hadn't mentioned going swimming on the camping tip. She glanced at Takeru. He was happily splashing around his father.

"Aw, what's wrong with Onari," Saori asked. "She's staring at the water awfully hard." She was wearing her hair down for the occasion. It was easier to let it dry that way than to be up in a ponytail.

"Saori, she's scared of water. A lot actually. Don't tease her about it," Daiya said. He blinked. "Are you planning on wearing that mask all day," he asked Ryu.

"No, but there's a reason I'm still wearing it. Onari had to see me take it off," Ryu said. The girl was watching him curiously. He raised his finger for her to wait. Ryu took his shirt off. The mask came off with it. "See?" She was tilting her head. "This is what I look like. It's a secret."

"Onari see Ryu face," Onari said. "Ryu face… secret. Onari understand boy Ryu."

Ryu smiled and nodded at her approval of understanding. "Have you guys ever seen a yellow and pink fish before?" He raised his eyebrows, grinned, and turned around quickly to grab Saori. He picked her up and started to run towards the water.

"Ryu," Saori screamed as he dove off of the embankment into the water.

Daiya twitched his eyebrow. "I don't think that's going to help Onari." He felt her grab onto him more. Daiya glanced over his shoulder at her. She was peering over his shoulder with her eyes wide and alert. "He's not going to throw you in. Ryu's not cruel."

"Onari no like water," she said rather afraid.

Daiya turned around to look at her. "Come on, we'll find something else to do." He took her hand. "It's okay. No water, I promise."

"Oh, you are so going to get it," Ryu said. He narrowed his eyes at Sasuke. Sasuke had sent a wave of water at him. He coughed.

"And I guess you're going to be the one to do it, huh," Sasuke said as he challenged Ryu.

"Uh, oh," Takeru said as he watched his father slowly start to ease towards Ryu. He moved towards Saori. "Move back," he whispered. "Dad's going to get Ryu."

"Yeah, I kind of figured he was going to," Saori said. She and Takeru started to move away quickly. Ryu had a bad habit of challenging the worst people.

Sure enough, Ryu leapt at Sasuke trying to take his chance. Saori and Takeru watched as Sasuke ducked under the water as soon as Ryu was air born. Ryu landed right where Sasuke had previously been.

"Miscalculation," Ryu said as he smiled rather goofily at them. He felt something grab onto his legs from underneath him. He sighed. "Well, it was fun," he said as he saluted. Ryu went under the water as he got pulled.

"How is he able to act so calmly about it," Saori asked. Takeru laughed as his father popped up gain. Sasuke shook his wet hair. Saori looked around. "Um, sensei, what'd you do with Ryu?"

"Hmm? Oh." Sasuke raised his arms. Ryu came up coughing and spewing water. "Sorry," he said apologizing.

Ryu eyed him as he coughed his head off. He pointed at his trainer. "He had me in a leg lock!" Ryu moved away like a deer leaping through water when Sasuke turned to look at him fully.

Saori busted out laughing. "Ryu went from being a turkey to a giant chicken." Her daughter died the second Sasuke started to stare at her. She froze.

"We're not on teams right now," Sasuke said. "We're family on this tip. So in saying so, Saori Nara, you have ten seconds to get as far away as you can."

Saori turned around as fast as she could trying to run through the water. Sasuke wasn't known for not being serious in what he meant. She could hear him moving towards her and she started to scream at high-pitch.

"Ah-hah! Whose a chicken now woman," Ryu yelled at Saori. He watched as Sasuke came at Saori's side. He jumped at her and she went down into the water. "I think I like your dad, Uchiha. I would have paid to see that," he said laughing.

"Hey, where did Daiya and Onari go," Takeru asked as he looked around the embankment.

Daiya and Onari leapt from branch to branch going up and up into the trees. The top of the trees started to come into view after some time. Daiya stopped at the top branch. Onari was right on his tail. She leapt a few more times in order to catch up to him. "I see you're getting faster."

Onari wondered why they were all of the way up here. She looked into the sky. "Onari see clouds."

Daiya sat down. "You're not afraid to be up high like this, are you?" She only looked at him, in return. "Amazing when a fall from this height would surely kill you – yet, you seem to be more at home here than anywhere."

"Daiya, why Daiya like tree?"

"You can see everything from up here. Clouds, birds, people below that don't realize you can see them. You're safe for the most part," Daiya said. "Do you know how to hang upside-down?"

Onari only tilted her head. she placed her hands on the branch of the tree, shifted her weight, and stood on her head. she looked at Daiya as she balanced. "Upside-down."

Daiya copied her. He looked back at her with a small smile on his face. "You know how to balance well, I'll give you that, but I meant another way. Watch." Daiya flipped over. He placed his feet on the edge of the branch then started to walk. His chakra became glued to the branch. Daiya stood upside-down on the other side of the branch. "Onari, look over."

Onari cautiously peeked over the branch. She blinked. Daiya was upside-down hanging below her. He waved at her, smirking. "How Daiya upside-down?"

"You have to glue your chakra to the tree branch in order to pull it off," Daiya said explaining it to her. "It takes practice. If you practice it for a while, you'll get the hang of it. Keep working at it and you'll learn to do the same." He watched as Onari started to come over the side. "Onari, don't try it!" She stopped. "If you fall from this height, there'd be no way for me to catch you! We'll see if Saori will help teach you, okay?"

"Saori teach Onari upside-down?"

Daiya walked himself to where he was upright again. "Yeah, she can hold onto you with her chakra strings for a little at a time. It'd be safer that way. We should go back now. They don't know where we are."

"I was wondering where you two went off to," Izumi said. She flapped out a sheet and laid it on the ground. Daiya moved back. He knew what was coming. "Daiya, come on. You know you have to. Fighting us doesn't do any good."

"I don't want to lay down," Daiya said defiantly. He moved back even more. Sasuke and Izumi had started to make sure he rest every day since his last attack. It was the only way to lessen the chances of his heart acting up on him.

"Daiya, do as you're told," Sasuke said. He threw down some wood for a fire. "We had a talk about this before we left. You know why you have to. I'm not going to argue with you over it."

Daiya looked at Ryu and Saori. He averted his eyes quickly. Now they know. He was embarrassed about others finding out. "I'm not a little kid," he said angrily.

Daiya's in trouble. Takeru moved back as if he was the one caught. His father stood up fully. Sasuke turned around and started to walk towards Daiya.

"What's going on," Saori asked.

"Daiya has to rest. Mom and Dad make him so he doesn't overexert himself," Takeru tried to explain. "It's not an issue with Onari and I. We're used to it. Sometimes, we lay down with him to calm him down. Daiya fights Dad every day about it."

Onari watched as Sasuke grabbed Daiya. Her brother was kick his legs and struggling to break free from the man's hold on him. "Daiya trouble," Onari said rather fast.

Ryu was watching everything play out. He kind of felt sorry for Daiya. He added his sticks to the pile of wood before he walked over. Sasuke had Daiya on the sheet and was forcing him to be still.

"Stop it, Daiya," Sasuke said rather annoyed. He sat on the boy's back and placed his forearm over the back of Daiya's neck. His legs were kicking, but he wasn't able to get up. "I know you're acting like this because there are others here. Knock it off," Sasuke warned.

Ryu's eyes softened. He's embarrassed. No one likes their weaknesses to be made public. He walked over to the sheet and crawled onto it. Ryu laid on his stomach next to Daiya. He looked over at him. Daiya was watching him. "Running from Sasuke sensei makes me tired. If I don't rest, he may catch me later. Boy, would I regret it," Ryu said as he laid his head on his arms.

Onari also crawled beside Ryu. She laid on her back. "Onari tired from tree jump," she said as she yawned. "Daiya make Onari go to the top," she told everyone around her.

Saori soon followed suite. She laid on her stomach on the other side of Daiya. "You know, if we lay down and rest for a while, we can stay up as late as we want without being tired." She smiled at Daiya as he looked at her.

Daiya caught on to what they were doing. "I'm not stupid! I know what you guys are up to!" He hit both of his hand on the ground. "Go away," Daiya said fed up with the situation. He kicked his legs hard, but Sasuke wasn't moving.

Takeru crouched in front of his brother. "Daiya, before you do something regrettable with Dad, you better look around." He pointed to Ryu and Onari. Daiya turned his head to look in that direction. Ryu and Onari were both asleep. "Onari hates to go to sleep more than you do. They're only asking you to lay down for a little while. It's for your own good."

"Either you do as we ask or you strain yourself," Izumi said. "You know what happens if you do. We can't keep after you, Daiya. You're not a child."

Daiya looked up at Izumi. She wasn't happy with his attitude, either. He closed his eyes. "I hate laying down. I'm not weak," he said very unhappy.

"Is that what it is? Daiya, we're all weak to some extent," Saori said. "I'm not as strong as I would like to be. I'm weak in that area." He was watching her calmly. His legs had finally stopped kicking.

"Ryu can't handle being responsible for someone other than himself," Sasuke said feeling the need to tell on him. he caught Saori's surprised look. "Yeah, that's why he doesn't like to get involved. You guys didn't hear that from me."

"Onari misinterprets more than just language," Takeru said. "She also can't control her aggression when she gets frustrated. It's one of her weak points."

"And… Takeru has anxiety over unfamiliar situations, training, and people," Izumi said also telling on her son. "I have a weakness when it comes to worrying about my family. Sasuke is also overprotective of the ones he's close to. They are weaknesses that everyone has."

"Yeah, Daiya," Saori said with a yawn. "It's not something you can avoid. The only way to turn a weakness into a strength is to let others help you with it." She closed her eyes.

"You're hardheaded," Takeru said. "Lay down already." He laid in between Daiya and Saori. Daiya was getting tired. His eyes were closing and opening slowly. Takeru was watching him with a soft smile. He was glad his brother had stopped fighting everyone around him. "You're tired," Takeru said softly.

"No, I'm not," Daiya said lowly. Takeru was watching him as he rubbed the top of his head. Daiya felt Sasuke ease up. He was calmer now than before. "I'm…not…tired," he said again, even softer.

"Yes, you are," Takeru said back to him even softer as Daiya's eyes closed. He watched his brother's breathing get deeper and deeper. Takeru kept rubbing Daiya's head to keep him from waking up suddenly. He was asleep. "Man, he's stubborn."

"Yeah, he is," Sasuke said. "It's bad enough we have to go through this every day with him." He slowly got up. He had to watch his footing. Ryu was sleeping awfully close to Daiya.

"It's sad," Izumi said as she kept her eyes on her new son. "He only willingly lays down for Idai. I really hope he will come back to Konoha. Daiya loves him so much. I know you guys miss him, too."

"I wonder where he is. I wonder what he's doing," Takeru said with his mind on Idai now. "Do you think Idai will forget us if he doesn't come back?"

"No," Sasuke said answering his son. "You guys are his family, Takeru. He won't forget any of you – no matter what happens. You guys have influenced him to overcome his obstacles. Whether you realize it or not, you have the tendency to make everyone around you stronger."

"I…do…?"

Sasuke nodded. "You've made Ryu stronger. I know that for a fact. He normally doesn't care about another soul, but he is started to get protective of his team. Speaking of which, Saori also tries harder in what she does. Lee told me that much. She has more effort and determination being on a team with you. Daiya has gotten to the point of opening up gradually now instead of slamming a door in our faces. He's not hiding who he is. Why do you suppose that is?" He looked at his son.

Takeru thought back to one particular night. "He became upset a while back and let his anger out with me and Idai in the room. Daiya had tears coming out of his eyes. It made me feel bad. I wanted him to understand how I viewed him – so… I told him. ever since then, he's been nicer to me and he looks out for me."

"What did you say to him," Izumi asked. She was watching her son. He was pondering whether he should tell them or not.

"The truth: I love him. He had to hear it. I don't think Daiya's ever heard anyone mean it before. I just… don't know how to make Ryu understand that he's important, too," Takeru said as he sat up crossing his legs.

"Ryu's a turkey," Sasuke said as he snatched Saori's word for the boy. "He may realize it, but I'm not sure. He has the tendency to hide everything well. All I can say regarding him is for you to watch him and listen to his words. He slips up every now and again."

"Hey, look what I found," Ryu said excitedly. As they got closer, a round shaped tree started to show itself. With its leaves bristling in the wind, the apple tree stood like a diamond in the rough of the forest with the sun shinning upon it.

"An apple tree," Daiya said as he stated the obvious.

"Say Daiya, how many apple do you think you can fit into your vest," Ryu asked.

Daiya cocked his head. "You want me to stuff my clothes with apples? Why?"

Ryu reached up to ruffle the boy's messy hair. "We're going to carry as many as we can back to camp. Onari's favorite food next to dumplings is apples. Takeru told me that much. She won't eat the fish out of the river. It's only fair to accommodate her."

Daiya looked up at the tree. "So whose going to climb and whose going to catch?" Ryu lifted him up to sit on the branch. Daiya looked down at him. "Ryu, how come you're being nice to me?"

"Hmm?" Ryu tilted his head. He was caught off guard. "Daiya, just get the apples." He looked away.

Daiya continued to look down at him. "Is it that hard for you to admit anything? Even if something is important?" He kept his hard gaze on Ryu. "If something ever happened to someone you cared for, wouldn't that bother you? Isn't it better to tell someone how you are, than to let it go unnoticed, or unsaid?"

"You're spending too much time talking to Takeru," Ryu said softly. "When you admit anything, you're leaving less of yourself for others to find out about. There is a reason I do what I do and say what I say when I say it."

"Ryu, I already lost Idai and… I almost lost the chance to tell him how I viewed him. It… wasn't for my benefit that I told him. It was for his. He needed to be stronger. I wanted him to know what he meant to me. I've never told anyone how I felt about them – probably because I didn't think it was possible for someone to actually care… But that's not the point. I've always been afraid to admit that I was human. You're human, too, aren't you?"

"I don't know if I'm willing to take a lecture right now, Daiya," Ryu said cutting him off.

"Ryu, you jerk! I was trying to tell you how I view you! I doubt you care." Daiya stood up on the branch. He started to climb higher into the tree in order to get away from the Genin. Ryu was watching him intently. "I can't say anything to you. Your ears are closed," Daiya mumbled.

Ryu scratched his head as Daiya started to throw down apples. He sighed. "I'm probably going to regret this," he said to himself. Ryu grabbed onto the branch and hoisted himself up. "Daiya." Daiya was ignoring him. "Daiya, don't be mad at me." He glanced at Ryu. "Daiya…"

"I'm not mad at you," Daiya said. "I don't understand you. There's a difference." He threw down a few more apples. They hit the ground and rolled.

"At this rate, we're going to have applesauce," Ryu said smiling. Daiya blinked. That made him look. His hand was frozen in midair towards an apple. That made him stop. Ryu reached over to grab onto Daiya's vest. He yanked him towards him.

Daiya lost his balance as Ryu yanked him. He staggered. "Ryu, why did you tug me? I could have fell you-" He felt Ryu put his arms around him. Daiya stood silently wondering what had caused Ryu to do that. How was he able to tell Saori how he felt, but not Takeru or him? Takeru had known Ryu longer than Daiya though. Takeru was always with him.

Ryu closed his eyes and sighed heavily. It was hard for him to feel things. His lungs felt heavy in his chest. "If I spill everything right now, would it make me less of a man in your eyes, Daiya? Would it?"

"No," Daiya said rather bluntly. "It would make you more of one. You'd be allowing others to see the real you. It's not a bad thing, Ryu."

"I hope you're right," Ryu said. He looked down at Daiya. His red eyes were serious and unwavering. "The reason I put a wall up is because I'm safe behind it. It keeps me from slipping into the darkness where demons lurk. They get a hold of me when I let my guard down." Daiya opened his mouth to say something. "Hold on, lightening bug. My thoughts are always moving around – never stopping. I have dark thoughts, Daiya. I don't know why, but I do. I don't want you guys to see the bad side of me."

"Ryu, we accept you for who you are. Whatever you're dealing with – whatever it is- we'll help you with it," Daiya said. He felt Ryu grab onto him harder as the older boy looked away. "Don't look away from me. I'm not fighting for myself any longer. I fight for those around me. Why is it hard for you to believe that?"

"No one means what they say," Ryu said with a point. "People say things in order to appease the beast inside of you. Nothing more." He let Daiya go.

"So you have a problem with words. You think words are meaningless. What about actions, Ryu? Expressions? You're not hollow," Daiya said. "Don't you feel anything when Takeru laughs at you? Or when Dad messes up your hair to get your attention? Anything?"

"I'd rather not feel anything at all," Ryu said. "It hurts to let others get to you." He didn't look at Daiya.

Daiya's expression turned to sadness. "I want to know you, but it's hard climbing the walls you put up. You said you would stop looking at the horizon, Ryu. What good is it to remain so guarded?"

Ryu clenched his hands. "If I let you guys know what you mean to me, something will happen to you," he shouted angrily all of a sudden. He turned away fully. "I don't want anything to happen to you guys. That's why I distance myself. I'm afraid you and Takeru will slip through my fingers."

"I'm a ninja because someone, somewhere means something to me," Daiya said trying to make Ryu understand. "If you didn't mean anything to me, I would have let myself quit the team before. If I didn't hold your friendship as a great asset, I would have never let you buy me ramen, Ryu." He paused. "Takeru thinks you're the strongest person he knows besides his father because you laugh at adversity. He looks up to you more than you think. He tries to help you. I… look up to you, too, but you don't see it. I don't know what you see," he said softly.

Ryu closed his eyes as he crossed his arms. He was mad with himself. "I see two little brothers who need a better older brother. I don't know why you guys view me the way you do. I'm not that great."

"You're blinded by your own faults," Daiya said. "We don't see those. I only see a giant turkey standing in front of me."

Ryu smiled a little. He turned around. "Daiya," he started. "How fast do you think lightening bugs fly?" Daiya quirked a brow. Ryu pushed him off of the branch. Daiya landed on his back. Ryu hopped down besides him.

"Why… did you… push me off of a tree," Daiya said as his hair began to spike out on all ends.

Ryu crouched. He crawled over Daiya to look down at him. "Older brothers taunt their siblings. At least, that's what I hear anyway," he said placing his hand on the back of his head.

Daiya cocked his head. "So… wait. You just called me your… brother?"

Ryu got closer. "For someone that speaks and thinks like an adult, you sure do have the ears of the elderly," he said laughing. "Would you like me to get you a horn?"

Daiya reached up to wrap his arms around Ryu. Ryu got to be very quiet. Daiya petted the back of his head. "Listen closely, because I'll only tell you this once. You'll never hear me say this again. I care about you, as if you were my real brother. I would never wish you harm. If anything happened to you, it would tear me apart, Ryu." Daiya held onto him for a moment.

"Please tell me you're not having an attack. You're too quiet." Daiya shook his head lightly. Ryu sat up with Daiya still holding onto him. "I guess I owe you." He leaned against Daiya slightly. "The most important thing in my life is happiness, Daiya. I would not want anyone to take away yours, or Takeru's. if someone was to do that, the beast inside of me would be unleashed. I only want to keep you guys smiling and laughing. That's why I'm a turkey." Daiya held onto him tightly. "You mean a lot to me, too," Ryu said. He petted Daiya softly as they sat under the apple tree.

"Look what we found," Ryu said as he and Daiya came walking back to camp. Everyone was getting ready for dinner. Sasuke and Izumi were putting fish on sticks to roast by the fire. Takeru was starting the fire while Saori and Onari were doing a chakra exercise. The two girls were hanging upside-down form a branch. Ryu opened his vest letting the apples fall onto the sheet on the ground. Daiya empties his as well.

"Oh, you guys found some apples. Onari will thank you for that," Izumi said as she began to sick the fish into the ground one by one. "These won't take long." Izumi looked around. She pointed next to Sasuke. "Sasuke, can you hand me that jar?" She took it from him. Izumi stood up to get water out of the river.

Saori hopped down with Onari. "You pick up things pretty fast. Do you know how to do a substitution jutsu?" Saori blinked as Onari shook her head. "A transformation jutsu? Clone jutsu? Nothing? Are you serious? What is Mr. Hyuga teaching you?"

"Onari kick. Onari hit. Onari avoid. Onari learn chakra push. Onari know chakra control. Onari fast runner," she said.

"We need to teach you how to do the basic jutsus. you have to know how to do them in order to pass the Academy finals. Wait, Sasuke sensei, how is Onari going to get on a team if she's not studying with Kurenai sensei?"

Sasuke was boiling the water Izumi had retrieved from the river. "I still have to talk to Nar- the Hokage about that. She is sharp, but Onari can't take the written exam. It would have to be verbal for her. I don't know if they would make an exception for her, or not."

Ryu and Daiya were twisting the apple stems off of the apples. Takeru was wiping the apples off and putting them into a pile. Ryu was watching Onari. "Why can't she take the written exam? It's not that hard. It's only a trickery of the mind," Ryu asked again due to his short attention span.

"Onari can't read," Takeru said quietly. "Mom's been trying to teach her caricatures, but Onari doesn't understand that each symbol is a sound. She can't read anything. Not even numbers."

Ryu furrowed his brows. "She needs to understand, at least, the basic caricatures. If she can't read, she won't be able to do missions. you have to write reports to show that information you have. All of Sasuke's efforts will be for nothing unless Onari learns to read and write. The Hokage will pull her off of a team."

Takeru turned around to watch Onari poking a fish. Saori was checking to see which ones were done. "I… don't want Ri to not be included. She's worked hard with Mr. Hyuga. It would be disappointing if she can't advance because her mind is not understanding what she has to know."

Ryu placed his hand on Takeru's head. Takeru looked up at him. "We won't let her walk way that easily. If I have to step in and get a study group going, I will. She has to learn. It's not an option."

Takeru looked up at Ryu. His dad had said that Ryu slipped up occasionally regarding his emotions and true character. Was this a slip up? "Ryu?" Ryu tilted his head. Takeru jumped on top of him. Ryu instantly went backwards. He laughed at the Genin's reaction. "You think your guard would be up," he said rather surprised.

"Yeah, well, I kind of got lectured while we were gone and um, I think it's wiser if I try to be a better uh, older brother than I have been," Ryu said as he looked away embarrassed. Takeru cocked his head. Ryu glanced at him.

"You… don't dispise me," Takeru asked thinking the older boy kind of harbored some feelings he was unsure of.

"No, why would I think of you that way," Ryu said. "You keep me out of trouble." Ryu checked to see if anyone was watching them. He reached up to pull Takeru down. Takeru laid on his chest as he wrapped his arms around him.

"I told you it was important to tell others," Daiya said as he took the seeds out of the apples. "Takeru's been worried about what you think." Daiya threw the seeds away.

Takeru grabbed onto his best friend's sides. He hid his face on Ryu's vest. "Ryu, if I say something, will you promise to not hit me?"

Daiya watched Ryu. Ryu was getting nervous about what Takeru was probably going to say. Takeru was stronger emotionally than either of them. He didn't let anything bother him. "Ryu, stop flipping out. You need to hear it."

Ryu placed his chin on the top of Takeru's head. he stared off at the water. "You're not going to tell me you're actually a girl, are you? You're a cute kid and all, but I'm attracted to Saori," he said laughing mildly. Daiya stared at him. Ryu sighed. "Go ahead," he said defeated.

Takeru was having second thoughts. Telling Daiya what he felt was important at the time. Daiya was hurting from his own past. Ryu wasn't really hurting at the moment. Ryu was just… Ryu. "I'm not going to say it," he said backing off.

"Takeru, tell him," Daiya said. "He's not going to think any lesser of you. Turkeys have small brains."

Ryu twitched.

"I can't look at him, though," Takeru said.

"Am I scary?" Ryu watched Takeru nod. "I am? Scary

as in the sense of being unfamiliar, or that I'm going to punish you?"

"Scary in the sense that you're going to punish me," Takeru said muffled.

Ryu closed his eyes. He rubbed the back of Takeru's head. "It's not easy to let someone in, Takeru. It's really hard, actually… but I know you guys have to know. As Daiya explained to me earlier, we already lost Idai – hopefully not for good. Idai only knew how Daiya felt. I don't know what the road is like ahead of us, so I know I have to say it if you won't." Ryu held onto Takeru firmly. He opened his eyes. "I do… care about you, Uchiha. You and Daiya don't give up on me and I appreciate it."

Takeru held onto Ryu even tighter as he pressed his face into his best friend's arm. "Ryu, I don't want anything to happen to you. Please don't give up on yourself. I know you don't think you have the strength to face some things, but you're not alone anymore."

Ryu reached over and put his arm around Daiya. Daiya blushed. "You two are getting to be too sentimental. Where's Idai when you need him?" For a moment, he sat calmly bonding with Takeru and Daiya. Even though they're younger than me, they seem to have a positive direction despite everything. It's a shame I've hidden from them like this. I guess it's time to stop hiding myself.

"Oh, Onari, guess what Ryu has for you," Takeru said. She turned to look at him. "Ryu found you some apples."

Onari looked up at Ryu. She looked at him with a serious gaze. "Onari apple?"

Ryu bent towards her. "Yes, you are getting apples. What do I get for finding you dinner?" He smiled at her as he closed his eyes. Onari stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. Ryu opened his eyes in surprise. "Well, that's surprising."

Saori crossed her arms. "I saw that," she said annoyed. Ryu only tilted his head at her. Her temper was starting to flare.

"Saori, Onari doesn't understand dating, I promise," Daiya said. "She has no distinction when it comes to age, or gender." Daiya held up his finger for her to wait a moment. "Onari, what am I?"

"Daiya," she answered thinking that was what he wanted to know.

"No, what am I? Am I a boy, girl, man, woman, pet, tree, window, uh, shirt, shoe, or fish," Daiya asked. He watched his sister sort through the words she knew. "Do you know?"

"Daiya not shoe. Shoe on foot. Daiya not fish. Fish in… water. Onari climb tree. Shirt is… this," she said as she tugged her clothes. "Window is… on wall. Onari no understand."

"She really doesn't, does she," Saori said as her temper began to die.

"I am a boy," Daiya said. "Saori and Onari are girls. Izumi is a woman. Sasuke is a man. Does Onari understand?"

Ryu watched Onari curiously. Onari's language skills were wishy-washy. He knew she was very intelligent, though. She was very advanced in her training. He needed to know if it was possible to each her proper Japanese, or if her brain was going to continue to throw out words that didn't work well for her.

Onari tilted her head. "Takeru boy. Daiya boy. Ryu boy. Sasuke boy. Izumi girl. Saori girl. Onari girl," she said trying to correct Daiya, in turn.

"That's not correct, Onari," Ryu said. She looked at him. "Sasuke is a man. Izumi is a woman. Understand?"

Onari was getting angry. She shook her head and pointed at Izumi. "Izumi girl!" She pointed at Sasuke. "Sasuke boy!"

"What are you guys doing," Sasuke asked as he walked over. He heard the anger in Onari's voice instantly. She was standing up shaking her head constantly.

"We're trying to correct her," Daiya explained.

"Sensei, why does she insist on using incorrect words," Saori asked. "We're trying to tell her what is correct, but she doesn't believe us." Sasuke acknowledged Saori at that point.

"Sasuke boy! Izumi girl," Onari yelled angrily.

"You guys need to be careful with what words you stick to an object around Onari. Once she hears a word, it's stuck in her head. It's hard to remove the word if she's already familiarized herself with it," Sasuke said. "Onari doesn't understand age, or maturity. The reason she doesn't comprehend the words 'man' and 'woman' is partially my fault. When Onari first came home, I tried to explain to her that Izumi was a girl – just an older girl – in order to let Izumi get closer to her. She doesn't differentiate an adult with a child. They are equal in her eyes."

Takeru found what he was looking for as his father spoke. "Found one of the seeds. Watch," he told Daiya. "Onari, what's this?"

"Apple baby," Onari said.

"No, it's an apple seed," Takeru tried to correct her.

"Apple baby, Takeru!" Onari was tired of everyone making fun of her. She knew what that was!

Ryu, Saori, Takeru, and Daiya laughed at her not really able to help it.

Sasuke put his hands in his pockets. He smirked. "You can blame Izumi for that one."

"Blame me for what? Oh, the apple seed. I thought it was cute when she picked it up," Izumi said apologetically.

"It is cute, but how do you explain real babies to her," Ryu asked out of nowhere.

"Ryu, go get the fish," Sasuke said.

They all sat around the fire eating fish and apples. Onari was watching Daiya bake a few apples using the electrical currents that ran through his body. She tilted her head as the apples smoked from the top.

"Here, Onari. It's hot," Daiya said warning her. He handed it to her cautiously. She was examining it closely. "Blow on it so you don't burn yourself."

"I have an idea," Ryu said excitedly. Takeru jumped. He choked on his fish. "Sorry," Ryu said as he patted him on the back.

"Do I even want to know," Sasuke said as he munched on his dinner.

"Daiya," Ryu turned to look at his teammate and friend. "If you ever get injured to the point where you can't go on any more missions, I'll quit the team and we can open up an applesauce stand!"

Saori smacked her forehead. "Ryu, I wouldn't have said that…" She watched Daiya narrow his eyes.

Daiya put the fish down slowly. He rook a deep breath. "Fried turkey coming up!" He got up quickly as Ryu started to run from him. "Get back here, you jerk! I'll show you a food stand!" Daiya kept chasing Ryu around the camp fire. He charged his body and air punched an electrical current next to Ryu. Ryu skidded, turned his body, and ran in another direction to avoid him.

"I'm glad Daiya's never gotten that mad at me," Takeru said as he watched his brother continue to chase Ryu.

"Ryu has an unusual way of getting Daiya's mind off of Idai," Izumi commented.

"Yeah, but it seems to be working," Saori said. She watched Daiya try to punch Ryu in the face. Ryu flipped over onto his hand, doing a cartwheel to avoid the move. "I'm dating a turkey."

"Come on, lightening bug! You're faster than that!" Ryu shook his butt at Daiya. He took off running again as the boy came at him.

"Ryu, you two calm down," Sasuke said. Daiya was breathing hard. He didn't want the boy to get overexerted. "Ryu," he said in a more warning tone. Ryu stopped. Sasuke watched as Daiya tried to hit Ryu again. Ryu twisted his body to avoid it and grabbed onto Daiya's arm. He held him in place.

"Let go, you jerk," Daiya said angrily as he panted. He struggled to free himself. Ryu was tall and lanky, but he had a firm hold on him. "Let go!"

"Daiya, he's not hurting you. he was only teasing. Calm down," Sasuke said lowly. "Daiya, stop trying to fight him right now."

Ryu decided to put a protective hold on Daiya to force him to behave. He grabbed his arm, brought it towards his back and wrapped his right arm around Daiya's chest to pin him. Daiya was trying to get out of it, but couldn't. Ryu made his right leg hook around Daiya's legs. He fell back onto his rear into a sitting position. Now diaya couldn't move. He looked down at him.

Takeru tilted his head. "What kind of a technique is that?" Ryu was calmly sitting with Daiya in his lap. Daiya seemed to be annoyed with the outcome.

"It's a protective hold," Sasuke said. "It's one of the first move I taught him. he may not look it, but Ryu is pretty strong. His grip is intense."

"When is he going to let Daiya go," Saori asked. Ryu was watching Daiya making sure he couldn't get away. Saori saw for a split second the concern that went across her boyfriend's face.

"Ryu will let him go when he calms down. He's trying to let Daiya's anger subside," Sasuke said. He was, also, keeping an eye on them.

"I'm not hurting you," Ryu said calmly. Daiya looked up at him. "I want you to cool off. There's no reason to be that angry." He let the boy's arm go. He placed his hand on top of his head. "Don't be mad at me. Brothers tease."

"Ryu," Daiya said softly. Ryu kept his red eyes on him. "I miss Idai," Daiya finally admitted for the first time in weeks.

Ryu laid his cheek on top of Daiya's head. he released his legs and chest. "I know you do. We all do. We're just trying to ignore our hearts right now. You can't stop living – not for yourself, or him. Okay?" Daiya nodded slowly.

"What's going on over there," Saori asked. She wished she could hear what they were saying. Daiya was staring at the ground while Ryu spoke softly to him. Is he… comforting Daiya? Her eyes softened. Ryu's changed a little. I don't know what he's saying, but Daiya seems to be more relaxed. The whole purpose of this trip was to get his mind off of Idai.

"He's something, isn't he? I wonder what it would be like if Ryu ever had kids," Izumi said lightly laughing. Saori blushed unexpectedly.

"Please don't wish that," Takeru said. "I'd be chasing after them all day." He could see Ryu teaching some crazy techniques to a small group of youngsters. Takeru slightly feared for the future of Konoha if Ryu Yuhi had offspring.


	55. Chapter 55

**V 6 ch 4**

**Yanagi's Smile**

Daiya sat by the tree thinking. He was trying to push on and be strong for himself and Idai. It was hard for him to go through every day without seeing his best friend's smiling face. He closed his eyes trying to block out his memories. I cannot forget him. It is not possible. I do not… want to forget Idai.

"Hah! You're a chicken, Masaru," Ryu said as he watched the blond haired kid run from Hire. "The worst she can do is throw mud at you." Hire turned around to glare at Ryu for his comment. Ryu kept on. "If you want, I can go find a holy man to bless some water and we can throw it at her," he said yelling through his cupped hands.

Kiba started laughing. "What in the world has gotten into you, Ryu? You used to be scared of that girl not too long ago." Akamaru gruffed his comments as he lay next to Kiba's feet.

"Yeah, I know. Hire terrifies me," Ryu said as he smiled at Kiba. He laughed about it. I am only doing this for Daiya anyway. I need to be stronger for him and Takeru.

Sasuke shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day you actually admit anything," he told Ryu. Ryu only looked at him as his smile faded. "What happened while we were away?"

Ryu kept his eyes on Sasuke. "Nothing," he said seriously. Sasuke was watching him. He knew his trainer did not believe him. Oh, no. Sasuke was waving him over. Ryu walked over to him. He stood with his back to the others behind him.

"Something happened," Sasuke said lowly. "You changed. I notice it. You cannot fool me, Ryu. I've known you longer than anyone else out here."

Ryu sighed. "If I tell you, you'll laugh. Maybe I don't want others to know how I am." He glanced at Daiya. Daiya was lost in thought. He is probably thinking about Idai.

"You changed for Daiya and Takeru. That is what it is. Ryu is taking on the responsibility of being an older brother. Yet, are you doing it because Idai left or another reason," Sasuke asked.

Ryu closed his eyes. He was nervous. Sasuke had been his trainer since he was eleven. They both knew each other very well. They were too comfortable around each other. However, Sasuke was also someone else to Ryu and he was not too sure if he wanted him to know.

"Ryu, calm down. I do not know why you get nervous when I ask you about something. You have not done anything wrong. I'm just curious to why you've matured like you have," Sasuke said.

"You promise not to judge me," Ryu asked rather nervously.

"I'm not going to judge you," Sasuke said. "I never have." He could not figure out why Ryu had difficulty confiding in him. Sasuke had to be patient with him though. Ryu had improved greatly over the past few months more than he had ever expected. Pushing the boy would make him take several steps back.

"I need them," Ryu said softly. "I need them more than they think they need me. I need Takeru's positive attitude and Daiya to keep me straight. The least I can do is try and make them smile. If I ever lost either of them, it would,-"Ryu couldn't say the rest. He feared it.

"That's the way it should be," Sasuke said softly. "It means you guys are really close. There is no shame in that. I see how they act when they are around you. They are more open and at peace. In addition, I also see how you react to them. It's terrible being your trainer and to learn that the solution I've been trying to find for you was never in my reasoning." Ryu looked at him not understanding. "The solution was my own son. I feel ignorant not having helped you or him sooner. Yet, you two found each other." Ryu's gaze softened.

"Takeru was very curious about you. He drilled me about who you were, the techniques you used, and about your personality. He was persistent. Without trying, you were helping him, Ryu. Takeru has become more open with Izumi and I. And he's even more accepting of others that are different. I can't say I'm sure on how to properly thank you."

Ryu looked away again once he glanced at his trainer. "I have a stupid request." Sasuke raised a brow. He smiled a little. "Um, would you… be my friend?"

Sasuke walked next to him. He moved his arm up and brought it around Ryu, drawing him closer. Ryu eased up as Sasuke placed his hand on the back of his head. "I've been your friend for a while, Ryu. You're just slow at realizing it."

"Do I still have to call you 'sensei'," Ryu asked in a joking manner. He felt Sasuke flick the back of his head. "I guess so," he said as he sulked.

"Daiya, get up. You can train with Yanagi," Sasuke said. He watched Daiya tense.

"I don't want to train with her, or anyone," Daiya said lowly. He crossed his arms. He felt weird as if someone had cut off one of his own limbs. Daiya was too used to training solely with Idai. That is whom he really wanted to be with. He looked up to see Yanagi crouching in front of him.

Yanagi smiled at him. "I know you don't usually train with me, but I promise I'll get you worked up." She watched Daiya stare at her with his gray eyes. "I don't have a disease, Daiya." He was looking at her as if he did not know who she was.

Kiba walked over to Daiya. He reached down and grabbed the boy by the collar, hoisting him up. "You're going to train, kid." He started to drag Daiya to the area.

Daiya's hair spiked out. "Let go of me," he said angrily. He reached up to grasp onto Kiba's wrist. The man's grip was stronger than his was and Daiya could not get away. Kiba would not let him go until he was forced into the training area. Daiya glared at the Inuzuka man.

Yanagi started to walk towards the training area. Daiya was not moving. If he got out of the area, he would have to take Sasuke's punishment. She had seen Hire and Ryu take it a time or two. She felt someone put his hand on her shoulder. Yanagi stopped in her tracks to look up.

"You know, he's not acting like that because of you," Ryu said trying to reassure her.

"I know. It is because Idai is gone. Still, that is not an excuse to stop trying. If he gets mad at me, he'll just have to get mad," Yanagi said with a smile. She went running at Daiya. "You better run or defend yourself! I'm not easing up on you, Stormy!"

"Stormy," Masaru repeated. He tilted his head as Yanagi started to throw a few punches at Daiya. Daiya was moving his body, ducking, twisting, and sliding backwards to avoid her making contact.

"It's the color of his eyes," Ryu told Masaru. "Girls notice that sort of thing. Your eyes say more about you than body language, or your mouth."

"What do my eyes say about me," Masaru asked as he pointed to his face. Ryu was quirking a brow at him. Masaru wanted to know.

"Yours say you need to work harder," Sasuke said. Masaru sulked. "I'm only teasing – lighten up."

Hire rolled her eyes. She leaned against a tree with her arms crossed. I am on the weirdest team in Konoha. She flicked her head around as her eyes looked up at the clouds. Flocks of birds were flying south. Soon winter will be here. I cannot wait for the break. It will be too cold to train outside for a while.

"The birds are already on the move," Kiba said as Akamaru sniffed the air. "It won't be long before the leaves start to change." He wondered where Idai was. It was depressing to have his team split as it was.

"You could at least try to come at me, or something," Yanagi said rather disappointed to Daiya. "I know you're upset about Idai, but,-"she stopped. Daiya was giving her one heck of a look. Yanagi walked towards him slowly.

Daiya narrowed his eyes at her. "What do you want," he asked aggressively. She stopped in front of him. Daiya tensed. Why is she smiling at me? I want to be left alone!

"Daiya, do you hate me," she asked softly. His body language told her his guard was up. "I'm not trying to make things harder for you. I just want you to not stop doing for yourself," she said trying to explain her thoughts to him.

Daiya's gaze remained hard. He did not trust anyone fully. "Why do you care about how I act?" He stood his ground, his posture serious.

Yanagi continued to smile at him kindly. "I like you," she said blushing. "I'd hate to see you not do your best." She tried to keep herself from being embarrassed by keeping her hands still. Yanagi's heart was racing so badly she thought it was going to leap out of her chest and run away.

Daiya's gaze suddenly softened. Yanagi was as direct as he was. He blushed slightly at what she had just told him. "You… like me..? Why..?" Daiya did not understand. He and Yanagi rarely spoke.

Yanagi opened her eyes. "You're direct, strong, meaningful in what you do, serious, well poised, don't take anything from anyone, try your best, and most of the time you think of others first. You are unselfish, Daiya. I like that most about you. I am sorry for being blunt. I didn't mean to embarrass you." She heard her name being called by Masaru. "I'm coming. Well, looks like I have to go tracking now. Thanks for the training session, Daiya." She waved at him as she took off to catch up to her team.

Daiya stood on the training ground watching Yanagi disappear. He was still blushing. She likes me. He swallowed with difficulty. She likes me like… Ryu like Saori and she likes him. Daiya cocked his head. He felt funny. My heart feels weird. I am not having an attack though. Why do I feel like this? Daiya sighed slowly. It was still there.

Ryu was watching Daiya curiously. "What's wrong with him? He's standing there as if a ghost just popped up and slapped him." He turned around as he heard Sasuke smirk. "All right, now what's up with you?"

"Kind of like how the ghost scared you at the hot springs, right," Sasuke said. He smirked more. That was a good prank he had pulled.

Kiba started laughing. He had participated in getting Ryu back with Sasuke. It was worth it, too.

"Oh, shut up," Ryu said annoyed.

Daiya walked down the street with Ryu. They were meeting Takeru and Saori at the place where Saori had first treated Ryu. Saori was trying to treat everyone to keep his or her minds off Idai. Daiya was still adjusting to not having his best friend around.

Ryu was keeping an eye on him the entire time they were away from Sasuke. Daiya had become more aggressive when forced to participate in their training. It was the opposite when he was with his friends. Daiya had become withdrawn and soft spoken around others he was familiar with. Ryu thought the boy acted as if he was in mourning. "Daiya, you've got to cheer up," he said. "You can't remain to act like this. Everyone is worried."

Daiya walked next to Ryu not really seeing the buildings or people they passed. He was lost in his own world. Nothing seemed real to him. He kept walking not answering Ryu.

Ryu sighed. He reached up to grab Daiya's arm to stop him. He defiantly was not paying attention. "At least focus on where you're going." Daiya looked up at him with a blank expression. "Please snap out of it. I know you miss him. I miss him, but we can't stop living."

"Is he still moping," Takeru asked as he caught up to them. Ryu nodded. Daiya was staring at the ground. He did not look at Takeru as he approached. Daiya's mood was taking its toll on everyone. His father was worried. His mother could not cheer him up. Onari could not get him to interact with her. He looked at Ryu for insight on the matter.

Ryu put his hand on Daiya's head and turned the boy's head so he would look at Takeru. "You're so out of it that you didn't hear him approach. What if we were on a mission? You would be dead right now. Quit moping and straighten up, Daiya," Ryu said rather angrily. He walked into the place to get a table.

Daiya averted his gaze from Takeru. He knew Ryu was right. He closed his eyes trying to regroup his thoughts. "I'm sorry, Takeru," he said softly. "I'm not trying to ignore you. I am not myself. I don't know who I am."

Takeru walked towards his brother. He tugged his arm so Daiya would look at him. "I know you feel out-of-place without Idai. It is not the same when someone is missing from our group. We have gotten closer than anyone out of the teams has, but we have to move on, or we leave each other behind. We depend on each other's survival as much as our own. I do not know if Idai will come back. I cannot say anything encouraging about his situation. We have to be strong for him. He would not want you to stand still and let everything pass you. He would want you to continue to do better – to get stronger – to pursue your goals and dreams." Takeru watched Daiya close his eyes. "Daiya, please continue to walk with us. I'm not saying you have to forget Idai."

"I know, Takeru. I have not heard a word about where he is, or what is happening. He hasn't even tried to contact me," Daiya said. He opened his eyes. He was slightly hurt by it. "I thought we were friends."

"Maybe Gai sensei doesn't want to worry anyone. We do not know what they may be facing. It is probably taking its toll on both of them. Please do not hold it against Gai sensei. He has to do what is best for Idai," Takeru said.

Daiya breathed out slowly. "I don't want to be here. I want to be left alone. I'm not in the mood to eat," he said.

"Tough. You're not going anywhere," Saori said as she showed up. She looked at Daiya sternly. "You shouldn't walk away from someone offering to treat you. I'm tired of your attitude, Daiya."

Daiya narrowed his eyes. He clenched his hands. He was not about to tolerate anyone telling him to get over it. He tensed his body. "I'm leaving," he said lowly. Just as he started to walk away, he was stopped. Someone had a hold on the collar of his vest. "Let go," he said angrily. He turned around swinging his fist.

Ryu blocked the attempted punch. He looked at Daiya with the expression of a parent. "People are trying to be around you. They want to be in your presence because they are your friends. Stop pushing them away." Ryu felt Daiya's aggression. He turned sideways to avoid another punch by Daiya's other hand. "Daiya!"

"Oh, no," Takeru said as he watched Ryu dodge another punch. Ryu still had a firm grip on Daiya's right arm. His brother side kicked at his best friend. That is when Ryu got him. Takeru tensed as Ryu's leg came up to block and his right arm came down to grab onto Daiya's leg.

"Get out of it, if you can," Ryu said with his own aggression. His strength increased as he applied more pressure to the boy's leg and arm. "It's time to grow up. You can be mad at me all you like, but do not take it on Saori or Takeru! You haven't seen me fully angry," he warned as his voice increased.

"Let go of me," Daiya said grunting in a panic. Being held against his will reminded him of what he had gone through as a child. He tried to pull out of Ryu's grasp, but he was not able to get away. He gritted his teeth as his eyes closed.

"Ryu, you're scaring him," Saori said into her boyfriend's ear. "I know you're trying to make a point with him, but he was abused by his mother, wasn't he? You're re-creating his past," she whispered.

Ryu did not ease up. "Am I striking you? Am I making a move towards you to harm you? Daiya, stop struggling!" Daiya was having an all out panic. "I am not hurting you. I am merely stopping you."

Daiya opened his eyes to look at Ryu. He lowered his head as if he were a stray dog and had been beaten. His heart was racing. His breathing was increased.

"Daiya, don't lower your head. You are not beneath anyone here. I am not trying to break your spirit. I'm trying to stop you from unleashing your anger on those that don't deserve it," Ryu said. "If I let you go, you have to go in and sit with us. It is rude to act like this to Saori, or anyone who is trying to be close to you. It is a slap in the face! Do you understand me?"

Daiya weighed out his options. He knew Ryu could not hold him forever. Takeru and Saori were both watching him. Daiya's eyes softened. His aggression was leaving him. Now he was ashamed. Saori was worried. Takeru was fearful. He saw it all in their eyes.

Ryu kept his eyes on Daiya. The boy was easing up because it was finally registering what the consequences were. It was wrong to lash out at them. Ryu was not trying to be mean to his friend. He was trying to open his eyes. "Are you going to behave," he asked with his voice calm and rational.

Daiya's stormy gray eyes looked at Ryu. "Y-Yes," he said softly. Ryu let him go. Daiya remained still. He could have run, but he stayed. Ryu took a step towards him. He shot back watching Ryu alerted by him. Ryu had never been strict with him before.

"Daiya, I'm not going to hurt you," Ryu said gently. He could tell the thread between them was strained. Ryu had misplaced his friend's trust in him. It was hard to get it, but easy enough to lose. Ryu lifted his arm and held out his hand to Daiya. The other boy looked at it as if it were something foreign to him.

"Daiya, please don't push Ryu away," Saori said. She watched as Daiya moved towards the small restaurant, away from Ryu. Daiya went in because he had to, not because he wanted. Saori looked back at Ryu. Ryu lowered his hand. He lowered his head, too as he closed his eyes and sighed. "Ryu..?"

Takeru felt bad. Daiya had rejected Ryu. He felt like it was his fault somehow. He knew his brother was hurting – that he was angry and sad all at once.

Ryu shook his head. "It's fine," he said gently. "I can't force him to do anything. It is wrong. I know I lost. He resents me and it's fine." Ryu went into the establishment. He sat away from Daiya. Saori sat in front of Daiya beside Ryu. Takeru sat beside his brother.

"This isn't going as well as I had planned," Saori said looking at the table. Everyone was in a bad mood. She felt Ryu grab her hand and interlace his fingers with hers. He was rubbing his thumb on the back of her hand. She glanced at Ryu. He was staring at the table his eyes sad.

Daiya would not look at anyone. He was staring at the wall. Everyone was so upset with his or her situation. Takeru was taking everyone to heart. If I were stronger, they would not be like this. I could make them forget their problems. Daiya would not be focused so much on Idai. Ryu would not be hurt and Saori would not feel offended. I could make them happy.

The woman came by to get their orders. Saori really did not want anything, but she had to make an effort to move on. She ordered four teas and a plate of sweet dumplings. Saori sulked. "Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to invite them," she said softly.

"Invite who," Takeru asked. Just as he asked, three others showed up. He turned his head to see Eiyu, Yanagi, Onari, and Kandai.

"You guys look as if someone has robbed you," Eiyu said as he looked at his or her faces. He sat down beside Saori.

"What has you guys so bummed out," Yanagi said as she sat next to Takeru. She could tell something was wrong. Ryu looked sad. No one was speaking, either. Kandai sat down beside his twin as Onari sat on the other side of Daiya.

"It's a long story," Saori said quietly. The woman showed up with their tea and sweet dumplings. "I'm sorry. I did not order for you guys. I didn't know what you wanted to drink."

"Yanagi can have my tea. I don't want it," Ryu said as he pushed it towards her. He put his elbow on the table, his chin on his hand and continued to look away. The way Daiya had acted towards him really got to him.

"Kandai and I will have coffee. Onari, no coffee for you. You're active enough," Eiyu said. Kandai laughed. "She can have milk."

Onari tilted her head. "Onari want tea like Takeru and Daiya," she said pointing at their cups. Eiyu shook his head at her. "Onari want tea, Eiyu," she said with defiance.

Daiya placed his hand on Onari's head to calm her. "No, tea," he said softly. "It has caffeine in it. You need more energy like Ryu needs more feathers." Ryu glanced at him. Daiya was trying to make amends for how he had acted. "I'm sorry I'm an ass, Ryu," he said even softer.

"At least you admit it," Ryu said watching Daiya look at him. "I wasn't trying to hurt you – only make you understand."

"I know that now," Daiya said as he watched Onari focus on the dumplings. She went for them and he grabbed her hands the second she crammed one into her mouth. "No, Onari. Only take one! You're going to choke," he said trying to pry the other dumplings out of her hands.

Saori blinked. "What is it with her and food?" Daiya could not get Onari to let go.

"She was starved where she comes from," Takeru said. "Onari, you have to share. No one is going to stop you from getting one."

Kandai reached forward to grab onto Onari's wrists. Eiyu had the girl's other wrist. Daiya had her by the waist. Onari still had food in her mouth. She was fighting them hard. "Onari, you can have it, but we get some, too," Kandai said.

Yanagi was watching Daiya intently. He was trying to keep his sister away from the plate of dumplings. She had her hand absentmindedly grabbing her shirt. Yanagi's heart was beating funny again – like the day she had confessed her feelings to him. Daiya was a caring person – he hid it. Yanagi smiled a little.

Ryu reached over to move the plate far away from Onari. He got up. He walked over to her and took the dumpling out of her mouth. Onari was looking at him as if she was about to cry. It was apparent that she had been a scrounger. "I'm not taking it away. You have to be fair, Onari. There is enough for everyone. If you want more, I will get you more. Let everyone else have one." She was watching him. "Share, Onari. They're not going to take it away."

"Onari hungry," Onari said softly to Ryu. "Onari stomach hurt." She felt Daiya release her waist.

Ryu crouched beside her. "I know you're hungry. You have been training all day with Mr. Hyuga, but it is not fair to everyone else if they do not get any. Give the ones you have to someone else."

"Onari hungry," Onari said again, her voice cracking. She wanted to eat. "Onari want food," she said trying to make him understand.

"That's not what it is, Ryu," Yanagi said. "She doesn't think there is enough for her. Didn't you guys say she can't read? She does not know how many dumplings are on the plate. I have an idea. We'll show her." Yanagi put a dumpling into her mouth. "See? If she sees us with one, she'll learn there are some left over," she said muffled.

Takeru stuck one in his mouth, also. "Onari, see?" She turned her head to look at him. He opened Daiya's mouth and shoved one in. "Daiya has one, too."

"Onari, I have one," Saori said as she stuck a dumpling in her mouth. "All right twins, open up." She jammed a dumpling into Kandai and Eiyu's mouth. "There is still some on the plate."

Onari looked around the table. Everyone had a dumpling. There were still some on the plate. The only one, who did not have one, was Ryu. Kandai and Eiyu let her go. Onari moved her hand to Ryu. She offered him a dumpling.

"See? I told you guys she'd figure it out if we showed her," Yanagi said. "Ryu, take it. She noticed you do not have one. She's trying to give it to you."

"Sadly, I don't want it, but I'll take it," Ryu said holding his hand out. He was not accustomed to eating in front of everyone. He sat back down. "Nice job, Yanagi. You figured her out. Amazing since the ones that live with her weren't able to catch on."

"Shut up, Ryu," Daiya said. He scowled. Onari had a whole dumpling in her mouth trying to chew it all at once. "Onari, you're going to choke!"

Onari's hands went up. She could not get the food to go down her throat. It was stuck. She tried to cough. It was not budging. Daiya hit her on the back several times, but it did not do any good. "Spit it out," he told her. Onari shook her head. She did not understand. "Dammit," he swore. He turned her head towards him and snatched the glass of milk off the tray as the woman came by with more drinks. He forced Onari's mouth to open and poured the milk down her throat. "Swallow!"

"Oh, my. Is she all right," the serving woman asked. The woman watched as the girl coughed and choked. The boy beside her was hitting her on the back hard. The woman passed out the remaining drinks. "I'll get her some more milk." She left the table.

Onari coughed her head off while Daiya hit her back. Her throat hurt. Her new brother was watching her to make sure she was okay. Tears were coming out of her eyes as she kept coughing. Onari wiped her eyes with her under shirt.

"Here, Onari," Daiya said as the woman placed another cup on the table. He grabbed it and made her drink it. Onari lowered her head. She was embarrassed. Daiya put his arm around her. He pressed her head to his chest and shielded her. She was still coughing, but not badly.

"I wish I would have thought about how she would react," Saori said sighing. "I blame myself." She was glad Daiya had become Onari's brother beforehand.

"You couldn't have known Saori. Blaming yourself doesn't do any good," Kandai said. "Onari eats at our house, but we're off training with our teams when she's there. She's not threatened by us."

"I don't understand. How come Onari is like that, but Daiya isn't," Yanagi whispered to Ryu. Both of them had been on their own at young ages.

"Because Daiya was found days after he was alone," Ryu said very lowly so Daiya could not hear them. "Onari was on her own for about three years. There is a huge difference. When they are at home, Onari is given her share. She does not feel the need to have to fight for dominance. She's still learning."

Eiyu grabbed a dumpling. He started to break it into small pieces for Onari. It would prevent her from stuffing the entire thing in her mouth. He slid it to her on a smaller plate. "Here, Onari. Eat the pieces that are there. If you want more, I'll break up another one for you."

"It's okay. No one is mad at you," Daiya said as he reassured her. Onari would not look at anyone. She hid her face on Daiya's chest. He put his other arm around her. "She's embarrassed," he told them.

"It's not her fault. Not really, anyway. She doesn't know any better," Yanagi said.

"Still, she's quite the character," Saori said as she drank her tea.

"You told Daiya how you felt? When did this happen," Saori asked. She threw two kunai at the large wooden pole used for target practice. Yanagi was sitting behind her leaning against the tree.

Yanagi glanced at Saori before looking up at the trees. "A few days ago. I shocked him pretty badly," Yanagi said with a soft laugh. She became quiet.

Saori turned around to look at the normally happy, positive pink-haired girl. "Did he… reject you?" Yanagi shook her head. "So what happened?" She was afraid to ask.

"Nothing. I was called away to go tracking with Kiba sensei. I told Daiya when we were training. It was bad timing," Yanagi said trying to blow it off.

"Don't assume it was," Ryu said from his branch. "You didn't see the look on his face after you left." He laughed.

"Ryu, don't tease her. It is not fair to her. If you have some insight, give it," Saori said annoyed as she threw the kunai again. They plunked into the wood.

"All right, I'm sorry. When you left, Yanagi, Daiya was shocked. He stood out there for a while until Sasuke sensei had to go get him. Daiya has never had anyone like him before. Me either, for the most part. He has also never had friends. Therefore, your timing was not bad. Since you told him, he has been acting differently. He is more soft spoken and he seems less threatening – unless he's forced to do something."

"But he doesn't like me. Daiya is well guarded with his emotions. I like that about him though. It gives him a stronger sense of character. I do not mind that he does not like me. I had to tell him because he looked like he needed to know," Yanagi said. It was hard to explain her reasoning to others.

"He's not as well-guarded as you may think. He does have periods when he erupts with whatever is bothering him. Again, that probably plays into how he was treated as a child," Ryu said.

"I wish Daiya's mother was alive," Saori said calmly. Yanagi and Ryu both looked at her. "I'd string that hag up and use python hold on her – slowly." Idai had seen the scars on Daiya's body. He had confessed to Saori a long time ago about it. It infuriated her.

"What… did his mother do to him," Yanagi asked. Saori gave her a sad expression. "Is it that awful?"

Saori sighed. "I'm not at liberty to say. Daiya does not want his past known. I have to respect him enough to let him tell you. I know because Idai had found out. He told me only because he needed advice on how to approach Daiya. All I can say is this: Daiya has to be coaxed. He is heavily guarded due to how he was 'raised'."

"How can… a mother treat her child that way? You're supposed to love your children because they're part of you," Yanagi said very softly. She caught on to what Saori was referring to. Her father loved her to death. Moreover, her mother adored her. Her heart felt odd. She was sad for Daiya.

"Some parents don't ever realize that," Ryu said. "They view their offspring as abominations and want to get rid of them. It's sad and I'd rather do away with this subject," he said closing his eyes. He knew he would never treat his own children that way.

"Ryu's right. We should talk about something else," Saori said. She did not like to think about Daiya being tortured by his mother. It was very sad. Saori turned away from Yanagi and Ryu. She closed her eyes.

Ryu came off the tree. He could tell when something was bothering Saori. She turned away to hide her feelings most of the time. Daiya was their friend. Ryu was closer to him than Saori was. Ryu wrapped his arms around her. Saori gasped not expecting him to embrace her. "It's alright. It's just me," he whispered.

Saori let him hold her. "I'm sorry you guys," she said putting her hand over her mouth. "I don't know what Daiya's mother did. Not fully. I only know that he carries many scars on his body from being around her. I can only imagine what cruelty she displayed on him."

Yanagi's eyes widened with shock. Daiya had scars? She stood up slowly. The trees rustled overhead. Her tears blinded Yanagi's vision. Daiya was resentful, angry, untrusting – and hurt. She looked at Ryu and Saori. They had something special together. She wanted to know what that was like. Yanagi wanted to see Daiya smile. She wanted to let him know things would get better. Yanagi had to find Daiya.

Daiya breathed out slowly. He looked at the metal rod lodged in the ground. It was a fair distance away from where he stood. He was attempting to see how far he could issue his lightening jutsus. The rods he used helped keep an opponent at a distance. A longer range meant he could attack farther. "Alright," he said lowly.

Daiya started to build his chakra. His hair spiked on all ends, his arms tensing as he stood firmly eying the rod. The electrical currents he harnessed inside his body were surging. Daiya put his arms out as they tensed greatly.

Yanagi Lee stood far away from him, watching. She did not mean to catch him training. If she surprised him in any way, he could turn around and accidentally electrocute her. The electrical currents were staring to pop around Daiya's form as he continued to build his chakra. He was pushing himself.

"Lightening storm," Daiya yelled as he unleashed his chakra. Lightening started to pop around his body violently. He was becoming a human lightening rod. Daiya clenched his teeth as he grunted. Come on! He closed his eyes focusing. The lightening started to pop further away, but it was nowhere near the rod he was trying to hit. He breathed hard as he tried to keep it going.

Yanagi was crouched low to the ground covering her ears. Daiya's lightening attacks were frightening. The noises scared her more than anything did. Light flashed around her. She could feel the earth trembling with each pop to the ground. Yanagi screamed afraid it was going to hit her.

Daiya's chakra was running out. He was building up his chakra fairly normal for a kid who had an unpredictable heart rhythm. He had to let it go or overload again. Daiya severed the electrical currents quickly. He breathed hard. He turned his head quickly once he heard Yanagi screaming. As the electrical currents died, she stopped. Her body was lightly shaking. "Yanagi, what the hell are you doing here," he said angrily at her ignorance.

Yanagi raised her head, her hands still covering her ears. Daiya was mad. "I'm sorry," she said as she looked at his stern gaze. "I was… looking for you. I didn't mean to be in the way."

"You weren't in the way. If you had come upon me and I didn't know you were there, I could have electrocuted you!" Daiya turned around fully. His shoulders were stiff. "Why were you looking for me? What do you want?"

Yanagi stood up. Daiya's mood did not frighten her. She knew why he was the way he came off. His harsh voice and defiant nature were to protect him. "I… I just… want to,-"Yanagi broke off. She started to walk towards him. Saori said Daiya had to be coaxed. He was watching her intently.

"You want to what? You cannot train with me. I have to train alone. You're not even on my team," he said. She was coming closer. Daiya watched Yanagi's arms come up. "What, Yanagi?" He tensed more. "Why are you coming over here," he said rather alarmed.

Yanagi started to cry. She could not help it. Daiya was afraid of her. He could hurt her if he chose to, but he did not realize it. "I just… want t-to…,-"Yanagi tried to say it – to make him aware. Daiya's eyes were wide. She had to chance it. Yanagi leapt for him. H gasped hard. She heard the sparks emit. Once her arms were wrapped around him, they suddenly died. "I… wanted to thank you for saving me from Hire. I didn't properly thank you." She held on to him.

Daiya stood stiffly. Yanagi was hugging him and crying. "Why… did you chance me… hurting you," he said softly. This girl was unusual. He did not reject her holding him. Daiya was used to his sister touching him now.

"I told you before, I like you," Yanagi said as she moved her body back in order to smile at him. He was watching her, but not harshly. Yanagi kept her arms around him. She closed her eyes, continuing to smile at him. "You have a very beautiful soul, Daiya."

Daiya felt funny. Yanagi had risked getting hurt to hug him. He looked at her differently. She was trying to get closet o him. Ryu had had a talk with him about that earlier. He lifted his hand and touched Yanagi's cheek delicately. Yanagi blushed. "I don't understand you," he said gently. Daiya moved his thumb to caress her cheek. His eyes were softened. Yanagi was slightly leaning into his hand. "But I… want to."

Yanagi's eyes went wide. Daiya wanted to understand her. She smiled at him tenderly.

"This is the quietest I've ever seen you," Daiya said. He leaned towards her. Yanagi was watching him, but not with a stern gaze. Daiya did not know if it was right. He did not know if he was supposed to, but he had to. Daiya felt his heart jumping around as his lips was exposed to Yanagi's. He closed his eyes feeling her soft lips peck him back. He was not afraid of her.

Yanagi opened her eyes. She was right. Daiya did have a beautiful soul under his rough exterior. Her heart was lightly flopping around in her chest. He seemed to be more at ease with her now. "Daiya, can I… kiss you again?" He leaned towards her. Yanagi kissed him tenderly as her hand came up to rest on his chest. She liked Daiya even more now.

Daiya did not know why, but he felt warm across his chest. He looked at her with half lidded eyes. She was looking back at him the same way. He was so close to her that he could see the different shades of gray in her eyes. Daiya's breathing was increased, but it was because he was nervous.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Yanagi said with her charming smile. "I just want to be close to you." Daiya moved closer to her again, kissing her more intensely and deeper. Yanagi blushed insanely. She kissed him back with the same amount of force, her hand moving to interlace her fingers with his. She squeezed his hand as she continued to kiss him.

Daiya felt Yanagi's fingers touch his. He squeezed her hand. The girl in front of him was a bowl of sunshine on a cloudy day. He moved the hand on her cheek to the back of her head to bring her closer. Daiya kissed her harder. He wanted to feel her against him so badly.

Yanagi did not mind the forceful kissing. She knew Daiya did not know how else to be. He had never kissed anyone before. She was his first. Her entire being was calling out to him and his was answering her. Soon Daiya got a hold of himself and parted the kiss. She looked up into his stormy eyes. "So… you like me, huh?"

Daiya kissed her forehead. "Yeah," he said rather softly. He put his arms around her to bring her closer to his chest. Daiya felt the need to protect her. Yanagi was in love with him. He felt it through every aspect of her being.

"You could have just told me," Yanagi said as she laid her cheek on his chest. Daiya pressed her harder to him. She sighed contently. He was a bit forceful wit her in his actions – yet, Yanagi did not hold that against him.

"I don't know how to… express myself with words like that," Daiya admitted. He was more of an action type. Actions spoke louder than words. The way he felt about her had to be expressed physically. Words would not mean as much to him.

Yanagi looked up at him. She thought Daiya was so handsome. She loved his messy hair and emotionless face. It left a certain mystery about him. He caught her checking him out and tilted his head at her. "You're really handsome," she said explaining her staring.

Daiya did not think he was attractive at all. Then again, he did not think of himself in those sorts of ways. "I don't understand how you came to that conclusion."

Yanagi cupped his face in her hands. She laughed a little. "I admit that I'm average. You, however, are not. You are very handsome and you have the most beautiful eyes. You are exotic to me because you are a foreigner. It makes my heart flop around in my chest."

Daiya lightly ran his fingers across her delicate lips. She was very blunt. He found that to be an attractive commodity. Most of the girls he knew were shy, aggressive, or dominant in character. Yanagi was none of these. "You're very beautiful, Yanagi. Your smile draws me to you. And because of that,-"he paused as he leaned towards her again. "I need to feel you." Daiya kissed her again.

Yanagi gasped slightly but she kept kissing him back. Daiya was highly attracted to her. She kept her hand son his face as he kissed her deeper. Yanagi guided her tongue across his lips to see how he would react. He gasped, but slowly opened his mouth. Yanagi felt his tongue against hers and she blushed harder.

They kissed each other until they both became breathless. Yanagi and Daiya looked at each other with their cheeks flustered. Yanagi kissed him beside his mouth. "I know this is too soon and you aren't going to understand what I want to say. You do not have to say anything. I need to say it, or my heart is going to explode." She watched him keep his gaze on her. "I love you, Daiya."

Daiya closed his eyes pressing his forehead against hers. Yanagi meant what she said. He felt it in her touch, in her kiss, saw it in her smile. She cared about him more than anything. "Yanagi, w-will you stay with me? Pl-Please," he asked. He had to keep everyone he cherished close.

Yanagi took Daiya's hand and placed it over her heart. "It needs to go to you. It has been yours for a while. I want to… be yours and yours only," she said softly.

Daiya really could not help how he was feeling. Yanagi was the first girl to feel that way about him. He kissed her several times all over her face. The gesture she made was important to him. He cautiously grabbed her hand and slipped it through the collar of his vest – to his heart. He wanted her to know that he was not hollow – to let her feel his heart beating wildly in his chest.

Yanagi felt Daiya's heart through his bandages. She had no idea he completely wrapped himself. She thought only his arms and legs were protected. In his own way, Daiya was giving himself to her. She kissed him tenderly on the lips.

The area around them was getting dark. Crickets were chirping. It was twilight –the most romantic time of the day. A few lightening bugs flashed around the woods. Daiya nuzzled his nose against her cheek. "Do you want to look at the stars with me," he asked softly. Daiya loved astronomy. He always wondered what was above them.

Yanagi nodded. He was inviting her to do something he enjoyed. She felt herself being picked up. Yanagi looked down at him. He was carrying her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he jumped into one of the trees to get a better view of the stars. As she leaned her back against his chest, with his arms around her waist, Yanagi smiled adoringly. Daiya has a wonderful soul.


	56. Chapter 56

**V6 ch 5**

**The Past Unlocked**

Saori leaned against the railing as she threw pebbles into the water. She glanced up at the sky. Why did he ask me to wait here if he was not going to show? Another pebble plunked into the water. Saori continued to wait. She had been sitting for so long that the sounds of the water flowing in front of her were starting to get to her. Her eyes were starting to feel heavy as she stared at the surface of the water. Soon she fell asleep with her head propped up on the palm of her hand.

Ryu ran to the river where he often met Saori near the hospital. He was in a big trouble, he knew. If she were still waiting for him, he would be surprised. Ryu saw her still sitting in the same spot. He breathed hard as he placed his hands on his knees. "Saori, hey, I'm sorry for being late." He tilted his head, as there was no response. "Saori?" Ryu approached her slowly. Oh, she fell asleep. That is cute.

Saori felt someone running his or her fingers up her back. She opened her eyes. Saori sleepily looked up into a masked face with red eyes. "Ryu, why were you so late?"

"Sorry, sensei needed me this morning. He came over with Onari." He smiled at her apologetically. "I didn't mean to be delayed."

Saori rubbed her eyes. "I guess since your level was demoted, you have to do what Sasuke sensei says. " She watched Ryu hang his head. "I hit the nail on the head huh?"

Ryu sweat dropped. "You didn't have to be so direct, Saori. However, you are correct and incorrect." He held his finger up. "Sasuke wants me to go with Onari on her first mission when she gets cleared with the Hokage."

"When she gets cleared? She's not even on a team yet," Saori said as she stood up. She stretched her back and bent it in all sorts of directions until it popped.

"No, but he thinks she'll pass the trials with flying colors. They are just a milestone, after all. As fast as she has become, it is only a matter of time. Still, I wonder whose team she will go to," Ryu said pondering. "Onari's a bit hardheaded. She is too much like Daiya. Neither of them fully listens to anyone."

"Are you referring to the fact that she seriously only listens to Sasuke sensei's directions? That might be a bit of a problem," Saori said. "He's an adult and knows how to handle her. Nevertheless, no one else can. Wait, Ryu, what kind of mission is he setting up for her?"

Ryu looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Trail mission. No level ranking. Meaning, not genin level and not Chuunin. Somewhere in between to determine which way she falls."

"I suppose that'll determine how she's trained. Why is she training so hard? It can't be just to be on a team like Daiya or Takeru."

"No, there's an underlying reason. Whatever it is, it is personal. She trains as if she is expecting something, Saori. Her eyes are intense and focused. Onari is trying to do too much. Her body is constantly moving and I believe, she's going to burn herself out," Ryu said. "I don't understand how she can hold up."

"Ryu, what else did Sasuke want?" Saori knew there had to be something else. There was always something else with Sasuke. Ryu was concerned about their new friend and alley. It would not have taken all morning for a quick visit.

"He asked me to show her what Genjutsu is. Right now, Onari is only familiar with Taijutsu. Her Ninjutsu is picking up, though. Takeru's mother trains her strictly on offensive taijutsu. Kandai and Eiyu's father trains her on defensive taijutsu."

"What does Sasuke sensei teach her? He trains her freely, doesn't he?" Saori saw Ryu get a sly expression on his face.

"Sensei is her opponent. He teaches her to avoid – becoming faster in her movements. Moreover, Onari is hotheaded. She can't stand to lose," Ryu said with the sly expression still on his face under the mask.

Onari breathed hard as she kept blocking Sasuke's moves. He was a hell of a lot quicker than she was. She suspected he had trained at a younger age and his techniques had improved over the years largely. Onari was wearing down, and he knew it. One of her arms slipped and Sasuke got her. Onari whimpered as his blow hit her right shoulder.

Sasuke stopped. He could see the girl's legs shaking from fatigue. He had to hand it to her. She was really pushing herself. "Onari, are you alright?" She did not move. Sasuke watched as her legs buckled. He went to her. "You're pushing yourself too much. What reason is behind it?"

"On…ari…fi-ght," she said as she breathed hard. "On..ari… pro-tect Sa-suke and…Iz-umi." She swallowed. Her mouth was dry from all of the training.

Sasuke moved Onari's shirt aside. He had hit her at a moderate force. Her shoulder was bruised, but not broken. He furrowed his brows. That was a direct hit. It was enough to shatter her bones. "Training's over for the time being. We need to tend to your shoulder."

"Onari fight, Sasuke. Onari defend," she said trying to get him to reconsider. She had to catch up. Onari had to prepare for the worst.

Sasuke lifted her chin. His dark eyes met hers. "I'm not going to train you until you drop. That is not how it works. Nothing is learned that way. Why are you so concerned about Izumi and my welfare?"

"Sasuke take Onari from village. Man angry. Man wants Onari," she said as she saw the face in her mind that she remembered from long ago.

"What man? Who are you preparing to go up against, Onari?" Sasuke watched her shake her head. Her understanding was a problem. "What man are you fighting?" She still shook her head at him. "You don't understand, or you don't want to tell me?"

"Onari understand Sasuke. Onari afraid name of man," she said. If the name were spread, it would empower it. Knowing the name of an enemy was cause for the recognition of what was bound to happen. She was not ready to accept defeat.

"Firebird, do you think Izumi and I won't protect if something happens? You have been with us for almost a year. Izumi and I look at you as a daughter," Sasuke said as he crouched. "I know you're trying as hard as you can. Your effort really shows. However, you are still a kid. We are the adults, Onari. Our job is to protect you, Takeru, and Daiya from harm."

Onari refused to adhere to Sasuke's curiosity about her past. Living in a world of fear was not an option for her. She had seen Idai and Daiya deal with their own torments on their own terms. Onari was not going to give in to it because she was a girl.

Sasuke knew now that Onari was not going to tell him anything further. She wanted to protect herself. He figured whatever pas she came from, had influenced her to be stronger. "I don't know what you're hiding, but we're not going anywhere. Our home is filled with orphans, Onari. Don't assume Izumi and I don't know how you feel." He stood up. "We better put some ice on your shoulder." He led her inside.

Onari lay on the futon looking out at the garden from her room. Sasuke had struck her hard enough to cause major pain to her shoulder. She dared not move it. A white bird zoomed through the garden. Her eyes followed its route with ease as it flew. Birds. I remember paper birds. My mother used to make them when I was afraid.

Urea sat on the wooden floor with her daughter as she watched her lover, Sashizo, mix ingredients into a wooden bowl. He started to grind them and mix them together. Urea's dark, mysterious eyes noted how deeply troubled he was. He daughter crawled over to the bowl to peer inside of it.

Sashizo reached up to touch his daughter's nose with the tip of his index finger. "That's not for you, small one." He leaned down to kiss his daughter on the cheek. She was the most precious gift he had ever received. Sashizo lifted her up into the air. He looked up at her. "One day, we'll stop running from your uncle. In addition, when we do that, your mother and I will properly spoil you, as you deserve. When that happens, we can give you a name."

Urea patted the floor to get his attention. She brought her hands up to move in gestures, in order to communicate with him. Is it all right not to name her? We cannot have her live in fear of who she is.

Sashizo sat their daughter in his lap. She was a curious four-year-old that had his hair and face. Her attitude and how she approached things, was exactly the way her mother did. She was her mother all over. "Urea, I know it's wrong to not name her, but if Gekido finds her, he'll kill her. She will inherit the phoenix I possess when I die. I have no desire to rule the Lightening country for our clan. And because of that, Gekido wants the opportunity. He is power hungry. I cannot let him touch either of you."

Urea looked at Sashizo sadly. If we had not of fallen for each other, our daughter would not have to live a hermit's life. She cannot remain living in the dark, Sashizo. I cannot each her properly. Her language is being affected. It is incorrect at her age. She needs friends.

Sashizo reached over to squeeze his lover's hand. "I know. Nevertheless, we have to be cautious about being seen. Gekido has sought out the lightening users and made an alliance with them. It is getting serious, Urea. They are scouting for us now. We leave tonight. No one will know we were here. I will finish this soon. It will erase the memories of those that have met us. We cannot chance it. As always, I want you and our daughter to leave first. I'll follow soon after."

Urea folded a paper bird to keep her daughter occupied while Sashizo slipped out of the room. Once the bird was folded, she handed it to her. Urea draped herself in a black robe that covered her from head to toe. Her daughter studied the bird as she was picked up. Time to go.

"Mama, daddy go," the girl asked. Her mother draped her robe around her as she tried to conceal her daughter. Urea leapt out of the second floor window into the dark night.

Urea moved quickly through the black forest until she was able to risk stopping. As she perched a top a branch, she scanned the area around her. Her dark eyes looked back at the inn where they had stayed. Sashizo would follow once the coast was clear. He did not dare lead anyone to Urea and his or her daughter. She looked down at the girl. Urea stoked her cheek fondly. We will not let Gekido harm you.

Sashizo watched Urea form hand seals. The love of his life entertained their daughter with tiny birds that glowed with white light. The child followed their movements as the birds soared, dipped, and flew about the room. Her curiosity was one he wished to set free. Right now, the three of them were chained to a solitary life.

Sashizo wondered how long they could keep running. His daughter was now seven-years-old. She was turning into a precious little girl whose soul was on fire with the world around her. His heart sunk as the realization of her future, was uncertain. Would he be around to see her play with other children? Or go on a first date? Sashizo knew the answer. His time was limited. He had to prepare for her survival.

He and Urea were not capable of defeating an army against them, or to cheat death. He settled with the fact that he had to look forward to a battle with Gekido. "Urea, starting tomorrow, we perform the rites of passage." She caught his eye. Urea was afraid to perform such a painful thing to their daughter. "We have given her access to the four celestials. They can protect her if we are unable to."

Urea felt a stab in her heart. The rites of passage were not for the faint of heart. It involved pain of the greatest depths. Sacred tattoos were cut into the skin for hours until the individual was led to the higher gate. Their daughter was too young to endure such a thing. She was too young to understand a war between two adults of power. I do not agree with this, Sashizo.

Sashizo watched their daughter catch one of the birds. The bird stayed in her clasp hands as she peeked through her fingers. He loved how curious and straightforward she was. Sashizo saw her let it go. The bird of light flapped its wings until it perched upon her finger. His daughter reached her small hand towards it. She is petting it. The bird soon flew off leaving a lighted trail, which faded away. His daughter turned her head to smile at him. "We won't perform the rites out of fear, Urea. We have to protect her smile. I won't have him take that from her," Sashizo said with loyalty for his child.

Onari felt someone stroking her hair with adoration. She opened her eyes to see Takeru watching her. Her shoulder felt as stiff as a rusty hinge. Onari tried to reach up to him. Her shoulder demanded attention instead. She gritted her teeth at the pain.

Takeru's concerned gaze went to her shoulder. He moved her collar aside to have a look at it. Dad hit her all right. It is all bruised, for sure. Takeru took his hand away. He leaned over to kiss her temple. "I love you, Ri. I'll get some ice," he said softly.

Onari had to avenge her family. She had only seen Gekido once – on the day he tore apart her family and she would never forget it. His cold eyes were etched into the back of her heart – along with a terrible past. Takeru came back with the ice. He placed it on her shoulder. Onari looked at him seriously. "Takeru, fight Onari."

"Sorry, you're out of commission for a little while, Ri. Doctor Takeru's orders," he said with a light smile. He kissed her forehead.

"Takeru, fight Onari," she demanded stubbornly.

"No," Takeru said softly. He kissed her on the lips. As she spoke again, he kissed her to quiet her. "No. No. No," he said with a final peck on the lips. "I don't know what to do with you. Ryu's an underachiever and you're an overachiever."

Saori Nara leaned happily against Ryu's shoulder as they watched fireflies twinkle through the grass. Ryu had taken her out to a nice quiet stand to eat. She brought her arm around to interlace her fingers with his.

Ryu touched his vest, thinking. Should I give it to her now? There is a three-year difference in our ages. She might not feel the same way I do. Ryu felt in his heart Saori was the one for him. He had expressed himself at the OtoMori festival in front of a large crowd. Was Saori capable of understanding how much he cared for her? Or did she think of all of his efforts as a sweet gesture? He wanted to give it to her. It had taken him countless hours of concentration to perfect it.

Saori watched a trail of fireflies follow each other. "Ryu, lets see how many of them we can catch," she said happily. "Fireflies are good luck!"

Ryu glanced at her. It was a childish game. Maybe Saori is too young to understand how I feel. He moved his hand away from his vest. Ryu realized he was Saori's first boyfriend. He thought he was kidding himself regarding their relationship. First boyfriends were firsts among a long line of others. It is a joke to assume I will be the only one for her. What am I thinking?

Saori tilted her head. "Ryu? What's wrong?" He looked as if his heart was breaking. She touched his cheek. "Ryu? Is something bothering you?"

"Only life's realizations," he said softly. "It's not important." He wanted to end the stinging feeling he felt in his chest. It was better to forget what was going to end one day, right?

Saori forced him to look at her. Her blue eyes checked him over. There was heavy sadness in the center of his eyes; the window to his soul. She kissed him tenderly through his mask. Ryu was holding himself back from enjoying it. "Are you afraid you'll get attached to me?" Ryu closed his eyes to keep her from seeing the answer that she already knew. "I'm already attached to you, Ryu. It is not easy to get rid of a Nara. Don't you remember what happened earlier this year?"

Ryu opened his eyes and smirked. He had met her when she wandered the streets of Konoha. He had been hiding to avoid others and she was trying to forget her troubles. "Yeah, I do. I… care about you a lot, Saori. I do not know if what we have is a crush, or a real genuine relationship. From my side, it's real."

Saori pulled his facemask down. "When you're worried, you bit your top lip." She ran her thumb across his lips. "A crush is when you like someone for their looks, or how sweet they come off. I never saw your face before, Ryu. And as for the sweet factor, you weren't exactly top-of-the-line in that category." She smiled at him. "I care about you more than you know. You are always on my mind and in my heart. Don't ever forget that." Saori kissed him so passionately, that she felt Ryu become tense for a few seconds. However, he soon responded to her.

Ryu cupped Saori's face in his hands as he felt her soft lips meet his repeatedly. He leaned towards her to pull her against him. Ryu rubbed her cheeks as he parted the kiss. His read eyes looked at her in order to understand her feelings correctly. "Saori, I… I-I-," he stuttered. Could he tell her the truth? Ryu's fear finally surfaced. "I have something for you."

"You have something for me?" Saori watched him lift the flap on his vest. Ryu pulled out a scroll and handed it to her. She looked at it. "Isn't this what we won from the festival?"

"Yes, but there's something in it." Ryu quickly placed his hand on hers to stop her from opening it. "It's a gift, Saori, but I only want you to open it when you need sanctuary."

"Sanctuary from what?" What was in the scroll? She turned it around in her hand. Normally, scrolls carried weapons or had jutsus in them to warp the minds of enemies. Saori wondered about Ryu's training. Was he able to use his genjutsu better than before? "Why won't you tell me what's in here?"

Ryu kissed her cheek softly as he held her. "I only want you to find out what it is when you feel like you have no place else to go. I want to be that place."

Saori hugged him as hard as she could. She felt that every day with Ryu made her get closer to his soul. She had his heart, but to truly appreciate him, she wanted to bond with him. Saori Nara did not intend to give him up to anyone.

Onari sat on her bare rear in the Uchiha bathing area. She stared at the water. It was still. Her yellow eyes looked over it as if it were a monster going to strike her. Izumi was busy helping Sasuke train Takeru and Daiya outside. Daiya was doing a lot better at getting his electrical charges under control. Izumi was actually monitoring him without him noticing.

Onari's mind flashed with a terrible memory that traumatized her when she was younger. Her fear of water was the reason for it. She would not get in the tub alone. Normally, she only took a shower. Onari knew she was alone in the bathing area. However, she half-expected the one she feared to surface out of the water.

Sashizo panted as he waited in the cave with Urea and their nine-year-old daughter. They had fled a nearby village due to a fire. Sashizo did not believe it was caused by an accident or nature. He held his daughter tightly to him as they waited. He was afraid for her. Gekido was on the move with the clan of the lower branch. The lower clan was following his orders. His yellow eyes searched the dark as Urea remained on guard with her weapons drawn. She would protect their daughter with her life, as he would.

Urea scanned the area. There was no movement. The only sounds heard throughout the forest were crickets chirping. She signaled Sashizo. Go! He stared at her. Go, Sashizo! My job is to protect our daughter. They are on to us!

"I can't leave you to Kakumei and his clan! It's suicide, Urea!" Sashizo clutched their daughter. She was unaware of what was occurring around her.

Urea walked to him. She kneeled to look into their daughter's eyes. There is nothing greater that I wish to give you than freedom, my daughter. I want you to run free and fly as the birds do through the skies. No one has the right to take that from you. Remember me as I am now. She stood to touch Sashizo's face tenderly. I love you with all that I am, Lord Sashizo. I remain as your protector and lover until the moment I die. I am sorry to say 'farewell' at this point.

Sashizo brought his arm around to hook behind Urea. He kissed her gently as he felt his heart breaking. "I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, Urea." He furrowed his brows, angry at their forbidden love and bond to each other. "If not in life, than in death. He will not claim her! I promise you this!"

Their daughter watched as the sky started to flash with lightening. The electricity was being shot from the ground up into the heavens. She saw her mother turn her head quickly to regard it. Her mother staggered on her feet. Urea turned to look at her daughter bravely. "Mommy, be careful."

Urea blew a kiss to her daughter. I will my daughter. Now you must be strong for Sashizo. Smile and laugh for me. Urea sped off. She formed hand seals quickly as a flash of lightening came at her. She brought up her tiger fork to block it.

As several men came at her, Urea bit her thumb. She smeared the blood across her wrist. The men threw kunai at her as a large snow-white dragon reared its long body out of the earth. Urea commanded her to destroy them.

Kakumei stood as a threatening figure with his men. He glanced at his Lord. "Orders, my Lord?" He was ready to fight for the take down of Urea, the assassin who abandoned her post and Sashizo, the elder brother who defiled his clan.

Gekido's dark eyes stared at the celestial dragon. He was fuming. His black hair hung over his shoulders and back as a frown appeared on his face. "That disrespectful brother gave her the link to a celestial. Kill her! Whatever it takes! Rip her away from any connection to my house," he shouted with rage.

Kakumei smiled wickedly. "With pleasure, Lord Gekido." He shot a huge lightening flash into the air as his body surged with power "Take her and the beast out!" His men swarmed Urea and the celestial dragon.

Urea fought with all of her strength against Gekido's army. She threw kunai as the dragon snapped a few in half. Yet, as her battle with them was fueled by her desire to protect her child, the heavens overhead erupted with electrical charges. They were charging to annihilate her. As a last attempt to keep Gekido from having access to her daughter, she commanded the dragon to vanish. The snow-white dragon shot into the heaves with a cry of defeat.

Urea watched the form of the dragon shine with light as it soared above the earth. Be free, Uso. Wait for my daughter. Her head went back as she felt a surge of pain shoot through her. A gaping black hole was where her chest used to be. Urea, the assassin from the Lightening Country, fell to the ground lifeless.

Kakumei and his men approached the young woman who had managed to swoon the shift of power. He placed his foot on her head to crush her skull into the ground. He spit upon her. "A tragic end for a useless effort."

Sashizo's tears fell to the wind as he ran and leapt through the trees. The echo of Uso's defeat rang in his ears. Urea, the love of his life, was gone. He had to defend their daughter alone now. The girl was quiet, her dark eyes staring at the darkness around them. He did not know how much time he had left with her. Gekido's strength was great when it came to controlling others.

Sashizo breathed hard as he stopped upon a mountain. There was a village not far from their location. He kneeled to set his daughter on the ground. He touched her face gently. "We are running out of placed to hide, small one. High in these mountains, there is a village where snow falls year round. Gekido cannot order his army to follow there. The weather is too cold for them to emit their electrical charges. It will be to our advantage."

Sashizo kissed his daughter on the top of her head with love and affection. "I care for you as the sky that holds the stars. I will protect you until my last breath. We wanted to name you, Tanaji, - you are our free spirit, little one, but a name for you will have to wait. I do not want to be the one to give it."

Sashizo and his daughter made refuge at the snow village. He hid his appearance and hears by wearing long robes with hoods. When her father spoke to anyone, he kept his eyes downcast. His eyes were a dead give away of who he was and the power he held.

Onari remembered how her father stopped running. He spent his last few weeks with her acting like the best dad in the world. He played with her and bought her anything that would make her smile. Sashizo slept lightly as she clung to him under his protective arm.

One morning, as she awoke, a man with dark hair looming over his shoulders and down his back stood in the small hut. Her father stood with strength and elegance. Gekido, her father's brother, demanded Sashizo to kill her. He narrowed his eyes and fought her uncle. It scared Onari so badly to see them attacking each other at full force that she hid. Sashizo's strength was great in his arms and legs, but so was Gekido's. They were equally matched.

They were of the same heritage and thus, their punches and kicks were not causing harm to the other. Onari had inherited her father's same strength. Like Urea, her form was light-weighted. Sashizo struck Gekido in the side with a kunai before he round house kicked him to the ground. It only made Gekido angrier. The younger brother wrapped a razor-cutting whip around her father's neck to strangle him.

Gekido's eyes foretold destruction and malice as her father gasped for air. Her father made a last attempt to defy him. Sashizo's hands moved rapidly as he formed hand seals. The sequence was so fast, that Onari had trouble seeing it. Strange symbols formed upon the floor around him. Onari could not hear the scared words he uttered in his last breath. The symbols upon the floor snaked their way towards her.

Gekido yelled in outrage as Onari's eyes changed color. The girl's eyes became like her father's. Her body tensed as the symbols moved up her legs. She was covered in sacred markings. The symbols glowed and dimmed as they faded into her skin.

Gekido came at her. He wrapped his strong fingers around her throat. Onari saw the hatred in his eyes before he forced her down the barrel of water outside. The water was chilling to the bone. She struggled to break free, but she was no match for his strength. Onari's air left her as she blacked out.

Onari awoke to being on the snow-covered ground wet and afraid. There was a large red bird as big as a two-story building looming overhead. His eyes were the same as hers. She sat upon her rear, head back, to stare into his familiar eyes. Fire licked up its legs and wings. Gekido was nowhere to be found.

Onari pointed up at the bird. "Akaihi," she said giving the creature the name of its most admirable features. Red fire. The phoenix puffed its feathers out at her as it cooed sweetly.

Onari was an orphan now. Her parents had died protecting her. The snow started to fall from the sky. Akaihi shifted its feet as it sat down. She watched the snow sizzle upon its wings and head. Onari reached up with a radiating smile as she touched its beak. Akaihi would protect her from now on.

Onari felt a tear escape her eye as she stared at the water. She heard the door open to the bathing area. Her yellow eyes looked at Izumi. The woman had a towel wrapped around her body with her white hair up in a ponytail.

Izumi smiled at her. "Hey, I was looking for you. Onari, what's wrong?" Izumi shut the screen behind her. "You don't usually bathe by yourself." She sat down next to her. Izumi turned her chin towards her. "Onari, what's brothering you?"

"Izumi will tell Sasuke Onari say," she said not wanting to get anyone else involved.

"Is it something he needs to know?" Izumi watched her turn away as if dismissing the matter. She wondered what went on in Onari's head. The girl only interacted when someone made her. Despite her living in the house, Onari was far away.

"No," Onari answered with a hollow voice. She did not know what was in store for her. She did not want to hurt anyone. Izumi, Sasuke, and Neji were doing all they could to teach her what they knew.

"Onari, you know, I am aware that you're preparing for something. I don't know what it is, so you're still safe for the time being." Onari glanced at her. "But what I do know is you can't stop living for yourself. You have to still be a kid. I notice you are always alone, Onari, unless you're following Takeru, or Daiya." Izumi leaned forward to softly smile at her. "If you're going to protect anyone, I'd suggest letting them envelope themselves around you. Or you end up fighting on a foundation that has no meaning."

Onari stared at her for a moment. "Izumi sound like brother Neji." Yet, perhaps what she said held some truth to it. Sashizo and Urea did not stop loving her, or being her parents. They went down fighting until the end of their existence. "Izumi, get in water with Onari?"

Izumi moved Onari's long hair out of her face. "Sure, kiddo." They sat in the water soaking, staring up at the lights. "Your shoulder looks better. Amazing since Sasuke hit you only a few hours ago."

"How Daiya," Onari asked wondering suddenly about her brother's progress.

"He's getting better at how far he can shoot his charges." Izumi saw her confusion. "Oh, Sasuke has him aiming his electrical currents at a few cans in the back. By hitting certain ones, he is letting Sasuke know how far he can hit his charges. The cans are also acting as markers to help with the power surges."

Onari nodded slowly as she lifted her hand out of the water. The water dripped back into the tub. She examined herself by turning her hand over. Was she really the same as everyone else? "Izumi, Daiya like Onari no matter what?"

"Hmm? That is an unusual question for you to ask. He promised to be your brother, didn't he? Brothers are for life, Onari. Daiya is kind of like Takeru." She saw the disbelief on the girl's face. "Not in attitude," she found herself correcting. "That's highly unlikely. I mean in the way he feels. Daiya is very true to whom he is and how he perceives others. He is nonjudgmental. Is there any reason for him to dislike you?"

Onari stared back at the water. "Onari no know, Izumi." She was not sure if it was something

She wanted Daiya to find out. It might separate them forever.

Takeru rubbed his butt as he whimpered. He looked back at Daiya who was cautiously watching him. Their father was standing behind Daiya with his arms tightly around the boy. Takeru turned his head to see his mother and Onari walking down the hall.

"Takeru, you're alright. He didn't do it intentionally," Sasuke said. He looked at his wife. "Daiya had a short power surge."

"Daiya, it's okay. We are not mad at you. It's not like you can help it anyway," Izumi said as she saw the hurt expression on his face.

"Daiya fry Takeru butt," Onari said as she looked seriously at where Takeru was rubbing.

"I can't help it! It happens to me! I can't control it," Daiya shouted defensively. He felt his body powering again. Electrical currents flashed throughout his body. Sasuke let go as the power shot out towards the floor. Daiya saw Izumi, Takeru, and even Onari duck. He bit his lower lip.

"Can we put him in a freezer? That'll cool him off," Takeru said as he stood back up. He winced as Onari hit him.

"Takeru, that's not funny. It would affect his kekkegenkai. Your butt isn't burnt that badly," Izumi countered. She could tell Daiya was afraid to move. To ease his worries, Izumi walked over to him and brought him closer to her form. "It looks as if you're going to be a strong lightening user. Sasuke will have to design you a new outfit soon." She smiled at him.

Onari realized that one day, Daiya would be as strong as his clan would. His electrical charges were going to become more threatening as he aged. However, his abilities were being controlled and directed in the right ways. Sasuke worked with him diligently throughout the day. She watched Daiya puff his chest out at Takeru. Takeru moved on his feet trying to avoid being grabbed by his new brother.

Everything was happening so distantly, from where she was mentally. Onari had to protect their innocence and their lives. Gekido had not only ruined her life, but also Daiya's, in a way. He was deprived of knowing where he came from because of it. He was seen as an abomination, as she was. Would he still accept her when she purposely held information out of his grasp?

Onari sat on the roof of the house with her head back. Her yellow bird like eyes scanned the sky for truth and reason. All she could see was the celestial heavens above her.

Daiya sat down next to her. He turned his head to look at her before he, too, stared up at the sky. Onari was his sister. He wanted her to remain so. They were both from the same country and that is what made him bonded to her. He realized Onari stayed away from the Uchihas if she was not training. He felt there was a reason behind it all. Daiya brought his arms around her back to pull her towards him.

Onari laid her head on his shoulder as her eyes searched the sky constantly. She wanted to believe life did not have to end for her. Should her main focus be revenge for her parents? Or to protect those she cherished? Onari closed her eyes as Daiya laid his head against hers.

"I don't know what your world was like before Sasuke found you. However, if it was anything like mine, than we are in a better place, Onari. Izumi and Sasuke do not hesitate to take care of us, or scold us. They treat us as if we are theirs. I don't want to keep swimming after a boat with strong sails," he said softly as she turned her head to look at him.

"You've been on your own course for the longest time. I want to be as close to you as I can be. I want to fight beside you – not after you." His gray eyes softened. "You aren't aware of how you help me fight my own fears. When I have attacks, you are there singing to me. When I am teased, you are there defending me. I even caught on to how you watch everyone like a hawk who gets too close to me." He saw Onari's face display sadness for a few seconds. She turned away from him. "Why won't you let me see who you are?"

"Onari not weak. Onari have to protect Daiya from-," she cut her words off. Her head fell forwards.

"Protect me from what?"

"Onari," she said. "Onari protect Daiya from Onari." She felt him put his hand on her cheek. Onari looked into his eyes.

"Why would you be a threat to me?" He caught on to what her facial expressions where telling him. Her mind was quick. No one knew for sure how much she knew. Onari hid her intelligence on purpose. "This has something to do with my surname, doesn't it? You're afraid of me?"

"Onari not afraid of Daiya. Onari afraid Daiya not brother no more." She gasped as he grabbed her hard.

"I don't know what's going on, or why you'd think that. You know how we are connected. You will not tell me. You're my sister through thick and thin, Firebird," he said using Sasuke's pet name for her.

"Onari father, Sashizo was high in clan. Sashizo was important. Eimino obey Sashizo clan. Sashizo was Lord of Lightening Country. Onari mother Urea was assassin for Ge-Gekido. Gekido try order death on Sashizo. Urea no listen to orders. Urea tell Sashizo. Sashizo leave with Urea. Urea and Sashizo had Onari. Onari father and mother flee from Eimino for a long time. Urea die by Eimino clan. Sashizo die by Gekido. Onari love Daiya. Daiya is Eimino, but not real Eimino."

"My… clan killed your parents for going against this Gekido person? You have one thing wrong, Onari. I have no allegiance to the Lightening Country. They abandoned me. Whereas, the Fire Country has not. My allegiance is to my family – those that are there for me. This includes you. I do not follow orders. I do as I like. I will protect you." He watched her look up at him again. "The real enemy is Gekido, isn't it? He's destroyed both of our lives." Daiya held his hand out to her. "But despite what he's done, maybe we can make a better one for ourselves."

Onari took his hand. She interlaced her fingers with his. She laid her cheek on his collarbone. "Daiya, no tell Sasuke. Sasuke done too much. Gekido hurt Sasuke and Izumi."

"I don't like knowing something they need to be aware of. If they worry about us, shouldn't they know? This person is after you, isn't he?" Daiya was not born yesterday. Being on Sasuke's team had guaranteed that he be smarter with each training session.

"Gekido no know where Onari. Sasuke gave Onari name. Gekido no know name. Onari fight for Sashizo and Urea. They no deserve die."

Daiya softly raked his fingers on the side of her head. He stared at the landscape below as he thought. It bothered him to keep something from his new parents; however, he would do as Onari asked. Her trust and faith in him was also important.

Onari sat on the steps off the Hyuga compound. She petted Eiyu and Kandai's new cat, Koeda. He was a pretty cat with a white body marked with light and dark gray spots. She ran her fingers through his fur as he purred. Her mind was on her brother. The sincerity in his voice made her realize many things. Daiya was not like his clan. He had been raised away from them and had not been prone to their way of life. She closed her eyes.

Eiyu sat beside her quietly. Onari was deep in thought. He wished he was able to penetrate her mind, but she kept it heavily guarded. What she knew, no one could tell. Her dreams and her past life were all hidden from everyone. They had not learned anymore about her since she was brought back to Konoha. All he knew when he watched her was that she was fast – very fast. Onari picked up things visually like no other person he had seen.

Eiyu moved his hand slowly to glide across Koeda's back. His fingers felt the soft hairs of the cat before he found Onari's rough fingers soaked in the white fur. Eiyu wanted to make himself known. They had been training together for almost a year. Was it unnatural for him to feel this way about a sparring partner?

Onari slowly opened her eyes. She glanced at Eiyu. He smiled at her softly. Onari's heart raced. Eiyu was moving closer to her. Unlike Takeru, he was older. The Hyuga twin bent his head to his right in order to kiss her sweetly on the lips. Onari blushed. Her mind flashed to Takeru. Takeru was only a boy. He did not view her as a girlfriend. It was not possible. He had never tried to advance with her. Her eyes opened to look at Eiyu. "Why Eiyu kiss Onari?"

Eiyu leaned towards her to kiss her on the cheek. "Unfortunately, I've fallen for my sparring partner," he said gently. "I like you a lot, Onari." Eiyu's white eyes looked into hers, searching. "I don't know what you feel, though. I do not know what is going on in your mind. You do not let anyone in… not me, or the ones who live with you. How are we supposed to protect you?"

"Why Eiyu want to protect Onari? Onari learn to protect Onari," she said as Koeda stretched his back before jumping off her lap. She looked down at her hand. Eiyu interlaced his fingers with hers.

"Maybe it's because I care. Although, I am unsure what you understand. Do I seem cold hearted to you?" Eiyu knew he was the serious type. It caused his brother to move away from him a lot. He watched Onari tilt her head a few times. The words were unfamiliar to her. He placed his hands on the side of her face. Eiyu daringly let his nose touch hers. "Onari, will you let me be close to you?"

Onari blushed. Why was she popular with Eiyu, Daiya, and Takeru? Daiya was her brother – so his was natural. Takeru and Eiyu were guys she trained with. She lived with Takeru. He had said he loved her, but the at the time, it was said without real emotion – real feeling. Takeru's age was a problem. He was only eleven. The boy in him was still there. Onari, on the other hand, had never been a child. She was forced to grow up around her due to her lifestyle. She realized she was more like Eiyu, in some ways. Eiyu was lonely. She saw that in him. If he was not with Kandai, he was alone. Eiyu had no outside friends. Takeru even had problems training with him on Lee's team.

Onari wrapped her arms around Eiyu. He tensed a little, unexpectedly. She put her hand on the back of his head and pressed him to her. Onari felt as if Eiyu was only being sincere. She was not sure what her heart wanted. Was it him that she wanted? Takeru was only a friend, wasn't he? "Onari let Eiyu," she said softly. Could they be good friends? Was that all right?

Eiyu felt his heart swell. He hugged her hard as he hid his face in her shoulder. He regarded Onari as a sparring partner, but he wanted it to be more than that. She is not dating anyone. Does she even know what I feel for her? But… doesn't Takeru like her, too? I am not sure. He is always with Ryu if not Daiya.

Onari closed her eyes. She was too young to understand a boy's feelings toward her. Even though her mind was like that of an adult, her heart was like a little girl's. Onari wanted to be close to the ones she was around, but she was worried about getting them involved in her life. If she defeated Gekido, then would that be enough? But… Izumi had told her she had to live. She had told her she could not stop living for herself. Her mother's last words were for her to smile. Her father had wanted to protect that.

Eiyu realized Onari was not speaking or moving. He moved his head to check on her. She was lying quietly on his shoulder, looking out at the yard. Koeda was chasing something through the grass. "Hey, Father found Koeda's sister the other day. It seems they were abandoned near our compound. Do you think Sasuke sensei and Ms. Izumi will let you have a pet?"

Onari sat up. "Koeda's sister?" Onari had never had a pet before. She looked at Koeda who was happy with the Hyugas. "Onari have cat, Eiyu?"

Eiyu smiled at her. "Yes, if they tell you you're allowed to keep it. Would you like to see her? She doesn't look anything like Koeda, though." Eiyu led Onari to the other side of the house. He pointed off to the distance. Under a bush was laying Koeda's sister. She was brown and resembled an owl. "She's skittish. You'll have to let her get used to you before you can touch her."

Onari was determined to get the kitten to come to her. She moved off the porch and got on her stomach so she would not seem threatening. Onari crawled to the cat. It noticed her immediately, watching her with its orange eyes. Onari stopped. She mewed at the cat. It only stared at her. She moved a little closer each time until the cat seemed fine with it.

Eiyu remained on the porch to see if it was possible for Onari to get close to Koeda's sister. Onari tried all afternoon to get the cat to come to her. The kitten only stared at her. It made no movement towards her. Eiyu realized after some time that Onari was not moving any closer to the cat. He made his way towards her. The girl had fallen asleep waiting for the cat to come to her. Eiyu smiled softly. He sat down beside her, petting her dark hair. "You're cute and funny at the same time, Onari." Eiyu watched the fluffy kitten walk over to Onari. It lay down near her side. Eiyu looked at the cat. "You could have, at least, given her a chance when she was awake." The kitten mewed at him. Eiyu lifted Onari up. He sighed as he put her on his back. Eiyu took her home.

Daiya watched Takeru spar with his father in the dojo. He saw how good Sasuke was at his age. It really showed in how easily he could avoid Takeru's punches and movements. He hoped, one day, he could be just as good as his trainer and now, father. Daiya's mind kept reflecting back to what Onari had said one night. She had confided in him her real story – her real intentions – everything. He wanted Sasuke and Izumi to know that Onari was in danger. Not only her, but also him. If Gekido was after Onari, then… Daiya's real father was after him, too. Daiya's father, the man who had abandoned him, worked for Gekido. His brows furrowed. I do not understand Onari's plan about this. I do not like Sasuke not knowing. He has done so much for us – accepted us. Isn't it only fair to warn him?

Takeru turned around and hit his father's palms with his fists. Sasuke blocked his blows and even started to advance closer to him. Takeru was still learning his father's tricks. Sasuke proceeded to bluff him by half turning his body as if he was going to strike the other side. Takeru fell for it and blocked only that side as Sasuke came back around from his previous position and managed to hit his son on the right. Takeru whimpered. He moved quickly towards his father, trying earnestly to hit his arms and chest. Sasuke moved his body rapidly to get out of his reach.

Daiya glanced at the shoji screen as Onari came in. She was rubbing her eyes sleepily. She appeared to be half-awake. He signaled for her to come to him. She stumbled across the floor trying to stay out of the way of the training pair. Onari plopped down beside him to lay her head on his leg. "Hey, I heard you were trying to get a kitten to come to you."

Onari yawned as she hugged Daiya's leg. She felt him tense. "Onari want Koeda sister. Eiyu say Koeda sister have no home. Onari want her. Sasuke let Onari?"

"I don't know you'll have to ask him and Izumi. There is not a pet here, so it should not be a problem. I have never had a pet. I don't particularly like animals," Daiya admitted. He watched her look at him as if he were teasing her. "I'm being serious, Onari. They smell." His reasons for it were due to his childhood. He was always chased by dogs, or pushed down in the dirt with animals. Daiya did not have fond memories of the situation.

Sasuke stopped and bowed low to Takeru. It was only proper to end a sparing session with respect. He stood back up to take his fatherly duties over again. "Always be mindful of an opponent's bluffs. I managed to fool you this time, Takeru. Who knows what could have been in my hand. Like a kunai, for example?"

Takeru blushed as his father made his point. "I understand. I'm sorry," he said. His mind became aloof when his brother was watching him. Takeru wanted Daiya to praise him, or point out his flaws like a brother should. Daiya had been daydreaming since he had come into the dojo. Takeru wondered what was up. He turned around to see Onari hugging Daiya's leg. He was glad Daiya only saw her as a sister. Takeru liked Onari quite a bit. He, however, was unable to express his true feelings to her.

"Dad, Onari has something she wants to ask you," Daiya said as he stood up. Sasuke stopped to look at the both of them. He pushed Onari towards the man. "Ask him."

Onari had never asked Sasuke for anything. She did not expect anything, either. He had given her a home, a life of her own. Would it be all right to ask for something now? "Onari want Koeda sister," she said softly trying to match the man's intense gaze.

"Koeda? Who is Koeda," Sasuke asked as he wiped his forehead with a towel. Takeru had really given him a workout. He expected nothing less from his son.

"I think 'Koeda' is Eiyu and Kandai Hyuga's cat. They have offered Onari the female kitten," Daiya said as he tried to clear up any misunderstanding or confusion present. He watched Onari try to back away from Sasuke. He moved his body to block her escape.

"So you're asking me if you can have a cat, correct?" Sasuke watched Onari lower her head. She did not think it was all right to ask for anything. That is probably why she did not to begin with. "Firebird," he said as he crouched to seem less threatening. "It is alright to ask for things. I never know if we will say 'yes' or 'no'. It depends on what is being asked and the timing. I do not mind a pet coming into the house. You have to clear it with Izumi, too. You must also ask Takeru and Daiya. Everyone must be included in a decision. Understand thus far?"

"Onari ask Sasuke, Izumi, Takeru and Daiya, jes? Onari ask every time Onari want to ask?" She tilted her head.

"Well, it depends on what it is, Firebird. Some things you have to clear with us if it affects the family. Other times, you only have to ask one of us," Sasuke said trying to make himself clear. He was not sure if she really understood or not.

Onari darted past Sasuke to find Izumi. They blinked. She ran down the hall searching every one of the rooms. She went into Sasuke and Izumi's room. Not there. Therefore, she went to the kitchen. Nope, no Izumi. Onari ran to the bathroom, back to the dojo, garden, and outside of the house. She knew Daiya did not care if she got a kitten, nor Takeru. Sasuke had already said 'yes'. She was determined to get her kitten!

Onari bailed out of the Uchiha compound with the determination to find Izumi Uchiha before night fell! She flew through Konoha passing people and familiar faces. Her mind was on the cute little kitten that resembled a furry owl. Dust flew into the air as her feet moved against the soil. Onari was off on her quest for the day!

Izumi moved through the house as she held something cute and furry in her arms. She smiled as she saw Sasuke coming out of the dojo. "Hey, look what I got for Onari! Eiyu and Kandai told me she has been trying to get this little sweetheart to come to her all day. Therefore, I thought it was all right to let her have her. Where is she?"

"You have the worst timing," Sasuke said as he took one look at the kitten. "Onari just left to try and find you to ask you about it. I already told her she could. The boys don't seem to mind, either."

Izumi blinked. "Well, how wired up was she about it?" She watched Sasuke press his palm to his forehead. "That bad, huh?" Izumi waved to Takeru. "Takeru, can you put Onari's present in the kitchen and feed her please? There's some fish in the fridge."

Takeru walked over to the cat. "Aw, is this what Onari was so excited about? She's really cute," he said as he rubbed his cheek on the kitten. "We've never had a pet before. She's really soft, too."

Sasuke smiled at his son's adoration for animals. He brought his hand up to rub the boy's head. "Don't be shy about the fish. She can have as much as she wants. I suppose Daiya and I can go look for Onari. She's probably tearing up half of Konoha trying to find you," he told Izumi.

Onari bounced from place to place searching wildly for Izumi. She flew through the trees, training grounds, and even rooftops. She ran through the streets peeking in and out of shops for the bargain hunting Uchiha woman. Onari even perched at several places waiting only thirty seconds to see if the woman showed. "IZUMI! IZUMI!" Onari's quest for the missing Uchiha woman was still on green as twilight hit Konoha, the village hidden in the leaves.


	57. Chapter 57

**V 6 ch 6**

**For You**

Gin Akimichi sat on a fallen branch in the woods as she stared at a puddle in front of her. She could see the sky and trees reflecting in it. Gin wondered where Idai was. Yanagi had found out through Daiya that he left the village with his dad. She sighed sadly. What was wrong with Idai? Why would he leave so suddenly?

Gin stroked the petals of a white lily she held in her grasp. Her blue eyes ran across its delicate, soft petals. Would she ever see him again? Gin looked up slowly to see Areku walking towards her. "Hi, Areku. How is Hire," she asked as she looked down at the flower in her hands again.

Areku crouched to look up into Gin's face. "Are you worried about Idai?" Gin nodded. She closed her eyes. "He's with Gai sensei. He will look after him. Do you… want to know what caused him to leave?"

Gin looked at him slowly. "You've heard something from Kiba sensei?" She watched as he shook his head to answer her. "How do you know then?"

"I was there when it happened. I answered the door when Masaru and Yanagi came for my father. He attacked them, Gin. Masaru said Idai raised his sword at Yanagi. She kept saying, 'It wasn't Idai. It wasn't Idai.' Masaru countered Yanagi's defense and said Idai had changed. His personality was not his own. He was someone else – someone different. It seems my father knew what they were talking about.

When Masaru took Yanagi home, Father told me to alert Gai sensei. He said Idai was out of control – he had to be stopped. When I told Gai sensei, he left his post to attend to Idai. I was thanked and returned home. Idai has a split personality, Gin. That is why he left. He had to. His other half is unpredictable." Areku watched as his teammate looked down at the flower in her hand once more.

"You know, flowers are fragile forms of beauty. If you forget to water them, or put them in sunlight, they wilt. Sometimes it's good to talk to them, too. It makes them feel special. Idai has been in the dark for a long time. He's not any different from a flower. Gai sensei, I'm sure, wants him to live – not wilt away." Gin stroked the flower. "I only hope he is led to the sunlight. It must be terrible to not know who you are."

Areku's eyes softened. Gin really cared about Idai, regardless what was happening to the foreign boy. It's a shame she never got the courage to tell him how she felt. She could have helped him fight whatever he's going through. He reached forward to put his hand on hers. "Maybe when Idai comes back, you can be a little more assertive and tell him how you feel." Gin started blushing right away. "Gin, you have to tell him some time. Someone else might snatch him."

Gin fidgeted her feet. "I want to tell him, but he's not here now. I don't know if he ever noticed me before."

"Well," Areku said as he stood," I'd figure out how to get myself noticed. He won't know you're alive if you don't say anything. I'll see you later, Gin. I'm going to go check on Hire."

Onari leaned on her brother's shoulder as they sat on the round watching Yanagi and Saori spar. Daiya had his hands clasped with his elbows on his knees. He was thinking about Idai. His eyes were distant and unconcerned with the activity going on around him.

Yanagi twisted her body as she came around to punch the space beside Saori's ear. Her movements were picking up, but they were nowhere as fast as her father's was. The pink-haired girl of team six blocked a punch easily as Saori came at her. Both of the girls were competitive when it came to who would be the first to surpass the boys.

Saori did a fake kick at Yanagi. Her friend tensed as she expected her to do. Saori took the opportunity to bend forwards to where she did a handstand. Then she twisted her waist doing an upside-down spin kick at Yanagi's head. Her foot was exposed to the girl's shoulder as Yanagi turned her body at the right moment to avoid her. Saori flipped back suddenly to start using hand seals.

Yanagi caught on to what she was doing and moved back quickly. She ran for the wooden fence in order to get away. Yanagi ran up a large pole to hold onto her position as she turned her head to watch Saori.

Saori's shadow shot out to try to capture Yanagi. The long line of darkness moved upon the ground. It snaked around the pole trying to gain ground. Saori's face showed frustration as the shadow stopped a few feet from Yanagi's form.

Yanagi sat on top of the pole. She watched Saori swear. "I know your limits as well as you do. I'm not going to move, Saori. We might as well call this a truce."

"I can still get you," Saori tried to make herself believe. She furrowed her brows concentrating. Her shadow tried to budge. It wasn't moving.

Yanagi sighed. "Saori, you're going to exhaust yourself for no reason. It's not a real fight. You just need to figure out how to get me another time."

"No, I need to figure it out now. I want to be as good as Kurenai sensei," Saori said. She had to let go. The shadow moved away from Yanagi. Saori punched the ground.

"Kurenai sensei learns from her mistakes. She doesn't give up if there is a chance of defeating her opponent. Her emotions are cool and collective – not anger – as yours tends to be," Daiya said out of nowhere. Saori gave him a foul look.

"No one asked you to comment," Saori said as she stood up dusting her knees off. "Worry about your own skills." She crossed her arms.

Yanagi came off the pole. She brought her hands up trying to ward off Saori's temper. "He didn't mean anything by it, Saori. Daiya's only giving you structural criticism."

"Yeah? Well, I don't structurally criticize his faults," Saori countered at her best friend. She didn't approve of Yanagi backing him up all of a sudden. "And you're acting rather odd, Yanagi. Are you two going out or something?" She caught onto her friend's shocked expression. "So that's what it is."

"That isn't what it is," Daiya said before Saori could say anything further. "I criticize you because I want you to meet your goals. If you didn't mouth off when you get frustrated, you'd overlook it and see what you need to do. In addition, as for what you mentioned about how you don't criticize me, it's because you don't care about me. Ryu doesn't let me get by with anything when I'm around him. I'm not about to let you get by me."

Saori Nara gritted her teeth. How dare he talk to her like that? Daiya acted more like an adult than a kid. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Saori was as hot headed as her mother was. Calm down, Saori. Easy. Daiya is acting that way to take his mind off Idai. "Well, I'm glad we're not on the same team. We'd probably kill each other."

Daiya on stared at her with a blank expression. He didn't care for the situation at all. She's not going to succeed with her temper the way it is. Someone's going to get the better of her eventually.

"Guys, do you have to fight," Yanagi asked. She looked back at Daiya. "She's not going to listen to you. Saori only takes Ryu's praise and disapproval. Kind of like how you only take Sasuke sensei's. The two of you are similar in some ways. I just wish you two were friendlier with each other."

"It's not easy talking to a bear," Saori said.

"And nor is working with a donkey," Daiya threw back. He tensed as Onari put her hand over his mouth. He turned his head to look at her. "It's the truth," he mumbled.

"Daiya say better words. Saori accept better words, jes?" Onari's serious gaze stayed with his. She removed her hand. Onari pointed at Saori. "Better words, Daiya."

Daiya knew Onari wasn't going to leave him alone. She was like this at home. When he and Takeru had problems, she had the tendency to follow silently behind him until he made things right. "Alright, Onari. You're worse than mom."

"Your anger is going to cause you to let an opponent get the better of you. When you're worried about how someone has offended you, your head becomes clouded. They win you lose. You weren't paying attention to your limitations, either. I've never seen you use the shadow possession jutsu. Why are you relying on it? I thought you were a puppet user."

Saori looked away. "I-I'm having trouble mastering Rose. My chakra isn't built up enough to handle all of her weapons for a long period of time. I mainly use her as a substitution clone or to distract an opponent."

"So why isn't Lee sensei helping you build your chakra with more intense training," Daiya asked.

"He tries. I'm struggling to keep up with Eiyu and Takeru. They both take side training from their parents. Lee sensei doesn't have extra time to train me. He'd be taking away from Yanagi's training, if he did. That would be selfish of me," Saori said.

"Also my dad doesn't know anything about puppets. Saori is the first puppet user in Konoha. She's been relying on Mr. Kankuro," Yanagi told Daiya.

"Saori needs a trainer who can help her combine taijutsu and Ninjutsu. No offense, Yanagi, but your dad is strictly taijutsu," Daiya said as he thought. "She needs some sort of side training."

"Who is going to be willing to give up their free time to do that? Training takes at least an hour a day, in order, to see results. Saori needs someone with a lot of patience," Yanagi said.

Daiya and Onari both looked at each other. "Kandai," they said in unison. Saori blinked. "Kandai," they said again.

Kandai stood on the porch smiling at the group in the yard. "Hi, guys. How's it going? Onari said you needed me for something?"

Daiya grabbed Saori by the headband around her neck. He pulled her forward. "Help her."

"Help her how?" Kandai was missing the point. "She appears to be fine to me."

"What Daiya means is Saori is having trouble with her chakra. She needs to increase her endurance level with a strict routine. Are you available?" Yanagi could only hope. Kandai and Eiyu stayed busy with their own training.

"Sure," Kandai said. "Yet, Saori is on a team with Eiyu, isn't she? Maybe he should be the one to help her instead?" As he turned around to get his twin, Saori grabbed his wrist. He turned around to see her shaking her head at him.

"No, Kandai, I don't want Eiyu to know. He already busts me on the team for not pulling my weight. I have to be able to use Rose," Saori said explaining herself. Her eyes pleaded with him to reconsider.

Kandai wasn't going to reject Saori if she needed him that badly. "Alright, but if you don't want him to find out, we should train away from the compound. Let's start tomorrow. Your homework is to run all of the way home with a back pack full of rocks." Kandai smiled.

Saori thought he was joking until he disappeared only to come back with them. "You're kidding right?" She fell on her rear as she struggled to lift it.

"If you're serious about becoming as good as Kurenai sensei, you have to train your heart as well as your spirit. We don't want that spit fire attitude of yours to smoke out, Saori. Meet me at training area eleven at sunrise. Training starts early," Kandai said. He waved good-bye as Saori walked off with the backpack.

"Come on, Saori, you can do it! Straighten your back and start smiling! This will help you get closer to being stronger," Yanagi said as she hopped on her feet. Saori did as she suggested. "Alright, now we're going to jog. The first few steps are the hardest. You, too, Daiya," she sang. "It'll help your heart."

Saori wanted to drop the backpack, but Daiya was following suit with her. The first few steps were difficult. I'm going to jog thirty feet and if I survive, I'll job to that building. Saori began to make short goals for herself.

Daiya watched Saori tough it out. She was determined, he'd give her that. He jogged next to her trying to keep up with her pace. Daiya closed his eyes. His lungs were heaving after several blocks. He caught Yanagi watching him. He didn't want to appear weak in front of them.

Yanagi knew Daiya had no problem with self-determination; however, right now it wasn't about that. She didn't want him to hurt himself. Yanagi moved closer to him, in order, to check his complexion. "Daiya, I can make Saori continue. I want you to go home."

"I can do it, Yanagi," Daiya said a bit angrily. He felt her kiss his cheek quickly. He glanced at her.

"You're not the one who needs training. Besides, if you were to pass out, I could do whatever I wanted to you," she said with a smile. Daiya blushed terribly. Yanagi giggled. "Go home, Daiya with the cute butt."

Daiya slowed down as her words sunk in. He stared after her and Saori. "I don't have a cute butt!" Yanagi stuck her tongue out.

Gin moved her hands carefully through the dirt as she sifted the soil aside. Very gently, she placed a special seed into the pot. Gin covered the soil back. She turned her body to pick up a small bamboo container. Gin poured a little water into the pot. She watched the soil turn a dark brown as the water sunk into the bottom.

Gin placed the bamboo container back onto the floor. She bowed low three times and brought her hands up in prayer above her head. "Please grow as Idai grows. Please keep him safe and bring him back to us." She took a small piece of scroll and wrote her prayer onto it. Gin rolled the paper carefully. She stuck the scroll into a plastic piece and emerged it into the soil of the lotus seed.

Gin sat looking at the pot for a while. She half-expected the seed to start growing as soon as she prayed. Gin closed her eyes. Her mind and heart was on Idai. She never told him how she felt. Now she wished she had. I can't think negatively. I have to be positive for him. If what Areku says is true, Idai is suffering. I want him to live a normal life.

As the sun set, Gin meditated for Idai's sake. She kept her mind focused on his face. The world outside continued, even though, he wasn't there to be in it.

Gai sat with Idai in front of an elderly woman who had learned about them outside of the Sound Village. He glanced at his son. The boy was nervous. It had been seven years since he had set foot near the village of his childhood. They were merely on the outskirts and Idai's shoulders were shaking.

The woman regarded the white-haired boy in front of her. He downed a headband of the hidden leaf village. Her eyes fell to the man next to the boy. "You are not his father. Are you this child's guardian?"

Gai sat with correct posture as he regarded the woman in front of him. She was in her sixties and looked as if she had seen many things in her lifetime. "I am. I was appointed his guardian by the Hokage of the hidden leaf village."

Idai's eyes widened. He looked at Gai with a shocked expression. He thought Gai had adopted him of his own accord. Idai felt terrible.

Gai caught the boy's hurt look. He lifted his hand to place it on Idai's back. "I was appointed your guardian, Idai, but not your dad. That was my choice."

The woman watched the two in front of her intently. "What is your purpose in this village? Why have you come?"

"We came to find out if you know anything about what occurred seven years ago," Gai told her.

"Seven years ago? I have been in this village almost twenty years. Ever since the fall of Orochimaru. Many things have occurred here. Why would such knowledge be valuable to a ninja of the hidden leaf village? I am limited about what I can say to a foreigner," she said.

"I am here to find out what happened to my son. He has been tormented by nightmares ever since he was found. Something happened to him to cause him to be like this. Can you please tell us anything to help us," Gai asked. Idai was grabbing his pants as he stared at the floor.

"What would it mean to find out that sort of information," the woman asked as she watched the white and red haired boy in front of her.

"I want to be free," Idai said softly. "I want to go on missions with my team. I want to have fun with my friends. I want to dream. I don't know what it's like. Please help me."

The old woman noted the sadness and fear in his voice. She recognized the boy by the way he held his posture and the expression on his face. His resemblance to his father was uncanny. "You are Idai of the Tatsumaki clan. Your father, Orushin, was a Jounin of the rarest breed. He sought to improve the education and training of ninja in this village. His thoughts on the matter went unnoticed. His fellow colleagues ridiculed his ideas.

Our village has been feared in the past due to our unknown ways. After all, to survive as a new country is hard with limited members. The ones in charge of this village did not want your father to change what was working for them. The Sound village only accepts the best ninja from each clan. Our ways may seem cruel to an outsider, but it helps weed out the children who would fail their teams and missions – be seen as failures and shame their clans."

"I'm not a failure," Idai said as he gritted his teeth. "Kiba doesn't think I am! I want to go back to Konoha!"

Gai placed his hand on the side of Idai's head. He lowered his head. "We need to find out what happened, Idai. I know it's hard, but she's willing to tell us what she can. You need to be brave." Idai nodded slowly before he averted his eyes.

The woman watched the boy's actions play out. He seemed angry at how things had turned out for him. "I can help you further ninja of the leaf. I will not betray my village, or my clan. Idai Tatsumaki ha been seen as a failure from his clan. He is to live his life as he must," the woman said. She rose to her feet. "Please vacate my home before you bring shame upon it."

Gai held up his hand trying to get the woman to reconsider. "Can you tell us anything further? We've only heard a small amount to help us."

"No, I am sorry. To tell you anything further would be to send my entire clan into the utmost danger. It is better to sacrifice one in order to save a whole. May you find something worth your existence, Idai of the Tatsumaki clan." She disappeared behind a curtain. Goodbye, Orushin's son – my grandson. May the one you're with give you what we could not.

Idai walked slowly next to Gai. He held onto his backpack as his eyes stayed focused on the ground. His last name was Tatsumaki. His father had been Orushin. Orushin Tatsumaki. My dad… was a trainer like Kiba. He was tall… and had long white hair. He wore it over his shoulders. I remember his smile. My father loved me. He used to carry me on his shoulders when we shopped. Idai's heart ached.

Gai knew Idai was going through a lot. He hadn't learned anything more about his lost past than his father's name. He knew it wasn't going to be easy. The woman had to secure herself because they were seen as outsiders. Still, he wondered how the old woman knew what she did about Idai. Was he known throughout the village as a failure? He patted Idai's back.

Idai leaned into Gai, the man who had taken him in, and adopted him. Orushin was no longer alive to protect him. Now it was Gai's job to teach him to move on. "Gai, if Orushin was alive, he'd thank you for giving me a chance."

Gai's heart swelled. "I appreciate you saying that, Idai. He's not the only one who cares for you. I'm very fortunate to know you." He walked with Idai away from the sound village. They would have to take another route.

Saori Nara woke groggily to an early dawn. Kandai had promised to train her to increase her endurance and thus her chakra. She painfully got out of bed. Saori tumbled onto the floor. Her muscles ached terribly. There was a knock at her door. Saori's eyes lifted to see her father poking his head around the corner.

Shikamaru was impressed with how determined his daughter was. "Hey, so you're still going? It's not easy adjusting to a new routine. I drew a hot bath for you. It'll help with the aches you're feeling. "He walked off.

Saori grunted as she forced herself to get up. The hot bath waiting for her was enticing. All right, Kandai. I'm still game if you are.

Kandai Hyuga smiled at Saori as she came walking towards the training area. She was still determined to increase her training routine. "Hi, so I see you're still serious about catching up to Eiyu and Takeru. That's great! Hope you slept well, Saori. How did you like running home with the rocks?"

Saori wasn't going to let Kandai get the best of her. "We became good friends. They told me to be prepared for what you might have in store for me."

"They might be right. Endurance training is tough. It's more about your mind than your body. If your mind falters at any point of the training, your body will crash. I hope you have strong will." He smiled at her. "Today, let's try to move it up a notch. The rocks were a good start to let me know how you fair physically. You've got what it takes, but you need more training to get your mind there. And in saying so, you're going to need a partner for the morning."

"I thought my partner was going to be you," Saori said flabbergasted.

"No, I'm your sensei," Kandai said. "Your partner for the day is going to be Hire." He saw the shock explode all over Saori's face. "Hire has been through the worst sorts of endurance training with Sasuke sensei. She's the best choice for a partner."

"What's up, puppet girl? So you need to train harder?" Hire smiled at her rather devilishly. "You should have brought Rose. Why train for her if you're not going to use her? She needs to become your other set of arms and legs."

Saori sighed. "I thought it was pointless to bring her. I wanted to increase my strength so I could manager her better, later. I didn't want to look like a fool if I mess up with her."

"You will mess up. Accept it. Everyone does. A ninja would never forget her kunai or shuriken. You should never forget Rose," Hire said matter-of-fact.

"And in saying so, Rose will be included in all of your side training. Hire is going to work with you on some chakra control," Kandai said. "We start simple and move our way up."

Saori looked at the large tree in front of her. "You want me to run up the side of the tree as much as I can, and mark it with the kunai?"

"That's correct. Sasuke makes us do this twice a day, every day. We have to beat our marks, or we don't get lunch," Hire said to scare Saori into her place. She watched Saori's reaction to what she had said. "You have to do your best. A trainer won't let you get by with it. Lee has to work with Eiyu and Takeru quite a bit, right? Takeru doesn't focus as he should when he trains and Eiyu seems to think he doesn't need improvement. He has enough on his plate with those two."

"Okay, so how far do you want me to go? What height?" Saori watched as Hire flew up the side of the tree. The older girl passed six branches and marked a place on the tree with a kunai. She dropped to the ground. "Something tells me you can get farther up than that," she said to herself about Hire.

"By the end of the week, I want you to be able to hit that mark, Saori," Kandai said. "Hire will be your driving force this week. If you can pass this sort of training, you can do anything."

Saori's eyes stayed on the mark. She stretched out her arms and legs. "Okay, I'll hit that mark before the end of the week." She ran at the tree, placed her feet upon the bark and attempted to glue her chakra to the bark. Saori managed to get halfway to the first branch before she yelped. Her feet were no longer glued to the tree. She hit the ground landing on her back.

Hire walked over to her. She crouched to look at Saori. "Nice attempt. I don't suppose you took into account that your body is tired from yesterday?" Hire smirked. "Sit up, Saori. We'll strengthen your body with a quick warm-up exercise."

Saori sat up slowly. Man, Kandai's training is going to be as difficult as his father's. My body is so sore I can hardly move. She groaned. I cannot let Eiyu and Takeru continue to surpass me. Eiyu will not be nagging me anymore after this! Saori finally stood. She followed Hire to the tree again.

Gin rubbed her sleepy eyes as the sun shone through her window. She nonchalantly glanced around the room. It did not occur to her something was different in the room. After a few minutes of waking up, she turned her head to look at the pot on the windowsill. Gin sat up abruptly. She kicked her sheets off.

Gin hopped out of the bed and ran to the window. Her blue eyes stared at the pot. Inside the pot, standing tall and beautiful was a blue lotus flower. Its petals were as soft as silk and its fragrance was light and catching. Gin examined the soil for the tiny scroll she had placed there the day before. It was nowhere to be found.

Gin's hand went to her chest. She breathed out slowly as if it was all going to vanish before her eyes. Very carefully, she turned the pot in her hands. Gin's eyes fell onto something strange. There written on one of the leaves in Kanji was the word, 'Idai'. The lotus grew because I prayed for Idai. This flower is for him. As long as it stands, I will know he is all right.

Gin bowed low three times to the blue lotus in the ceramic pot. Each time, she brought her hands up into prayer over her head. I will keep praying for Idai's safe return every day. This is for you, Idai.


	58. Chapter 58

**V 6 ch 7**

**Show me what you know, Onari!**

Onari titled her head as she watched Sasuke push a door open. She cautiously entered the room as he pointed for her to go in. she saw three men sitting at a long table. There was a man wearing a strange hat sitting in the middle of two men in uniforms similar to what Sasuke wore. Onari looked up at the man who had taken her in. He placed his hand on her shoulder.

"We're going to see how far your training has come, Onari. If you've managed to catch up to Takeru and Daiya, you'll get to be on a team. If not, your training will continue. The Hokage is going to ask you to show him what you have learned. Do as he asks, okay?"

Onari looked at the man whose face she couldn't see. She was hesitant about showing someone her skills. She pointed at the man. "Onari show boy with hat what…Sasuke, Izumi, brother Neji teach, jes?"

"Yes, that's what we're asking you to do. Can you do as he asks," Sasuke repeated. He watched her shake her head. He sighed. "Onari, you have to. You can't get on a team unless you pass."

"Sasuke, Onari no know boy with hat," she said trying to justify herself.

Sasuke put the edge of his palm to his forehead. All of her training was going to go to waste if she didn't pass the trails. All students had to. "Onari, you have to do what he says. He's not going to hurt you." Onari only stared at him with her intense gaze. The two proctors on either side of the Hokage sweat dropped.

Onari turned her head to look at the man who sat behind the table again. The man's face came into view. Onari tilted her head this way and that. She pointed at the face she hadn't seen for almost a year. "Uzumaki. Boy with hat is Uzumaki."

"Yeah, but you're supposed to call him Ho-," Sasuke blinked. He looked around the room. "Onari!" She had already attached herself to Naruto and was sitting on the table. The two proctors' mouths fell open.

Naruto stared at the dark haired girl in front of him. Her birdlike eyes were looking up at him, watching. Her speed. She moved towards me without alerting the two by my side. No sooner, did I blink and she was on the table. Naruto regained his composure. "My, you've gotten to be quite fast since the last time I saw you."

"Uzumaki no visit Onari at Sasuke house," Onari said rather disappointed.

"You're supposed to be over there! You can't attach yourself to the Hokage," a proctor stated as he started to grab onto Onari's arm. "Get back over there!"

Onari narrowed her eyes. She could feel the tension in the man's grip. She moved her left hand quickly to clasp it around his wrist. She curled her fingers around the bone slowly.

The proctor winced as he felt the girl's strength. He tried to get away, but she intensified her grip and strength to boot. "Let go you brat!"

Naruto held his hand up to stop the other proctor from advancing upon the girl. "She's not going to let go until you let go of her. You came at her first. She is defending herself." The proctor released his grip on Onari's arm. As suspected, Onari also let go. "Onari." She slowly turned her gaze towards him, wary of the proctors. "Can you show me what Neji, Izumi, and Sasuke have been teaching you?"

"Uzumaki want see everything," she asked.

"Well, I need to see enough that lets me know you can go on a team," Naruto explained. He smiled at her. Onari seemed to be perking up at the mention of getting on a team. "Would you like to graduate with the other students?"

"Uzumaki let Onari go Takeru if Onari show skills?" She got really close to his face. She could see the different hues of blue in his eyes. He nodded. Onari shot off the table. She skidded on the floor. Onari started to from hand seals quickly.

Sasuke tensed. "Wait, Onari, he didn't tell you what jutsu to do!" Too late.

Naruto blinked as Onari touched her hands to the floor. A strange pattern formed upon the wooden slates. The pattern began to glow as it sprung from the floor, wrapping around itself to mold into a shape. This looks strangely familiar. Sure enough, a small red bird formed out of the symbols that had been on the floor moments before. Is that… Is that Akaihi? He leaned over the table.

"Akaihi say 'hi' to Uzumaki," Onari said. The bird cooed sweetly as he started to move around her feet searching for something. Onari smiled big at Naruto. "Onari use summon jutsu. Onari fight Uzumaki like Sasuke?" She started to step forward figuring that's what the man wanted, but Sasuke grabbed her collar.

"No, you won't be fighting the Hokage. This isn't a training session, Firebird. You need to listen instead of jumping at the chance to show off. I know you're smart. I know you're fast. Now show the Hokage a copy of yourself like we've been trying to teach you," he said. Sasuke was afraid Onari wasn't going to learn to listen to another adult, but himself. It was going to prove a problem.

Onari formed hand seals in front of her body. She concentrated as she moved. A copy of herself popped next to herself. The copy jutsu was a little beneath her, she thought. Onari didn't like to use it. She preferred hand-to-hand combat to anything. She looked at Sasuke for approval. "Better?"

"Yes, that's better," Sasuke told her as he sighed.

Naruto wanted to see if Onari could take direction from someone other than Sasuke. So far, she was only doing what he asked. If she refused to adhere to anyone else, it wouldn't matter how much training she had. The girl was constantly looking around for other direction. "I need to see if Onari will listen to another authoritive figure. I'm going to ask you to step out, Sasuke."

Sasuke figured it was going to happen. "Onari, I have to leave. Do your best," he told her as he exited the room.

Naruto kept his eyes on the girl. She was staring at the door. She glanced at the table where the three of them sat. Onari was unsure about being in the room alone. "Onari, can you show me a transformation jutsu?"

Onari bit her bottom lip. She hadn't been separated from Neji or the Uchiha since her arrival in Konoha. Family or friends always surrounded her. She pointed at the door. "Sasuke," she said softly.

Naruto tried to redirect Onari. "Onari, Sasuke has to stay outside right now. You're taking a test. You may not see him until you're finished. Understand?" Onari seemed to be pondering the consequences of her actions. She wanted to leave due to the fact she was with unfamiliar company. She was not that familiar with Naruto. "Onari, please show a transformation jutsu."

Onari formed hand seals quickly. She poofed into Izumi Uchiha. Onari stood complete with Izumi's kimono, tattoo under her right eye, and her long white hair flowing behind her back. She watched the proctors move back quickly. Apparently, they had had run ins with Izumi in the past. She popped back into herself. "Onari correct?"

"Yes, you did very well," Naruto commented as the proctors wrote on their pads. They were evaluating Onari's progress down to the last detail. She was being judged harder due to her schooling factor. She was bypassing the Academy. "Now can you show me a substitution jutsu?"

Onari quirked a brow. Her mind went through the words in her head. Substitution. Substitution jutsu. She scratched her head. Onari saw Takeru in her mind. They were outside. He formed hand seals and disappeared next to her. She searched the garden with her eyes until she heard him whistle. Onari remembered. It was a jutsu she had had difficulty with in the past.

Onari formed hand seals quickly. She concentrated hard. Her mind focused and body remained calm. She disappeared.

"Good job, Onari. You're performed all three jutsus correctly. However, we need to make sure you know how to perform on a mission before you go onto a team," Naruto said as he wrote on a pad. He saw the proctors looking around for the girl. "She's behind you," he said as they looked. Onari only looked back at the two men. "Onari, come to the front of the table." She did as he asked.

"Onari, when you're on a team, who do you listen to," Naruto asked. He saw her quirk a brow. "Who is the one that directs you?"

"Trainer like Sasuke," Onari answered.

"What are the types of jutsu ninja use to outwit his or her opponent," Naruto asked.

"Ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu," Onari said. She was familiar with all three now. Izumi taught her Ninjutsu while Sasuke and Neji taught her taijutsu. Ryu had shown her genjutsu.

"Who gives the orders for the ninja?" Naruto waited. He wasn't sure if she knew or not.

"Who tell Onari what to do? Sasuke and Izumi," she said softly. Naruto shook his head at her. Onari watched him point to himself. "Onari listen Uzumaki?"

Naruto pointed to his hat. "I am the Hokage of the ninja leaf village. I am the leader out of all of the ninja who reside here. It's my job to get others work so they can live and protect the village. Kiba, Shikamaru, and Sasuke have to listen to my directions and orders," he said pulling names she was familiar with. "Without the Hokage, the ninja in a village have no direction. I am an important person, but not more than each person in the village," he concluded.

Onari was just now realizing how important he was. He instructed trainers like Sasuke and watched out for everyone – every man, woman, and child in the village. Onari dropped to the floor, bowing her head constantly as he if he were a god.

Naruto stood up as Onari started to worship him. He approached her and kneeled. Naruto brought his hand down to place it on her head to get her attention. "You don't need to worship me, Onari. It kind of embarrasses me," he said with a faint smile. She sat up slowly. Naruto talked with her on a one-to-one basis so he could decipher her ability to analyze scenarios and situations.

Izumi Uchiha twiddled her thumbs as she sat in the living room. Normally she had Onari during the day when Neji was unavailable to teach her. Sasuke had decided to go ahead and submit Onari's name for testing. She hoped the girl was doing all right. They had managed to keep the decision from Takeru and Daiya.

Sasuke has something up his sleeve. Too bad, he will not let me know what it is yet. She sighed as she got up to go bargain shopping. She would have to wait until Sasuke came back to learn the trails and errors of Onari's training.

Onari exited the room slowly. Sasuke was waiting for her in the hall. He turned around to look at her. She wasn't to sure what had happened. The Hokage had asked her to perform three jutsus successfully – she had done just that. He also asked her questions after questions. Onari wasn't sure if she had succeeded in answering anything correctly. Her vocabulary was a hinder to her. She lowered her head.

Sasuke walked to her slowly. He wasn't too sure, what had occurred when he had left. He wanted to believe she had performed the jutsus correctly. However, he knew the years of lecture the other kids had, was against her. He kneeled so he could look up into her face.

Sasuke lifted his hand to touch her cheek. Tears were welling in her eyes. "Onari, you didn't let anyone down. You did the best you could." She shook her head. "What is it?"

"Onari not know words Uzumaki say," she said rather heartbroken.

Therefore, that's what it boiled down to. It wasn't just her physical strength, but also her comprehension. We didn't prepare enough. "We'll get a tutor for you, okay? What do you think about Ryu helping you?"

Onari wiped her eyes. "Turkey boy Ryu each Onari?" She attached herself to Sasuke when he stood up. Being on a team meant all of her countless hours of training hadn't been in vain. Yet, it appeared she was still lacking in skill.

Sasuke started to walk down the hall with Onari. He had his hand on the side of her head to comfort her. As their feet padded, he heard someone calling his name. Sasuke turned around to see Naruto walking towards him. The man appeared annoyed at something. "What's wrong?"

Naruto frowned a bit, but soon forced a smile. "After deliberating about Onari's performance with the proctors, I would like to go ahead and put Onari on a team." Onari whirled around to look at him. "She performed all three jutsus correctly despite the fact it took her a moment to figure out what I was asking of her. The questions I asked were to determine her knowledge about missions, the village, and what she overall knew about ninja life. Onari may not know the correct sentence structures, but she answered to the best of her ability.

It would be a waste to not let her continue to strengthen her talents. She's come a long way in a short amount of time. Neji has done a wonderful job of teaching her defensive taijutsu. Her movements are incredibly fast. One of the proctors tried to see if he could get past her earlier. He wasn't able to. No matter which direction he took and how fast he was, Onari was still quicker. She was able to stop him in place.

Not only that, but her offensive taijutsu is just as strong. When faced with two opponents who come at her, she is able to deflect their weapons and bodies while protecting someone. Also, her Ninjutsu is picking up nicely. She managed to defer her two opponents by combining your fireball technique with Neji's rotation move. She's combining jutsus, Sasuke. Onari is making them her own. I am very pleased with her progress," Naruto said as he leaned down to smile directly at the girl.

"I wonder how you'll do on your new team, Onari. You'll be protecting two others while completing a mission." Naruto handed her the ninja headband. "In short, you passed."

Onari's head lifted as she stood with the headband in her hands. Her fingers went over the smooth metal and symbol of the leaf village. "Onari pass test?"

"Mm-hmm. You passed. Now the Hokage will decide what team would be the best suited for you," Sasuke said. He took the headband from her and placed it on her forehead.

"Where Onari go," she asked moving her attention to Sasuke as if he held all of the answers of the world.

"I don't know just yet," he admitted to her. Sasuke looked at Naruto. "Where are you going to place her? The teams are full."

Naruto already had a plan in mind. "I've been watching Hire quite a bit these past few months. I wanted to be sure that her attitude was going to improve, in order, to give her the chance to learn where she went wrong. A village should never give up on a sole person. The best experiences one can under are the ones life demands. Without trying and leaving her alone, she has learned to get along with others and work for the better of the team. Let us go ahead and move Hire off your team, Sasuke.

It would be more beneficial to move a few students around. Onari needs her chance, don't you think? Hire's potential is already at its peak." Naruto took off his hat to run his fingers through his spiky blond hair. "Well, do your best," he said as he turned around. He waved at the two he left in his wake.

"I'm off of the team? What did I do to get kicked off," Hire asked as she sat on the stool waiting for her meal at the ramen stand. She stared hard at her trainer. She demanded an explanation.

Sasuke watched her out of the corner of his eye. "It's the Hokage's decision, Hire. Here," he said throwing a scroll at her. "Read what it says."

Hire opened the scroll carefully. She read the caricatures slowly. She stopped and re-read them to make sure what she thought was correct. "I'm being moved to another team that's fixing to take the Chuunin exams in the winter? So… I can become a Chuunin," she said as she breathed the last word out. She had advanced. "Who is replacing me? There has to be another person. It has to be a three-man team." Hire caught onto the smirk her used-to-be trainer emitted before he sipped his tea. "Alright, Sasuke Uchiha, what are you up to?"

"You're awfully blunt with your elders, Hire," he said as he closed his eyes. "Maybe what I have in mind benefits everyone. I thought your main goal was to become a Chuunin because you felt cheated in some way."

"I do want to be a Chuunin. Someone with my skills shouldn't be held back forever. Only your talents get you recognized anyway," she said as she put her chopsticks into her bar-b-que ramen.

"That's isn't what got you noticed in the first place with the Hokage," Sasuke corrected. He chewed his udon noodles. "It was how you've changed that got his attention. If you had continued to refuse to work with the others around you, you would have been off the team with no chance of advancement. I'd thank Areku while you can. You seem to have gotten a lot closer with him, as of late."

Hire's face turned red. She threw a piece of pork at Sasuke's head. He moved back swiftly to avoid her. "Now whose being blunt?" Hire settled down. She stared at the food.

"Aren't you going to tell him you've advanced like you wanted?"

Hire closed her eyes. She was getting awfully close to Areku. He gave her flowers every time he saw her. "I won't be able to work with him anymore, or see how he's doing," Hire said disappointed.

"I can understand your feelings. You've been alone the entire time – whether by your choice, or someone else's. You haven't fooled me at all, Hire. You were lonely from the start. Your attitude to snub others was how you dealt with not being accepted." Sasuke watched her lower her head further. "Cheer up. You have Areku now. He has to account for something."

Hire nodded gently. "I'll tell him later. He shouldn't think too badly of me if he can't see me all of the time. I don't want to smother him, or anything," she said as she regained her normal attitude.

Sasuke ate his udon in peace.

Masaru Uzumaki sat with his chin in his hand. His whit eyes stared at the floor. I wonder where Idai is. Is he going to come back? He couldn't imagine another person being on the team, but the sound-nin boy.

Yanagi leaned against the wall as she watched Masaru. The Hokage's son was uninterested in participating with training. Her gray eyes turned to her trainer, Kiba Inuzuka, who was walking towards them. She wondered what kind of mission they had managed to get. Kiba had been standing in front of the Hokage for some time.

Kiba stood stiffly as he watched his students. Yanagi was starting at him, but her mind wasn't focused on him at all. Masaru also seemed to have less energy. "It seems we won't be allowed to take missions until we get a replacement for Idai."

Masaru's ears heard the words 'replacement' and 'Idai'. He glanced up quickly. "What? We're replacing Idai? We can't! He's on our team!"

"Masaru, it's out of my hands," Kiba said to calm the boy down. "The Hokage can't let us remain as so without a third person. It's unknown whether Idai will return, or not. The problems he is facing right now are a bigger concern."

Yanagi stared at the ninja waiting to get missions. "Who's replacing him? Have you been told yet?"

Kiba nodded his head. "A guy named Jinrin Maeda. We'll be meeting him later. He is only temporary if Idai comes back, Yanagi and Masaru. Otherwise, he's going to be permanent. It has to be a three-man cell," he said as Masaru looked away disgusted with the fact that Idai was being replaced. "For now you guys are dismissed. Meet me this afternoon near the training grounds."

Masaru arose kicking his foot against the bench he was sitting on. "We don't need another person to replace Idai!" He mouthed off one final time knowing he couldn't do anything about it. Yanagi followed him out of the building. "I hate this! Why does Idai have to be replaced? That's not fair! He's on our team for a reason!" He leaned hard against the building as his back remained facing Yanagi. "He's my friend," he said softly.

Yanagi's eyes softened. "Masaru, I know you like Idai, but we can't get work unless someone else is on the team. All we can do is keep our hopes up for Idai. Whatever he is facing right now, is most important to overcome. We can't give up on him that easily. It's also not this new person's fault. We can't blame him for getting on the team. He was assigned to us."

"I know, but it's not going to be the same person I'm working with. We don't know what kind of personality he'll have, or what his fighting styles will be. It's like day one of our team all over," Masaru said. "I don't like reversing my direction to get accustomed to a new person."

Yanagi understood where he was coming from. She placed her hand upon his shoulder and smiled at him gently when he turned to look at her. "I know it's not easy for the ones we adore to go missing on us. You're attached to Idai. I would have never thought you would have managed to overcome your anxiety about getting to know him, like you have. Idai will appreciate you looking up to him as you do. Maybe it will make him come back sooner to us," she said trying to encourage him.

Masaru smiled a little in return. "Yeah, I hope he does. Yanagi, what do you think Idai is dealing with? Remember how he screamed when he was having one of those flashbacks of his? Are they all that bad?"

Yanagi looked away. "I've heard some things from Daiya and Takeru. Idai's flashbacks are pretty bad. He is being tormented by something. Gai sensei went to find out if he could save Idai from going insane. It's awful, Masaru. I think that's why Idai kept to himself the entire time at the Academy. He was always in thought about what scared him. We have to keep him in our hearts for now. Can you do that for him?"

Masaru turned around slowly as he heard a few birds chirping. One flew from a tree to another tree. Its chirping song reminded him of how Idai's flute sounded. "I'll try to, Yanagi. I don't want Idai coming back to scold me," he said as he decided to make peace with the situation.

Areku Inuzuka blinked as he listened to Hire talk about her movement to another team. He leaned against the tree, his mind not able to comprehend why she was being moved. "You won't be working with me anymore. Once that team takes the Chuunin exam, you'll be a Chuunin. Your missions will be harder, Hire. I want you to do your best. I know it's important to you to advance, but I don't want to hold you back. I'm still a Genin. I don't know when Shikamaru sensei will let us take the Chuunin exams."

"Areku, if I hadn't of been held back, I wouldn't have met you. Please don't think badly of me for agreeing with Sasuke sensei. The Hokage is proud of me, I think, for changing my attitude. You're not holding me back! I want to…," she trailed off afraid to say what she really thought of him.

Areku caught onto her hesitation. "You want to what? If you want to break up with me, I can understand your feelings. I wouldn't expect you to stay with me." His eyes looked away.

Hire looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. She walked up to him and put her hands on his cheeks. "No, you idiot, I want to wait for you." She kissed him gently on the lips. Areku's face blushed intensely. "I'm in love with you, Areku Inuzuka."

Areku's eyes widened. He had never had someone in love with him before. "Am I supposed to do anything?" He figured he had to acknowledge her feelings somehow. She shook her head. "Then what am I supposed to do now that you've admitted something like that to me?"

Hire smiled at him as she let her nose touch his cheek when she wrapped her arms around him. "You're supposed to let me," she said as she felt Areku lean into her. She liked the way he felt against her. Areku was a bit serious for his age, but he was sweet and romantic at heart. Hire grabbed onto his shirt. "You'll still come by to visit me, won't you?"

Areku nodded. "I don't have any intention of letting another guy take you away from me." He looked at her with his wild eyes. "You're cute when you're being high and mighty, you know." That caught her off guard. Areku smiled with a toothy grin similar to his father's. Hire punched his arm lightly. "See? It's a turn-on."

"What is it with you and Sasuke picking on me today," Hire said as she hid her face in his shoulder.

"What'd Sasuke sensei tease you about? Hire? Hello?" Areku prodded her, but she wouldn't look at him. All he could tell was that her face was red like his.

Neji Hyuga sat in his living room with his hands on his legs, meditating. It was good to have peace and quiet while the house was calm. Onari had gone to take the Academy exam with the Hokage. He wondered how she faired. It wasn't easy to take on all of the training and studying he had undergone in a year's time. In fact, it was unheard of for a student to have that much determination. Even the Hokage himself had had regular schooling.

Neji heard the birds chirping around the house. He felt the breeze of the wind. It was good to meditate. It made him relaxed and more focused. However, he also heard a fast padding motion of feet. He twitched his eyebrow. Neji felt a jab in his arm. He tried to ignore it. Another jab. Neji cleared his throat to get the attention of the person jabbing him. He relaxed again as the feeling stopped.

Neji tensed. He could sense someone in front of him. In fact, whoever it was was less than an inch from his nose. Neji moved his head back slowly. However, the person moved forward. He moved back a foot, his back leaning. Neji blushed as he felt someone crawl on top of him. Neji's concentration was being broken. He hated that. He opened his eyes to see two yellow eyes looking at him rather intently. "Onari, it's rude to crawl on top of others and to disturb someone who is meditating."

"Brother Neji, Onari passed test Uzumaki gave Onari," she said rather fast and excited before she tackled him to the floor with her arms around his neck. "Onari did what Neji say Onari do! Onari get team like Takeru!"

Neji frowned as he felt his back pop back into place. "Onari, I would be happier if you got off of me. My spine can't take this sort of abuse at my age," he said. She lifted herself off him to look down at him. "Sit down, Onari."

Onari moved swiftly to sit beside him. She watched him take a deep breath as he sat up. Neji rotated his shoulders and did relaxation techniques before he looked at her. "Onari do good job?"

Neji lifted his hand to place it upon her head. He petted her softly. "Yes, all of your hard work was accomplished for a purpose in mind. I'm glad you got onto a team like Takeru. Now you can join the others on missions. Did the Hokage tell you which team you would be on?"

Onari shook her head. "Neji no tell Eiyu and Kandai. It secret. Onari get on team in a few days. Uzumaki prepare teams for what he say. Onari want to see Eiyu and Kandai shocked." She smiled devilishly at him.

Neji looked away. It seems Izumi Uchiha has had some affect on her way of thinking. He sighed. It can't be helped. I can only hope Onari's determination doesn't falter when she's faced with strong opponents. Being a ninja is tough work.

Onari lifted herself to kiss Neji on the cheek quickly. "Brother Neji, Onari thank you for training! Onari visit again." She smiled at him sweetly before she got up quickly. She ran out of the house with lightening speed.

Neji blushed. He coughed. "Well, it's all for the best, isn't it? I'm going to miss her curiosity, but… not her bluntness." He went back to meditating.

Daiya stared at his room. It was quiet without Takeru being here. He packed his backpack quickly. He had to know what was going on with Idai. His best friend had taken off with his adopted father to get information on what he was experiencing. Daiya couldn't let him go at it alone. He closed his eyes. I don't know where you went, but Ryu said the sound village was the start of everything. Maybe you went there to find out something, but would they really tell you what you want to know?

Daiya heard his father come inside the house. He narrowed his eyes. He couldn't let Sasuke or Izumi catch him. They might prevent him from finding out anything. Daiya quickly slipped out of the back shoji screen that led to the garden. I have to be quick. If Dad catches me, it's my tail. He flew off the porch. His feet didn't feel the dirt under his feet, or grass growing in the garden as he crossed the bridge to the abandoned houses. Daiya stayed away from them as he moved.

As he parted the Uchiha compound, Daiya glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was following him. He kept his eyes on the horizon as he moved through the streets swiftly. As people came into his view, he formed hand seals. He quickly used the transformation jutsu to appear as a mutt running through the streets. No one was ever the wiser as he passed them. If he could keep this up, he'd soon leave the village behind. Uh, oh. Isn't that Ryu? He won't notice me. Ryu doesn't notice anything except Saori. He ran past the Genin.

Ryu raised a brow. Wait a minute. He turned to look at a gray dog that had just ran past him. I've never seen that dog before. How could a dog get inside the village without anyone noticing? He smiled a little under his mask. Now who could you be? He took off after the dog.

Daiya breathed hard as he padded slowly to the end of a street. He made his way into a clearing to rest for a minute. He was running for his life at this point. Daiya gritted his teeth as he felt his heart racing. Come on, calm down. If I have an attack, I won't be able to get out of the village. His ears perked up. Someone was whistling at him. Just as he was fixing to mouth off, he soon realized he was a dog again and instead turned his head to see Ryu standing there with a piece of meat. Oh, no. Maybe I should just play into this for right now.

Ryu crouched low as he kept whistling. "Come here, boy. You're a hungry fellow, aren't you?" As the dog came close to him quite quickly, he petted his head, as he looked him over. Strays don't usually come to a stranger that fast. He kept petting the dog's fur until he moved his hands around the animal's neck. He lifted the dog's head so he could look into his eyes. The dog was unusually tense for some reason.

Ryu raised a brow as his red eyes looked into the dark eyes of the animal. These eyes weren't wild like a stray's ought to be. They were avoiding his gaze and looking around elsewhere. "What kind of stray ignores the person in front of him that might harm him and is more focused on the environment?" He put his arm around the animal's neck quickly to hold him. "Who are you?" The animal gacked. "Answer me! Fifteen seconds left before you black out."

Daiya waved his paws in the air trying to get away from Ryu. The older Genin had a strong hold on him. He struggled to breathe. "Ryu, you idiot! Let me go!"

"Hmm? Daiya? What are you doing parading around as a dog?" He let the boy go. As he did, Daiya poofed into his normal form. Daiya coughed as he lay on the ground trying to breathe. He noticed he was wearing a backpack. "Just what do you think you're up to? Where are you going?"

Daiya sat up quickly. He moved away from Ryu quickly, his feet sliding on the ground. "I'm going to search for Idai. You're not going to stop me either, Ryu! I have to know where he is!"

Ryu looked at him gently. "You can't go searching for someone when you don't know where he is. What would Idai think if you came after him? He might not look too kindly upon it, Daiya." He moved towards him.

"Stay away from me! He's my best friend! I have to know where he is!" Daiya yelped as Ryu tackled him. "Get off, Ryu!"

"Sorry, little brother," Ryu said as he held Daiya on the ground. "We can't have you running off when everyone would be worried about you. What would Sasuke sensei, Ms. Izumi, Takeru, Yanagi, and even Onari say if I let you wander out of the village? Are you forgetting about your heart problem? What kind of brother would let you go?"

Daiya struggled to get free, but he was still exhausted from high tailing it past everyone. He breathed hard as he lay back onto the ground. "It's not fair," he said as he tried to catch his breath.

"No, life isn't," Ryu agreed. "And you're too tired to fight me," he said as he stood up with Daiya under his arm. "Nice try, though. Maybe if you hadn't of encountered me, you would have succeeded."

"How in the world did you know it was me," Daiya asked as he crossed his arms annoyed. His legs swayed with Ryu's walking motions. He couldn't figure out how Ryu tracked him that quickly.

"I didn't know it was you. Not per say. All I know is that I've never seen that dog before. It's somewhat hard to get into the village under disguise, Daiya. I thought you were an enemy. I should have known the gray fur matched your gray outfit, but I wasn't reading into it that well. If I were you, I'd worry more about what Sasuke sensei and Ms. Izumi are going to say when you get home," Ryu said trying to warn him of the consequences. "They're not going to take too kindly to you abandoning them."

Daiya hadn't thought of that. He felt ashamed. Izumi and Sasuke might feel hurt that he didn't come to them first.

Masaru took a deep breathe. He moved his head left and right, patted his shoulders with his fist and rolled his shoulders. Yanagi was watching him with her brow raised. "I'm getting ready for our new team mate. I have to relax," he said.

"I don't see how that is relaxing. It looks like you're just anxious," she said with a light laugh. Yanagi turned her head to see Kiba walking towards them. There was a young man walking with him who had black hair and green eyes. The youth appeared to be around their age. He was dressed in yellow, which made him stand out. His ninja headband was around his neck. Yanagi wondered if he was the one supposed to be on their team.

Kiba stopped in place as he saw Yanagi watching them. "I see you two showed up like I asked. That's good. This is who is replacing Idai for the time being. As mentioned, he may be temporary, or permanent. It all depends on what happens with Idai. We're not going to count him out just yet."

Jinrin stepped forward to meet his two teammates. He bowed low with sincere. He lifted his form to look upon the pink haired girl who was watching him. "I am Jinrin Maeda. It is a pleasure to meet the both of you." He smiled at Yanagi. The girl's eyes widened. She moved back a bit next to her teammate. "Who are you pretty lady?"

Masaru stood up at that point. "Hey, don't be so familiar with Yanagi! She's taken! I'd back off if I were you," he said as he looked at Jinrin quite loathingly.

"Oh, is she? It's often said that there is a bit of a love triangle on teams since they normally consist of two men and one woman. I wonder if that will be the same here," Jinrin said as he moved his black hair out of his face so his green eyes could match Yanagi's gray ones.

Yanagi thought he was a bit of a show-off. She crossed her arms. "Masaru is only my team mate. My boyfriend is Daiya Uchiha on Team 2. If Masaru doesn't get you with his shuriken, Daiya will electrocute you to where no one will recognize your teeth," she threatened. She didn't quite care for guys who were full of themselves. "I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, but so far, you haven't given me a very good impression."

Masaru had never heard Yanagi be rude before. She was normally a happy girl with a kind sense about her. Even though he didn't care for Daiya, he did care about Yanagi. "Kiba sensei, can we request someone else? This guy won't fit our team. He's not even noble."

Kiba put his hands on his hips. "Look, I expect you three to get to know each other. First starts are always a bit rocky. You two were the same with Idai."

Yanagi watched Jinrin notice the last bit. The boy walked towards her. He held out his hand trying to make amends. She stared at it for a moment before she gave him her hand. Much to her surprise, Jinrin lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the top. Yanagi's heart stopped. Her eyes got wide and she screamed. She went flying behind Masaru.

Masaru was on his feet in no time. He flew at Jinrin with his fists swinging. Jinrin moved aside avoiding each of his attempted hits. "You jerk!"

Jinrin smiled as he formed hand seals. "So you want to fight, do you?" He shifted in front of Masaru Uzumaki to a large over towering panther. He smiled at the blond haired boy with all of his teeth. "It might be best to hold your temper," he said with a panther like growl emitted with his breath.

Masaru halted in his steps. Jinrin was now a large panther that was standing on his back legs. "What kind of trickery is this?" He pointed at the boy as he looked at his trainer.

"It's one of his fighting styles, Masaru. Ninja can turn into anything to avoid, fight, or elude an opponent. I wouldn't get near him," Kiba warned. "He's not the only one you have to watch out for," he said as he lifted his head to nod in a certain direction.

Yanagi became tense. As Jinrin had shifted into a panther, three large black panthers had poofed into the trees surrounding them. Whatever kind of Ninjutsu this was, it was advanced. The older boy had them completely cornered. "Masaru, look around," she said afraid the panthers were going to pounce.

Masaru looked around. He soon found them. Kiba was able to sense them right off based on their scent. Panthers? Are you kidding me? Masaru moved back as Jinrin moved towards him. "I don't know what games you're playing, but I'm not falling for it! Teammates don't attack each other. But if you touch us, I will attack you back!"

Jinrin's catlike eyes focused on the Hokage's son. "So the Hokage's brat is not just all talk after all. You body language means you're serious. But I wonder if you're acting like this because your team mate is in danger, or yourself."

"What? It doesn't matter why I'm acting like this! You're a threat to us if we can't trust you! I've only known you a few minutes and you've already flirted with Yanagi. Idai would never do that! He helps us learn and trains with us. If you're not going to do that, I'll never accept you being on our team," Masaru said angrily.

Jinrin brought his hands up to release himself from the transformation. The panthers poofed into thin air as he turned back into normal. "Sometimes it is actions that speak louder than words, Masaru Uzumaki. I do not intend to attack a teammate. However, you weren't going to accept me the moment you saw me. I could tell it in your eyes. It is true I am not like the one you lost. I am a completely different person. I will expect you to remember that," he said as he snubbed the boy. "It was nice meeting you, Yanagi." Jinrin waved at them as he turned around to walk off.

"Sensei, you can't be serious," Masaru said. His heart sunk as Kiba nodded. "He's not Idai! He's nothing like Idai!" Masaru punched a tree. "Idai was nicer to us and he was our friend. I can't deal with someone who is going to pick on me."

Yanagi narrowed her eyes as she watched Jinrin walk away in the distance. "He's not going to pick on you, Masaru. I won't let him. If it's one thing I learned from Idai, it's to never take anything sitting down." We miss you, Idai. Please come home soon.

Sasuke and Izumi Uchiha sat in the living room with their arms crossed as Daiya sat on the floor looking away from them. "Nothing to say about what you were planning to do?" No answer. Izumi suspected as much. "I can't believe you were even considering going off to find Idai. After everything we've done to prepare you for the future that's waiting. You can't continue to be in Idai's shadow," Izumi said to the point where Daiya looked at her suddenly. "That's what it is, Daiya. You have to live for yourself. You can't change what is happening to him. I know you care about him, but-"

"That isn't what it is," Daiya shouted embarrassed by what his mom was saying. He grabbed his head and lowered his body to the floor. He didn't like others noticing how he felt.

"Daiya, don't shout at her like that. If that's not what it is, then tell us what is going on in your head. Right now, you're in a lot of hot water," Sasuke said sternly. "I don't appreciate finding out from Ryu that you were going to abandon this family and make the decision to leave the village. You are our responsibility!"

Daiya lifted his body from the floor as he kept his eyes averted from the stern gaze of his father. "I'm supposed to be the one to save him. I promised to look out for him," he said softly as he closed his eyes.

"Well, you're not doing anyone any favors, Daiya," Sasuke said to the point. "I'm not happy with you at all." He crossed his arms. "Your punishment is going to be mine to decide."

Daiya gritted his teeth as he looked at his dad. "Y-Yes, sir," he said so softly that he had to repeat himself. He didn't know whether to thank Ryu for turning him in based on a bad decision he was making, or to punch his face in. Daiya was punished by Izumi once. It was humiliating. Yanagi had been punished by Sasuke on the Hot springs trip and she had been traumatized. He didn't know what to expect.

"Since you prefer to use Ninjutsu to fool your mother and I, you're going to be forbidden to use any Ninjutsu for the next two weeks. When we train, you'll only be using taijutsu. Ninjutsu is used against an opponent on missions and during training to learn it. Your problem is you're not respecting the skills we have been teaching you. I won't be taken in as a fool, Daiya. The excuse of not knowing what a family is, is no longer a good one. We're your family." Sasuke kept his hard gaze on the boy. Daiya was trying hard not to look away.

"You're dismissed, Daiya," Izumi said annoyed as well with the situation. "I have dinner to fix. You will eat alone tonight since you believe only your decisions matter."

Daiya sat by himself picking at his food. It was lonely being in the kitchen by himself. Onari wasn't trying to grab his food and Takeru wasn't running his mouth off about something. He leaned his cheek on his hand as he stared at it. The worst outcome for the evening was having to be grilled by Sasuke and Izumi. He didn't particularly like making them angry.

Daiya sighed. The house was eerily quiet. Takeru was in his room reading something. Onari was in the bathing area with Izumi. Sasuke, on the other hand, was in the living room writing reports for the day. Daiya felt as if he didn't belong in the house. He felt alienated.

Daiya crossed his arms as he pushed the food a

way. He wasn't hungry. Is this what I'm supposed to feel when I'm by myself? It hurts to be alone. It feels no different from when I was growing up. I don't like this feeling. I want it to go away. I want Idai to come back. I want to be included in something. He closed his eyes.

Izumi stood leaning against the doorframe. She had been watching Daiya for a minute now. He was finding it difficult to be thrown back into solitude. He has gotten used to this family. Why he did what he did, I'll never know. Does he care for that white haired boy that greatly?

Izumi walked into the kitchen. She didn't like punishing Daiya no more than she liked punishing Takeru, or Onari. But children had to learn. It was the only way for them to learn – by going through things themselves and realizing what it felt like to not have things be all right. She kneeled down. Daiya was completely wrapped in his thoughts. "Daiya." He moved his arm to look at her. "If you don't want to eat, you can go take a bath and go to bed. I won't force you to do something."

Daiya lifted his head slowly as he sat straight up. "Are you and dad still mad at me?" He was afraid to know the answer.

"We're not angry anymore, but we want you to realize what could have happened to you. We don't want you to ignore yourself. You're so concentrated on where, or what Idai is going through, that it's causing you to be rooted in place. That isn't what we want for you," Izumi tried to explain. "We want you to keep moving. Where Idai is, or what he is going through, is his obstacle. Not yours. You have to worry about this," Izumi said as she placed her hand over his heart. "Without this, you cannot and will not live."

Daiya looked down to where her hand was. He didn't like it being the main focus of his life. He wanted to be better than that.

"I know this is tough for you to deal with. It's not easy having an ailment that sets you apart from everyone else; however, the fact remains that you do have it and you must keep it in your decisions as you grow and learn."

Daiya nodded slowly as she took her hand away. "I'm sorry. I don't want it to be the reason I can't do anything."

"It's not supposed to be the reason you can't do anything, Daiya. It's supposed to be the reason you can. That's why Sasuke trains you differently from Ryu, or Hire. He has to think about your ailment to take that burden off of you," Izumi said. She watched a shocked expression come over his face. Before she could ask what was wrong, Daiya got up quickly and raced out of the kitchen.

Daiya stood in the frame of the door watching Sasuke write his notes. He hadn't thought that the reason he was trained was to deal with something he didn't wish to. Sasuke was always thinking about him. "D-Dad?"

"What is it, Daiya? I'm busy preparing tomorrow's training," Sasuke said without looking up. Before he could tell the boy to go take a bath, Daiya was hugging his side. "Might I ask what has gotten into you?"

"I didn't know that the reason you train me differently is because… you're always preparing me to deal with my… arrhythmia," Daiya said softly. He clutched to his dad's kimono.

"Yes, well, one can't help you being thick at times," Sasuke said as he looked down at the boy. "That is probably why you're being punished for the next two weeks." He lifted his hand to place it on Daiya's back. "Go take a bath. I still have to finish these before I go to bed." He watched Daiya get up. For once, Daiya did as he was told. No arguments. No talking back. Just doing what he was told.


	59. Chapter 59

**V 6 ch 8**

**Traded!**

Takeru sat with his elbows on his knees as Eiyu and Saori sat on either side of him. They were waiting on Lee. The man had just begun going over their training routine for the week when he had been called away. "What is taking him so long?"

Eiyu was turned tot he side with his arm hung over the couch. "Who knows. Maybe he went to go run around Konoha a few times."

"Eiyu, leave Lee sensei alone. He's a positive person. It's not hurting your motivation any." Saori glanced at her teammate. He was in a more foul mood than normal. Man, what is up with him today?

Takeru flopped onto the couch. "If he's going to take much longer, I'm going home. I can train with my mom if I have to. A day of rest from Lee sensei isn't going to hurt me any." He closed his eyes.

Saori soon found herself laying on her side. She didn't know how long she had napped. Saori glanced up as she heard the door open to the balcony. She saw Lee standing in front of her with his eyes watching them. Saori moved her leg to kick Takeru. Takeru woke up yawning. In turn, he reached over to push Eiyu on the back.

"Glad to know the three of you are well rested. I had to meet with the Hokage over an important matter. There has been a change in the assigned teams." Lee could tell the three before him weren't understanding what he was saying. "Saori, you are no longer on my team as of today. You have been assigned a new team."

Takeru stiffened at the news. Saori's eyes widened. "You're taking her off of the team? She's been working harder to catch up to us! That isn't fair," he said ready to take charge of the matter.

Saori's heart was racing. If I'm kicked off, where am I going? Am I not good enough to be on this team? She felt all of her extra training with Kandai had been wasted.

Lee held up his hand to stop Takeru from making a fool of himself. "I said Saori was off my team, Takeru Uchiha. She is going to be on another team. It does not mean her efforts have been for nothing."

Eiyu glanced at Saori. The girl was relaxing, but not by much. "Whose team is she on? And if she's not here, who is replacing her?"

"Saori, please stand," Lee said as he ignored Eiyu's questioning. The girl stood slowly and difficultly. "It has been a pleasure training you. I wish you the best." Lee bowed to her. He stood up erect again to hand her a piece of paper. "Please report to your new team. It is listed on the paper. Do not open it here," he said stopping her from doing so in front of Eiyu and Takeru. "It is for your eyes only."

Saori turned around to look at Takeru and Eiyu. Her eyes showed sadness and confusion. I've been traded to another team. This can't be happening! Saori walked off of the balcony in silence. As she came to the bottom of the stairs, she opened the piece of paper slowly, afraid of what it told. Her eyes widened further. No way!

"Who is replacing Saori? We work well together despite her slow improvement," Eiyu said blandly. "Putting an unfamiliar person on the team is unethical, in my opinion."

Takeru frowned. "Only when it comes to the poor soul having to work with you." His eyes went back to Lee. "Sensei, who is replacing Saori?"

Lee smiled at the boys. He opened the door behind him. "Takeru Uchiha and Eiyu Hyuuga, welcome your new teammate." He stepped away from the entrance to the hall.

Takeru and Eiyu watched their new teammate place her hand along the door frame. Few seconds later, they saw a foot. The girl walked through the entrance slowly. Eiyu and Takeru's mouths fell open.

"Meet your new teammate and give her a proper welcome," Lee said much to the shock of the two boys. "Welcome to Team 9, Onari." He gave her a dashing smile.

Takeru's heart fluttered. Onari was brandishing a ninja headband on her forehead. Eiyu was still bewildered, it seemed. "Ri's replacing Saori? Seriously," he asked with a smile as he stood.

"She's really on our team," Eiyu breathed out. He had never doubted her for an instant despite her ability to understand language. Like Takeru, he was thrilled and taken aback, but he didn't show it.

"Onari passed the Academy exam with flying colors," Lee commented. "Her test was issued verbally by the Hokage himself." Lee placed a hand on his hip. "I hope you three will look out for each other and grow together in your training."

"You made it," Takeru said happily as he stood before her. Onari nodded slowly as her serious eyes kept their gaze upon him. He hugged her quickly, causing her to be off balance for a split second. "You made it, Ri!"

Sasuke stood against the tree as Ryu and Daiya stared at him for an explanation. "It was time for Hire to advance. That's why she's off of our team as of today."

Ryu narrowed his eyes. "How did she manage to get off so easily? We were both demoted! Let me guess, she changed her attitude and now she gets special treatment?" Ryu was angry. He was doing better with his training and working well with his team. He crossed his arms. "How come I have to stay on the same team?"

"Sensei, who is replacing Hire? We have to have a third person to make a team," Daiya said. He watched Sasuke stand up to stretch his back. The man only held up his finger for them to wait.

Ryu kept his arms crossed, his shoulders shaking with anger. "Why am I still the leader of Team 2 and Hire gets away like that?" He was steaming.

"Ryu, stop worrying about Hire. You're only worried about whose replacing her. You know good as well as I do, that you like being the team leader. You want to look out for Daiya and it's noticeable. That's why you're still here," Sasuke said throwing a stone at Ryu on the spot.

Ryu stood with his fists clenched. "Don't so things so familiarly!" He hated being brought out in front of others. "Who is under me now? Is it some kid who needs another attitude adjustment? Maybe it's somebody who won't work with me like before!" Ryu started to grab onto his spiky hair. He was tempted to rip it out.

Daiya sighed. He wished Ryu would calm down. He shook his head. So much for being the oldest and most mature.

Sasuke let Ryu flip out for a moment. It was just enough to embarrass himself for the way he was acting. "Ryu, your new teammate is standing behind you," he said to stop Ryu from ranting further.

Ryu turned around fuming. He was about to really let his new teammate have it. "You better pull your own weight I am not a babysi-" Ryu stared. Daiya was on his feet in no time, also staring.

"Your new teammate is... Saori Nara," Sasuke said. He watched Ryu do a double take. "Onari took her Academy exam the other day. She passed, much to the surprises of the proctors. I can't have Onari under me. She wouldn't regard you, or Daiya instructing her. She had to go to Lee's team with Takeru. Sorry for the inconvience," Sasuke said.

"Do you always greet your new teammates that way," Saori asked as she stood with Rose on her back. She fluttered her eyes at him. He was totally speechless. Daiya, on the other hand, was regarding her as a problem. She walked over to him. He stood his ground with her.

"I know we've butted heads a lot, Daiya. I promise to keep doing what I need to in order to succeed. And I promise I won't fail you. Please allow me to train with you," Saori said as she bowed low. Up until now, Saori hadn't been respecting him. She had been regarding him as an obstacle because of Yanagi.

Daiya had never been bowed to before. No one regarded him that way. He was always seen as an outsider. "We're not going to baby sit you, Saori. Sasuke sensei is not the same type of trainer that Lee is. Both of their methods are different. You're going to work your butt off on our team."

Saori stood. She knew Sasuke was a more difficult person all around. He reflected his own past training in what he taught his students. It was only natural. "Sensei, my chakra endurance has gotten better since I took side training. Can I work with Rose now?"

"Side training? That's why you've been so tired all of the time," Ryu asked. He watched Saori smile. "Whose been helping you in the morning?"

"Hire and Kandai have been making sure I don't fall behind. I can already do the 'Chakra run'," she said referring to the technique Sasuke used every day to test his students. She was unaware that Ryu's father, Kakashi, had originally used it.

"Let's start with the uh... 'Chakra run'," Sasuke said using Saori's new term for it. "Ryu and Daiya will go first so you can see where they are at. At the end of the week, we'll start training with Rose. You'll be using her against your team before you start to use her in the training ring. It's important to be familiar with Ryu and Daiya's techniques."

Ryu ran at the tree in front of him. He was finding it hard not to show off in front of Saori. The fact that she was traded to their team delighted him in the heighest regard. As his feet glued to the bark of the tree, he ran up the side with a kunai in one hand. Ryu got two-thirds of the way up and marked it.

Saori's head was back, mouth agape, as she lost sight of Ryu. She couldn't imagine getting to that height herself. "How is he able to get that far up the tree?"

"He's been on the same team for three years, Saori. Ryu's a lot stronger and faster than you may know," Daiya said. He admired Ryu for his training effort. The guy trained all of the time; not just on the team, but also at home with his scrolls. Ryu was determined to be known for his Genjutsu like his mother, Kurenai.

Ryu plopped off the tree. "Hah! Alright, Daiya, let's see if you can get to where I lodged the kunai. If you can get there, I'll treat you to lunch," Ryu said with a smile under his face mask. He wondered how Daiya was doing with his own training. The kunai was placed higher than his previous mark.

Daiya shot past Saori. He had to get to the kunai on the tree, or end up taking Ryu's side training on top of Sasuke's training. He glued his chakra to the tree and huffed as he ran up the side. Daiya kept pushing himself to get to his last mark. He closed his eyes and felt his heart clench. Daiya fought it. He had to.

As each one of his feet hit the bark, he kept his mind focused on his target. Soon he hit his last target. Daiya saw the kunai lodged in the hard bark overhead. He gritted his teeth as he passed his own personal mark. Daiya felt his body giving out. No! Come on! I've been training for months to overcome my problems! Ryu promised! His electrical charges erupted around him as he became angry with himself. Daiya's anger and determination got him within two feet of Ryu's kunai. NO! Daiya's electrical charge halted suddenly. He fell from the tree.

Ryu looked up. "Uh, oh. Hang on, Saori," he said stopping her from speaking further. He ran up the tree quickly. Ryu opened his arms to catch the falling boy. He managed to wrap his arms around Daiya before his feet became unglued with the increased weight. He fell to the ground sliding with his teammate.

"Ryu! Daiya! Are you two okay," Saori asked as she ran to them. Ryu sat up with Daiya breathing hard. Neither of them looked at her.

"I had it! It was right there! No! I want to try again," Daiya said angrily. "You promised!" He started to fight Ryu for a second chance.

Ryu placed his hand on Daiya's forehead to calm him down. As always, the boy fought him. Ryu moved his right hand to put it on Daiya's chest. He made him lean back. Saori wanted to say something, but Ryu shook his head at her. He was the team leader. This meant Daiya was his responsibility.

"You promised! You promised if I got there,-" Daiya swallowed hard. He wanted to try again so badly. Ryu wasn't about to let him.

"How far did you get," Ryu asked. He heard Daiya mumble something. "Speak up. How far did you get," he asked repeating himself.

"Two feet," Daiya finally admitted.

"I placed the kunai ten feet away from your last mark. You didn't fail. I placed it higher so you would push yourself," Ryu said. "I know I promised. I'll still treat you so calm down."

"Is it my turn now," Saori asked. "I can't get as far as you two though. I haven't been doing it that long. You guys might scold me," Saori said trying to make light of the situation. Daiya didn't pay her any attention.

Ryu stood up. "Okay, let's see what Hire has taught you." He couldn't view Saori as his girlfriend right now. She was his teammate and thus, she needed to learn from him.

Saori took a deep breath. Alright, Saori. Ryu is good. Better than he'll admit, but he is good. Daiya is, too. And now, I've got to match them. She ran at the tree determined to show them what she could do. Her feet hit the bark loudly as she forced herself to defy gravity.

Saori succeeded in clearing eight branches, however, she wasn't at the same level of endurance as Daiya, nor Ryu. Saori marked the bark with her kunai. She came back down faster than she anticipated. She slid on the dirt.

"Not bad for a few weeks of training," Ryu commented. "You have one week to get where Daiya is. No exceptions."

Saori's eyes widened. What? Her chest tightened. It seemed to be getting worse. Training on Team 2 was definantly different than on Team 9.

"You're not on Lee's team anymore. You're on ours. I know what Sasuke expects. Either you accept where we need you to be, or you end up failing. I can't have you fail, Saori. I know what your main goal is. Don't lose sight of it," Ryu told her.

Saori struggled to speak. "I'll reach Daiya's mark if it kills me," she said unable to believe the words coming out of her mouth.

Rock Lee stood in the center of the training ring with Onari. Takeru and Eiyu were safely on the other side. "Let's see how strong you are, Onari. I want you to hit this boulder with your fist. From what I hear, Neji has informed me this is no problem for you."

"Is he expecting her to hit that," Takeru asked baffled. It was a large gray boulder. It had to weigh at least a ton.

"Onari is stronger than she appears to be, Takeru. Lee knows she's going to hold back. If Onari gets really angry, her strength increases," Eiyu said. He moved away from the fence pulling Takeru by the collar. "It's not wise to be this close to her."

"Onari hit rock for Lee," she said making sure she understood what he wanted her to do.

"Yes, that is correct. I want to see how strong you are. Hit the rock as hard as you can," Lee told her again. He moved out of the ring. This will help determine Onari's kekkegenkai. Hers is unknown, like Daiya's. Up until now, it has been hidden. Training seems to be bringing it out as Neji suspects.

Onari looked at the boulder in front of her. It was as tall as she was and thrice her size. She viewed the hard substance as her enemy. Onari narrowed her eyes. She moved her arm back, tightened her muscles, and swung at the boulder with a frontal blow. Her fist went into the rock by six inches. The area where she had hit had cracks all around it. As she freed her arm, debri fell onto the ground. She turned to look at Lee. "Onari correct, jes?"

"Holy head of the Hokage," Eiyu said as it finally escaped his lips. "She can punch through solid rock. And it doesn't appear as if it phased her."

"Imagine if she was really after an enemy," Lee said as he brought it to their awareness. "Whoever goes against her is going to regret it. Her punches are fast and strong. I expected nothing less from Neji. He's brought out her true ability."

"Ri, lets show Eiyu how fast you are," Takeru called out to her. "Want to race? If Onari is chasing Daiya and I at home, she's pretty determined to catch us. I haven't figured out how to avoid her," he said with a goofy smile. He started to race with her until they became out of sight.

Lee watched Onari take off. Her feet didn't seem to be touching the ground as she moved. She is incredibly fast. Lets see how fast she becomes under my watch.

Eiyu couldn't believe Onari had made it to their team. He was so thrilled he wanted to hop up and down with excitement, but the Hyuuga in him made him remain still. She had become a good friend and alli. Eiyu thought Onari was his first love. She didn't avoid him like the other girls. He closed his eyes feeling his heart act up. He was blushing badly. He could feel the heat on his cheeks. Eiyu coughed and turned away from Lee. "Well, lets go gather them," he said walking away so his trainer wouldn't notice.

Saori sat next to Ryu on the ground as they ate bento. Daiya was sitting next to Sasuke away from them. She suspected he wanted to be near his dad. Her chopsticks stopped in mid-air. "Ryu, why was he acting so aggressive before when you promised to treat him to lunch?"

Ryu glanced at her with the can of juice in the air, parted from his lips. "He's defiant. It's just how he is. Daiya takes promises very seriously - probably because no one has ever had an interest in him. He was also angry with himself for failing. I've learned how to handle him. I'd rather he get angry with me than you. No offense, but he's closed to you. It will take time, Saori. Don't rush it."

Saori watched Daiya as he ate. The boy was cautiously eating. Every morsel of food had to be inspected, or given approval of by Sasuke. It took Takeru a long time to be accepted by Daiya. I'm going to be seen as an enemy despite being on the same team as him. My goal for now is to match his point on the chakra run. Which means, I don't have time to sit here and day dream. Saori put the top back on the bento.

Ryu watched Saori stand. He raised a brow. "Where are you going?"

"To train. I've only got a week to match Daiya's mark on the tree. I'm not going to be seen as a weak link on the team." She ran at the tree, glued her chakra to the bark, and started to focus on the kunai high above. I will make Ryu proud of me!

"I can't believe you're on our team," Eiyu said again as they walked together. He was so happy for Onari that he was smiling. Eiyu never smiled. "I wonder who got Saori. She left rather shocked."

"Saori go Sasuke team," Onari said. She had known beforehand what was happening. Onari had been in the room as Lee was mentioned by the Hokage.

"Oh, I'm sure she shocked the heck out of Ryu. He probably doesn't know what to do with himself," Takeru commented. "It's like a dream come true and nightmare all at the same time."

Eiyu turned his head to regard him. "What would make you say something like that?" He noticed Onari kept her eyes straight ahead instead on either of them. She was alert to the movements of the people around them.

"Saori is in love with Ryu and he her. The two of them haven't admitted it to each other though. Ryu would love nothing more than to train at her side; however, it also puts him at a disadvantage. He's going to be more tempted to protect her than himself," Takeru explained. "When someone you care about surrounds you, all concern you have with yourself, is lost."

Eiyu supposed that was true. He was starting to understand how it felt to worry about someone else. He found himself watching Onari's training more now that she was on the team. Eiyu didn't know if he adored her in a loving way, or loved her simply in a romantic way. It was confusing for him. Eiyu was learning to pay attention to Takeru's actions towards Onari. He suspected the Uchiha youth loved her, but wasn't sure of his own feelings.

They parted ways not long after. Takeru was talking a mile a minute. Onari glanced at him. Her serious gaze wondered if he remembered she only understood half of the words she was saying. She sweat dropped. Onari brought her hand around to place it over his mouth. "Takeru, Onari no understand all words Takeru run to Onari." She glared at him out of the corner of her eye as he kept talking. "Takeru, calm down." She took her hand away.

"Aw, Ri, you're just like Daiya. You never let me say what I want," Takeru grumbled. He looked away pouting.

"What Takeru say? With few words," Onari compromised. A lot of talking, or noise disrupted her thoughts. She couldn't focus properly with so much noise.

"I was saying that we're going to be able to train together and take missions from here on out. We'll be together more," Takeru said as he smiled at her. "You were always too busy before training with Mr. Hyuuga during the day. Besides, I want to see how far you've come. Lee's a good trainer. He makes us work together on everything - including decisions we make. Eiyu's always stubborn so he doesn't bend easily to what others what to do."

Onari knew where this was going. Takeru didn't get along with Eiyu. She saw it in how he stood and how he had the tendency to look away when Eiyu spoke. "Takeru, Eiyu alone. Eiyu not hear another voice but Eiyu. Its hard for Eiyu to listen. Onari like Eiyu. Onari like Takeru. Team family. Eiyu serious like brother Neji. Takeru understand?"

Takeru was silent for a moment. Onari was standing firm about how they needed to get along. "You're close to Eiyu, aren't you," he asked softly. He closed his eyes as they walked home. "Are you closer to him than me?"

Onari's eyes softened. She lifted her hand to move his long hair out of his face. "Takeru, Onari no understand how Takeru mean." She leaned over to look into his eyes.

Takeru stopped in his tracks with Onari. He turned his head to look at her. He blushed slightly as he wrapped his arms around her. "You're a really good friend, Onari. I'll try to be more considerate of Eiyu. I just thought he wasn't being agreeable to be difficult - not because he was trying to be heard."

Onari knew she couldn't change Takeru. He was still a boy in his heart. He thought of others enough to give advice and include them, but he was not prepared for girls. He was mainly interested in being surrounded by his best friend and brother. They were more important to him. As they parted the hug, she turned away. Eiyu was more mature than Takeru. She liked both of them, but Takeru had a child's adoration for her. "Onari need time to self. See Takeru later." She walked away from him.

Eiyu walked through his mother's garden with his hand trailing the foliage. His mind was on the morning. He found himself thinking so much about Onari that he had to sit on a bench. She's gotten to be so fast now. Father has taught her well. Will it be possible for her to get to my level? Will she surpass me? Eiyu's mind drifted to Onari punching the boulder earlier that day. She could easily break someone's bones, or crush his skull in. Yet, she doesn't attack anyone verbally, or physically. She's completely self-defense. Eiyu leaned his body forward as he placed his mouth upon his hands. Why is she training so hard? He wasn't sure.

Eiyu opened his white eyes. He saw a pair of feet standing in front of him. He looked up to see Onari watching him. His face flushes as he heart fluttered with her presence. Why was she there? "Hi," he said as he looked away. He felt hot. Was she noticing how red his face felt?

Onari tilted her head. Eiyu was acting strangely towards her. She walked to him with her feet padding softy on the ground. Onari crouched in front of him. "Eiyu no want Onari here," she asked gently. He wasn't looking at her.

Eiyu turned his head to look at her. His eyes widened. Her yellow birdlike eyes were meeting his. He could see all of the different shades of yellow that were present. "I just... wasn't expecting you to be here. You've already succeeded in getting onto our team. Why... are you here?"

"Onari want to see Eiyu," she said watching him. He seemed unsure about her being in the garden with him. Eiyu's eyes kept avoiding hers. "Onari sorry for not letting Eiyu know Onari here," she said as she rose to leave. She turned to go when she felt his hand grab onto hers. Onari looked over her shoulder at him. His eyes were pleading with her not to go.

"I didn't mean to give you the impression that I wanted you to leave, Onari. It seems whenever I start thinking about you, you suddenly appear. Is there a reason behind it?" Eiyu pulled her closer to him. She became off balance and fell onto him. Eiyu caught her tenderly. He tilted his head up to look at her. She was watching him as her long black hair fell onto his face.

Onari saw a softer, kinder side of Eiyu that no one knew about. He was often serious, but with her, he was observant to every aspect of her being. Onari lowered her head.

Eiyu moved his hand to the back of Onari's head, moving her closer. He pressed her towards him as they kissed deeply. Eiyu brought his arm around her back to make her sit in his lap. Eiyu ran his fingers through her soft hair. "You're the first girl I've ever kissed besides my mom."

"Eiyu want back," she asked not understanding. Had she stolen something? Onari tried to give his kiss back, but he held his hand in front of his lips.

Eiyu smiled for the first time in a long time. "No, I don't want it back. You can keep mine, too," he said as he kissed her again. Eiyu ran his thumb down her cheek. Both of htem were watching each other softly. "I want to keep you, Onari."

"Eiyu with Onari now," she said thinking he was confused. Onari heard him laugh. It was something unfamiliar to her. She tilted her head again. His laugh sounded as if it had been held in and was let out quickly.

"That's not what I mean," he said as his eyes remained focused on her. "It means I have strong feelings for you. It means, I care about you greatly. I want to date you, Onari."

Onari brought her hand up to run her finger down his nose. She pushed his nose in. He didn't tense, or flinch at her. He was still maintaining his gaze upon her. "Onari not know word, Eiyu."

"Love," he said coming to a conclusion. "I want to love you," he expressed. "I want you to be mine and me to be yours."

"Onari let Eiyu," she said as the sun started to set. For the longest time, they sat together in the garden near the Hyuuga house. Onari leaned onto Eiyu and he, her.

"No way! The Hokage moved you to Team 2? I bet Ryu was so shocked," Yanagi said as they walked down the darkened path together. The lights were starting to come on in Konoha. "Hey, Saori, isn't that Onari? Why's she out here by herself?"

Saori saw Onari sitting against a tree staring at a flower in her hand. "I haven't the slightest idea." They walked towards the foreign girl. "Onari, hi, what are you doing out here by yourself?"

Onari looked up to see Saori and Yanagi watching her. She glanced at them for a moment before returning her gaze to the flower in her hand. "Eiyu give Onari flower."

Yanagi saw how delicately Onari was twirling it in her hands. She didn't know anything about Eiyu Hyuuga. He was quiet and reserved when surrounded by the other teams. She bent down to look at the wildflower. It seemed to suit Onari's character. "Onari, did something happen between you and Eiyu?"

Saori was just now catching onto what was going on. Her mind was so aloof lately. It was so focused on her goals with Team 2, that she wasn't paying attention to the obvious around her. "Are you and Eiyu Hyuuga dating?"

Onari cocked her head a few times. She had heard that word earlier, hadn't she? "Eiyu ask Onari can Onari let Eiyu love, so Onari say Onari let Eiyu." She watched Saori's mouth fall open. Onari didn't understand what the big deal was.

Yanagi gently put her hand on the girl's leg to get her attention. She could hear Saori overreacting behind her. "Onari, doesn't Takeru have feelings for you?"

"Takeru boy," she said rather fast. "Takeru like Ryu and Daiya." Yanagi's eye seemed to twitch at the sound of that. "Ryu best friend. Daiya brother. Takeru no like Onari. Takeru say Onari friend."

Saori put her hand to her forehead and popped it. "Well, it's no wonder Onari went for Eiyu. Takeru is too concerned with following Daiya and Ryu around. He's too young to know anything about girls yet. He probably thinks we have cooties and all of that nonsense."

Yanagi sighed. "Sadly, I'd have to agree with that. The times I've seen him around Onari, he acts as if she's just someone to talk to. Maybe he is more concerned with having a brother and a best friend? I'm not sure. But still, it is Onari's choice who she wants to be with, Saori." Yanagi turned her head towards Onari again. "Do you have feelings for Eiyu?"

Onari thought about what Yanagi was saying to her. When she saw Eiyu in her mind, all she saw was him smiling at her and looking at her with a kind gaze. "Onari like Eiyu a lot. Eiyu sweet. Onari see real Eiyu."

"You mean, he has another side to him besides being a smart alike when he wants to be," Saori asked rather baffled. "I would have never imagined," she said as she dropped to the ground.

"Saori, he can't be that bad," Yanagi said as she smiled at her rather embarassed by her actions. "Eiyu is a boy, too, you know. Maybe he only shows himself to people he truly trusts? It's good that he trusts you, Onari. It's something not many people can gain from certain people."

"How come," Onari asked. She put the wildflower in her dark hair. Yanagi was pondering about how to explain it to her.

"Well, certain people, like Ryu and Daiya are afraid to admit things to people. They always have the feeling that someone will ridacule them, or do harm to them in some way," Saori said as she stepped in. "It's not normal for them to think that way, but they do. Is that any easier?"

Onari raised a brow. "No," she said to Saori's surprise. The girl shook her head at her.

"I wonder if I can help explain it a little better," Yanagi said. "When children grow up without trust, they fear people. Daiya and Ryu fear others who might, or might not hurt them. They don't want to take that chance. Eiyu may be the same way. He has always been alone, hasn't he?" Onari seemed to nod in agreement.

"I thought he always hung out with Kandai," Saori said not understanding.

"No, Eiyu is only seen with him in public when they are on errand runs, or train. Kandai is not the same as Eiyu. He's sweeter and likes to help others in the village. Eiyu doesn't know how to perceive his brother and instead, chooses to hang out of the spotlight with him," Yanagi informed her best friend. She smiled. "Maybe Eiyu has found something in Onari that no one else has noticed about him."

"Yanagi, that's probably because Onari is kind of innocent. She doesn't think like an adult," Saori whispered. She tensed when Onari looked at her suddenly.

"Well, I wasn't going to say that, but we'll see where it goes. I'm glad you found someone you like Onari. I just hope Takeru understands. We don't know how he's going to react towards you when he finds out about Eiyu. They haven't exactly gotten along over the past year," Yanagi said with a frown. She stood up. "We have to go home now, though. Do your best! And no matter what, let your heart guide you!"

Saori walked off with her best friend eying her a bit oddly. "What are you, a cricket who gives random advice?" Yanagi only hit her shoulder.

Takeru bounced happily towards Onari when he saw her come in. "Hey, dinner's already finished. Where have you been?" He stopped in his tracks with his leg lifted. His body was leaned forward. Where had she gotten a wildflower? "Where did you get a flower? That looks similar to the ones grown in Mrs. Hyuuga's garden at the Hyuuga compound."

Onari watched him out of the corner of her eye. "It is," she said. Takeru only stared at her. "Takeru, Onari get flower from Eiyu."

"Oh, so Eiyu gave you a flower," he said rather softly catching on to what she was referring to. "So, I guess, you have gotten rather closer to him." Takeru tried to force a smile. He couldn't really say anything to her. She could do as she pleased, couldn't she? She was only supposed to be a girl his parents took in, right? "Well, I'm happy for you, Ri. I'm glad you found s-someone you like." He lowered his head with the smile fading. Takeru turned around to walk off from her.

Onari watched him leave as quickly. He didn't hug her as he normally did, or tackle her to the ground playfully. Takeru was treating her oddly. Was he jealous? That wasn't it. He seemed to be... heartbroken. Had she been wrong? Did Takeru like her more than he was letting on? Onari sighed with annoyance. Takeru's still a boy. He needs to learn to fight for what he wants. She was sure he didn't have the same mindset as her. Onari went to her room to put the flower by her futon before she ate. It was going to be bothersome to eat dinner tonight.


	60. Chapter 60

**V6 ch 9**

**The Noble Breed**

Ryu rolled his eyes as he listened to Takeru speak about Onari dating Eiyu. He rolled his shoulders. "Takeru," he said to get the boy's attention, "Do you happen to know why she went for Eiyu, in the first place?" Takeru was staring at him blankly. "Who are you always with?"

"You or Daiya," Takeru said straightforward.

"No offense, Uchiha, but-," Ryu turned around for a split second before he turned back around with a rose in his mouth. "You have no idea how to be romantic."

"Romantic," Takeru asked as he raised a brow. "Onari's just a girl that lives with me," he said looking away. "I don't care if she's going out with Eiyu. I just don't think he's suitable for her." Ryu glanced at him in an unbelievable grimace. "He's only her first boyfriend."

"Somehow you manage to make sense and hurt me all the same," Ryu said. He sulked a bit as he felt Takeru pat his back. "I need to go. Your dad isn't the type to wait on his students. You need to check on Onari's progress. She may surprise you." Takeru snorted his reaction. "See you, Uchiha."

Takeru walked by himself. I don't care if she surprises me. Onari's just Onari. He put his foot on a rock and rolled it back and forth rather annoyed. He kicked it hard. It tacked off a wall. He really despised Eiyu.

Rock Lee noticed something was wrong with his team. Takeru was standing off to his right with his back turned from his two teammates. Onari was in the middle with Eiyu on his left. Onari seemed to be watching Takeru out of the corner of her narrowed eyes. Eiyu's arms were crossed. "Might I ask what is going on?"

"Nothing," the boys said in unison. Onari didn't bother to give any insight on the matter. She only stood with a blank stare straight ahead.

"Something is going on with the both of you. We have three teams that have added a new person," Lee started out. It seemed to catch the attention of his team. "Saori is now on Sasuke's team; Onari is on ours; and Jinrin has been added to Kiba's team. Everyone has to get along due to the survival of the others in the cell. You guys are no exception to that rule. Whatever problems the three of you have with each other, will be dropped as of now."

Onari glanced at Eiyu. He had uncrossed his arms. Takeru still had his back turned to them. She supposed he was hurt, or unyielding in the fact that she was dating Eiyu Hyuuga. Onari walked over and touched his shoulder. "Takeru, Onari still friend."

Takeru glanced at her. "I know," he said lowly. "I need time to adjust, Onari. Leave me be."

Onari took her hand off his shoulder. He wasn't using his pet name for her. She guessed that was lost with Takeru's anger. She stood back in the middle, her mood borderline at annoyance and toleration.

"I have no regrets in anything I do. Maybe what I say sometimes. If I had known, Takeru, I wouldn't have asked her," Eiyu said to the boy.

Takeru closed his eyes. "I'd rather not talk about it." He just wanted to train in order to get stronger. Onari had her own life. If she didn't feel that way about him – she didn't. He had to accept it.

Lee was sure there was a love quarrel going on between them. He preferred to stay out of it. Kids had to learn on their own. "Now that everything is settled, we will go see what mission we can get."

Jinrin gave Yanagi a dashing smile as his cat like eyes focused on every feature of her face. He moved closer to her. Yanagi tensed and brought her shoulders up, eying him warily. "I have no intention of grabbing you, you know."

"Yeah, well, you're making me nervous," Yanagi said as she watched Team 2 move through the crowd. They were at the building to get an assignment just like her team. She was trying to focus on watching Daiya.

Jinrin moved his gaze following hers. "So which one are you dating," he asked smoothly. He figured this Daiya had to be the older, tall guy. The other boy appeared shy, and unsure about every movement he was making.

Yanagi wasn't sure where Jinrin was going with his question. "He's the boy with the ponytail," she said rather short to get it over with. Jinrin was smirking. Yanagi rarely got angry; however, she was beginning to fume.

"I could of sworn with the way you speak about him, that he was some tough looking guy who had achieved these miraculous goals. He appears to be nothing more than a shy, afraid person," Jinrin said with a laugh. "You're a silly girl to have fallen for someone with no backbone."

Yanagi gritted her teeth. She reached back and slapped Jinrin so hard, everyone stopped. She looked at him with hot, angry tears in her eyes. "You have no right to judge someone who has every right to be who they are," she said for his ears only. He only stared at her with the shock all over his face. Yanagi walked away.

Kiba approached his new student with a frown, arms crossed, and heavy feet. Masaru was following him. "Jinrin, we need to talk." The boy nodded his head as he kept his eyes focused on Yanagi's wake.

Mittsu Kaiten was crouched low high above the tower in its shadows as she watched the crowd below her. The people were moving along talking amongst themselves as she jumped from statue to statue. She smiled. What fools they are. She hid behind a statue of Buddha.

Team 9 walked besides the horses they were leading to the stables. They were unfamiliar with the area they were in. Eiyu was flipping through a book of his, researching the artifacts and statues he was coming in contact with. Takeru guided the horse he was leading straight ahead. Onari was marveling the animals by stroking their muzzles. Rock Lee thought this was a perfection mission for his new student.

"The stables are just ahead. Once these horses are checked in, your job will be to make sure unauthorized people do not get near them. These horses are very valuable," Katsuhiko said with his booming voice. "Do not disappoint me. Until they are handed over, their security needs to be high."

Takeru thought he was going to die of boredom. Being hired to guard several horses was not excitement to him. He needed all of the distractions he could get to take his mind off Eiyu and Onari dating.

"Onari, you're supposed to be watching the area around you – not the horse," Lee said as he watched his new student walk backwards. Onari's attention seemed to be in coaxing the animal to follow her. Lee moved his arm to place his hand on her head. He turned her attention around. Onari tried to turn back to the horse. "No, this way," Lee said as he kept her head forward.

Eiyu smirked behind his book as he caught Onari's scowl. He thumbed through the book until he found a history about the tower they were passing. "This tower is 500 years old," he said astonished at its age. He was a sucker for history.

"Eiyu, we're leaving you behind," Lee said as he walked on with the horses.

Takeru ran his fingers down the muzzle of her horse in the stable. He kept his eyes on the mare. She was nudging his other hand. "I guess you're looking for a sugar cube." He turned his head quickly to see Onari tumble backwards over a box. Before he could react, Eiyu was already by her side. He turned back around.

"Onari, they tend to go after apples kind of fast. It's best to give them the entire thing," Eiyu said as he helped her stand. He assumed she hadn't been near a horse before.

Onari squealed as the horse made a high-pitched neighing sound. She shot behind Eiyu using him as a defense shield. Her eyes were wide.

"No! You cannot sell these horses! You have no idea what the priest is going to do with them," they heard a male voice shout in anger. Team 9 turned to see a boy around the age of seventeen trying to fight with their employer.

"It doesn't matter what he does with them. He was the highest bidder, Noriaki. Your father couldn't pay half of what they're worth," Katsuhiko bellowed as he pushed the boy onto the ground. "You won't get past this point. I've hired ninja from the leaf village." He shut the stable doors.

"Ninja?" Noriaki shook the dirt free from his hair. He stood up patting his pants free of dust. The boy walked away from the stables defeated.

Takeru watched Katsuhiko shuffle past with a grunt. He looked at the mare in front of him. Her dark eyes were watching him. I wonder what that was all about. He turned his head to see Katsuhiko put something in a satchel hanging on a post. The man caught his eye and gave him the dirtiest look he could. Takeru stiffened. He flipped his head back around to pretend he was focused on the mare.

Katsuhiko walked to the raven-haired boy. He leaned close to him, his voice rough and threatening, "If I were you, boy, I'd keep my eyes focused on your job." Katsuhiko stood long enough for his hot breath to be felt upon the ninja boy's neck. He meant what he said.

Takeru felt chills bumps pop up on his arms as the large man stood behind him. He felt as if he was in danger with the man who had employed Team 9. There was something odd about his behavior. Once the man walked off and out of the stable, Takeru breathed. He felt faint. His anxiety was coming on strongly. What was in the satchel hanging on the post? Whatever it was, he wasn't supposed to know about it.

Takeru's heart was racing uncontrollably in his chest. He saw stars in his vision. If Katsuhiko chose to, he could have easily strangled him, or stuck a kunai in his back. Lee was not around to watch his team, nor his father there to protect him. The realization of his life being on the line, finally got to him. Takeru Uchiha fainted in front of the mare.

Takeru awoke to someone looking over him. At first, he mistook the person for a nurse, or doctor. He thought he was at the local clinic, but the more his eyes adjusted, the more the face started to resemble Eiyu's. Takeru groaned not from his head hitting the ground, but the fact his archenemy was babysitting him.

Eiyu helped Takeru sit up as the boy shook his head. "Are you okay? What caused you to faint? Onari and I were only gone for a moment to get hay and oats for the horses." He watched Takeru stiffly glance around the stable. "Takeru, who are you looking for?"

Takeru remembered what Lee had said before they left to go on their mission. He had no choice but to adhere to Eiyu's questioning. He was his teammate. Takeru saw the mare he had been petting lean her head over the door of her pen. "Katsuhiko," he answered softly.

"You want me to go get him? He's gone to the market in search of fellow friends he has in this area," Eiyu said as he started to rise. Takeru quickly grabbed his wrist. Eiyu looked at the fear hanging in the back of Takeru's eyes. He sat back down. Eiyu was two years older than Takeru. The boy was afraid of something. He could tell that much about him.

"Katsuhiko threatened me while you two were away," Takeru said. He looked away from Eiyu's blank stare. "It was right after he confronted that guy from earlier, Eiyu. He walked past me and told me to remain focused on my job of being a ninja."

"You should be focused on being a ninja. How is that a threat," Eiyu asked as he stood up. "You're imagining things, Takeru."

"I'm not imagining anything," Takeru yelled with anger. "You weren't here! He-," Takeru's voice was cut off as Lee came back with Katsuhiko. The man gave him the same look as before. Takeru moved his body to the wooden door and stood there. His heart was starting to race again. Even with his team present, he didn't feel safe right now.

"Is there a problem in here," Katsuhiko asked with his rough voice. He glanced at the dark haired boy and the boy with the long hair. "I suggest you two save your energy for staying awake. My comrades have told me there are horse thieves in this area. They might come after these horses. Until the priest gets them, you will work for me," he said once again.

Lee caught onto Takeru's body language. He noticed Takeru's reactions to their new employer when he entered the stable. Lee waited until the man went over to check a leather satchel hanging on a post. The man took something out of it and concealed it quickly in his hand. Lee was unable to see what the man was hiding. Once Katsuhiko left the horses with Team 9, Lee signaled for Eiyu and Takeru to remain quiet. Katsuhiko was listening outside the stable for anything said. "Make sure you guys don't fight in front of an employer. It isn't wise. It might adhere to us getting hired for future assignments," Lee said putting enough emphasis into his voice as he could. "Takeru, since you have such a wild imagination, you can clean the horse pens. Eiyu, I don't know what's gotten into you either. You can assist him."

Lee watched Takeru and Eiyu grab pitchforks to start working. The boys worked for some time quietly. Lee stood with his back near the door, his ears alert until Onari dropped from the rafters. She pointed her finger out then moved her wrist to gesture Katsuhiko had finally left. Lee signaled for the two boys to stop working.

Takeru came out of the horse pen he was in, first. "I was wondering where you were," he said to Onari. The girl pointed up at the rafters. He already knew that. She did just come from there, didn't she? Same Onari.

"There seems to be something going on. Katsuhiko was outside of the stables listening for anything that might occur in here – such as someone telling something they weren't supposed to. Onari was keeping watch. He was too preoccupied with what you were doing, Takeru, to notice she was missing. What has you afraid of him," Lee asked. The boy opened his mouth, but shut it. "Takeru, we have to know what you saw, or heard."

Eiyu glanced at the Uchiha boy. He believed Takeru was afraid of what Onari, or Lee might think of him if he acted like a child. "He said he was threatened by Mr. Katsuhiko when we were not here," Eiyu spoke up.

"No one asked you to speak for me," Takeru said angrily as Onari and Lee moved away from the stable doors quickly. He turned his head to see the doors being thrown open by wind. Takeru felt himself being grabbed from behind. He wasn't able to react as the person holding him lifted his body into the air. Takeru found himself in the rafters. The kunai were lodged into the opposite doors of the stable. He looked around to see Eiyu near him with Lee behind him. Did that mean Onari was the one responsible for saving him? Sure enough, she popped her head over his shoulder. Takeru blushed.

"We can't remain up here. If they are really after the horses, they'll steal them. Ninja can't be afraid of anything," Eiyu said rather annoyed as Lee kept his hold on him.

"Before you decide to drop down and give away your position, I'd suggest Onari taking a look around the area for us," Takeru said as he instructed Eiyu. Eiyu wasn't approving of being directed by him. "Onari has a special ability that lets her see whose in the area. I thought you knew that as much as you've trained with her."

Eiyu tried to keep himself calm. They had an enemy outside the stable. It was wiser to be more mindful of that than to fight amongst each other. "She hasn't done it around me," he said finally. Eiyu glanced behind Takeru. "Where is Onari?"

Onari searched the area around the stables with her bird like eyes. She flipped her head as her ears noticed movement coming from behind her. Onari jumped into a tree and moved around to the other side to see who was stalking her. Down below, a figure approached. It was Eiyu. Onari narrowed her eyes. Eiyu wouldn't be alone. Takeru would be with him. She didn't trust the form below.

Onari watched the form of Eiyu move slowly past the tree she was in. If Eiyu had had kunai thrown at him, she doubted he would be as cautious as that. Onari crouched low onto the branch as she slipped into the darkness.

The form of Eiyu Hyuuga glanced around the area. There was no movement coming from the stables behind him. Eiyu stayed in character as his feet moved slowly. He was listening for any movement around. He felt someone watching him. Eiyu formed hand seals as he walked. Just as his form moved around a tree, he sunk into the ground leaving a puddle of water.

Onari's wild eyes searched the trees from every angle. There was no sign of Eiyu. Had she really seen him? Onari jumped from a branch to another one. She didn't see anyone around her. There was silence in the darkness. The girl from the lightening country eased herself off the tree. She tilted her head this way and that. If Eiyu was out here, why had he gone this far? Onari didn't understand the situation at all.

She moved cautiously to where she had last seen Eiyu's form. Onari stopped. She had the sense someone was behind her. The girl turned her head quickly to see a figure behind her, dripping wet with water. A raven-haired girl with multiple long ponytails stood watching her with a smirk in her pale blue eyes.

"You must be new at this. I won't go easy on you," Mittsu Kaiten said with her flowing sweet voice. "Ninja ought to know better." She smiled at the girl as she rose into the air on a jet of water. It propelled her upwards. She flew off it, flipped her body, and threw kunai at the girl below her.

Onari took off. She didn't know who this unusual girl was, but she was attacking her. Onari made hand seals quickly to use a substitution jutsu to get away. The kunai were thrown at the log.

Mittsu moved her body towards the log as if she were a cat who had already killed her prey. She was smirking at the fact the girl was able to get away at all. Such a poor ninja, you are. What kind of fool falls into a trap so easily? Mittsu narrowed her eyes as she looked up at the trees. "It doesn't do any good to hide from me. I can sense water all around me." Mittsu closed her eyes. She smiled as she formed hand seals. "Rain storm," she said as water started to fall heavily from just the tips of the trees.

Onari wondered how this was possible. She was getting soaked to the bone. It hadn't been raining a moment ago. Was that girl still here? Onari searched around her, but couldn't see more than three feet in front of her body. The rain was pouring so badly that she had difficulty walking on the branch. Twice her foot almost slipped.

Mittsu unsheathed her wooden sword from behind her back. "Well, you're a hardheaded girl. Didn't your parents teach you better?" She sliced through the rain with the wood. "Ah, it's been a while. I'll get rid of you sooner than you think!"

Onari hated water. She loathed it. It was cold, wet, and above all else, it took her back to a place she didn't like to remember. Her eyes dilated. Onari's mind went flashing back to the time when her father's brother had tried to drown her during the winter. Her body started to react to the rain the other ninja was using against her. Onari's wet hands lifted to unwrap the bandages around her arms. As the bandages hung down, she bit her thumb. Onari smeared the blood onto the tattoos of her arms. She touched the branch of the tree. As she did so, symbols started to spiral around her body, glowing with the call of opening one of the celestial gates. Onari, from the lightening country, summoned her phoenix.

Akaihi turned his large head and opened his beak. As the wave of water came at him, he blew a stream of fire to deflect it. Akaihi moved his body forward as he kept a constant stream of fire going. The ninja from the mist village seemed to be backing down. It was foolish to think she had power over a celestial.

Mittsu formed hand seals quickly as the phoenix started to charge towards her. Whoever this young girl was, she wasn't as inexperienced as Mittsu had originally thought. While she was able, she used a substitution jutsu to bail.

Onari narrowed her eyes. She hadn't learned anything about her new opponent except for a few of her fighting styles. Who was this foreign ninja? Akaihi stood as a guard, the flames on his body blowing in the wind.

Rock Lee crossed his arms as he sat in the horse stables. His students were asleep in one of the vacant stalls in the hay. Onari's celestial guardian was keeping watch outside. The fact that the team had been attacked not long after dark by an unknown mist-nin was still in their minds. Onari had left the group in order to track the person who was passing as Eiyu.

Onari didn't know any better to not step carelessly into a trap; however, by doing so, she had defended herself and her team. Lee wondered how much power lay docile in Onari's abilities.

Takeru opened his eyes gently. He couldn't sleep. He sat up taking a moment to look over at Eiyu and Onari's sleeping forms. He rose.

Lee heard the stall door open. He turned his head to see Takeru close it shut. The boy appeared to be restless by the way he was walking. "Takeru, are you unable to sleep?"

Takeru shook his head. "No, I have a lot on my mind. Sensei, what do you do when someone you like likes someone else?" He leaned against the stable.

Lee supposed it was bound to come out eventually. "I am guessing you are referring to Onari being with Eiyu." Takeru shut his eyes at the mention of the facts. "Have you ever thought about why your father and I are always competing?"

"No, I just thought the both of you had huge egos," Takeru admitted. It was partially true. Sasuke had a foundation of pride. Lee had a lot of verbalization about his own.

"Your father and I met officially at the Chuunin entrance exams. I challenged him to fight – much against the wishes of Gai sensei. At the time, your father wasn't fast enough to keep up with my moves despite his knowledge and abilities of using Sharingan. Immediately, I took a liking to Sakura Haruno who was on the same team as your father.

Regardless of my efforts, Sakura only had feelings for Sasuke. She saw me as a fool. I learned the more you push, the more a girl will put a wall up. It's natural. It'd be the same if it were you in Onari's place. You can't really make someone like you. You need to be yourself, Takeru. You can only hope one day she will see you differently," Lee said as he took his role as a father to the boy.

"So you're saying you actually calmed down so Ms. Sakura would notice you," Takeru teased.

"Takeru Uchiha, be more considerate of your elders," Lee said as he returned to being a trainer.

Takeru smirked. "I'm going to visit Akaihi. He has to be lonely out there by himself," he waved to Lee as he existed the stables.

Akaihi moved his eye to see the raven-haired boy Onari resided with leave the stable. He was nested near the stables, his red feathers brilliant in the moonlight. The fire on his body flickered at the top of his head and back. The phoenix saw Takeru sit next to him with his shoulders slumped.

Takeru looked at his hands as they played with his shirt. He felt Akaihi watching him. "You've been with Onari for a long time, huh? I wish I knew how to get through to her," he said softly. "But it's a little late isn't it," he said with a forced sad smile. "You probably can't understand me anyway." Takeru turned his head to see Akaihi's head lowered. He was staring hard at Takeru with his yellow eyes.

The phoenix tilted his head this way and that as the boy kept his eyes focused on him. Takeru was in love with Onari. Akaihi saw it in his sincere eyes. (I understand more than you think, Takeru of the Uchiha clan.)

Takeru's eyes widened. "You can speak? Your voice sounds as if you're speaking in a cave. It's echoing everywhere. Do you and Onari speak?"

Akaihi kept his eyes on the boy. (You are the first one I have spoken to since I was acquired.) He lifted his head to keep an eye on the area.

"You've never spoken to Onari?" He didn't understand. "But if you're her guardian, shouldn't the two of you speak?"

Akaihi lowered his head again to look into Takeru's eyes once more. He searched the boy's soul. (Onari, as you call her, would not be able to understand my true connection with her. She believes I am nothing more than a pet her clan has access to.)

Takeru furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought you were, too, no offense. I guess it's ridiculous to think that about a celestial." He sighed at his own ignorance. "So what are you to her?"

(The gate was opened for her to gain access – to inherit the ability to open it. Yet, she has not figured out I am her true guardian. The one meant to protect her.) The boy wasn't comprehending what he was saying. (I am Onari's father, Sashizo, Takeru.)

Takeru felt his heart leap into his throat. He swallowed hard trying to get it to go back down. "Onari's father? H-How is that possible?"

(If the passage of the ritual is successful, the gate can be opened by the one who has the passage rites. However, the only way for Onari to be able to summon me, was for me to sacrifice my life to protect hers. By doing so, I saved her life and now have the ability to protect her.)

"What sort of ritual had to be performed," Takeru asked. He was sure he knew what it was, but he wanted Akaihi to say it. Takeru's mind was moving over Onari's arms.

(The tattoos on her arms, back, and sides are sacred scriptures from the Heaven Scroll. Without those markings, she wouldn't be able to access the gate.) Akaihi turned his head. His eyes softened. (Onari's mother cried when we had to perform the ritual. It was unheard of to perform such an act on a child. It was painful for me to listen to her screams. More painful than it was for me to die.)

Takeru looked at the phoenix with new founded respect. Next to him was Sashizo, Onari's father, in a different form. He must have held a great title in his clan. He gave his life to protect her. Yet, what is it that he fears?

Akaihi doused the flames on his body. The sun was rising. (How are you trying to get through to my daughter?) Akaihi watched Takeru's expression. The boy had forgotten he had mentioned that earlier. (If it's any consolidation, you're the first boy she has known.)

Takeru blushed. He turned his head to see their employer, Katsuhiko walking towards them with a priest. "Uh, oh. I better alert Lee sensei. Can you-"Before he could finish his request, Akaihi evaporated into burning feathers. Takeru ran inside to warn his team.

"This is an outrage. I would have never assumed Katsuhiko to turn his back on his old friends," Jiram said as he looked at his son. "The priest doesn't care about the rarity of those horses. He wants to auction them off to support our economy."

Noriaki watched the disgust creep across his father's face. They were horse trainers and breeders. It was their specialty to produce special breeds and tame horses that were dangerous. "Katsuhiko hired ninja to guard the horses until they were passed to the priest. He is adapt about completing his transaction."

"The only way to save those noble animals would be to steal them. That goes against my morals as a breeder, Noriaki," Jiram contemplated. "The ryo required to purchase them is not in our hands. Katsuhiko is asking an outrageous sum. It's as if he knew our intentions from the beginning!"

"What does he have against us," Noriaki asked. He couldn't imagine his father having any enemies. He was the kindest, most respected man for his profession in their area.

"I have no idea," Jiram breathed as he rubbed his temples.

Noriaki left his father's home to wander the village. He tried to think about how he could help ease the conflict. Miyuki horses are extra rare. There are only a hundred of them left in the entire world. Wouldn't it be more logical to breed them and save them? On the other hand, is everything about ryo? He stopped in front of the tower. Its ancient elegance seemed to attract him. Noriaki walked towards it. He went inside. There were voices coming from another area of the first floor. He decided to follow them.

Onari opened the windows. She peeped out of the tower for a few seconds while Takeru breathed hard behind her. She was excited about getting to the top. As usual, Eiyu was reading about the tower again. "Go top now?" She ran off to find the stairs.

Takeru put his hands on his knees. He let his head hang. "Eiyu, since you're the one dating her, shouldn't you be the one to make sure she stays out of trouble?"

Eiyu lowered his book. "It's just a tower. What trouble could she get into?" He saw the skepticism in Takeru's eyes. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll keep an eye on her." Eiyu sensed someone watching them. He turned around. "Can we help you?"

"You all are the ninja that were hired to guard the Miyuki horses, correct," Noriaki asked the two standing in front of him. They glanced at each other. "I want to know how much it would cost to free them from the priest."

"Free them? They were sold to the individual you speak of," Eiyu said not understanding the older boy's concern over the matter. "Missions vary regarding the job and how dangerous it is."

"I don't know about the danger involved. You have to understand! Those horses are extremely rare! My father wishes to breed them in order to save their kind. The priest bought them only to re-sale them to people who are going to slaughter them!"

Takeru stood up. "Why would someone want to slaughter a bunch of horses?" He saw Eiyu roll his eyes.

"Horses make glue, Takeru. Their hides are used for clothing and some people use animals in sacred rituals," Eiyu said. The other boy tensed. "You don't read. It's obvious." He turned to look at the horse breeder's son. "How did you come across this information?"

Noriaki stared at the floor, blushing. " A girl I like named Ayaoshi worked at the temple. She cleans, serves the priest, and attends to the statues and people who enter. She overheard the priest consulting with someone days before you all arrived with the horses. At first, Ayaoshi thought her ears were hearing things. The voices were coming from down a hall where there are no rooms.

She hid behind one of the large Buddha statues to see the priest exit a hidden room. The man who employed all of you, Katsuhiko, was there. He had told the priest of contacts he had that would purchase the horses for a greater some – more than he was charging to bring them. Please, help me save them," Noriaki pleaded.

Eiyu glanced at Takeru. "We are no longer employed by Katsuhiko. We can take another mission. I believe we can get them back. Who would dare to challenge a Hyuuga, Uchiha, and Onari?"

Takeru crosses his arms. He gave Eiyu his father's famous smirk. "I'd say the old man has it coming for threatening me. What is our free? How will you pay us?"

Noriaki stood up proudly. "My offer is two of the Miyuki horses for the Hidden Leaf Village. Will your team accept my offer?"

"Let's retrieve Onari. Team 9 has a new mission," Eiyu said. He signaled Takeru to get her. "Team 9 is at your disposal. We will steal the Miyuki horses from the priest."

Eiyu stood in the trees near the temple where the priest resided. Darkness blanketed the area. Byakugan! Eiyu's white eyes of the Hyuuga clan zoomed in on the temple. He searched its features for any signs of a threat. Takeru and Onari waited elsewhere in their hiding places. Therefore, the priest is the one who sent the mist-nin to attack us. He saw the girl moving through the temple in the dark. Eiyu cut the Byakugan off. He lifted his hand and turned his arm a few times. Takeru and Onari poofed next to him.

"This is the situation: the ninja from the Mist village, who attacked Onari the previous night, is guarding the temple. My guess is the priest sent her after us to play into Katsuhiko's suspicions about horse thieves. It could have also led into Noriaki's request for freeing the horses and made him into a scapegoat.

I want you and Onari to make sure she doesn't alert the priest of our presence. I'll locate the horses. We can't free them unless we know where they are. Don't look so disappointed, Takeru. You can show our opponent she isn't the only water user. She won't be able to make it rain in the temple," Eiyu finalized. He dismissed his teammates.

Mittsu Kaiten moved slyly through the halls of the temple. Her mission wasn't over until the priest met with those who were buying the horses the following day. She trailed her fingers along side the wall. "Such a waste of my abilities," she said softly.

"I wouldn't say it's a complete waste," Takeru Uchiha said as he showed himself behind her. Mittsu turned around to face him. "I see you weren't expecting us. We have a new employer," he said as they met kunai to kunai. Takeru held his gaze with hers. "I don't appreciate you trying to hurt, Ri."

Mittsu grinned at him. "So that little bird keeper is your friend, is she? Prepare yourself," she warned as she sent the young boy back with a push. She started to form hand seals just as he did.

Takeru blinked his eyes. His eyes turned red as they showed the Uchiha inheritance of Sharingan. I don't know how long I can hold onto it, but let it be long enough! Takeru's hands made the sign for snake. "Water serpent!" A stream of water formed around his body. It took the shape of a large snake.

Mittsu's form started to fade into the mist she was using as the serpent shot towards her. She used a substitution jutsu to appear elsewhere. "Don't underestimate me, boy. I've had more training," she said as her voice echoed.

Takeru whirled around a few times. His eyes searched the mist for the girl. Sharingan turned off. Where is she? Right now, I'm a mouse being watched by a hawk! I know she's near – but where? He saw something small and bright red coming towards him. A stream of fire shot out from the light towards his back left.

Takeru watched as a smaller form of Akaihi flew past him. The phoenix was protecting him from the mist-nin. Takeru ordered the snake to circle the direction Akaihi was flying in.

Mittsu ran from the red bird her blew fire at her. "You're not going to get me that easily!" She threw shuriken at the creature. The bird dove, lifted, and evaded her ninja weapons.

Takeru formed hand seals. If she thinks Akaihi's a problem, wait until she gets a load of me! "Fire-" Takeru felt someone put his hand over his mouth. His hands moved away from the seal he had performed.

"I wouldn't do that in here. You'll set the whole place on fire," Eiyu said. "The bird is only sending small streams to ward her off."

Mittsu freaked as she felt her arms and legs being held to her body. She lifted her head to see the snake slithered around her body. Mittsu threw her shoulder forward and down as she twisted her waist. The phoenix blew a stream of fire at the snake. It hit. Mittsu watched as the snake evaporated into water droplets.

Mittsu went after the two ninja in the temple again. She unsheathed her wooden sword. She swung it over her head at the dark haired boy. The boy with long brown hair stopped the sword. She narrowed her eyes as he kept his hands on it. "All I have to do is let go!" Mittsu let go of the sword and moved her arm in an open hand punch. Her hands kept punching and hitting the boy with long hair. He was blocking some of her moves, but not all of them.

Man, she doesn't give up so easily! She's completely outnumbered with Eiyu and I. Takeru threw a kunai at the mist-nin. She slid her body back to miss it hitting her. "Don't you realize you're outnumbered? Why are you still fighting us?"

Mittsu glared at the boy. "Ninja aren't supposed to stop their missions until they have been completed! I will not be seen as a failure!" She charged him throwing shuriken and swinging her sword. As she came at the boy, the girl she had attacked the previous night threw her off her feet.

Onari flew through the air with her leg outstretched toward the girl's side. Her eyes were on her as she rotated her body in the air, kicking the girl's sides hard until her from hit the floor. She slid on her feet, her hand behind her body to slow her down. Onari stood up. The mist-nin was motionless on the floor. "Takeru, alright?"

Takeru breathed hard as she looked around the wall of the temple. The shuriken were everywhere. There wasn't a scratch on his body. He looked to see Eiyu holding a few of the thrown shuriken in his hands. Eiyu dropped them. "Why did you guard me?"

"You're my team mate, Takeru. I'm going to protect you no matter how you feel about me," Eiyu said matter-of-factly. He looked at Onari. "Where is the priest?"

"Onari tie man up, Eiyu. What wrong?" Onari tilted her head innocently. She thought that was the best way to stop the priest from interfering.

"Onari, he's a holy man," Eiyu said. He figured she was being rather unprofessional at this point. Eiyu watched Takeru cover his mouth once Onari spoke.

"Eiyu, man no has holes. Man clothes fine. Man in black," Onari explained. "What wrong with holes?"

"Not holes as in circles, Onari. He's holy! He's a saint! A man of importance," Eiyu said picking every word; he could for her to decipher.

Onari raised her brow as she stared her new boyfriend down. She figured Eiyu Hyuuga was teasing her in some way. "Man no has holes! Man only has holes in nose and ears, Eiyu! What is it with holes?"

At this point, Takeru had to walk out to keep himself from laughing at Onari and Eiyu fighting. While they both gained their composure, Takeru went to release the horses from their new stable. The priest wasn't going to be happy when he awoke to see his horses missing. They had already discussed a new location to keep the Miyuki horses until Noriaki could convince his father to take them.

As Eiyu and Onari walked out, they both watched Takeru wave them over. It was strange to be working on the same team with each other; however, Team 9 was adjusting rather well to each other's decisions and abilities. Perhaps, Takeru was growing up faster than he realized.

"Just as we bargained, here are the two horses I will give Team 9 for payment," Noriaki said as he led two horses forwards. "Promise me you will breed them. I would hate to see them die out."

Rock Lee stood with his team as they took hold of the horses. "We will be glad to honor that decision. We are planning on giving these horses to the Hokage of the leaf village so that they will be treasured." Each of the team members bowed low to Noriaki. As they walked away with the two horses, Takeru Uchiha smiled as he petted the male's muzzle. "All of you did something rash, but you three did do a good deed. These horses are very valuable. The Hokage will be pleased with them. I just hope he understands your teamwork still needs tweaking."

"What are we naming these animals," Eiyu asked as he led the mare next to Takeru. Onari was happily riding the mare. "They have to have names. It's not official unless they have something to go by," he said trying to justify himself.

Rock Lee watched Onari laid her body against the mare's neck. "Well, how about this, why don't you and Takeru name them? The both of you worked together for once. I'm proud of you two."

"How about, we do something completely unexpected? Why doesn't Eiyu name the stallion and I'll name the mare," Takeru suggested. He figured that would prove real teamwork.

"Alright, I'll name the stallion um… Dessu. I like that name," Eiyu said. "It gives him a sense of character."

"Okay, Ri, what do you think of the name Kattu for the mare," Takeru asked. Onari sat up. She was looking at the horse she was riding. "Does it meet your standards?"

Onari pointed to the stallion and the mare. "Dessu and Kattu. Team 9 give Dessu and Kattu to Hokage." She finalized it.

"That's correct. We're giving Dessu and Kattu to the Hokage. You're sentence structure is getting better, Onari," Eiyu praised. "And when they have a baby, we'll let the Hokage name it."

Dessu, the Miyuki stallion, shook his mane as he obliged to doing just that. Team 9 headed off to Konoha where their loved ones were waiting for them. As they walked in laughter and talking, a lone figure watched out of sight amongst the trees. He wondered if his search had finally ended as he watched the girl upon the mare enjoy herself.


	61. Chapter 61

**V6 ch 10**

**Swept Away**

The scout who was hired to track down an unknown girl returned to his employer. He walked through the old building, long ago abandoned, his feet creaking with each step. He stopped in front of two men who guarded the entrance to a back room. The man bowed low his eyes remaining focused on the two foreign guards. "Yacunta is here to see Lord Gekido of the lightening country." The two guards glanced at each other.

One of the guards moved into the room. He clicked the shoji screen closed as he consulted with the lord. Yacunta expected to be treated differently. After all, he was the lowest form of scum on the earth. He would turn in his own family to secure his place in the world. He smiled absentmindedly to himself. Perhaps, it was in his favor he didn't have any.

The guard returned with a solemn expression. His hard gaze fell onto Yacunta. "Lord Gekido will see you now." He returned to his post next to the door.

Yacunta opened the shoji screen carefully. He kept his head lowered in respect for the man who had the power to annihilate him without a moment's breath. He took the liberty of scanning the room.

The room was filled with incense, which drifted through the air. Banners from Lord Gekido's house were hanging from the ceiling. A small-decorated low table was in front of him where pillows were arranged. The room was stylish and elaborate. Gold and yellow overtook his vision. Sounds of chimes and falling water danced to his ears.

Yacunta wondered how troublesome it was to load such a dwelling each time the lord moved. Lord Gekido was the last one of his house – or so Yacunta had thought until he had seen the girl. The only clue he had been given was about her eyes. At first, he thought it was a hoax – until he found her in the fire country.

Gekido walked into the room slowly, his long robes dragging onto the tatami mats. His dark eyes saw the scout. He frowned. What was the news? He had sent out forty scouts a few months ago to search for his brother's child. None of them had returned except this lone man. "Payment is not owed unless you have information," he said as he finally addressed the man.

"Lord Gekido, it is a pleasure to see you again," Yakunta said in a thick lie with his sweet voice. "I have important new for you. The girl you seek has been located in the fire country. She was riding a horse away from a small village in the northeast."

Gekido sat down at the table. He put his hand upon the ink to grind the block on its pallet. He closed his eyes as he listened. "Sit. Continue."

Yakunta sat near the shoji screen. He was afraid to get any closer to Gekido. The man before him was highly dangerous. "The girl was with three males, my Lord. One appeared to be a ninja trainer. There were two boys with her, roughly around the same age. I did not follow them," he admitted like a rookie.

Gekido's brow twitched. He opened his eyes to look at the man before him. The scout tensed. "How do you know it was my brother's child?"

"The-The girl had yellow eyes with a black ring around them, my-my Lord. She had a horrible scar on the side of her face. She appeared to be the age you mentioned," Yakunta said as the man rose slowly.

"What is the name she goes by," Gekido asked as smoothly as he could manage. The scout before him was a complete idiot. His failure to follow her, or learn where she was being trained was causing his anger to boil. "What is the child's name?"

"Name? You don't know her name? But if she is related to you, shouldn't you already know what it is," Yakunta said with confusion. The anger in Gekido's eyes was building.

"That abomination is merely connected to my house! She is not related to our clan! My brother did not name her for the sole fact that I would capture her. Kakumei," Gekido summoned with a shout.

Yakunta swallowed as a tall, muscular built man in his late thirties entered the room from the back entrance to the garden. The man brandished metal plates upon his legs, chest, and arms. A cold expression was on the man's face.

"Get rid of him! He's as worthless a scout as a breathing mortal," Gekido said as he left the scout with the General of his fighters.

"B-But, Lord G-Gekido, I d-did what you asked," Yakunta said in his own defense as the man known as Kakumei moved closer.

"It is customary in our country to give the name of ourselves to the pre-deceased." The scout's eyes widened as he threw his body back in order to get away. There was no exit for him. "I am Kakumei Eimino," General of Lord Gekido's lightening users. We can't have you running your mouth over useless information."

Yakunta screamed as Kakumei opened his hand. Lightening shot out from the General onto his body. Yakunta, the scout from the grass country, was electrocuted to death.

Gekido narrowed his eyes as the screams from the scout died. He stood in the garden, his long black hair hanging over his shoulders and back. Birds hopped around the flowers that bloomed in the abandoned garden. Kakumei exited the room. "You made a mess, didn't you?" Gekido held his finger out for a small bird. The bird landed only to tilt its head at him.

Kakumei smiled slyly. "Sorry, my Lord. It couldn't be helped."

"We're back to square one. He dared to come here with no useful information. He may have seen her in the fire country, but that doesn't mean she's there now! Who knows how long ago it was! If it's true that girl has been taken in by ninja, it only means she's eluded us where she is!" Gekido saw the bird fly away. He let his anger subside. "Kakumei, at least, clean up your mess."

Kakumei bowed low with an evil, yet playful smirk. "Yes, my Lord. As you command."

Idai laid on the floor drooling as his half-lidded eyes stared straight ahead. His heart was racing, body not responding to his thoughts. He vaguely remembered where he was. The knowledge of what had occurred didn't seem to be present. He heard others talking.

"The boy's body cannot withstand the entire ritual. He needs to be stronger," Mizmarta said to her assistant. "The demon in him is stronger than I had anticipated. If he is unable to fight its determination, at any point, it will overtake him."

"How long does he have Mistress Mizmarta? His father is waiting for an answer," Raijin informed her. His eyes fell to the fourteen-year-old boy whose mind was astray.

"I am not sure. The fact he has been overtaken previously means the demon has access to him already. It can fully do what it wants at this moment; however, the boy is forcing himself to block it. I am afraid the child will not survive the demon at this rate. It is feeding off of his emotions." The old woman looked at the youth sadly.

"What am I to tell his father," Raijin asked as he, too, watched the boy.

Idai's head moved as he focused upon the lighted candles in the dark. "D-Daiya… K-Ki-ba..," he moaned. Where was he? "K-…Ki…ba…"

"Mizmarta's gaze softened. "Tell his father the truth. I can only try with the boy. He has to be the one to confront it."

Raijin bowed to his mistress. He left the room. Raijin walked down the hall slowly. He hated this part the most. Sometimes problems could be solved and sometimes they could not. Raijin opened the shoji screen slowly. The man with black hair was sitting quietly. His eyes were focused on the darkened area in front of the house. Raijin cleared his throat to get the man's attention.

Gai turned his eyes to see the man who was in his mid-twenties approach. He had come here seeking refuge for Idai. As a parent, he was almost out of options. "How is he?"

"He is weak, sire. Mistress Mizmarta is monitoring him. Your son was moaning two names: Kiba and Daiya. Who are they," Raijin asked as he tried to ease the atmosphere.

Gai smiled softly. Idai was still aware of who was important to him. "Kiba is his trainer for the ninja team he is on. Daiya is his best friend from another team. Even when he's half-conscious, he's calling out to those he trusts."

Raijin stepped forward. He sat across from the man. "Mistress Mizmarta believes the demon inside of your son has access to his body when he is unable to fight it. It takes a lot of constant focus to ward it off. She wants me to tell you she will continue to try to seal the demon inside of him. It will be a difficult task. The demon sees everything your son sees."

"Does he have a chance," Gai asked. He had to know. Was it too late for Idai?

"She is unsure. The fact remains the help is coming late. If I am permitted to say this, your son must be stronger mentally and physically to fight the demon. As it stands now, his chances are not good. The emotions he has bottled up are what the demon feeds off. Mistress Mizmarta wants to keep trying for him," Raijin said.

"I am fortunate to have her persistent effort in front of me. Tell her to continue as much as she is able to. I don't want him to suffer," Gai said as the man left the room. Was he doing the right thing? Gai, himself, was unsure.

Ryu Yuhi rolled his eyes at the flock of geese in front of his team. "I can't believe we got a mission such as this."

Saori Nara lost count after three hundred. She groaned. "How many of them do you think there are?"

Daiya frowned. "I hate animals. They're filthy." He felt his dad put his hand upon his hat.

"Looks to me as if you guys have a few thousand geese to catch," Sasuke said. He couldn't help but smirk as Ryu faltered on his feet. "This will help get you guys into shape," he said optimistically.

"Sensei, don't you have to catch them, too? Isn't our mission, also your mission," Saori asked. Sasuke glanced at her.

"Yeah, that's right. We're under you to learn," Ryu said coyly. He slapped Sasuke on the back. "Get in there and show us how it's done, Sasuke!"

Sasuke turned his head to look at Ryu quite seriously. Ryu twitched. He grabbed onto the back of the boy's vest and the waist of his pants. Sasuke lifted him off the ground. Team 2 watched as their team leader was thrown into the pen.

"Time to go save Ryu from himself," Daiya said. He went into the pen. Ryu was sitting up picking feathers out of his hair. "Sensei, where are we supposed to put them?"

Sasuke looked around as he stood amongst the geese. He pointed to an area near the pen where strings were hanging. "Catch them and tie their feet to those strings. We're catching dinner for Konoha."

Saori yelped as an angry goose bit her. "These things bite hard," she said as she rubbed her leg. Saori avoided a goose that was honking at her. She glared. "Alright, it's on now!" She chased the animal around the pen while others scattered.

"There goes Saori's temper," Ryu said as he dove to grab two geese by the legs. He flipped them upside down quickly to avoid their beaks. He carried them over to where they were to be tied. It was going to be a long day.

Sasuke moved his hand to grab the goose on its beak. As its wings flapped and head moved to break free, he brought his other hand up to chop at the bird's neck. The force of the blow broke the creature's neck instantly. He let it fall to the ground. "If you guys kill them where they are, you can carry more of them. It saves your energy." His team stopped to stare at him.

"Kill them where they are? Sensei, isn't that cruel," Saori asked as she turned her head to look at her trainer. She was crouched with her arms outstretched in front of her. She as trying to grab onto a goose.

"No, it's better to end life quickly than to torture an animal by letting it wait impending death," Sasuke said seriously. "Less pain is involved that way." He had to get his team to accept death as a reality. Ninja such as Shinobi died on battlefields for the village. It wasn't all guts and glory.

Daiya stood silent amongst the noisy geese. His mind was far away. His hand touched the space over his heart. Would he die one day? Would it happen because of his heart? He felt uneasy regarding it. Faces of everyone he knew shifted through his mind.

Ryu noticed how Daiya was acting. He walked over to him. He put his arm around the boy. "Hey," he said to get Daiya's attention. "Why don't we both sign up to be ANBU together," he said with a smile.

For a moment, Daiya's fears about himself were forgotten. His gray eyes met Ryu's red eyes. "ANBU," he repeated. He knew ANBU took direct orders from the Hokage. They were responsible for protecting Konoha.

"Yeah, that way, I can still look after you and you can keep saving me from myself," Ryu said as he grinned ear to ear.

Daiya lowered his head. He nodded gently. "Someone has to protect you besides Saori," he agreed.

"Get busy, Ryu and Daiya. Saori's already caught thirty and I've caught seventy," Sasuke said. "You don't eat lunch until your mission is completed."

"Yes, sensei," they said in unison.

Gin Akimichi formed hand seals as she gathered the chakra needed to master her training. Shikamaru was testing his team to determine where their flaws were. He had already given them the heads up about the Chuunin exams. In two years, they were going to partake in the deadly, challenging exam. As Gin concentrated with Kandai and Areku making noises around her, her plant slowly started to sprout.

Shikamaru leaned against the thick pole of the training area as he kept his eyes on Gin. Her concentration was a problem. He signaled Areku and Kandai to get louder.

Areku started to hit the pole near Shikamaru with defensive and offensive moves. He put more force into each hit. The wood started to crack loudly.

Kandai began to taunt Gin. He commented on how slow she was at Ninjutsu. Gin furrowed her brows trying to ignore him. Kandai even got closer to her and began to poke her shoulder. As he did so, he said her name repeatedly like a small, begging child.

Gin finally snapped. Her concentration was broken. She turned around quickly to give Kandai a piece of her mind. "Kandai Hyuuga, you try to summon a plant to grow with someone nagging in your ear! I am not slow at Ninjutsu! It takes a lot of focus to make nature obey due the fact its wild! It's like taming a lion to be a kitten," she said.

Areku stopped hitting the pole. His eyes were wide – along with Kandai's as the plant Gin had been working with, sprang up from the ground. It twisted its green stalk and started to curl in several different directions as it branched off. The plant was reacting to Gin's emotions. He had never seen her so fumed.

"I won't be seen as the little quiet girl that people talk about," Gin continued. The vine overhead formed sharp pointy spikes. "I'm not weak as you may think! I just don't show off like some people, or voice it!"

"Whoa, if Idai saw that, he'd pick a nickname for you, for sure," Kandai said to stump her. Gin bit her tongue. He pointed up. She tilted her head. "It seems your emotions help play a part in your strengths."

"Yes, but her concentration needs work," Areku commented. "Opponents won't give you time to react, Gin. Your focus needs to be instant."

"Alright, you three. Now that we've exercised your bodies, let's work on your minds," Shikamaru said. He had his students sit around him. "The key to having a successful mission is not only relied on your teammates, but also the way you decipher plans and obstacles."

Shikamaru reached into his ninja tool kit on his rear. He took out a wooden box with various symbols on it. He placed it in front of his students. "Can anyone tell me what this is?"

Areku sniffed the air strongly. "It's a small box carved from a cedar tree," he answered. He watched Shikamaru pick the box up delicately. The man turned it over slowly so that each of them could see all of the intricate designs.

"Cedar is an easy type of wood to smooth into any shape you want. Its wood is sought after for furniture and sculptures," Gin threw in. She moved closer to peer at it curiously.

Kandai knew there was more to this box than human eyes could see. Why else would their trainer show them something ordinary? Kandai's face muscles tensed. Byakugan! Inside the box was a pellet. It was sitting on wire that was connected to the latch. It was a trap. "Don't open it," he said urgently to Shikamaru. The man's hand froze. His team was eying him.

"There's a pellet inside the box. It's sitting on a wire. It's rigged to be ejected by the person who opens it. The box is some sort of trap," Kandai told them.

Shikamaru leaned back. He turned his body away from his students. His finger began to slide the wood away from the hidden opening. "Cover your noses," he said as the box opened. As it did, the pellet was released. It exploded into poisonous smoke.

As the wind blew the smoke away, Shikamaru turned back around. "You'll notice as you grow, traps come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and yet, they are all ordinary." He reached into his ninja tool kit again to retrieve another device.

Gin saw a thin piece of wood in her trainer's hand. It was plan and resembled a toothpick. There were no designs on it. "Sensei, what is it?"

"I'm glad you asked. This weapon resembles a toothpick. You can tell that much by looking at it. A second glance isn't wasted on it. However, if I slide it down my fingers like this," Shikamaru said as he demonstrated, "A hair thin needle is extracted. On the end of this tip is poison, truth serum, or other such liquids. These can make you obey your opponent – anywhere from following orders to divulging information about yourself, your team, your mission, or the secrets of your village. Unless someone is known to be your ally through treaties with Konoha, they are your enemy."

Kandai remembered when they went to OtoMori how everyone's guards were down to the festival. Even though they were paired with another person and their trainers were there, nothing would have stopped a weapon, such as this, from getting through. It was thin, invisible thrown, and deadly. One prick is all it took.

Areku crossed his arms over his vest. "So who uses these? Any particular country?"

"I started seeing these eight years ago. They are modified and change with each person that has them. Sometimes various woods, or metal – all depending on its purpose. This particular one was used against a friend of mine by an enemy from the sound village."

"How did your friend defend against it," Kandai asked.

Shikamaru put the weapon back into his ninja tool kit. He turned back around to look at his students with a solemn expression. "She didn't know it was coming. It struck her. Within a matter of minutes, the poison surged through her body. We weren't able to save her."

Team 4 sat without motion for a while. They were contemplating every effect of becoming a Shinobi. Their lives were valued to protect the village. It all came with a price. Did Team 4 want to continue their training knowing the cold, hard facts about their ninja lives?

Hire stood amongst the dorm waiting for the sun to set. She leaned her back against the building. A proctor had sought her out on her new team. She closed her eyes.

Hire turned around to see her new trainer signaling for her to come over. She approached the man wondering what was up. "Something wrong, Tanuka sensei?"

Tanuka looked at the black haired maiden in front of him. She was a new addition to his team. "Natobi has a few words to say you." He gestured to the proctor next to him.

Natobi greeted Hire politely. "I have news regarding your father, Yakedo and brother, Nattoku who are imprisoned by order of Lord Hokage. Two issues must be addressed. Your father, Yakedo, has died in prison. He suffered a heart attack. Your brother, Nattoku, will be eligible for parole in two years."

Hire's heart raced. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. Anxiety was mixed with anger and sadness. "How is he able to get parole so soon," she asked baffled.

The proctor gave her a serious look. "Nattoku is being held as the investigation continues regarding the contacts he has. The Hokage has to be equally fair and let him state his position on the accusations against him. He wasn't the one who murdered Ashioto. That person is now dead. The whereabouts of Daiji are also being carried out. It is believed he is hiding with allies of your father's. I am supposed to ask if you know anything about those allies."

Hire wanted nothing more than to protect Areku and his clan from Daiji and Nattoku. She searched her mind for any information concerning the matter. "Most of the lengthy meetings my father held were to discuss family agenda. I was required to be at them so that they could keep an eye on me. They were afraid I would eavesdrop and make their plans known."

Hire thought more. "My father was powerful outside of Konoha. He ran a shipping business under a false name. He was responsible for smuggling stolen goods into Konoha a while back. However, the names you want were not mentioned in front of me. He made sure I didn't know anymore than I had to."

Natobi bowed. "I thank you, Hire, for helping us with some information. It is better than none. These family situations aren't easy to forget. I am sorry for your losses." He left the girl to continue her training.

Naruto sat on the pillow looking into the crystal ball before him. He had watched the scene carefully as Natobi had confronted Hire. The fact she didn't show sadness over her father's death proves she has no emotional attachment to him. Her excitement over Nattoku's parole alarmed her. She isn't lying to us. Hire has no love or loyalty of her clan. Naruto arose from his spot. He exited the room.

"We may have a bigger problem on our hands," Naruto told the ninja waiting in the large room. "Daiji is remaining hidden from our views. I suspect he is going to remain so until Nattoku's parole. There are two paths that can occur: Daiji attacks Konoha to carry out his father's plans, or he attacks to free Nattoku."

"What are the suggestions, Lord Hokage? We can't search every country north of here! It would exhaust our efforts," a proctor stated. "It'd be like searching for a firefly in daylight."

"That's the problem. That girl must not have had any information. She would have told everything when her father and brother were captured," another proctor voiced. He looked around the room for agreement.

Naruto paced the room, thinking. "There was another reason to find out how much Hire knew. I wanted to be sure she was loyal to someone – if not her own clan. She showed no remorse over her father's death. Her expression was that of a bird being let out of a cage. Natobi was required to lie to her concerning the cause of Yakedo's death. It wasn't a heart attack that had killed him. It was his own son, Nattoku, in the prison. "

"Do you suspect Nattoku knew his father was on the edge of spilling everything," someone asked unexpectedly.

"It's most likely," Naruto answered. "A man such as Yakedo isn't accustomed to the life of a prisoner. He came from a wealthy aristocratic family. If it were not for Hire, we would have never known about the plot. Yet, we must have evidence to prove Nattoku was the mastermind behind it all. I believe his father was a puppet on very long strings."

"We've searched the house over and over, Lord Hokage. Nothing was found, Engi, captain of B squad said. "Yakedo covered his tracks well."

"I expected him to do so," Naruto said. "There has to be hidden areas of the docile that we are unfamiliar with. Who else is more fitting to search for objects unseen by normal human eyes than Neji Hyuuga? Let him aid you in your search, Engi. Just make sure this is kept under wraps."

Engi bowed lowly. "Yes, Lord Hokage," he said before he dissipated. Maybe the Hyuuga man would be able to spot hidden alcoves.

Neji Hyuuga walked slowly through the unfamiliar house. The ANBU captain, Engi, followed him slowly. Neji activated the Byakugan. Normally, it was used to see chakra points in an enemy, or see ahead. Over the vast years, he had perfected it to see through semi-thick structures. There was a drawback to this new technique. One couldn't blink while using it and one had to look past the object to see inside it. Not an easy feature.

Neji entered the room where Hire's family met. He stayed at the entranceway. He held up his hand for Engi not to enter. "There is a trap in this room. One wrong step and panels move away. I can see the thin lines of where they are cut into the walls."

Neji examined the doorway closely. He reached up to run his fingers over the wood above his head. He felt the indentation. Neji pressed. He heard a click. On the other side of the room, a fake wall slid aside. There was a small thin closet holding three shelves. On each shelf was an item.

"Why don't we activate the trap so it can fire," Engi suggested. He came back with a medium sized rock. Engi threw it into the middle of the room. The hidden panels lifted. Kunai shot out of the panels onto the tatami mat. "Is that all of them?"

"It would appear so. He defiantly spared no expense to be discovered." Neji stepped into the room with Engi behind him. "My guess is he entered the room first to deactivate the trap. He probably gave Nattoku the responsibility of rounding up the other members." They walked across to the closet.

Engi glanced at the three objects. "It's some sort of puzzle. My guess is, if solved incorrectly, you die," he said as he pointed to the dark holes in the closet entranceway. "They're just large enough to shoot a poisonous smoke pellet."

Neji turned off the Byakugan. He didn't need it now. It was best to save his chakra. "The three glass containers are meant to hold candles. Now why do you suppose there needs to be light in a bare closet?"

Engi smiled behind the rat facemask. "As an old saying goes, 'The writing is on the wall'." He went to search the house for wax.

Neji took the three candles from Engi once he returned. He studied the three class candleholders. "We can't just put these in. it has to be a certain order. The top candleholder is red. Red can signify anger, hostility, but also passion and the importance of a family member."

Engi regarded the black candleholder on the middle shelf. "Black signifies death, mystery, or the unknown." He turned his eyes to the bottom shelf. "Green means envy, money, luck, or prosperity. So each candle holder has a specific color with a ton of meanings."

Neji thought for a moment. "Who do we know that is wonderful at fortune telling?" He stared at the objects intensely.

Engi turned around. "I'm off to retrieve Kurenai Yuhi. Just don't touch anything. Who knows what other traps lay in this house."

Kurenai followed Engi to the back of the house. She entered the room slowly. Neji was still standing in front of the now visible closet. "I hear you need my help," she said to announce herself.

Neji looked over his shoulder. "I figured your expertise was needed. You have a knack for fortunes and riddles."

Kurenai stepped closer. "I see this isn't an ordinary situation. The kunai in the floor was a dead give away. It's about the objects on the shelves, I assume."

"You assume correctly. Each color of the candleholders signifies meanings. These meanings are numerous. Without further knowledge, we can't put the candles in" Engi explained. "There are holes in the frame of the door that spring pellets at the incorrect solution."

Kurenai looked at each glass holder carefully. "Red, black, and green. Anger and passion vs. death and mystery vs. envy and prosperity. What if the objective is to turn the candleholders a certain way? It might not be in adding the candles," Kurenai said. She saw Engi take the candles from Neji. They moved back. He placed the candles in each holder and lit them. Nothing happened. There wasn't any poisonous smoke.

"It seems, Kurenai, that it was wise to acquire your knowledge," Engi said. "Come closer to see what the candle flames have revealed." He stood motionless.

Neji read the kanji etched into the back of the closet. "Enshroud in mystery, we bury our hatred to cause prosperity in our purpose." Neji furrowed his brows. "What purpose?"

Kurenai remembered something. "Negative words send you back as positive words move you forward. The left hand points way as the right hand points forward. Neji, turn the black holder to your left."

Neji reached up. He turned the holder. It clicked into place.

"Now turn the red holder to the left. Hatred is caused by immense anger," Kurenai explained as he clicked it into place. "Last, turn the green holder to the right for prosperity." As Neji did so, they heard a whirring sound.

They turned around to see a tatami mat drop down. It slid out of view. The three approached the dark hole cautiously. "I believe we found a secret passageway," Engi said. The three entered cautiously.

Idai stood in the center of the pentagram on the floor. He felt uneasy as the candles around him were lit. The old woman was saying incantations around him as she threw rice. Every once in a while, her assistant hit a large cymbal. The smoke coming from the candles blinded Idai's vision. His body felt as if it was falling away from him.

Idai Tatsumaki of the Sound Village watched as a demon with black eyes and long red hair smiled evilly at him out of the corner of his eye. The demon sneered at him. (They are calling me, Idai. You will sit back like a good boy and let me make an appearance, won't you?) Idai tried to fight the demon, but it was pulling him back into another plane. Soon Idai was in the backseat as the demon stood in front of him.

Mistress Mizmarta stood in front of the boy. His appearance had changed. His head was hanging forward, but his eyes were black. She signaled for her assistant, Raijin to keep hitting the gong. "Don't stop. The noise is used to keep him in place. He doesn't seem to favor it so much," she said as the boy before her moved his head trying to avoid the sounds. "Who are you demon? What name do you go by?"

Idai grinned at her quite harshly. His body jerked, but it remained in position as the noise continued. It was binding him to the middle of the pentagram. The salt in front of the woman was to issue her safety. "What mortal has the audacity to ask a demon his name, these days," he asked.

Mistress Mizmarta glared at the demon. "What purpose do you have for this boy? Why do you need his body?"

Idai stood up straight. His head lifted as the black eyes looked around the room for anything to use against the woman attempting to confine him. "His body suits me. It was intended for me. After all, it's rude not to show when invited to a feast."

Raijin was nerved to hear the boy's voice changed to that of a sinister being. His hand was shaking as he kept hitting the gong. He had to keep hitting it or the demon had the chance to use the boy to his will.

"Who offered this child as a sacrifice for you," Mizmarta demanded. She threw holy water at the demon. It winced in pain, but soon cackled.

"Holy water doesn't have a large effect on me, old woman of the new world. I am older and stronger than you realize. I am merely waiting for the boy to mature so I can fully take advantage of his gifts. But to answer your question, his clan sacrificed him for their own selfish ambitions," the demon said. He smiled as he turned his head around to match the eyes of the assistant.

Raijin's eyes met the demon's eyes. He saw cruelty massive and great. Its name echoed in his mind as the demon smiled at him coyly. Raijin forgot what he was doing. The gong stopped. As his mistress shouted for him to continue, his hand froze when flashes of death entered his mind. The demon inside of the boy, Idai, leapt from the pentagram. "Ryokuzu! Its name is Ryokuzu," he screamed as the boy came towards him brandishing two swords.

"No! Hit the gong, Raijin," Mistress Mizmarta screamed as the boy went for him. She watched in horror as the demon used Idai's body to slaughter Raijin into pieces all over the sacred area. Mistress Mizmarta ran as fast as she could to the bell. She rang it immediately as the demon turned around to face her.

Idai licked the blood off his hands. He smiled at the old woman as he walked towards her. The fear in her eyes was a lovely commodity. It was the icing on the cake he needed. Idai dragged the twin swords on the floor. The pentagram was desecrated as he interrupted its purpose. "I am beyond your control," he said as a shoji screen moved aside. The boy stood staring at the black haired man who stood in the doorway.

Gai saw the demon for the first time in his son. He went straight for the boy. The demon wasn't able to signal his movements as he struck his angled hand at the back of his head. Idai, his adopted son, fell to the wooden floor. His body was covered in blood. Mistress Mizmarta was clutching her chest. She was frightened. She had every right to be.

Gai kneeled to take the blood soaked swords away. He unclipped Idai's sword sheath on his back. Gai looked up at the woman sadly. "I can't let you burden yourself anymore. You have done the most you can for him." Gai lifted the boy into his arms.

Mistress Mizmarta found her voice. She swallowed difficulty. "No, you can't take him out of the pentagram! If he leaves this room, I cannot vouch for the fates of others, or yourself that will befall! That demon is eating him alive!"

Gai stood in the doorway with Idai's body. "He has to be stronger to overcome it. I was told that by your assistant before he… perished by Idai. If he cannot withstand the demon and is unable to advance in his training, I will end it myself." Gai's fingers felt the back of Idai's hair. "That is my burden as his father."

Mistress Mizmarta watched the man leave her home. She lit the candles quickly to appease the spirit of Raijin, her now dead assistant. He had been killed because he failed to keep the gong going. She went to her knees and started to bow her head several times to his remains.

Gin Akimichi petted the lotus flower that was in the pot near her bed. She watched as the petals of the flower began to fall off. Gin gasped. Her eyes went to the petal where Idai's name was. His name was half-faded. Did something happen to Idai?

The green stalk of the lotus flower became pale. Gin grabbed the pot quickly. She held it in her arms, with the lotus on her heart. Gin cradled it as a sick child. "Idai, if you can hear me, please be alright. I don't know what's happening with you, but please be well," she said as she closed her eyes. The love she had for him seemed to be pouring out of her body, radiating the room she was standing in.

Gin kept her focus on the lotus in her arms. Her mind pictured it wasn't the flower at all, but Idai himself. She felt as if she was holding his spirit in the palm of her hands. "Please, Idai, don't let it consume you. I don't know what it is exactly, but you have reasons to continue living," she said softly as her eyes remained closed. "I love you. I'm sorry I never told you. If you can manage to fight what you're dealing with, I'll manage to tell you when I see you again."

Idai awoke to the sun rising. He turned his head to see his father, Might Gai, coming away from a river. There was a fire blazing next to him. Where was he?

Gai had tried to scrub the blood out of Idai's clothing to no avail. The man's blood was deeply embedded in the cloth. He shook Idai's black and green shirt out. Gai heard his name being called. His eyes lifted to see Idai's orange eyes watching him.

Idai realized then that he was lying on the ground with his shirt off. His eyes went over his form to try to figure out why he was like that. Suddenly, Idai saw the blood all over his pants. He sat up abruptly. His eyes were shaking as they went wide. His heart raced.

Gai dropped the shirt. He went immediately to the boy. Gai placed his hands on his shoulders and turned Idai towards him. "Idai, listen to me," he said in a calm voice that was hard to maintain.

"Whose blood is this?! Whose blood is on me?! Dad, what did I do?!" Idai moved his body trying to release himself, but Gai's hands were stronger. The fright in his eyes showed in Gai's face. The man was not able to answer him as Idai concluded that he was never going to see Konoha again.

Naruto looked over the documents that were retrieved from Hire's house. There was enough evidence there to convict Nattoku for fraud, embezzlement of other businesses, kidnapping, murder, and other crimes he didn't want to necessarily know about. His father, Yakedo, would have gotten life in prison if matters had turned out differently. He frowned as Engi stood in front of him awaiting his orders.

Naruto brought his elbows on the table to regard the man behind the rat mask. "Good work on finding out what Yakedo and his sons were really up to. This should be enough evidence to counter Nattoku's parole. I doubt he will even have a hearing by the looks of it. Go to the prison and inform the guards in charge of what is to occur. Nattoku is to have maximum security. If Daiji is sighted, I want to be notified immediately," he said as he handed the scroll with his signature and seal on it to Engi.

Engi bowed low to Naruto. "Yes, Lord Hokage." He walked out of the room quickly. These orders were very important. They would safeguard Hire's life, as well as, protect the people of Konoha from Nattoku's wrath.


	62. Chapter 62

**V7 CH1**

**You cannot go!**

2 years later...

Saori Nara scanned the area below her, as she stood high in the shadows of the trees. She closed her eyes as she listened to the shifting of the leaves. The world around her was slowly moving. Saori opened her eyes as they refocused upon her target. The creature was camouflaged on the bark of a tree opposite from her position. It was wasting away in dreams - not expecting an attack to befall it. Normally, the large ten-foot lizard traveled in groups. This one was confidently alone.

Saori brought her hand up to carefully touch the bark of the tree. She lightly thumped the wood. As suspected, the leader of Team 2, Ryu Yuhi, formed out of the tree. "Are there any more of them," she softly asked him.

Ryu's red eyes shifted to the reptile as it stirred. He wanted to do this quickly. They were in a dangerous situation. It was a B-rank mission. The area around them contained poisonous, carnivore lizards such as this one. They had managed to slip into the breeding grounds undetected. "Yes, quite a few of them. Six, to be exact. My chakra is limited, Saori. I can't keep using genjutsu to trick these things. We have to be swift and get out of here before it alerts the entire herd. Daiya's charged and ready." He slipped back into the tree.

"Understood," Saori said as she unraveled Rose, her puppet. Saori formed hand seals quickly. Her shadow moved down the tree and towards the other tree opposite her. The shadow started to snake its way up the bark. Saori froze. The lizard leapt off of the tree suddenly at her. She let her hands go as it came towards her with its mouth open, sharp teeth exposed.

The lizard ran after Saori as she tried to move backward using Rose as a shield. Its jaws chomped onto the puppet; breaking and ripping away wood and clothe. Saori took the chance to use a substitution jutsu to get away. She watched the lizard tear into Rose from a few trees away. That could have been me.

Ryu leapt from his hiding place and shot four kunai at the animal's sides to cause its attention to be diverted. The large heavy-set lizard lifted its head towards him. Ryu had nowhere to run as the creature spit its toxic saliva at him. He covered his face to prevent it from getting into his eyes. The saliva burned his clothes as he landed on another tree branch. He had to keep it from burning his skin. Ryu started to push the saliva off of his clothes with a kunai.

The lizard thrashed about trying to bend the kunai so it could get free. Ryu opened his canteen. He poured water all over his body to help wash away the poison.

Saori whirled around as she saw six other lizards moving towards them. The one that the team was trying to capture had alerted them. She quickly leapt to retrieve Rose. "Ryu, there's more coming!"

Ryu shook his head free of the water as he put the canteen back onto his waist. "Great, that's all we need. Daiya!"

Daiya dropped from an upper branch. He stood with a serious gaze upon his face as he watched the lizard hiss at him. He was almost fifteen-years-old. His outlook on life had changed. He reached behind his body to open the cylinder case on his back. Daiya took out six long metal rods. "You're noisy," he told the creature.

The lizard kept spitting toxic saliva in all directions as its herd responded to its anger. The other six lizards were advancing. Daiya threw a rod at the lizard making all of the racquet. "Saori, I need you to be the bait for the others. Make them angrier."

Saori formed hand seals. Rose turned into a clone of herself. "Good to know these things aren't too intelligent," she said about her clone missing its side. A chunk had been taken out of the puppet.

Ryu, Saori, and Daiya leapt off. Picking fights with poisonous lizards was not their idea of a good time. It was highly dangerous. If they let one of them get away, it could alert more - forming a chain reaction. They had to end this soon.

Ryu formed hand seals as a lizard chased him around the area. A clone popped next to him. His clone moved away to gain the attention of another lizard. Saori was running for it with her clone, also. Ryu smirked. It was the worst game of cat and mouse he had ever played.

Daiya jumped backwards into the air as he avoided a lizard snapping at him. He threw wire around a tree branch to secure his target. Daiya planted his feet on the bark of another tree before he shot himself towards the reptile. The lizard curved its spine to try and take his arm off. Daiya moved his other hand to shoot the wire at the lizard's throat. The wire wrapped around its neck. As the creature's snout pushed his arm, the wire straightened causing the reptile to strangle. Daiya turned his body slightly to kick it in the throat. He came tumbling onto the hard wood of the branch. He grimaced as he felt the bruises. Daiya threw a metal rod at the lizard. The sharp end of the rod lodged into the branch with a thunk.

Ryu used his chained scythe to wrap around a branch. He grabbed a hold of it and swung his body around as the lizard jumped. As he came around, Ryu kicked the creature's back. It slammed into a tree. Ryu watched it slump to the branch.

Saori planted her feet onto the bark. She glued her chakra and ran up the side of the tree as an angry lizard chased her. She ran as fast as she could to keep it from biting her ankles off. Out of the corner of her eye she saw two lizards leaping at her. They had trapped her!

Saori's heart raced as one lizard managed to throw its weight into hers. She tumbled off of the tree as she fell. The lizard behind her opened its mouth as it leapt after her. Saori's clone came out of nowhere. It blocked the lizard's attempt to bite. The lizard fell with her as Rose came back into full view, falling behind her.

Ryu used his chain to wrap around two legs of two separate lizards. He planted his ankles into the bark as their weight took effect when gravity resumed. "Not today," he said as the lizards dangled hissing and snapping.

Daiya flew at Saori. He threw a rod at the lizard below her. The end of the rod went through the creature's back. He caught Saori and slid on his feet. The lizard's head fell to the ground. "Two dead- Four alive. We were only asked to bring back one."

Saori stood with Daiya. She hugged her teammate. "Thank you," she said.

"I wasn't going to let it eat you," Daiya said. He looked up to see Ryu dragging the two lizards he had caught. They had kunai lodged in their bodies. "I'll take care of the last two. Saori, step away." She moved aside. Daiya shot an electrical current at the first rod with the still angry lizard that was thrashing. Its eyes went wide as he electrocuted it. He glanced at the last lizard. "You're next." Daiya sent a huge electrical current towards it. It, too, smoked and fell lifeless to the ground. "Done."

"How are we going to carry six lizards back," Saori asked. "Each of them must weigh fifty kilograms/one hundred and ten pounds. Also, what about the other herds who might pick up the scent?"

"We can manage. We have to. I know we were only asked to retrieve one of these things, but if we come back with six, it'll prevent anyone from having to come here for a while. I'm trying to prevent someone else from getting hurt. A villager won't be able to pull off what we just did. Whose to say one of these creatures won't bite a child that gets too close to the woods? Or an elderly person attending to their garden on the outskirts of the village? It's more than just a mission," Ryu said. He was trying to prevent someone from dying. The reptiles were growing in numbers. They had started to enter the village.

"He's right. We have to protect those that aren't able to," Daiya said. "I can carry three of them by myself. It's not a problem."

"Weren't you injured?" Saori looked at Daiya. He only stared at her. "We have to put ointment on Ryu's burns before we do anything."

"My injuries aren't that bad," Daiya commented. "They're only bruises. At least they didn't take off my arm, or leg."

"We need to gather them. Saori, get the ointment out. I'll carry two if you can manage one. Put Rose in the scroll sensei gave you," Ryu instructed as Saori nodded.

Team 2 walked through the village slowly. The weight of the lizards was taking its toll on their bodies. They were getting odd looks from a few of the villagers. "They caught six of them," a woman said flabbergasted as she put her hand over her mouth. "Oh, my goodness! So many," an elderly woman said as her grandchild hid behind her.

The doctor of the village ran as fast as he could when he heard the news. He was surprised and excited all at once. Just as he made his way through the gathering crowd, the villagers shouted, "Hooray for the ninja of the leaf!" The crowd cheered and praised the three before them.

Daiya stood embarrassed at the praises they were receiving. Had they accomplished something that spectacular? A man pushed a cart towards them. He told the team to drop the dead weight of the lizards and would take the liberty of hauling them to the clinic. Daiya lifted the three lizards over his head and threw them into the cart. The man bounced with the added weight. "He carried three of them by himself? Wow, he must be really strong. I wonder if he had a girlfriend," a girl around his age commented. Daiya only glanced in her direction. The girl caught his eye and squealed in delight.

Ryu and Saori added their lizards to the pile. "Well, we need to get checked out. And after we do, a nice relaxing bath would be great," Saori said as she rotated her shoulders. She had picked up one of Ryu's habits.

"You three are amazing," the doctor said as he came forth. "We only employed you for one. Six is beyond our expectations. I don't know how we can pay you for all of them."

"Our deal was one, Doc. Count the five as an added bonus. We don't go back on our promises," Ryu said. He was satisfied with being paid for one. It was teamwork that had brought them the extra lizards. They worked well together despite their differences.

The doctor bowed low to the ninja several times. "We are forever in your debt. These lizards will help us make the antidote needed to save those who are bitten. You three have gone beyond our hopes."

Saori glanced behind her to see Daiya watching a troupe of girls. He was getting looked over by them quite heavily. She cleared her throat to get his attention. "We're going to go take baths, Daiya." Daiya turned around with his face beet red as a girl made an audible comment about his naked body. "Geez, how annoying."

Ryu laughed as they moved through the crowd. "That's cute, Saori." She blinked. "You've picked up a bad habit of Daiya's." Saori placed her hand on the side of his face and pushed.

Ryu poured the tub of water over his head. He shook it off. "How are your bruises," he asked Daiya as his friend soaked in the large tube.

"They hurt, but the hot water is helping," Daiya answered as he turned his body to test his theory. "Ryu, why were those girls talking about me earlier?" He watched Ryu sneeze from the soap on his face.

"You honestly don't know?" Ryu washed himself off. "You're not the same physically, emotionally, or mentally when I first met you. You're taller, muscular, and confident, unlike before. They were eying you because of your sex appeal." Daiya's head flipped around. "You're attractive, Daiya. Girls have been following you around for the past year. You're just too distracted to notice."

"I am not attractive," Daiya said as he looked away. Ryu got into the tub. The seventeen-year-old spiky haired boy laid the back of his head on the side of the tub.

"Do you honestly think you aren't? What attracts Yanagi to you?" He waited.

"My soul," Daiya said knowing the answer right away.

"If it were just your soul than you two would only be friends. She thinks you're handsome. The more you and she grow, the more bonded the both of you become. You can't tell me you've never envisioned Yanagi taking a shower."

Daiya's eyes went wide. In his mind he saw his girlfriend washing her hair with the water steaming and droplets falling onto her skin. Daiya's heart thump-thumped in his chest as Yanagi's hands moved down her torso. He crossed his legs quickly and threw a bar of soap at Ryu. "Shut up, Ryu!"

Saori yawned as she sat at the low table drinking hot tea. She saw Ryu walk towards her in a kimono. Saori smirked as she shook her head. There was in imprint on Ryu's face. "You couldn't just leave him alone, could you?"

Ryu sat down. "He was wide open," he said with a smile. "Ooh, tea." Ryu sipped it slowly.

"What were you teasing him about this time," Saori asked. A woman placed saucers on the table. She bowed to Saori as she sat a plate full of skewers on the table.

"Daiya doesn't think he's attractive. He's never noticed the girls who've been following him around. I had to wake him up."

"He's not conceited. Still, it makes me wonder how he views himself. His ego is mainly based on his training. He's gotten to be mildly aggressive, because of it."

"Remember when we took our fourth mission to the seaside? We were walking down the street and some guy threw a woman out of his house along with a small boy? Daiya was all over him in a matter of seconds. It took Sasuke and me both to get him off of that guy."

"Yes, but you have to view it from his eyes, Ryu. Daiya doesn't do abuse on anyone, for any reason. He defends those that can't defend themselves. We didn't know the situation with those people and didn't have to. Daiya's instincts were correct. That's why he doesn't get into trouble with sensei," Saori said as she munched on a skewer stick. "Where is he anyway?"

"He took a walk to spare me from his fist," Ryu said with a laugh.

Daiya sighed as he glanced at the small shops. He was trying to decide on what to buy Yanagi. They had been gone for a few days. As he picked up a toy, he heard shuffling behind him. His head flipped around to see three girls abruptly stop. What Ryu said is true. He put the toy down to move on. The girls were following him. Daiya started to walk faster.

The girls kept following him until he managed to duck in front of a large man. Daiya formed hand seals in front of his body. He transformed into Yanagi. Daiya watched the girls search the crowd for him. Once they were out of view, he went down a side street. He put his hands in front of his body again. Daiya turned back into himself. He blinked. A little girl around the age of seven was watching him. He ducked low as the girls who were following him previously came into view. He put his finger to his lips.

The girls looked around constantly. "Aw, where did he go? He's so cute!"

"He got away from us that easily," another girl pouted. "Hey kid, did you see a tall, strong guy wearing a gray vest with metal on it around?" The little girl shook her head. "Come on, you guys. He might have gone that way," she said as she pointed off.

Daiya leaned forward to make sure they were gone. "Thanks," he said lowly. The little girl smiled at him gently. Not you, too. Sure enough, the little girl was swaying her body as her eyes kept on him.

"Will you play with me," she asked.

"Only if you tell me your name," Daiya said as he stood up.

"Yuzuyu," she said with a smile. "What's yours?" She swayed constantly as the boy looked down at her with his light gray eyes.

"Daiya."

Yuzuyu held his hand as they walked down the street together. She leaned into Daiya as they looked at various vendors. "What is Yanagi like," she asked.

Daiya glanced down at the girl. "She's happy, sweet, caring; um... she trains hard. She has pink hair and gray eyes with the sweetest smile."

Yuzuyu laughed. "You're in love with her, aren't you? Only my dad talks that way about my mom. What does Yanagi like?"

Daiya lowered his head as he thought. "She uses butterflies in her techniques. So I would have to say she likes bugs, but is afraid of frogs. She always wears a butterfly barrette in her hair."

Yuzuyu blinked. "Daiya, I know an old man that makes jewelry. He doesn't have a shop here though. Let's go see him!" Yuzuyu kept her hand clasped with his as she led him away.

Ryu stood with his back to the wall as he listened to Sasuke in their room. Saori had gone to find Daiya. He sighed. "So that's it, huh?" He closed his eyes. "I was wondering when it was going to happen. So I finally get to take a mission with Firebird."

"I don't want it to be known where you're going, Ryu. It's an A-rank mission. You need to leave as soon as you can. Go back to Konoha and meet up with Shikamaru and Onari. You have time to confront Saori - just don't tell her the details." He watched his student take it all in. "I'm sorry to have to cut your resting period short. It's urgent."

"I know. Let me spend some time breaking it to her. I haven't parted from her until now," Ryu said as he stared at the floor. This mission was serious - he could get hurt. All three of them could. His orders were to stop Hire's brother who had managed to break out of jail. Ryu left Sasuke.

Saori leaned against the wall outside of the inn. Her eyes looked over Ryu's from. "What kind of mission?" He was already re-dressed and ready to leave. "I wanted us to go out to eat together."

"I can't tell you the details, Saori. I'm prohibited. All I can say is Onari and your father will be with me. It's an important mission," Ryu said choosing his words carefully. "I'm sorry to leave this soon. I have to go. I promised Sasuke."

"Ryu, it's serious, isn't it?" She looked at him with sadness in her eyes. She reached her hands up to touch his face. "I want to go with you."

"You can't, Saori."

"Why? I don't want you to go into a dangerous mission on your own! We're a team!"

"It's my mission - not yours. I won't have you chasing after me, Saori. You cannot go! I forbid you to try and sneak off," Ryu said as he watched the plans form in her mind. He placed his hands on her arms to make her look at him. "I mean it. If you follow me, it's over," he said seriously. Saori's eye widened. He walked off.

Saori turned her head to see Ryu disappear from her sight. If I follow him, he's going to breakup with me? But- We're a team! Saori's heart flopped in her chest. Ryu...

Sasuke turned around to acknowledge the door opening behind him. He saw the shocked expression appear all over his older son's face. "Hi. You weren't expecting me, I see."

Daiya's eyes softened. It was two years ago he had been adopted by Sasuke Uchiha and his family. He cared for the man as much as a real father. Daiya went over to his dad and hugged him hard.

Sasuke lifted his hand and placed it on top of his son's head. "You've only been gone a few days. So you guys completed your mission?"

Daiya nodded. "Dad, girls keep following me," he said as he looked up at his father. Sasuke only stared back. "Ryu said something about it being due to my sex appeal."

Sasuke brought his hand to his mouth. He coughed. "That's somewhat on target," he said looking away. He figured he was going to have to have this talk one day. And to think I was dreading this sort of thing with Takeru. "What do you know about boys and girls um... differences?"

Daiya was caught off guard. "They're physically different - but not in strength. They're faces are different and more emotional - but Takeru is emotional. Onari isn't, but she's not a boy. She's a girl." Daiya rambled for some time about his thoughts on the matter.

Sasuke let him finish. He rubbed his temples. "We have to have a father-son talk, Daiya." Daiya looked at him rather stumped.

Shikamaru Nara blew smoke out of his mouth as he flicked his cigarette. He stared at the stars. "By now, Ryu should be on his way. I want you to listen to him, Beautiful. He's more experienced. Be cautious."

Onari stared at Shikamaru as she sat next to him on the roof of the apartment building where he lived. "Shikamaru wants Onari to listen to Ryu. Ryu knows more than Onari. Or so Shikamaru says."

Shikamaru inhaled then sighed. "This mission is important. If we don't stop Nattoku, someone could die. He's out for revenge, Onari. It's an ugly matter."

Onari stood on the roof. "Onari will wait for Ryu at Ryu's home." She disappeared.

Ryu moved through the dark forest swiftly with his backpack. His mind flashed to Saori and her reaction at what he had told her. He sighed. It can't be helped. It was the only way not to fight with her. Saori would have followed me if I hadn't of been firm. It's my mission. She has to understand that.

He didn't want to hurt her feelings. It wasn't his goal to make her not trust him. Ryu felt bad about how he had parted from her. Saori was attached to him as he was to her. He touched down momentarily. Ryu scanned the forest. The only sound he heard was the rustling of the leaves. His red eyes searched for any signs of movement. He felt as if he were being watched.

Ryu brought his hand up. He created the illusion of still searching the area s he took off. Ryu flew through the trees at high speed. Why would anyone try to follow him?

A figure dropped out of the tree. He stared at the illusion of the boy in front of him. "He's wearing the headband of the fire country. Should we follow him?" The man looked over his shoulder at his superior officer.

Kakumei smiled with a light smirk. He approached the illusion. He sliced through it with his tiger fork. "We follow at a distance. Do not approach. If the girl is alerted, she could summon the phoenix," Kakumei answered.

The man took off as Kakumei did to follow the youth from the fire country. "It was lucky to find that bumbling fool from the snow village. He spilled information as if a dam had been broken."

Ryu entered the village like a thief in the night. He ran along the streets of Konoha swiftly. Sasuke failed to mention where Shikamaru and Onari were waiting for him. Just as the thought entered his mind, a figure stood in the road ahead. He slowed down to see her yellow eyes piercing through the darkness.

Onari watched calmly as he recognized her. Ryu appeared more adult now that he was getting older. Onari was now fourteen-years-old and her body frame had changed drastically. She wasn't petite and thin as before. No, Onari was well toned and her height had shot up to where she was six inches taller. Her hair was flowing behind her. It was so long that it went past her rear. "Onari waited for Ryu, but Ryu was not at the apartment. Onari came to see if Ryu had shown."

Ryu stood catching his breath. "Your vocabulary is better. At least it shows you've been using the cards I made." He glanced at the dark, closed shops. "Where's Shikamaru?"

"Shikamaru is waiting at the roof of the Nara apartment," she answered. "We are to leave as soon as Shikamaru sees Ryu." Onari put her hands in front of her body. She poofed.

Ryu pinched the top of his nose as he closed his eyes. "So much for a break," he said. Ryu poofed also.

Shikamaru stood with Ryu and Onari on the roof his home. He flicked his cigarette as he spoke. "We are tracking a prisoner who has broken out of jail. He is highly dangerous and powerful in more ways than just sheer force. Nattoku has gained allies in prison and is seeking out those contacts, along with his own. We have to find him and take care of the situation. Onari is to take direction from you, Ryu. This is her first A-rank mission. We are to keep out of sight near civilization.

There is no way of knowing who is watching us and where. Both of you are to keep your guards up. If Nattoku uses force, we are to kill him on the spot." He saw the uncertainty in Ryu's eyes. "These are direct orders from the Hokage, Ryu. If you are serious about becoming an ANBU, you need to learn to follow orders - no matter what they are."

"Does the Hokage think after two years that Nattoku's anger has lessened over his fate," Ryu asked no one in particular. "He's out to start a war. He wants to rid the earth of the Inuzuka clan."

Shikamaru breathed in the night air. "Yes, that's all very true. Kiba's clan has been notified. They have been instructed not to leave the village under any circumstances. And as for the question buzzing around in the back of your mind, Hire knows, too. We leave now."

Hire walked slowly next to Areku as they made their way through the forest. Despite the sunlight peering through the trees, she felt a cold chill across her shoulders. She glanced at Areku. He was walking erect wearing his casual clothes and not his normal training vest and outfit. Areku glanced at her. Hire found herself grabbing onto his arm. She leaned into him trying to get warm.

Areku noticed she was chilled. His keen eyes saw her shoulders shake. "Hire, are you cold?" Ever since her life had been turned upside-down by her brothers' deaths, Hire had become skeptical about certain matters. She chose to lock herself in her dorm immediately after training and missions. It wasn't healthy.

"Only a little," she answered as they kept walking. "Areku, how is your clan? I know they were kind of looking forward to battling Nattoku now that he's escaped prison."

"They're fine. I think everyone's managing to live right now - except the elders. They seem to believe your clan backed off due to Nattoku and your father being caught." Areku sighed. "My grandfather has been excited ever since we got the word from the Hokage. Ever seen an old man try to run swinging his walking stick in martial art moves?"

Hire couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry, Areku. Your grandfather sounds comical." She held onto her sides as she pictured the old man beating her brother upside the head with a stick.

Areku became serious. "Hire, are you sure your father died of a heart attack? I know that's what someone told you, but your father wasn't that old. There has to be something else."

Hire thought of her strict father in prison trying to figure out the charges against him. "Areku, he might have worried himself to death, or fought with someone in prison. That could have made him have one."

"Yes, but the prisoners are closely watched and confined most of the day. There are only a few instances where they come into contact with each other," Areku stated. "Nattoku saw your father as a threat because he was the one who made the final decisions. He knew of your brother's plans. He couldn't have acted without Yakedo's approval. He was the head of the clan."

"Father sent Daiji to consult with our allies in the north. I didn't mention it to the proctor who came to ask questions the other day. All I know is the direction of our allies. I don't know where they are, per say. Nattoku knew I wasn't to be trusted with information such as that. Daiji's orders were always to wait for Father and Nattoku no matter where they went. Since neither of them showed, Daiji has been in hiding. He's not stupid to think they were caught. He will still follow the plans they laid out!"

Areku felt the chill Hire had earlier. "What are you saying?" He saw her worried expression.

"It means your grandfather may get his wish now that Nattoku is loose! Daiji could be here any day! We have to tell Kiba sensei!"

"This area is so lush and green. It makes me want to lie down and take a break, Daiji. Why did your father and Nattoku not come partake our hospitality as you did? We had such marvelous feasts in their absence," Kanoko said as he made smoke rings with his pipe. His group of fifty men was taking a break as he sat on a nice boulder.

Daiji looked out over the field. He glanced back at Kanoko. Kanoko was in his early forties. The man was formal, yet cruel to the point. His father's friend was a native of the Grass country. "I have no idea. I have my orders in case something happens to my father. And furthermore, if your area weren't so hard to get to, it wouldn't have taken me a week."

Kanoko smiled as he blew smoke from the corners of his mouth. "My apologies, son of Yakedo. If we were so easy to get to, our enemies would have finished us off by now. Still, we gave your father two weeks to show when you arrived. Don't tell me he's run out on us?"

"No, he wouldn't have done that. Nattoku would have taken extra length to insure he didn't back out. There has been no word from either of them in two years. Which means, I was right to hide. Someone knows of our plans against the Inuzuka. They were found out," Daiji said seriously. "Whoever has put them in prison is going to regret it."

"And who would have informed the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village of such a plot? Yakedo has always managed to keep his affairs under his thumb. It's troubling to know he's slipping up at his age," Kanoko said. He rose to crack his back.

"No one else knew. No one else was told what the plans were until the day we left. Only Nattoku and I knew the full details." Daiji caught a ladybug in his hand. He let it move over his fingers.

Kanoko emptied his pipe onto the ground. He snuffed the fire by rubbing it with his foot. "It seems not even your family members are to be entrusted with valuable information."

Daiji knew it had to be one of the three younger siblings that told the Hokage. "It would seem that way." He squished the ladybug with his fingers. Kanoko looked at him with disapproval of such an act. "Luck is for cowards who do not want to face reality." Daiji walked off to signal the men to get a move on.

"I say let the boy come if he thinks he can challenge the Inuzuka clan," Matozo, Areku's grandfather said. He stood up waving his walking stick. "I may be up in age, but the fire still burns!"

Kashira put her hands on her father's shoulders. "Father, let's not be too hasty. You're scaring Areku half to death." Not to mention embarrassing Kiba and I.

"You act just like your mother. Always telling me to sit down and behave! I will not be silenced so thoughtlessly, Kashira!"

"Matozo, sit down," Riniya said angrily with her hands on her hips. "I can't fetch the others for more than a few minutes and look at you! You're embarrassing our clan! We have a guest!" She kept nagging him until he sat down.

Hire blinked her eyes. She brought her hand up to stop a smile from spreading across her lips. Areku's family was interesting. She glanced at him. He was sitting leaned forward with his hands clasped and hanging between his legs.

"The decision isn't about whether to stop them from coming, or not. They will come. We need to focus on how to approach the situation. The Hokage can only do so much. We don't know the size of the army they are bringing," Kiba said as he stood.

"Nattoku wishes to finish us off based on his own aristocratic morals. The army won't be small, I can assure you of that. Their only objective is to hit us hard and fast. Can we really hold off a large sized army," Shizayo asked. "They want to kill everyone - not just what we stand for. Our children are not safe!"

"I understand your worries, Shizayo," Kiba said trying to calm him down. "Everyone's child is in danger. Even my own," he said as he looked at Areku. His son saw his concern. "Yet, we are to set an example for them as their parents. We must not approach this without confidence. If we have no faith in ourselves, our clan will fall."

"And in saying that, do you think it's wise to have that girl here? She is the traitor amongst them! She's a target," Onoku snapped, as he, too, confronted Kiba.

"Leave her out of this, Onoku. If she hadn't of told then we would have been attacked blindly two years ago," Kiba said as he stepped forth. The other man gritted his teeth, growling.

"You're a fool! She may have thought it would help us, but because of it, we will be attacked harder with warning. Traitors are lower than dung in any clan," Onoku said. "She shouldn't be here!" His eyes looked dead at her. Hire tensed and froze.

Areku moved in front of her. "Whether she's here or not, is not your choice. It's mine. Your cruel gaze goes no further unless you want to feel my claws." He stood his ground as the man turned around fully.

"And who is she to you, Areku? Are you planning on fighting everyone that objects to what must be?" Onoku moved forward with a few others. "This is not settled by far. I won't adhere to an enemy in any form."

Kashira walked between Kiba and Onoku. She turned her head to acknowledge the men. "Hire is under our care. You owe her your allegiance whether it suits you, or not. She has given up her life to her clan to make sure ours continues. Do not throw insults so casually at my son."

"The Inuzuka cannot win a battle with others if they cannot solve the ones with themselves," Matozo said as he placed his hands on his walking stick. "Don't be so alarmed, son-in-law. Sometimes my brain works correctly," he said with a toothy smile.

"Father is right. All of you act like men for a change. I would suggest coming up with a plan," Kashira said. She left the room annoyed at their childishness.

Shikamaru Nara moved through the trees quickly as Ryu Yuhi and Onari followed him to the edges of the fire country. He had been appointed Onari's leader for her first A-rank mission. The Hokage had entrusted him to get the job done. Ryu had also been chosen due to his advances with his genjutsu training and teamwork abilities. He glanced back at Onari. "How are you doing, Beautiful?"

Onari was on Shikamaru's left. Ryu was on her right beside her. She didn't know much about the mission she was given - only that she had sworn to take directions from Shikamaru and Ryu. Ryu as more experienced than she was. She would let him show her the ropes.

Ryu's main mission was to protect Onari since she was inexperienced. He had promised Daiya and Takeru a long time ago that nothing would happen to her while he was around. The mission to take down Nattoku, Hire's brother, was a lengthy matter. It involved the past as well as an old comrade. He suspected it wasn't going to be long before Nattoku found his brother, Daiji, who had been hiding the entire time. Rats value their skin more than anyone does.

It was some time before they stopped to get further instructions from Shikamaru. Onari stood next to Ryu. The older boy was watching her out of the corner of his eye with his arms crossed.

"All right, Beautiful, I want you to watch yourself. Nattoku is an advent mud user like Hire - but much more advanced. This is not a training exercise. This is for real. I want you to pay close attention to where you are and what is around you at all times. Do you understand thus far?"

Onari's mind sorted everything out. Her serious gaze never wavered as she answered Shikamaru. "Onari will be careful. Onari will listen to Ryu and Shikamaru. We are to take Hire's brother with force," she said matter-of-fact.

"That-a girl. You're a lot sharper than you let on," Shikamaru said. "We'll stay in the trees for a while. We're going to make a visit to Yakedo's old shipping business to see if we can dig up anything on where Nattoku is headed."

Saori Nara walked with Daiya to where they were meeting Yanagi in the training grounds. She sighed as she closed her eyes. She wanted to know where Ryu was, but Sasuke had told her it was classified. She hated that the most. She felt as if Ryu wasn't going to come back.

Daiya put his arm around Saori. He leaned his head to hers as they walked. At first when Saori had been put on his team, he had been less than thrilled. He only knew her as the hot tempered, loud-mouthed Nara girl that couldn't stand for herself to be wrong. Now things were much different. Saori showed a lot of concern over her team and what missions they took. She fought to keep both he and Ryu safe. "Saori, he didn't want to leave, if that's what's bothering you."

Saori shook her head. "It's not that. I know Ryu takes separate missions from us due to his age. He's trying to show more responsibility so he can be an ANBU. He really wants to join."

"Then what is it," Daiya asked as he saw the sadness creep across her face.

"His last words to me were, 'If you try to follow me, it's over'. He threatened to break up with me if I left to protect him," Saori said. She couldn't look at Daiya. She felt ashamed. It wasn't something you wanted to tell another teammate - that one's romantic life was in trouble.

Daiya stared straight ahead, annoyed. He couldn't believe Ryu had resulted to something such as that. "I'm sorry Ryu's turkey brain said something his beak couldn't hold back," he said with no emotion.

"Daiya, do you think... Ryu really wants to break up with me? We've been going out for a long time. What if he doesn't want to be around a puppet girl anymore," Saori said sadly as they stopped. "What if he really wants to try dating other girls. Ryu's genjutsu reputation is preceding him. Others are starting to notice."

Daiya lifted Saori's chin to look at him. "That isn't true, Saori. Ryu has never wanted to be with anyone, but you. You're the only girl whose stayed with him despite how he messes up and puts his foot in his mouth. Don't think for one moment that he would cast you aside like that."

Saori's eyes softened. She brought her hand up to cover her eyes from Daiya's view. Her heart swelled in her chest. She had been thinking nonstop about what Ryu had said since they left their last mission. "Thank.. you," she said as she choked.

Daiya couldn't help to see a girl cry. Saori rarely broke inside. She must have been really concerned about him. Daiya hugged her. He put his hand on the back of her head like he did Yanagi when she was upset. "It's okay, Saori. Ryu doesn't mean anything he says unless he says he loves you."

"He's never told me," Saori admitted. Daiya's eyes widened. "I... haven't told him either. My mom said girls shouldn't tell a guy first, because it would make him feel uneasy. I don't know if Ryu is ready to hear those words yet."

"Ryu isn't ready for life itself," Daiya said blandly. "Yanagi was the first to tell me. Although, I have to admit I've never told her either. It's just... she knows. I don't know how to explain it."

"I know what," Yanagi said as she walked up upon her boyfriend holding her best friend. Yanagi blinked. "Did something happen?"

"Ryu threatened to break up with Saori if she followed him on a top-secret mission," Daiya said.

Yanagi walked over. "Saori, I don't think he meant it. It was his poor way of getting you to stay safe. He should have been blunt and told you he wanted you to remain so." She petted her friend's head. "Come on, let's go wash the tears away," she said as she tugged Saori along.

Saori looked back at Daiya. He followed them into the restaurant. "This place looks strange," Saori said as she saw how the wooden tables were all painted different colors. There were strange paintings on the walls that were colorful and bright.

"It's a new eatery Gin's cousin opened," Yanagi said as they sat down at a purple table. "They have all sorts of exotic dishes from other countries that you can try." She smiled at Daiya as she sat next to him.

"That sounds interesting. Takeru would love this place. In fact, so would mom. She loves to cook. Maybe she could pick up some recipe ideas from here," Daiya said.

Saori turned around. She raised her hand to wave at Gin. "Hey, Gin! We weren't expecting to see you here! What's up?"

Gin Akimichi walked over to her friends. She was wearing her long brown hair loosely around her shoulders and back. The outfit she wore was a green short skirt with brown sandals followed by an open neck pink top. She smiled at them. "Yanagi said she was going to get you guys to come in one day. I was just looking over the menu myself for my parents."

Yanagi looked over the menu with Daiya. "Gin, what do you recommend trying? It says we can try anywhere from 5 - 15 different small dishes. Prices range from 4 ryo a dish to 10 ryo a dish. Wow," she said. "Some of these are expensive."

Gin leaned forward to look at the menu on Daiya's side. "Why not try everything? Nanuka won't mind. She won't charge any of you because you're friends of mine," Gin said with a soft smile. "It's a good way to get business. If you like what you sample than you can bring your families back."

"Really? That's wonderful," Yanagi said with a goofy smile she picked up from Masaru. "If you hadn't of said that, I was going to make Daiya pay for Saori and me!"

Daiya turned his head slowly to look at her. Yanagi mouthed the words, 'I love you' and kissed him quickly. She was kidding. At least, Daiya hoped she was kidding. It would deplete his finances in one day.

Gin walked off to tell her cousin, Nanuka, that she had friends to treat.

"Gin's a sweet girl. Idai would fall for her caring attitude in a heartbeat," Daiya said bluntly. He saw Yanagi and Saori look at him oddly. "What'd I say?"

"You don't know," Saori asked. She leaned towards him with a whisper. "Gin is in love with Idai."

Daiya's eyes widened. "What?" Gin Akimichi had been in love with Idai for two years? He couldn't believe it.

"Saori's right, Daiya. Gin never got the chance to confess to Idai before... before he left," Yanagi said carefully. "Her confidence has been peeking over the past year. I want her to be able to tell him if... he comes back." Daiya's eyes averted. He was getting sad. She put her hand on his back. "Be happy. At least Idai now has another person who cares for him - he just doesn't know it."

"Yeah," Daiya said as Gin came back with a tray of dishes filled with small, wonderful delights. "What is all of that?" He saw deserts, pastries, meat dishes, soufflé's and different types of breads.

Gin set the heavy tray down on the table. "These are from other countries around the world. I thought you guys might want to try these the most. Each one is suited to your personalities," she said with a smile. "I figured Yanagi would like this bread because it's soft and full of flavor," she said as she passed the plate to her. "I picked this souffle out for Daiya to try. I know you don't eat a lot of soft food, but it's light and not too sweet. Saori, I had Kanuka give me one of her apple pastries for you. It has sugar sprinkled on the top. If you guys approve of these, I'll bring out some more from four other countries." Gin headed back into the kitchen to fill her parents orders.

"Wow, this is so heavenly," Yanagi said. "Daiya, try this bread. She put it into his mouth. Isn't it really good?"

Daiya chewed it. "Yeah, it is. This souffle isn't half-bad. Gin sure knows how to pick out things that we would like." He offered some to Yanagi and Saori.

Saori bounced in her seat. "Man, this apple pastry is so good! I would die if my mom made these every day. I'd have to drop off of Sasuke's team due to weight issues!"

Gin came back with Nanuka. "This is my cousin, Nanuka. She runs the restaurant with her husband. Nanuka, these are my friends, Saori, Yanagi, and Daiya."

Nanuka smiled at the kids in front of her. "Pleased to meet all of you. If you guys like what we have thus far, please spread the word! Some people are hesitant about trying new things, but we aim to please. I brought some cups out for you guys to have something to drink. Gin is going to bring back two different teas. Help yourselves," she said with a smile. Nanuka went to take someone's order.

Gin placed the two small pots of tea on the table. "The first tea has a hint of cinnamon in it. The second one is a bit powerful. It's peppermint tea."

"Gin Akimichi, you're spoiling us. If you don't stop this instant, we'll be expecting it from now on," Saori said as she sipped the cinnamon flavored tea. "Oh, Ryu would love this."

"Aren't your friends supposed to spoil you once in a while," Gin asked. "I have to go now. It was nice seeing you guys. Please tell your parents about Nanuka's new place!" She ran off to take her orders home.

Daiya stared at the plate of food before him. "I wonder where Idai is." Saori and Yanagi stopped eating. He closed his eyes. "I haven't heard from him in two years. Does he hate me?"

Yanagi lowered her cup. "Daiya?" He wouldn't look at her. She moved his face so she could see his eyes. "Idai does not hate you. You're very dear to him. No one has heard from him. It isn't just you."

Saori slammed her hand on the table. Yanagi and Daiya jumped. "No more sadness, Daiya Uchiha. It's bad enough I was doing it. Idai would never forget you! He's probably dealing with something really terrible." She sat back and resumed trying another dish. "Eat up. If we send it back, Kanuka might think we don't like her food."

Kakumei stood on the branch of a tree with his partner. "So this is the hidden leaf village. It doesn't look like much," he said as he chewed a stick between his teeth. "The Hokage probably has no clue to what he has in his grasp," he said referring to the phoenix.

"What do we do now," his partner asked as he looked over the area. "We can't approach. We would be spotted on sight."

"It's ignorant to think I don't know that," he said with a threatening voice. "We are to make sure the girl is here. That fool from the snow village gave us one detail to look for: Sasuke Uchiha." He smiled with a playful sneer.


	63. Chapter 63

**V7 Ch 2**

**Fate Entwined**

Shikamaru waited near Yakedo's shipping business. He kept his form low, eyes searching the area. Shikamaru crawled on his stomach to where he had full view of it. He was suspecting Nattoku to not leave the business to waste away.

Ryu remained near Onari as they stood high in the trees. They were trying their best not to show they existed. Ryu thought Nattoku had a better chance of showing himself here than anywhere. The shipping business remained active as of a few months ago. The ones who were left in charge had gotten word of Yakedo's imprisonment. They stole what they could from the old man and cut their ties with him. "Onari, can you use that special technique of yours to surveillance the area?"

Onari looked over at him. She stood from her crouched position on a lower branch. Onari formed hand seals rapidly in front of her body. She concentrated. Her vision shot up and away from her body. The tops of the trees were below her. She started to turn her vision in three hundred and sixty degrees.

Ryu stood guard. His fingers were wrapped around a kunai. His eyes moved across the area slowly. Hurry up, Onari. Ryu felt uneasy with the situation.

Onari shot back to her body in a rush of colors and movement. She placed her hand on the tree to keep her balance. Awakening from the use of her technique made her feel groggy. "Onari saw a man waiting not far away. He is not alone. Onari could see smoke faintly rising past the trees."

Ryu glanced at her. "Whoever it is, is keeping his distance for a very good reason. We have to notify Shikamaru. Someone might be expecting us."

Shikamaru glanced at the two figures who poofed near him. "You two are supposed to be keeping an eye out." What he wouldn't give for a cigarette right now. The waiting was getting to him.

Ryu laid down next to Shikamaru. He looked at the man whose daughter he was courting. "Onari saw a lookout not far from here. She also detected a thin trail of smoke lifting from the trees. It's not enough to be a fire. Any ideas?"

Shikamaru signaled for Onari to get down. "Someone might be expecting us to know about the shipping business. The trail of smoke could be from someone with a bad habit same as mine," he said as he pulled out a cigarette. "Onari, can you check again to see where they are now?"

"Shikamaru, if Onari uses technique too much, it will make Onari sick," she said. Onari looked at him seriously. As with any kekkegenkai, it drained her chakra significantly if overused.

"I understand your problem, Onari, but we may have an army on our hands. Scouts are used to alert a lot more people of whose waiting for them. If you can use it now, I need you to. I wouldn't be asking if I didn't need your assistance," Shikamaru stated. "Do it."

Onari performed hand seals quickly. Her vision soared to the tops of the trees again. She turned her vision around to scan the area. The scout had moved closer. The smoke she had seen before was now gone. Before she could find out more, her vision shot back down to her body.

Onari brought her hand up to touch her forehead. She felt terrible. "Closer. The scout is closer," she said as she tried to shake it off. Onari fell to the ground dizzy.

Ryu went to her on all fours. He moved his hand to touch her face. "Onari. Onari? She wasn't kidding. She's out of commission for the time being."

Shikamaru stood. "We don't have much time. They could spot us this close to the building. We need to move back."

"There's someone in there, isn't it? Why are we waiting out here instead of rushing in to retrieve Nattoku," Ryu said as they moved Onari to a safer spot where she wouldn't be found. He had to keep her out of the way.

"Ryu, did you honestly think I was going to stake out the business for days on end? I had to be sure someone would show. My guess is Nattoku has been inside the entire time. If he knows his father's death is going to rouse suspicion, it's the only place for him to lay low. We have a mild advantage having that information. He suspects us to be waiting at Konoha for an attack, or the ANBU to be searching for him. He doesn't realize that Neji, Kurenai, and Engi found the hidden room in the house."

Ryu stared at Shikamaru. "What hidden room?" He kept his eyes on the area around him, his ears listening.

"In the room where Yakedo held his family meetings, there were traps present for anyone who dared to search the house. Neji triggered the traps to deactivate them. A closet opened on the other side of the room that held three candle holders in it. Kurenai helped him figure out the riddle they held and a trap door opened that led underneath the house into another room. Engi, one of the captains of the ANBU, found important documents related to the shipping business Hire had mentioned. It contained who was the main beneficiary, what was being exchanged, how often, who was involved, and even the co-beneficiary."

"So it told right off, that in Yakedo's death, Nattoku would inherit everything, I'm assuming. He would get the rights to the business, the authority to negotiate power rights, and also the money involved," Ryu said as he became disgusted. "It seems like Nattoku wasn't that worried about being caught. He was more interested in how long he was to remain in prison before he sought to attack the Inuzuka. Exactly what are his concerns with Kiba and his clan?"

Shikamaru started to whisper as he saw birds moving. The scout was not in the area yet. He suspected the man to be waiting for a signal. "Nattoku is after the annihilation of a clan. Can you tell me why someone would want to get rid of the Inuzuka? Think hard about what and who they are."

Ryu lowered his vision as his mind reflected on Kiba's family. He knew Kiba to be strong, loyal, and had a strong sense of smell. The man was a great tracker and kept on his target until he succeeded. "He's after the ones most loyal to Konoha," Ryu answered. "Kiba's clan are the type that can not only track with their abilities and training, but also have the strong mindset to keep going. He's afraid they'll find out everything. They would ruin him and his plans. Do you think he's going to try and overthrow the Hokage?"

"I don't think he's that much of a fool," Shikamaru said. "Nattoku would be a moron to go after the Hokage. The Hokage's ties to his people and allies are great. It would start a massive war. The catastrophe numbers would soar."

Ryu didn't like what he was hearing. "Maybe Nattoku is as stupid as you don't assume, Shikamaru sensei. Maybe he wants to start a war so great that he would benefit from it. If his allies are just as great as the Hokage's, we have a reason to fear for Konoha. I think Kiba's clan is going to be a scapegoat for the real reasons behind Nattoku's scheme."

"I hope your thoughts are incorrect, Ryu. You're not one to voice anything that doesn't need to be said. I'll have to say this much, you're as intelligent and precise in reasoning as your father," Shikamaru commented. Ryu's eyes widened. It wasn't time to be sentimental.

"Are we going to let Daiji approach Nattoku," Ryu asked as he saw the answer in Shikamaru's eyes.

"We're going to let this play out. Daiji has no idea where Yakedo is. He only knows his father and brother were captured by the ANBU two years ago. Nattoku will be the one to inform him of the whereabouts of their elder. It will determine Daiji's allegiance to his brother," Shikamaru said. He was suspecting a fight to happen between the brothers. Nattoku was ruthless and uncanny in his actions. If he was right, then their eyes might not be on the right target.

"The coast is clear," the scout informed Daiji as he approached. "There is no one else in the area near us. As for the shipping business of your father, well, you are on your own for that," he said with an evil smile coming across his face. "We can't be seen. So sorry."

Daiji narrowed his eyes. "There is also no noise coming from the harbor ahead. I fear my father's business may not be available."

"Last we heard, the business was still prospering. Sad to know that in such time it would have vanished without a trace. " The man watched Daiji pass him without a glance.

"If it was doing that well, Nattoku wouldn't have come here to hide. His appearance would cause upheaval in the very least. If I don't return, you all have your orders. Kanoko knows where the payment is at the house." He left the scout immediately.

Daiji approached the old shipping business cautiously. He looked around amongst the trees. It appears Father's business is no longer operating. Word of his imprisonment has leaked out. Daiji stopped in his tracks. There was a small mud golem hidden near the building amongst foliage. He sensed it right away. So Nattoku is here. I wonder if he's expecting me or someone else. As Daiji moved closer, the golem reacted. It shot into the ground. Daiji watched as it burred under the house. Within a matter of moments, Nattoku showed himself.

Nattoku exited the shipping business slowly. Daiji looked the same as he had last seen of him. "As suspected, you are still loyal to our father's purpose."

Daiji stood stiffly. Nattoku had always been the one controlling their father. He had known it for some time. "Where is our father, Nattoku? I was expecting his business to still be present."

"What news has reached you from the hole which you've hidden yourself," Nattoku asked calmly. He watched his brother remain where he was. The trust in him was not there. Nattoku wanted to know what was going on before he did away with his brother. He wasn't accustomed to sharing power with anyone; not even his own father.

"As soon as you and father left, Fushigi went mad. He killed Ashioto," Daiji said. He saw no remorse or sadness creep across his oldest brother's face. "Hire's whereabouts are in Konoha. She has taken refuge under the Hokage and the Inuzuka." Nattoku's eyes changed to that of hatred. "You don't seem to be too concerned with our siblings demise. Nor our sister's influence. Where is father? Perhaps he will be concerned."

Nattoku reached into his clothing to pull out a thin toothpick. He picked his teeth carefully as if he had just eaten and the matter did not concern him any further. "Our father died in prison, Daiji. As for the deaths of Fushigi and Ashioto, they are best left out of the way. Fushigi was mad from the start - that is, once he knew of Father's plans."

Daiji clenched his fists. "You mean your plans, don't you? You've been putting ideas into Father's head since you were a boy. I suppose over the years your forked tongue has grown long to influence others," Daiji said as he began to form hand seals. Nattoku only laughed at his effort. "I'm not blind to what your true intentions are! I know you were the one that probably killed our father!"

Nattoku watched the mud creature form out of the ground. It had two nasty looking heads with muscular arms and body. On its chest were long hard as rock spikes. On the end of its arms were long thick pinchers. "As always, Daiji, you've watched from the sidelines as the other siblings. I had to keep you in line as I did the others. Don't be a fool. Your only option is to carry out my plans. Whether it is you who issues the orders, or myself doesn't matter. I know you've led Kanoko and his men here. Scouts are excellent at keeping an eye out for people, but not golems. I let another golem loose so that it could learn more while you were busy," he said cackling.

Daiji sent his creature after Nattoku as he brought out a metal scythe that was as long as his arm. He swung it over his brother's head as the man avoided the golem. Nattoku moved his feet swiftly laughing at his efforts. "You're not going to get away with this!"

Nattoku moved his body in a rotation as his arms came out to his sides. In his hands he held two vials of acid. When the golem came barreling down on him, he opened each vile to spread it on the golem's body. Nattoku moved away quickly as the material started to break quickly apart. Large chunks of mud and earth hit the ground. "There's still one vile left for you, dear brother. Would you rather try to attack me now, or take your death on your feet rather than you knees?"

Daiji went after Nattoku angrily swinging his scythe. Nattoku blocked the scythe's sharp end by using his small mud golems to take the hits. They shattered on contact, as suspected. Nattoku tried to trip Daiji, but he was onto his brother's move before he attempted it. Daiji countered him by moving his hand back to grab the end of the scythe. He started to rotate it as Nattoku brought up his hands to shoot sharp toothpicks at him. He narrowed his eyes. "And you thought that was going to work."

Nattoku only smiled at his brother. "You haven't learned much in your training. Maybe the toothpicks weren't the weapon I was going for," he said to give a hint about what his real plan was. Daiji's mind was turning wheels, but as soon as he saw his brother try to grasp the answer, Nattoku completed the hand seals. A section of the earth in front of them fell away. Nattoku moved his arms up to create three walls around his brother with the hole in front. "You won't be escaping me."

Daiji plants his feet into the ground as the wall behind him started to move. He skidded his feet to prevent himself from going into the hole. Daiji stuck the scythe into the ground , but it wasn't holding the wall. The other two walls started to come towards him. Daiji's eyes widened as he lowered his body below the scythe. It was at the right angle to hold the walls from advancing, but how long?

Nattoku sneered at his younger brother. It was as if taunting a small child. He laughed as he concentrated more. The walls started to shake. Daiji was holding them in place, but not for long. Nattoku made the mud wall on his right suddenly move back then move forwards again with sheer force and speed. It caused the pole of the scythe to snap. The scythe came down. It's weighted blade rotated and cut Daiji's head off.

Nattoku watched as a man catching a child's ball. The head of his brother rolled down the path into the hole he had created. The body fell to the ground. Nattoku lowered the walls. The pole fell also. "It seems Daiji was rather infamous for losing his head." He didn't have long to mourn the passing of his brother. Three figures poofed behind him. Nattoku turned around to see a man with a lazy gaze, a boy with spiked hair, and a girl with yellow eyes watching him. They all wore the symbol of the leaf village. "You all are a bit too late. The plans are already in motion."

"Just because something is in motion, doesn't mean we can't put our foot on it to stop it from rolling," Ryu said as he stared at Hire's brother. He was trying to keep his eyes away from the headless corpse. He wasn't used to seeing gruesome people, or situations.

"Ryu Yuhi, I presume," Nattoku said as he looked at the boy before him. "So you're the one my cowardly sister had a thing for." Nattoku said quite mischievously. "How it would break her heart if you never came home!" Nattoku threw the vile of acid at Ryu.

Onari moved in front of Ryu quickly. She formed hand seals. Her hands stopped on the seal for tiger. "Fire ball jutsu!" Onari's lungs inhaled quickly. She held it then unleashed a large amount of fire at the acid. The fire caused the acid to explode. Nattoku was sent back with the blast as they were.

Shikamaru went flying so far away that his body rolled onto the ground. He covered his head at once. He groaned as he started to rise. "Onari, don't do that again! Chemicals react with fire!"

Onari was not around to hear Shikamaru's warning. She was on her feet after Nattoku in an instant. The man was already using his two-headed mud golem against Ryu. The older boy was using his chained scythe to block the creature. Ryu was doubling back on his feet as the creature opened its mouth. It sent sharp spikes of clay at him. Ryu used a substitution jutsu to avoid the hit. The spikes hit the log instantly with a tacking noise. Onari put her hand on the shuriken in the casing on her leg. She withdrew several shuriken. Onari approached the man controlling the creature; not the creature itself. She threw the shuriken at the man aiming at his arms and abdomen.

Nattoku narrowed his eyes at the girl. He signaled the creature to block the hit. The creature moved in front of him with its mouths open, body bent. It swallowed the shuriken. "You honestly thought that was going to work, did you?" The girl was staring at him with no emotion in her face. Nattoku did not rest long. Ryu was back on his feet after him. The boy his sister had been in love with, extracted a scroll from his vest. Nattoku signaled the creature to go after the girl with yellow eyes. "Kill her. Leave the boy to me!"

Ryu unraveled the scroll in his hands. He bit his thumb and quickly formed hand seals. His genjutsu was advanced for his age. After all, he had been trained under Sasuke Uchiha. Ryu smeared his fingers across the scroll quickly. The scroll glowed as it came to life under his red eyes. The boy took out a special brush. He started to paint onto the scroll with the blood canvas. Ryu concentrated. "Fortress of Peril!"

Nattoku watched as Ryu's form faded from his view. The area around him turned into an old Japanese castle equipped with stone walls. Nattoku eyed the area. He knew it was a trick, but where was Ryu in all of this? He tried to move forwards but metal spikes sprang up to block his way. The ridiculous thing about genjutsu was it was highly believable. It ensnared the mind to believe every sight, sound, smell, and touch effect was real. He knew if he moved forward, his body and mind would respond to the spikes and he would die.

Nattoku formed hand seals to counter Ryu's move against him. "Devil's jester!" The earth before him started to mold. The ground moved back and forth as if a snake was swiftly darting from place to place. Nattoku grinned as his dark eyes saw the mud turn into a large ball with a nasty looking face upon it. It resembled an old man whose eyes were dark, mouth hollow and small, tiny arms were upon its form to propel it about. Yet, inside of its body were spikes. A hundred clay spikes lay inside of its round belly as it stood fifteen feet high and eight feet wide. There was no escaping the jester.

Ryu kept his genjutsu going as the mud creature formed before him. Unlike Nattoku, this thing was not tricked by the genjutsu. He was in real trouble. Shikamaru and Onari were gone to find the army that lay in waiting for Daiji's return. Sadly, Daiji was dead. As Ryu stood, the golem's large bulbous body moved right in his direction. Its head was watching him with a blank stare. The small mouth upon the golem started to spread wide and long. Ryu could see inside of its body. If it got a hold of him, it could shred him to pieces. He breathed hard and fast. This was over his head. Nattoku was more skilled than him and he knew it.

Nattoku smiled evilly as he tried to decipher where Ryu was. The golem was turned slightly to his right. Its body stayed still, head watching. "So you're over there are you, Ryu? Unlike me, this golem won't be fooled by your genjutsu! It doesn't have a mind of its own. It only obeys me! Escape him if you can!" Nattoku relied upon this particular golem for its swift departure from him and also capture of his enemies. It wouldn't stop at retrieving, or killing someone. No, this mud creature was too big to break down with water, or explode entirely with bombs. Sure, pieces of its body would crack off, but it was still mobile. He favored it highly. "Turn his body into fodder for the earth, Tanuku!"

Ryu ran. The golem's large body was after him. He swiftly darted trying to avoid it, but it wasn't fooled by his movement. Tanuku, Nattoku's golem, opened its mouth. Ryu threw kunai and shuriken at it, but it did mild damage. Its mud shelled body was thick. He swore. The dark eyes were watching him sinisterly as he managed to place his foot on a tree. The golem rotated its body trying to latch onto him as he twisted in the air. Ryu watched as Tanuku's body turned inside outwards. His eyes went wide as the golem became spiked all over. It doubled over and rolled upon the ground as Ryu managed to get his footing. The spiky haired boy from Konoha ran for his life.

Shikamaru spotted the army below him and Onari. He breathed out nervously. There were at least fifty well armed men from the grass country. He signaled Onari to not move. They were going to have to back off. "We can't win this, Onari. There are too many of them. We have to alert the village."

Onari's hard yellow eyes looked at him as if in disbelief. "Onari stronger than Shikamaru and Ryu. Onari can use Akaihi to get rid of men," she said with confidence. "Onari will not let men harm Brother Kiba."

Shikamaru knew Onari's strength had increased over the years. However, she was often sworn to not unleash Akaihi if she could help it. An enormous fire bird such as that could alert the wrong people. He had to make a decision. Shikamaru stayed in the shadows as he analyzed the situation. There are fifty men below us who wish to rip the Inuzuka apart. Not to mention Nattoku who is highly dangerous. We have to alert the Hokage and also get back to Ryu. Onari is inexperienced with a huge responsibility such as this. It's my call. What should I do? Should I let her unleash the bird to get rid of these mean? It could mean extra trouble for us. I recognized that guy as Kanoko. He's an old friend of Yakedo's. I would say he's about as threatening. If we go ahead and get rid of all of them without prior notice from the Hokage, would it start a larger war? Shikamaru became entangled in his thoughts. A small battle was bad, but a large war with multiple countries would be the end of Konoha. Nattoku knew what he was doing to make sure Daiji called upon these men for help.

Onari waited. She had promised Sasuke to listen to Shikamaru and Ryu. They were teaching her the ropes of dangerous missions. However, time was running out. She wished to end this quickly before word got out of where they were positioned. It was an unnecessary complication. Onari had to protect the ones she resided with. Would Shikamaru let her hold true to that oath? She glanced at him.

Shikamaru's heart was beating fast in his chest. As he thought about the consequences, his mind flashed to all of the others in the village. He thought of Kiba and Areku who these men were out to destroy. His mind also shifted to Saori, his daughter who was in love with Ryu. Their mission was to stop these men at all costs. Nattoku could and would be dealt with. "Onari, release Akaihi," he said as he turned his head to look at her.

Onari bowed low to Shikamaru. The decision was made. "Onari will listen to Brother Shikamaru," she said with her hollow low voice that was all too much like her brother's when she was in battle mode. The girl from the lightening country rolled up the netting on her arms. The bandages covering her tattoos was removed. As the bandages hung in the air, she bit both of her thumbs. Onari smeared the blood onto the tattoos. She began to form hand seals so rapidly that her hands could not be traced for which signs they were performing. She slammed her hand upon the branch of the tree. Symbols began to form in a spiral of light around her body. Onari was lost in the light as she shouted to the top of her lungs, "Summoning jutsu, Celestial God of the South Gate, Akaihi!"

Kanoko and his men looked up at once into the trees as they heard a girl's voice shout. They were being attacked. He signaled his men to grab their weapons and be ready. As he expected to be attacked by a large army, the earth shook as part of it broke away to form a massive black hole in the ground. Kanoko stood. Was this some sort of trick. He narrowed his eyes at the two ninja above him. "We don't fall so easily to pranks!"

Shikamaru stood confidently as he matched Kanoko's gaze. "No? Well, then you won't be disappointed for this is no prank!"

Kanoko moved forward with his men as orange and red light started to lift from the hole. He signaled his men to stay where they are. Something was in the hole. What had that girl unleashed? Just as he thought it was safe to move again, he and his men heard cries coming from the abyss. "What is that," he asked as they stood motionless watching as a large ball of red fire shoot out of the earth. His men were ready to attack.

Onari and Shikamaru moved behind the men once their focus was on Akaihi. The phoenix was capable of taking care of himself. Akaihi touched down with grace as it focused its yellow eyes upon the men below him. It opened its mouth issuing a high-pitched warning. The men covered their ears. Onari ran up to a few men near her. As their backs were turned, she attacked strong and fast. Her lightening quick punches hit four men in the back of the head so hard their bodies were thrown forwards.

Shikamaru was on top of several men himself as he threw shuriken and kunai to move them towards the phoenix. Akaihi was waiting for those who got near him. It opened its mouth and opened fire. Shikamaru heard the screams of the men as they ran around setting fire to the woods. Soon all of the men were fighting he and Onari in a rush of kunai meets kunai. He could hear the pings as Onari deflected several kunai at her.

Onari moved her hands in front of her body at her targeted limbs as her palms caught the shuriken with her chakra. She held two there until she managed to reverse her chakra flow. "Reverse. Back!" Onari threw the shuriken back at two separate men. She heard them gack as it hit their throats. She was playing for keeps as they were. Onari moved her body forward, leg back as a man came behind her trying to grab onto her. She kicked him with such force between the legs that his body lifted off of the ground as his pelvis shattered.

Akaihi turned his head to see several men approaching his daughter. He lifted his head to blow a stream of fire right in their path. (Think again.) He began to move his long fire licked legs to snuff out a few men. Akaihi stomped on men who weren't fast enough to get away from him. He heard their bodies crunch as they were forced into the earth.

Shikamaru used his shadow possession jutsu to take hold of an opponent who was trying to use hand seals to unlock a jutsu. "Sorry, not quick enough," he said as he began to change the man's hand seals to another jutsu. The man struggled to break free. Shikamaru sent the man bending his body back to where his head hit a tree. "I love using that old trick. It brings back memories," he said.

Kanoko opened his vest to get a scroll. "You won't touch me, you little witch," he said as the girl with the scarred face moved closer to him slowly. His men were running around like cowards throwing weapons at the phoenix. He opened the scroll towards her and waited.

Onari tilted her head at the scroll. It was nothing more than scribble to her. "Man's scroll is not working on Onari. Man might want to run now," she said as he closed the scroll.

Kanoko threw the scroll away. Why the hell didn't that work? It was enclosed with a mind erasure! He moved his body back as the girl lowered her body. Kanoko rotated a kunai in his hand and threw it, but the girl's body blurred. She moved. He searched the forest wildly his eyes and ears alert. Where is she?

Onari busted through the earth to grab onto Kanoko's leg. She pulled him under the earth so fast that his head lifted all to quick. The force of the pull caused his head to snap back.

Kanoko narrowed his eyes as he growled at the girl who was crouched before him. She was watching him with an intense, unfavorable look as he yelled at her. "You filthy Konoha brat! I'll get you for this!"

Shikamaru approached the scene slowly. Akaihi had chased off, or crushed most of the men. The phoenix snorted fire out of its nose as it stood triumphantly. He smiled as he lifted his hand to mess her hair up. "I see Sasuke taught you one of Kakashi's old tricks. Nice work, Onari. And as for you, I'll give you the answers to the questions that are darting around in that old head of yours," Shikamaru said as he blew his cigarette smoke onto the man. The man coughed. "One, a mind erasure scroll is useless on Onari. She can't read. Two, she's not originally from Konoha. She was taken in. Three, as for the filthy remark, she bathes regularly. Have a nice day," Shikamaru said as he raised. He whistled to Akaihi. "You've done your job for the time being." Akaihi only regarded Onari. He watched the phoenix search the girl for her decision.

"Akaihi, defuse," Onari said as the phoenix obeyed. It stayed in its large form. As they took one last glance at Kanoko, they turned around to walk off.

"You can't leave me here like this! Get me out of this confounded trap," Kanoko shouted with rage. The veins in his forehead were popping out.

"Actually, we can," Shikamaru said as he glanced over his shoulder at the man. "Traitors and cowards deserve nothing more than to be at the lowest possible level they such deserve: the dirt. Enjoy sleeping with the rats and snakes."

Suddenly, a blood curdled scream echoed through the forest. Onari flipped her head to catch Shikamaru's worried look before she sped off. "Shikamaru, that sounds like Ryu!"

Shikamaru flew through the trees with Akaihi lifting into the air. The phoenix was flying overhead as they came upon Nattoku laughing. Shikamaru saw no sight of Ryu Yuhi. "Where is he? What did you do to him," Shikamaru yelled as he met Nattoku kunai against kunai.

Nattoku's dark eyes met Shikamaru's with an evil smirk. "That little genjutsu user of yours is in Tanuku's belly. He is digesting him as we speak," he said softly.

Shikamaru turned his eyes cautiously to see the mud golem who remained motionless. It's body was rotating strangely as if it were churning cement. "Onari, get Ryu out of there!" He began to fight Nattoku heavily as his anger increased. Ryu's screams of terror were echoing inside of the mud golem.

Onari went after the golem with her leg outstretched, arm back. The golem started to move towards her at an alarming speed. Just as it came within yards of her, Onari flipped her body onto her one hand, balancing as she started to kick and punch all at once. The mud upon the creature's body broke piece after piece.

Akaihi moved between the men as they were forced apart by each other. The phoenix turned its head to regard the man with dark hair and dark eyes. (This man is evil.) Akaihi saw nothing but demise and sorrow in this being's reach. He went for the man.

Nattoku threw wave after wave of mud at the phoenix as it charged him. The phoenix opened its mouth to blow fire upon the mud. The mud hardened and broke to the ground as it butted its head through it. Nattoku withdrew a shuriken. He threw it at the bird, but it moved its head to the side. The shuriken chinged off of it. "I don't know what you are, you stupid animal, but I'll slaughter you!"

Akaihi stood tall and proudly at the mortal before him. It caused the flame to ignite upon its body. Akaihi chose to speak to the man inside of his head. The man's eyes were wild with fright. (I am Akaihi, Celestial God of the South Gate. I am sworn to protect those Onari protects. In regards to that oath, I will make ash of anyone who threatens her existence, or that of the ones she cares for.)

Nattoku turned around to run from the phoenix. It wasn't true! There was no way this creature was a celestial! It was only a myth from the Heaven's Scroll! As he ran for his life, the phoenix opened fire upon him. Nattoku, eldest brother to Hire, screamed as his body became flame. The last visions he had were of the trees and sky as his singed body fell to the earth.

Onari managed to finally crack through the golem. She stopped in her tracks as her eyes fell upon Ryu, Takeru's best friend. Ryu's body was mutilated from the spikes inside the golem. Onari screamed, "Shikamaru!" As the man ran over, she touched Ryu's face. She turned his head towards hers. "Ryu? Ryu!"

Shikamaru quickly ripped Ryu's clothing away. His vest was shredded as well as his under clothing. Shikamaru Nara checked for a pulse. It was weak. He turned his gaze to Ryu's face. He forced the boy's face mask down. There was blood flowing out of his mouth. "Hang on, Ryu!" He tore his vest off quickly. Shikamaru began to shred his own shirt for bandages. "Onari, signal Akaihi to defuse! We have to get Ryu back to Konoha as quickly as we can!"

Onari stood on her feet. "Akaihi, defuse! Shikamaru needs you to help us!" The phoenix turned its head around with concern. She lowered her form to watch Shikamaru desperately trying to stop Ryu's body from bleeding. There were deep gashes all over his entire body. The golem had ripped flesh off of him. "Shikamaru?" Onari's tender eyes met his.

"If we don't get him back as fast as that phoenix flies, he's going to die, Onari! Ryu's severely wounded." His hands moved around Ryu's arm to secure the bandages. As Akaihi lowered his body for the three of them, Shikamaru looked back at Ryu's pale face. All he saw when he looked at Ryu, was Saori's happy smile. Shikamaru quickly lifted him onto his back. He and Onari ran at the phoenix, jumped, and Akaihi took off.

Sakura Lee checked a patient's clipboard as she stood in the room with another nurse. She confirmed the dosage required for that patient's medical diagnosis. "You'll be back to your old self in no time," she said with a smile.

"Do you really think so? To think I was so foolish to think it was just a cold," the old woman said. "I promise I won't garden that early in the morning when it's chilly like that. I guess I was more worried about my baby buds than I was about myself."

"Take care of your plants, but also yourself," Sakura said as she put the clipboard back on the end of the bed. As she turned to leave a flash of fire was seen in the sky. Sakura moved closer to the window as she stared. "What on earth, is that?"

Akaihi dived towards the hospital. He turned his body with his wings at an angle as he touched down. The phoenix slid on the ground trying to stop its momentum. Akaihi lowered his body as doctors and nurses came running out of the hospital.

Shikamaru lifted Ryu's limp form off of the bird. He jumped off of the phoenix and made his way to the first doctor he saw. "He's been severely injured! He needs medical attention!"

The doctor took his eyes off of the phoenix at once. "Yes! Nurse get a stretcher! This ninja is wounded!" Within seconds two people took the boy and had him on a stretcher.

Onari watched in horror as the doctors and nurses rushed Ryu into the emergency room. She stood with the wind blowing through her hair, Akaihi looking over her form at the hospital sadly, and Shikamaru kneeled to the ground with his hand upon his forehead, eyes closed. Ryu Yuhi, the jokester of Team 2, was in grave danger.


	64. Chapter 64

**V7 ch 3**

**Saori's Heartache**

Saori lifted her shaking hand towards the door. Her heart was beating so hard in her chest that she felt as if she couldn't breathe. Ryu was behind this particular door. She knew he was injured simply because he hadn't sought her out since his return. She wasn't sure how bad it was. Her father had told her Ryu had had complications dealing with Nattoku. Saori was afraid to open the door and see how injured Ryu was. Their last moments together had left them feeling apart from each other.

Ryu was three years older than her. He was at the age now where he took missions with the adults and was treated as a Shinobi. His missions were tougher than the ones she took. Saori had never told him she loved him. Her hand shook as she held onto the doorknob. It rattled. How badly is he hurt? What kind of mission was he on? Saori took a deep breath. Open the door, Saori. You'll never know if you keep standing here.

Saori closed her eyes as she forced the door to open. She shut the door behind her before she opened her eyes. She kept her eyes at the floor thinking Ryu was still punishing her. He was probably watching her wondering what was wrong with her. "Sorry, I heard you got yourself into a scrape and,-" Saori looked up smiling. She froze. Her smile died. Ryu wasn't watching her as she thought.

Saori's eyes fell onto the machines in front of her. Her heart stopped. She couldn't feel it as she figured out what was happening before her eyes. Saori gasped as she clutched the doorframe behind her. Her nails dug into the wood. "R-Ryu…?" There was no answer. "R-Ryu, this isn't funny. I know you like to tease, but…" Saori approached the bed slowly. "Stop teasing me, Ryu. I did what you asked." The machine in front of her beeped.

Saori came as close as she dared. She wasn't prepared for any of this. The machine that beeped was hooked up to Ryu's chest. It was monitoring his heart rate. Another machine containing pumps was attached to the plastic mask over his face. It was helping him breathe. Saori's eyes soon fell onto the IV bag that was going to his arm. She inhaled sharply.

Saori approached more until she was right beside the bed looking down over him. Ryu's entire thoracic and abdomen pelvic regions were wrapped in bandages. His skin was pale, as he lay unconscious. "Ryu," Saori said as her voice cracked. He was badly injured. She lifted her hand to stroke his cheek. "Ryu, look at me. Please."

Ryu breathed slowly, his breath fogging the mask over his nose and mouth. He wasn't moving. He didn't know she was there. Saori kept stroking his cheek. She bent closer to stare at his handsome face. Saori held the side of his face in her hand as if he was as delicate as china. Her eyes welled up. Her heart was breaking.

Saori closed her eyes as she moved to kiss his forehead tenderly. He felt hot to the touch. "I… love you, Ryu," she said more afraid to utter those words now than before. She placed the side of her cheek against his forehead as she looked out of the window. Saori's tears were blinding her view. She gasped heard; her throat clenched causing her to choke on her grief. Ryu was hanging by a thread. She wasn't ignorant concerning it.

Saori's eyes moved to the vase of flowers near Ryu's bed. Did they think I wouldn't notice? Those flowers have been here for a while. Ryu's been here for a day or two. Were they waiting to see if he died before they told me what had happened? Saori's crying increased. She couldn't help it. Her eyes closed and she cried just as hard as she used to as a child.

It hurt so much for her to see Ryu in this state. Saori let her tears fall onto the pillow. "Whoever is watching over him, please protect him," she said as her voice cracked. The tears in her eyes were hot and burning. "Please, Mr. Hatake, protect Ryu. I love your son. I need him. Please," Saori begged. She gasped harder, her mouth opening so she could breathe as the tears cascaded down her cheeks.

Shikamaru Nara leaned against the door frame with his shoulders. He had overheard every word Saori had spoken. He felt saddened that his daughter had to find out this way. It wasn't fair to her. The mission he had been on with Ryu and Onari had been successful, but at what cost?

Naruto, the Hokage, had decided to place Onari in the field due to her impressive taijutsu and Ninjutsu skills. Onari had undergone extensive training with Neji and Sasuke in the past two years. She was now on Lee's team with Takeru and Eiyu. Shikamaru had to know if Onari could take serious direction from someone other than Neji, or Sasuke. The girl regarded what everyone wanted from her, but she only fully listened to Sasuke without hesitation. He figured it was because Sasuke had been the first one to reach out to her.

Shikamaru sighed depressingly. He couldn't let Saori stay in the room any long with Ryu. They were only allowed minimal visitation. He took a deep breath. Shikamaru opened the door slowly. "Saori, we have to go."

Saori looked up at her father, still crying, with her head lying on top of Ryu's. Her arm was lightly touching his neck. She didn't want to let him go. "I can't leave him," she said as she shook her head. Her father began to walk towards her. She clung to Ryu more.

"Saori, we're not allowed to stay longer due to the condition he's in. You have to let go, Rascal," Shikamaru said as he reached towards her. She put his arms around her waist to tug her back. He hated to pry her off Ryu like this. Saori was emotionally distraught. She started to cry harder as Shikamaru forced her hands to detach. He picked her up and walked out of the room with her.

Saori buried her face in her pillow as she let all of her sorrow out. She hated being parted from Ryu. He could get worse and die. She wrapped her arms around the pillow as she practically screamed into it.

Her mind kept focusing on Ryu. The way he glanced at her, his red eyes watching her as she spoke to him was burned into her brain. She loved how he acted coy when he was on the verge of being caught. Saori liked how Ryu had a pleasant laugh. She absolutely loved the way he touched her face as he kissed her and how he always spoke softly when it was something meaningful for her to hear.

Saori liked Ryu's pranks and how he seemed to enjoy making Sasuke's eye twitch. She could see him leaning against a tree with his eyes closed, arms crossed as Sasuke instructed them. Ryu always acted as if he wasn't listening, but she knew he was – he just didn't like seeming to be too eager. Her lungs heaved for air as her tears finally subsided. She had been crying for several minutes. Her eyes were red and her nose was stuffy.

Saori wiped her eyes on her arms. Ryu please wake up. Please. I need you to smile at me. I need to hear your laugh. Saori sat up. She opened the drawer from the nightstand next to her bed. A small red scroll lay in it. Saori cautiously stroked it as if it would deteriorate under her touch. She picked it up. It was her first present from Ryu. She unrolled it. Saori laid the scroll on the bed as she formed quick hand seals to unlock the genjutsu written on the scroll.

The writing on the scroll began to glow as the genjutsu was activated. Saori's room disappeared entirely. Her walls turned into trees. The bed she had been sitting on changed to a small mound of grass enveloped in red roses. To her left where the door was originally appeared a flowing, waterfall. She blinked as yellow butterflies fluttered around her head.

Saori reached her hand up to one. It landed on her finger, its wings still moving. It was only an illusion, but it was part of Ryu's soul. She was in a secret place he had imagined. She looked up at the clouds overhead. In this world, the stars shown at all hours. This place was made for me. He knew I'd come here to get away. Saori brought her hand to her face to shield her eyes. "Ryu, I wish you would have put yourself here. Even if it wasn't real. Even if you had only stood not saying a word."

Saori lay down in the roses. The genjutsu was so strong that she could smell the scent of the flowers. The waterfall had noise and the wind blew her bangs. Ryu was a highly skilled genjutsu user like his mother, Kurenai. He hid his talents because he didn't want the attention that came with it. She just wanted to stay in this world for a while. Saori closed her eyes.

"Ryu isn't getting better. His body is slowly dying," Daiya said as he stared at the village below. He heard Takeru punch the tree behind him. "How in the hell did this happen? Shikamaru sensei was with them," he said angrily.

Takeru slumped to the branch they were on. He was completely beside himself. He looked off, his eyes not seeing what was there, but looking past it. "Ryu was protecting Onari and Shikamaru," he said gently. "Onari is inexperienced with A-rank missions and opponents. He was watching over her as if we would, Daiya. I regret not putting up a fight with dad for letting Onari go."

"Takeru, it wasn't dad's decision. It was the Hokage's. We can't blame anyone for what happened to Ryu," Daiya said. "I'm just as close to him as you are. At least you can let your emotions out without fear of your heart acting up," he said depressingly.

Takeru smiled sadly. He missed having Ryu around. He was attached to those around him. "Daiya, come here," he said. Daiya turned around slowly to walk towards him. Takeru was surprised his brother wasn't hesitant. Daiya crouched and Takeru pulled him towards him. He hugged his brother hard. "I don't want to lose either of you," he said softly referring to Daiya and Ryu.

"I want to know how to fix Ryu. There has to be something they haven't done to help him," Daiya said frustrated. "He's lost a lot of blood. Why haven't they given him a transfusion?"

Takeru placed his hand on the back of Daiya's head to calm him. "Dad said Ryu had a fever when he was taken in by the medic-nin. They can't administer blood to him until the fever is gone. It could cause an infection. The wound he received was drastic, Daiya. Nattoku tore him open and mutilated his abdomen and chest."

Daiya gritted his teeth, his anger surging. His hair spiked on all ends with the electricity moving through his hair follicles. "I'll kill the bastard," Daiya said as he got up with Takeru holding onto him. "Let go, Takeru! I have to avenge him for protecting my sister!"

"No, Daiya! You can't take off! The man that did this to Ryu is dead. Akaihi went after him!"

"I can't sit around and wait for him to die," he said angrily. "I already lost Idai and he never came back! I can't lose Ryu, too, Takeru. He's not just my teammate!"

In that instant, Takeru realized he wasn't the only one who viewed Ryu as a brother. Daiya had adopted the guy as his own family. Takeru made his brother look at him. "Calm down, Daiya. I don't want you getting too upset. I'm not familiar with doing the chakra push mom and Ryu know how to perform on you."

Daiya looked at his younger brother sadly. "I don't like feeling helpless," he said with his voice low. He averted his eyes.

"Neither do I. we need to check on, Ri. She's been spending too much time alone since it happened," Takeru said. Onari had seen everything unfold. He didn't know what was going on in her head. She had started to avoid all of them – even Eiyu.

Onari stood overlooking the Hidden Leaf Village. The monument of the past Hokages was below her. Onari's yellow eyes narrowed. It's my fault Ryu is injured. I have trained hard to defend everyone around me from bad people. I shouldn't have left him. I'm still weak in the head. Ryu tried to stop that man. Onari clenched her fists. I should have known better!

"Onari, why are you up here? You're spending too much time alone," Daiya said from behind her. She had her hands balled into fists. "You can't keep avoiding us. You've stopped talking. You won't eat. You won't let anyone know what is going on."

"Ryu's hurt because of Onari," she said fiercely. "Onari is not strong enough to protect anyone. Onari has to protect everyone around her!"

"Ri, it wasn't your fault," Takeru said softly. "It's our job to protect each other. That's why we're the closest out of everyone on the teams. It wouldn't have been any different if it was me or Daiya in his place," he said trying to make her understand.

"No, Takeru! Onari is supposed to protect Ryu like she does brother Daiya and Takeru," she screamed as she turned around to look at him. Tears were flowing, as her anger was unleashed. "That stupid brother of Hire's hurt Ryu for protecting her," she said as she grabbed her head trying to get a hold of herself.

Takeru ran at her. He grabbed her and held her tightly against him. Onari was blaming herself entirely for the mission. He had never seen her cry. Onari never got upset. She always kept her emotions in check unless she was frustrated. She tried to push him away, but Takeru pressed her to his body harder. "Stop fighting me, Ri. I'm not trying to hurt you."

Daiya walked over. "She has to know how badly Ryu's hurt. If you don't tell her, I'll have to." Daiya hated for things to be this way. He knew it wasn't going to be easy for her to hear.

Takeru ran his fingers through her long hair. He sighed heavily. Onari's tears were enough to cause an action out of him. He didn't want to increase her sadness. "Ri, Ryu hasn't woken up. He's still unconscious. He's lost a lot of blood." Takeru swallowed difficultly. "The medic-nin is helping him breathe with a machine, but he's sick." He gritted his teeth as he lowered his head. He felt Daiya move closer to him. "Ryu is… Ryu is… d-dying, Onari. The wounds he sustained are extensive."

Onari's heart sank. Her eyes opened wide. Her breathing quickened. Ryu was going to disappear like her parents who had protected her. He was not longer going to teach her language or reading. Ryu was no longer going to look at her as if she was lost in the head when she tried to explain things. Onari swallowed. She had no other choice. She was going to have to bond Ryu to her. "Takeru and Daiya will take Onari to Ryu."

Takeru breathed hard as he stood in the room with Daiya and Onari. It had taken a lot of pleading with the medic-nin to allow all three of them to see Ryu at one time. The respirator was making noise with the machine that was beeping. Takeru whimpered slightly. Ryu was paler than he had been when Shikamaru brought him in. he didn't know if he could bear to see his best friend like this. Death wasn't a pretty sight.

Daiya was closer to Ryu than Takeru. He looked at Onari. In the past few hours, her mood had changed to sheer determination. His sister was contemplating Ryu's existence and importance. "Onari, there isn't anything we can do. Ryu's body is weak from fighting the fever he has. We have… we have to let him go," he said as he started to choke on his words.

"Daiya must trust Onari," she said as she looked at her brother, her yellow eyes stern. Daiya slowly nodded. She could tell he was unsure. "Onari must protect those around her. Onari promised to do so. Onari will not let Ryu go so easily" She turned around quickly to throw seven kunai at the frame of the door with a fierce chakra push.

Takeru's eyes went wide as his head turned to look at the kunai lodged in the frame of the door. Onari had forced it shut. "Ri, why did you do that? The medic-nin will break the door down to get in here," he shouted as he turned back to look at her. Onari was unrolling the bandages around her arms. The netting she wore was pushed up to expose them.

Daiya's eyes fell onto the tattoo markings all over his sister's arms. He had never seen them before. What was all of the strange writing and pictures? Various birds were beautifully etched into her skin. "What is all of that," he breathed.

"You've never seen the tattoos on her body? She's covered in them," Takeru said as Daiya looked at him with wide eyes. He blushed as he realized what he had owned up to.

Daiya moved closer to Takeru. "So exactly how do you know about them? Have you been peeping at my sister?"

Takeru put his hands up in front of his body to ward Daiya off. "I wasn't trying to! She was in there by herself and I thought I'd go ahead and take a bath! It's the truth, Daiya," he said in his defense as his brother put him in a headlock.

"Onari, what exactly are you doing," Daiya demanded.

"Onari is going to bond Ryu to her. Onari will give Ryu, Shogai. Shogai won't hurt Ryu. Takeru and Daiya must trust her to do this," she said softly. "There is no other way. Sasuke said chances don't hurt."

"Ri, I don't know what you're doing, but you don't know if his body can handle it! This isn't the same thing Dad said! It could kill him," Takeru said.

"What is Shogai? What do you mean you're bonding Ryu to you? What is she doing," Daiya said alarmed as Onari bit both of her thumbs. He watched as she smeared blood onto her arms moving down the tattoos. His sister was forming hand seals so fast; his eyes weren't able to follow.

"Onari," Takeru said as her hands continued. What she was fixing to do was unlock some type of jutsu. He wasn't sure exactly how this was going to help Ryu. Was she attempting something dangerous?

Onari took Ryu's breathing mask off. She detached the wires on his chest. The machine started to beep loudly with a warning. Onari went over to cut it off. She left the IV bag attached to his arm for the time being. What she was attempting would only affect a machine.

"Onari, answer me. What are you doing," Daiya demanded as he approached the machines trying to flip them back on. His sister grabbed his wrist to stop him instantly.

"Onari will give Ryu Shogai. Shogai is a celestial just like Akaihi," she said trying to make him back off. "Onari does not want Daiya or Takeru to get in the way. Only Onari can open the Northern gate."

Takeru's heart started to flop in his chest. His anxiety was increasing. "That kind of power must require a lot of chakra." He watched Onari look at him as if he was just now catching on to something so obvious. "She's going to drain her chakra. I don't want to lose you, either, Ri!"

Daiya knew at that moment that his sister was doing something dangerous. He grabbed her around the waist as he tried to move her away from Ryu. Onari's hand seal sequence was complete. He thought by moving her away it would stop her. Takeru was running at them. Onari closed her eyes. Daiya felt his sister's body tense.

"That's not going to stop her! She already finished the hand seal for it," Takeru said as he tried to cover Onari's mouth from saying the words to unlock it.

Onari had no choice but to fight Takeru. She had already made the decision to save Ryu. She elbowed Daiya in the ribs as hard as she dared with both of her elbows. He immediately let go of her and fell to the floor. Onari turned around to face Takeru with her serious gaze. He was afraid. His eyes were shaking as he stared back at her. She brought her hand up quickly as a warning to him.

Takeru breathed hard as his hands fell away. "Ri, I don't want to fight you. I don't want to lose you. I know what you're trying to do!"

"Takeru Uchiha will listen to Onari," she said softly. "Onari makes her own decisions – not Takeru or Daiya. Onari is going to fight for Ryu as he fought for her. Onari is not sure how she gained knowledge of how to help Ryu properly. Maybe something in the past is triggering her body to react. Onari will fight anyone who tries to stop her." She meant it. She was serious. If he stepped near her again, she would have to push him back with force. Onari didn't want to hurt him.

"Takeru, we can't force her to obey us," Daiya said as he grunted as he felt his ribs. "I don't fully understand what is going on, but she is physically stronger than both of us. If you go near her, she may hurt you." He looked at Onari's facial expression. "She doesn't want to attack you. It's written all over her face."

Takeru stepped back with difficulty. His legs felt heavy. Onari still had her hand raised as a warning. His heart ached. Even now, she had no clue he was in love with her. Takeru didn't think Onari understood any of his actions towards her. His eyes averted. He had to let her do it.

Onari turned back around. She approached Ryu's bed for a second time. Gently, she placed her hand over Ryu's heart. She took Ryu's right hand and placed it over her heart.

Daiya watched Takeru. His brother was watching Onari intensely. "Takeru, is it that hard for you to make her own decisions? You fight her around every corner." Onari didn't stop them from making their own decisions.

Takeru looked away as he lowered his head. "I'm in love with her, Daiya," Takeru said as he saw Onari close her eyes to concentrate. "She doesn't understand. She never has. I've tried to tell her; to show her, but nothing works. She remains to stay with Eiyu. I don't see how they have anything in common."

"Celestial Shogai transfer," Onari said. The marking son her arms started to glow. The floor was radiated in light as strange markings appeared. Onari kept her focus. The light intensified blinding all in the room. She grimaced as she felt her chakra being pulled up and away from her body.

Daiya and Takeru watched as the symbols on the floor began to move towards Ryu's hospital bed. The symbols were glowing and making their way to where Onari's right hand was over Ryu's heart. A strange mist started to appear in the room. Daiya looked around the room as it soon began to transform itself. The walls and floors disappeared. It became pitch black with only the glowing light of the symbols around Ryu's bed.

The room began to shake as a sound like thunder came to their ears. Takeru noticed Onari's body was shaking. It was taking most of her chakra to hold the connection. He gasped as he looked up at the ceiling. A huge turtle was staring down at them. Its gaze was serious, its skin and shell radiating in light. Is that Shogai?

Daiya also saw it. He grabbed onto Takeru's wrist hard. What was that? A turtle? It was massive. "Is that Shogai? Is that what Onari is bonding to Ryu?"

Onari looked up at the reptile who was watching them passively. "Lord Shogai, please protect Ryu. Ryu is hurt because of Onari. Ryu guarded Onari and Shikamaru with his life. Please keep Ryu from dying," she said softly. The connection between her and Shogai was going to end soon. She couldn't hold onto it long. It would drain her entirely.

Takeru swallowed hard. "Please, Lord Shogai, Ryu is our brother. He protects us as we protect each other. Please help him." The turtle turned its full attention to Takeru. He froze.

"You are the one who Akaihi protects. I will gladly assist the Lord of the Southern Gate. It is my duty," he said in a heavenly low and high-pitched voice that seemed to echo.

Onari gasped hard. Her chakra was running out. She fell over onto the bed, her hands still in their places. If her hands became detached, it would cause her chakra to detach from her body completely.

Shogai, the Celestial God of the Southern Gate, vanished into a brush of mist that swirled in the heavens. The mist came down in a spiral at Ryu's heart. The force of it blew Takeru's hair back. He watched as the darkness subsided. The hospital room was back. Shogai had completely transferred to Ryu. As expected, the same strange markings that were on Onari's arm appeared on Ryu's right arm, right on his bicep. Takeru wondered if that was what would link Ryu to Shogai.

Daiya expected the medic-nin to be beating the door down with all of the commotion, but everything was silent. He heard people walking up and down the hall outside. Didn't they hear the noises that occurred? His eyes fell on the kunai. "Why has no one noticed we're here?"

Takeru watched Onari give out. She fell over unconscious onto Ryu. He ran to her quickly. "Ri? Ri?" He checked her pulse. Onari was alive, but she was weak. He lifted her off Ryu. Takeru held her tightly against him. "Celestial Gods don't come onto our plane to converse. Instead, we go to theirs." He stroked Onari's cheek fondly. "Onari's out cold. I don't know when she's going to wake up."

Daiya forced the kunai out of the doorframe. He put them inside Takeru's case. As Takeru held Onari, he re-attached the heart monitor and respirator to Ryu. He looked at the boy studying him. Ryu's skin color was already improving. He wasn't as pale as before.

Takeru watched the heart monitor with wide eyes. Ryu's heart was picking up. His breathing wasn't shallow, either. "Daiya, look," he said as he jerked his head to the machines.

"That's impossible. His heart is getting stronger. Even his breathing is deep," Daiya said bewildered. "Is this what happens when someone gets a Celestial?" He turned his head to look at Takeru.

Takeru picked Onari up fully to where her head was against his shoulder. "I hate to say this, but we need to bail. We can't let them find Onari like this. It's going to be hard to explain. Hopefully, Ryu will pull through since Shogai helped even out his chances."

"Out the window," Daiya asked as he opened it. Takeru nodded. They were out of the window in a flash. It was up to Ryu now to pull through. They decided to take another route home to avoid running into anyone they knew. It wouldn't favor their outcome if they got too much attention.

Daiya and Takeru sat on a high branch in the garden overlooking the Uchiha compound. His brother was guarding Onari. "Takeru, perhaps you are not doing something right when it comes to expressing yourself to her."

"I don't know what I could be doing wrong. I've tried to show her. I've even asked Saori for help. Nothing suggested has worked," Takeru said rather disappointed. "I have to face the fact that she doesn't feel the same way about me." He stroked her long hair.

"I know Onari is hard to understand, Takeru, but she's not ignorant. She might be like me in a way, who knows. She may not understand what love is. I didn't. I had never experienced it before, until I had a family and friends. Yanagi was the one who opened my eyes to it. It's a confusing feeling," Daiya admitted as he looked off into the sunset.

"I'll never know what she's thinking or feeling," Takeru said. "If Onari knows how I feel, she isn't saying anything. It's best for me to move on," he said as he stared at her sleeping face.

Onari breathed silently. She turned a little. Where was she? Slowly, she opened her eyes. Onari was in her room looking up at the ceiling. The last thing she remembered was mist going into Ryu. Ryu. She sat up quickly. Her head swam with dizziness. Onari's eyes rolled into the back of her head. She was down for the count again as she hit the futon with a thud.

Two days passed without any knowledge concerning Ryu's situation. No one knew if he was dead or still hanging on. They were down to four out of the original six in their group. Saori was sitting on the bridge with her legs through the bars. She was staring at the water hard as if she had the ability to manipulate it.

Takeru was leaned against a rail with his arms on top of it. He was beside Saori staring off into space. His mind was on so much. He wanted to know if Ryu was all right. Takeru had no clue to Idai's whereabouts and his advances towards Onari had been met with a wall. He sighed disgustedly.

Saori turned her head to look at him. She reached up to pull his long hair. He turned around to look at her. She could tell he wasn't himself. "Be positive. I'm trying to be," she said as her voice started to break. Saori had to turn away. She hid her face in her hands.

Takeru knew she was crying. Saori was emotionally strong and confident – except for now. Everyone had a breaking point. This was hers. She had been in love with Ryu the first time she met him. Takeru wrapped his arms around her to hold her. He closed his eyes, too. There was nothing that could be said right now. All he could do was be here for Saori, even when he was unable to be there for Ryu.

Saori cried hard on Takeru's shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him. Saori could feel Takeru's body shaking. She wasn't the only one upset about Ryu. He was a best friend and older brother to Takeru. She reached up to press his head to her shoulder. He was a year younger than her, but they were the same height. "Takeru, you know Ryu loves you a lot, right? He may not show it like he should, but he cares for you greatly," she said through her tears.

Takeru nodded slowly as he held onto Saori. "I know Ryu does. He scolds me worse than Daiya. Saori, Onari tried to save Ryu by bonding him to her a few days ago." He felt Saori freeze.

"What do you mean she bonded Ryu to her?" Saori didn't like the sound of that. Onari was a mysterious girl from a foreign land. The knowledge she held inside of her was untouched by anyone in Konoha. Onari had never spoken of the rituals concerning her family, or how she inherited Akaihi, her Celestial.

"Ri bonded Ryu to her with a Celestial like Akaihi," Takeru answered as he wiped the tears from Saori's eyes. "Onari summoned a turtle named Shogai to watch over Ryu and protect him. It agreed to help her on the grounds that she has Akaihi. I begged Shogai to help Ryu, too, Saori. I couldn't stop Onari from performing the transfer. I was selfish to think she could help him."

Saori looked at Takeru. "You really aren't aware of how she feels, do you?" Takeru's eyes were hollow as he spoke. He had given up on Onari in his heart. "Takeru, you don't know how she reacts when you get hurt, or how you and Eiyu fight. Onari has cried over you. You're not just someone she lives with."

Takeru wasn't understanding. "I don't know what I am to her. She's never told me anything. I'm only her teammate, Saori. Nothing more. I gave up on her. I'll admit it. I've decided to move on. It doesn't matter anymore." He let go of her and looked away. "I'll check on Ryu for you," he said as he walked down the bridge.

Saori had to say it. She couldn't let him go through the rest of his life assuming he was worthless to Onari. She knew why Onari acted the way she did. She had watched the other girl's actions and facial expressions strongly. Saori's heart pounded as Takeru reached the other side of the bridge. "Onari's in love with you, Takeru," she shouted. He froze. "Onari has access to all of the celestials of the four gates! She is waiting to see who would be better matched to the dragon. That's probably why she gave Ryu the turtle! When the dragon and phoenix are combined and two people are in love, it sanctifies marriage! Don't you understand?" He turned around to look at her with his hollow gaze.

"Why do you think Onari has Lee sensei, your dad, and Ms. Izumi train her until she drops? She's trying to surpass everyone to protect you. Onari chooses who is worthy and who isn't when it comes to being friends with her, or getting a celestial." He was standing merely watching her.

"She's in love with you, Takeru Uchiha," Saori said softly. The shock of everything she had said was all over his face. "She doesn't know how to tell you. In a way, she's afraid to like Ryu. Onari thinks if she says the words she feels, something will happen to you. You're the first person who has spent countless hours teaching her, training with her, and being with her. Do you honestly think you don't hold a special place in her heart? Onari is one of the smartest and fiercest ninja out of everyone on the teams. She isn't unaware, Takeru," Saori said. "Please don't give up on her. If you have to, ask her. She can tell you."

Takeru looked away. He nodded gently. "Thank you, Saori. I'll check on Ryu for you," he said gently. Takeru turned around. He walked away.

Saori didn't know if she had helped, or hindered the distance between Takeru and Onari. Takeru had already walked away from Onari in his heart. She clutched to her shirt. Saori felt sad for her friends. Onari had been trying so hard to get stronger and to be smarter than Takeru. She wasn't sure if he saw it.

Yanagi sat on the blanket with Saori and Daiya. She and Daiya were trying to draw Saori's attention away from her sadness. The last thing they heard about Ryu was he was now stable –which was good, but he was in a coma. Ryu had been in ICU for over a week. The stress on them had all taken its toll.

Daiya opened the basket Yanagi had brought. "Saori, do you want anything to eat," he asked as he held the basket open. She looked at it as if he was foreign to her. "You can't always have your mind focused on Ryu."

Saori took a small dumpling slowly. She stared at it as she held it. Saori's eyes wanted to well up. She gasped. Her eyes closed. The sadness she felt over Ryu plagued her.

Yanagi put her food down. She moved to Saori quickly. She pressed her best friend against her shoulder, petting her head softly. If Daiya had been in Ryu's place, she would be acting the same. "Saori, I love you," she said gently as her friend cried.

Daiya's heart ached. Ryu had a huge impact on all of them. He missed his adopted brother and teammate greatly. He wasn't in the mood to eat either. Daiya turned away.

Yanagi kept petting Saori's head. She looked over at her boyfriend. He had his face turned away. "Oh, no, Daiya, come here," she said softly as she reached her arm out to put her hand on his vest. She tugged him over. She and Saori put their arms around him. He was upset, too.

Daiya was ashamed at getting emotional in front of the girls. He had been strong for everyone up until this point. He didn't like others knowing how he perceived things. Daiya closed his eyes. "I just want Ryu to piss me off," he said reflecting on the past times with the Genin.

Yanagi leaned towards him to kiss his forehead. She was pressing him against her chest while Saori had her head on her shoulder. "Guys, if you don't stop crying, I'll cry. I don't want to," she said sadly. "I don't like being unhappy. It throws off my personality."

Daiya coughed as he sat up. He wanted to be left alone. Normally, he dealt with situations on his own. He didn't like to be weak in front of Yanagi. It was bad enough Saori was seeing him like this. "I need to go for a walk," he said. He excused himself. He had to get away.

"He's still not able to show his emotions around me," Yanagi said. "I know he's upset. I just wish he'd let me comfort him."

Daiya walked the road slowly, his eyes watching the people who passed him. Everything seemed so distant to him. Idai had left two years ago to atone to the problems he had been having. There hadn't been any word from him. Daiya didn't know where he was, or what he was going through. Why is it that everyone I'm close to is… suffering?

Daiya watched a gray puppy run out in front of him. He abruptly stopped. The slobbering canine cocked its head at him and wagged its tail. "Go away, you stupid mutt," he said lowly. He didn't like animals at all.

"She isn't going to hurt you," a familiar voice said. Daiya looked up to see Kiba walking towards him. He only looked at the man with a blank expression.

Kiba crouched to retrieve the small puppy. It was a gift for Areku. He stood up, his eyes searching Daiya for a reaction. "I'm sorry about Ryu. I know all of you are close and that it's not easy going through all of this mess," Kiba said sincerely. He watched the boy look away. Things weren't the same for anyone right now. His team was split in how they dealt with each other. Idai was still missing. Ryu was badly injured and in a state of suspended realization.

"K-Kiba sensei, h-has Idai ever gotten in contact with you," Daiya asked sadly, as he stared at the ground.

Kiba walked closer to Daiya until he was standing in front of him. He had never imagined Idai and Daiya to be as close as they were. They were bonded to each other. "No, Daiya, I'm really sorry. I haven't heard a word from him, or Gai since they left. I don't know what he's going through. It may be difficult for both of them at this point. If I hear anything from him, I'll come running to you – no matter when or where, okay?"

Daiya nodded slowly. "Th-Thank you," he said not able to look at the man standing before him. He walked away with is head downcast. Kiba wouldn't lie to him – at least, he hoped not.

Kiba stood in Daiya's wake with an impatient puppy. That poor kid is completely lost without Idai. Hell, I'm a bit off my feet, too. I'm used to seeing that sound village boy jumping around laughing. I can't blame Daiya for how he feels. He's lost his best friend. The one person who understood him. The puppy in his arms whined as she wagged her tail. Kiba looked down. "Alright, I'll take you home now. I wonder what Areku will think about you, little girl." Kiba smiled at the gray puppy. "Let's see what kind of name he gives you."


	65. Chapter 65

**V7 Ch 4**

**Break Away**

Idai Tatsumaki walked through the field of wild flowers slowly. His eyes searched the area for any signs of life other than butterflies and birds frolicking about for food. His long light blue kimono passed amongst the flowers with a gentle touch. Idai's orange eyes drifted from flower to flower. His mind was searching for something peaceful in them. His life had become quite chaotic with the nightmares he had. His body was controlled by a sinister demon that lay dormant unless he was confronted by large crowds of people. It seemed to want to slaughter everything. Gai had made sure they lived away from civilization and that if approached by anyone, he was close to Idai. Idai's reactions to others was often fatal for the individual. He wanted nothing more than to be normal.

Idai felt the field was his safe haven from being cooped up inside the hut. Here he could lay in the flowers and stare at the sky. He often wondered why they had chose to live here. Gai didn't want Idai in the fire country. They had taken refuge in the earth country. Where they were exactly, Idai didn't know. His location was a mystery.

Idai took his sandals off. He ran through the field with his arms out, twirled, and fell backwards into a heap of wildflowers. He stared up at the sky with his long red hair sprawled out. A small lilac butterfly landed on his nose. Idai didn't move. "Where'd you come from? Do you want to be friends with me?" As he lifted his finger to touch it, it fluttered off and away. Idai rolled onto his stomach to watch it. He looked away as he thought about his friends. "I want to go back," he said sadly. "I miss everybody…" Idai wanted to be jumping through the trees with Masaru and Yanagi. He wanted Daiya to mess his hair up and Kiba to scold him when he smarted off. Idai laid his head on his crossed arms in the field.

Gai moved through the field searching for Idai. He knew his son came out here to get away. He wanted Idai to feel some sort of peace in his life with the way things were. Idai was showing signs of loneliness and depression since he wasn't allowed to interact with people. He saw his son laying in the field lost in thought. Idai had changed so much in the past two years. His height had finally caught up to other boys his age. He was more aware of who he was than previously. Idai was a true leader type. He saw it in his actions and how he perceived situations. His son's hair was completely red with white tips due to the demon residing in his body. It was long and down to his shoulders. Gai didn't approach him fully. He wanted Idai to have his own space, but just enough to where he could keep an eye on him. "You've been coming out here a lot lately. What's bothering you?"

Idai frowned as he turned his head away from Gai. "I want to go back to my friends," he said softly. "I have no one to talk to here." He closed his eyes tightly as he saw familiar faces drifting through his mind. "Can't I visit them?"

Gai knew it was coming. He and Idai had this discussion every week. Idai begged and pleaded to go back to Konoha for any relief Gai could give him. "You know you can't go back to Konoha. The demon inside of you would be released once you surrounded those familiar to you. I promised to keep you safe, Idai. That also means keeping everyone else safe."

Idai bit his bottom lip as his sadness increased. "You mean keep everyone safe from me," he said choking on the words. He sat up to where he was on his knees. Idai clutched his kimono. "I don't have any friends here! I want to go back to Konoha!" Idai turned around angrily to look at Gai with all of his emotions painted on his face.

Gai stared at Idai with the same blank expression he always gave him. "You can't, Idai. You know if the demon gets loose around your friends he would kill them. Who do you think the most vulnerable person would be? The person most valuable to you is what it's after."

Idai lifted his hands to his face. He covered his eyes. The demon inside of him wanted to devour chakra that belonged to a person Idai had contacts with. As Gai thought about it, it wanted to take the most important thing from Idai to gain his body. It would stop at nothing. "I don't know whose valuable to me," he said.

"Are you sure that you don't? I think you do. You value your team, your friends, and those around you," Gai stated. He put his hands on his hips. "It can't be helped, Idai. If you want to protect those you care for, you have to consider the outcomes of what will happen if you come into contact with them."

Idai looked at the wild flowers with a saddened gaze. They blew in the wind as Gai turned around to leave him be. Idai wanted so badly to run through the streets of Konoha again with Daiya. He wanted to tease Masaru and train with Yanagi. Idai wanted very much to even see Kiba again and pet Akamaru. He turned his gaze off to look at the trees getting dark. It's foolish to think Akamaru would still be alive. He was really old when I knew him. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to pet you, or play with you anymore. His heart ached.

Kakumei Eimino and his collage reported back to their Lord of the lightening country as required. They walked down the hall slowly, their feet stepping lightly. As the two guards clinked their metal staffs together to prevent access to the room, Kakumei narrowed his eyes. "I trained the both of you morons," he said with a bland voice.

"Sorry, General Kakumei, but Lord Gekido is not in at the moment. No one is allowed to go into his quarters without permission. We ask that you wait for him in your area of the house. When he comes in, we'll summon for you," the guard answered with a monotone voice.

Kakumei turned on his heels with his collage. He snorted disgust. "Summon me? Those arrogant brats don't summon the General. The General is to be called."

"They're only doing what they're told," Kakumei's collage said. "Are you going to tell Lord Gekido that we found the village where the phoenix might be?" He sat down upon the seat in the area. The man opened a case on his vest to flick a light so he could smoke.

Kakumei wondered if he should. "What would happen if we keep this information away from Gekido," he said using the man's real name. He glanced at his collage as he started to cough relentlessly.

"What are you saying? That kind of information is highly valuable! Lord Gekido would reward you for finding the man known to harbor the phoenix!" He waved the smoke in front of his face as he flicked the cigarette with his thumb.

Kakumei regarded his collage as one of the few he could say just about anything to. The rest of the men were completely loyal to Gekido and were liable to hold anything against him. They didn't approve of Kakumei being General. He was hard to understand and held no emotion in any of his actions. He was as mysterious as they came. Kakumei opened the shoji screen to the room. The breeze coming in moved his hair. It felt good to have flowing air in the old house. "He's never showed interest in anything except the whereabouts of his brother's child," Kakumei said under his breath. "He's never rewarded anyone kindly for helping him, Masasue. I doubt he would do so just because we found the village. Knowing Lord Gekido, he'd want to attack as soon as possible. What do you think would happen if we did such a thing to an unsuspecting village?"

Masasue breathed in the smoke before he blew it out of his nose. "The girl who harbors the phoenix would attack. Since Lord Gekido doesn't have a Celestial of his own, he'd be defenseless. It'd be suicide," he said blandly as he snuffed his cigarette out with his foot.

"Perhaps, we should approach this situation rather cautiously. After all, Gekido has ways of getting rid of insubordinates," Kakumei said as he glanced behind his form to make sure no one was around. "We know where the phoenix might be. Nothing more. The only person we're really supposed to be searching for is Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke stood watching over Ryu as Kurenai entered the room. He turned his gaze to acknowledge her. "How are you holding up," he asked softly as Kurenai kept her eyes focused on her son.

Kurenai Yuhi walked slowly over to the bed. She stood next to Sasuke, her eyes going over her son's form. Ryu's color was back to normal, but he was in a coma. "I don't know anymore," she answered truthfully. "He's all I have." Kurenai glanced at Sasuke. "A parent shouldn't watch their child suffer. I don't blame anyone for how this happened," she said. "I know he was sworn to protect Onari. She mustn't regard herself as the problem."

Sasuke kept his eyes on his student. "Onari's blaming herself for leaving him alone with Nattoku. She said she shouldn't have left him to help Shikamaru. But if she had stayed with Ryu, Shikamaru would have been instantly killed. They were up against an army of fifty men. It wasn't an easy decision."

"No, it wasn't. I think Onari is putting too much pressure on herself. Ryu is more experienced than she is. He swore to protect her. That was his mission. I don't blame him for doing his job. He's a very caring boy, even if he tends to hide it," Kurenai said. She moved her hand to touch Ryu's hand. She interlaced her fingers with his as she stared at him. He appeared to be peaceful. "I wonder what he's dreaming about," she said trying to ease the burden in her heart.

"I'd like to think it's more pranks he's going to use on me," Sasuke said with a forced smile. He looked out of the corner of his eye at Kurenai. She had to smile at that. He happened to be one of Ryu's favorite targets. He moved his hand to place it over hers and squeezed it gently. Sasuke wasn't sure what to say at that point, so he remained silent as they looked down at Ryu.

Onari sat on a branch overlooking the village. She swung her legs as her eyes searched down below for anyone that was familiar. As the wind blew her hair, Onari kept her mind focused on her purpose as of late. She was bothered by the fact that Nattoku had injured Ryu so severely. She hoped Shogai was going to be able to him. Onari was unsure how much time had passed since she had left the Uchiha compound. No one spoke to her anymore. Sasuke was also troubled by what had occurred on her mission. Takeru was avoiding her as well as Daiya. They were both worried about their friend. She felt insecure as she leaned her back against the tree. Her eyes averted to stare at the wood.

"Are you going to stay up there all day," she heard a voice ask. Onari looked around before she turned her gaze below to see Eiyu watching her. She let her long bangs fall in front of her face. Eiyu wasn't moving towards her as he usually did. He seemed to be beside himself with thoughts. Onari tried to open her mouth to say something, but she couldn't. Nothing came out. What was wrong with her? She felt funny when she was around Eiyu. He was nice to her, but not in the sense of caring. Eiyu kept himself in check all of the time. He knew who he was and where he was. He was so formal it got to her. "Why are you only staying over there," she asked softly.

Eiyu remained watching her. Something was on his mind - something heavy. "What is your relationship with Takeru," he asked. It was time he knew. They were on a team together and it was as if Onari and Takeru were secretly keeping an eye on each other. He couldn't explain it really.

"What does Eiyu mean what is Onari's relationship with Takeru?" She sat up as if she had been accused of something. "Takeru doesn't have a relationship with Onari. Not anymore," she said the last bit softly.

Eiyu thought as much. "Do you want a relationship with him," he asked. He paid very close attention to Onari's body language. Her mind was unsure, but her hands were fiddling with each other. She wanted Takeru to pay attention to her, in the very least.

"Why are you asking Onari such things? Eiyu has been watching Onari for the past few months strangely. Does Eiyu think Onari will cheat on him?"

Eiyu had to level with her. "Whether you realize it or not, Onari, you seek Takeru out for his approval when we are training, or on missions. You live with him, yet, neither of you speak unless you're on the team. I've noticed for some time that Takeru is hurt over us being together. Haven't you noticed how he feels?"

Onari tried to think about how Takeru displayed himself. He had always been the same happy, carefree boy. Yet, Takeru spent more time with Ryu and Daiya - not with her. When they had first met, she was his main friend, but they had slipped away from each other. "Takeru is only being Takeru," she said in defense.

"No, he's avoiding you. You know it and I know it," Eiyu said. "I don't like seeing others hurt because of me." He caught Onari's eye. "Do you love me?"

Onari's eye's widened. She didn't know how to react to Eiyu's question. Her facial expression changed to that of sadness and uncertainty.

"Perhaps we should both stop kidding ourselves. It's best if we remain friends, Onari. I don't think I'm the one for you. We're too different. We've noticed that time and time again in the past two years," Eiyu said. He smiled at her softly before he looked away. "Two leader types don't do well together anyway."

Onari watched Eiyu turn away from her. He waited a moment before he left. She didn't try to stop him, or say anything to counter what he said. They were too different. Eiyu Hyuuga was nice, but he wasn't sweet or tender like Takeru. Takeru. Did she love Takeru? Onari brought her knees up to her chest. Her heart fluttered when she saw his sweet smile, the way his eyes danced as he watched her mess up, and how he used to kiss her on the cheek to make her feel better. Onari was in love with Takeru. The realization of it hit her to where she felt as if she was falling off a bridge.

Jinrin sat on a rock as he watched Yanagi teach Masaru to defend himself on the water. He looked at his nails before he brushed them off on his shirt. "Not bad, Masaru. You might want to move your feet more since she's turning her body to block your offensive moves."

Masaru started to move his feet as Yanagi continued to move towards him. The pink haired girl was more confident as ever that she could get him to fall. It wasn't an easy task to keep one's focus on staying above the water while fighting. One false direction of concentration and you fell in. Masaru Uzumaki bent his body back as Yanagi came at him attempting to strike his shoulders. He bent his spine as his hands touched the surface of the water. Masaru kept concentrating as he forced both of his legs to come up.

Yanagi's eyes widened as her teammate lifted his legs. He put her in a hold then lifted her body off of the ground. Yanagi watched as Masaru smiled at her as she was thrown up and over. She flew through the air upside-down until she hit the water with a splash.

Jinrin clapped his hands as Masaru stood up. "Nice work," he commented as Yanagi's head popped above the water. "Although, I'd be on my guard. She's going to get you back eventually," he said as he started to file his nails. He made sure they were sharpened well.

"Oh, you're a big help," Masaru said as he walked off the water. Yanagi swam over. She stood up dripping wet. As she rung her hair out, Masaru threw her a towel. It was the least he could do since he was the one who sent her in the water.

Yanagi dried her hair as she wrung her clothes out. She glanced at Jinrin. Yanagi was used to the older boy's gestures and words. However, she secretly wished a certain someone was back on their team. Jinrin was great and all; he did was he was supposed to on the missions, but they had been closer to Idai. She stared at the ground as she remembered how Idai smiled when they tried new moves.

"Come on, Yanagi! Don't let Masaru get you! He's trying too hard to get near you," Idai yelled as he jumped around moving side to side on his toes with his hands waving in the air. "Masaru, don't let Yanagi get you either! Now she's determined to get you first!"

Masaru tried to block Yanagi's hit only to hit her in the shoulder with his palm open at the same time she hit him. He blinked. He turned his head to look at Idai rather strangely. "Idai, why are you cheering for both of us?"

Yanagi turned her head to look at their teammate also. "Yeah, what gives? Who are you pulling for anyway?"

Idai tilted his head as he smiled at them. "Well, I'm pulling for both of you. You're both on my team, aren't you? You shouldn't let Masaru get you and he shouldn't let you get him. Teammates aren't supposed to fight."

Yanagi and Masaru stared at each other for a moment. "But… it's a training session, Idai." Perhaps, he was right. Idai was shouting at them to do their best, but not hurt the other.

"Training is for fighting opponents. You and Masaru aren't opponents. I would never try to hurt anyone on my team," Idai said. "You guys are like my brother and sister. You two are my family," he said with a smile as his long white bangs flopped over. He blew them out of his sight.

"We're your family," Masaru asked. Idai nodded. "So… you don't have any other family besides Gai sensei?"

The question threw Idai back. He stepped back as he averted his eyes quickly. A hurt expression came over his face. "No… My father died a long time ago." He turned around to walk off into the forest. Idai leaned against a tree.

Yanagi found Idai hiding himself. "Idai, what's wrong," she asked tenderly. She was used to touching certain subject matters as if she was talking to a child. In a way, he reminded her of Daiya. They both were defensive about their pasts. Yanagi wanted to see him smile. She crouched to where she could look up into his face. "Don't be sad. We like it better when you smile at us," she said as he opened his eyes to look at her.

Idai's eyes softened. "It's no wonder Daiya loves you like he does," he said catching Yanagi off guard. "You're very caring and understanding."

Yanagi stood at the mention of the word 'love'. "He doesn't love me. At least, not that I know about. He's more than likely still getting used to me. It's only been a few months."

Idai shook his head as he smiled at her faintly. "No, he loves you. It's more in his body language than in his voice. He's less reserved, open to new suggestions, and his eyes say it all. Next time you're around him, see if you can see the dark gray hiding in the back of his eyes."

Yanagi had left the training area thinking heavily about what Idai had said. I'm supposed to look into Daiya's eyes. But I've was only close to Daiya once when we first kissed. Has he become comfortable around me? Yanagi never imagined it was possible with how tense he was around others. She turned the corner to bump into Daiya head on. Yanagi grabbed her head. As she looked up she saw him looking at her with the same expression. "Daiya? What are you doing way over here?"

Daiya rubbed the spot where he and Yanagi connected. He shook his head trying to get the stars to go away. "We finished early. I thought I'd come and get you," he said with his usual monotone voice.

"Come and get me for what," she asked as he came closer to her. Daiya averted his eyes as he walked closer to her. She lifted her eyes to see him move even closer to her. He kissed her softly on the side of her mouth as her heart flip flopped in her chest.

Daiya reached for both of Yanagi's hands to interlace his fingers with hers. He stood holding onto her as he looked into her gray eyes. "You know, to come get you," he said again knowing he wasn't being clear.

Yanagi blushed as she saw the dark gray spots in Daiya's eyes. He wasn't clear in his words, but his actions towards her were right on the nose. She smiled at him softly. "I'd like it if you come get me when you want," she said as she kissed him gently. He only wanted to be near her. Yanagi wrapped her arms around him holding him close to her. He leaned into her and gently put his hands on her hips.

"Yanagi? Yanagi, are you coming with us," Masaru asked as he turned around realizing she wasn't following them. The girl looked up at him rather dreamily. "Are you coming with us to see if Kiba sensei is back from his mission yet?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, sure," Yanagi said as she started to follow Jinrin and Masaru out of the training area. She looked back at the area with fondness. She could still hear Idai in her head and see his faded form bouncing all over the area.

Idai bounced around laughing as he avoided Daiya hitting him. He skidded on his feet also avoiding Masaru. "You guys take things way too seriously! Maybe the both of you should just get more acquainted," he said as he suddenly dropped to the ground. Daiya and Masaru ran into each other at full force. Idai sat up once they were on their backs. "Oops. Are you two okay?" He smiled at Yanagi as he shook the both of them.

Yanagi smiled at the spot. "I miss you, Idai," she said softly . She turned on her heels to catch up to Jinrin and Masaru who were talking about getting tougher missions.

Gekido sat on his pillow overlooking the field. They had moved several times in the past year to keep their whereabouts unknown. He didn't glance over his shoulder as he heard the General of his lightening users enter. Gekido merely kept his back to the man. "Have you found what we seek," he asked in an authoritive tone as he dipped his paintbrush into the ink. He scrolled upon the paper carefully.

"We have not found any person named Sasuke Uchiha, my Lord," Kakumei answered as he stood near the door. His eyes fell onto the table then moved to other areas of the house. He was trying to figure out Gekido's strategy. The man had been away previously and had returned some time ago. Just who was Gekido meeting with and why? Kakumei couldn't find a trace of anything that lead him to a clue. "We did not enter the village. It is heavily guarded with ninja who stand guard at the entrance. There were also ninja moving through parts of it wearing masks. We had to be careful as to not be seen."

"This Sasuke Uchiha must only leave the village when he is needed. Thus, he must be very important." Gekido narrowed his eyes for a moment before he closed his eyes to think. "I want you personally to stay close to the village. When he leaves, I want to know anything you can find out about him. I want to know what his skills are, if he has my brother's child, and how he is attached to her. Do I make myself clear?"

Kakumei bowed lowly. "I understand perfectly, Lord Gekido," he said showing no hint of agreement. Kakumei left the room quickly. I have more to do than become a nursemaid to Gekido and his fantasies. Who knows exactly when Sasuke Uchiha will leave the village? We have no clue who he is regardless of a name. He walked out of the house with heavy feet. Gekido was never satisfied. In fact, Kakumei thought the man to be quite mad with jealousy over a child having more power than him.

Gin led Areku to her room. She showed him the beautiful blue lotus flower that had remained blooming for two years. He friend stood examining it. "Areku, do you think it stays alive because it's really helping Idai?" She touched the petals tenderly as if it were a fragile thing.

"I'm not sure, Gin. This is the first time I've seen it. You've managed to keep it close and unobserved for a long time." He moved his hand to look at a particular leaf. There was kanji writing on it. Idai. Areku ran his thumb over the kanji. He felt this odd strong vibration coming through his thumb. It went up his hand and to his wrist. Is this flower for real? Areku looked at Gin. "Idai's name is on the flower. How did it get there?" His slit eyes searched Gin for an explanation.

Gin moved her finger across the petals touching each one until she went around the lotus. "When I first got the seed from the monk, I kept it until Idai left. I guess when I was told what was happening to him, I got concerned. I planted the seed in the pot and gave it a bit of water. That's about all," she answered. "It grew within a day. I woke up the next morning and the lotus was just as you see it now."

"You didn't do anything extra, did you? There had to be something to trigger it to grow like this. His name is etched upon it. What is the reasoning behind that," Areku asked as he checked the soil. There was nothing unusual about the potting soil, or the pot.

"When I knew Idai wasn't coming back, it made me upset, Areku. I wanted him to be alright. I started to understand why he acted the way he did. I just meditated and wrote his name on a piece of scroll. I placed the scroll into a plastic cylinder and put it in the soil. When the lotus grew, the plastic cylinder with Idai's name on it was gone. It vanished."

Areku turned to smile at Gin kindly. "Are you going to tell Idai how you feel if he comes back," he asked. Gin seemed to blush even with the mention of his name. "If you care about him that greatly, shouldn't he know how much he means to you?" Gin only nodded slowly as she piddled with her hands. "Gin, he left because he needs to solve his past. Isn't that right? Well, if he solves it, shouldn't you tell him his efforts weren't all for himself?"

Gin thought about Idai. She really liked him. He was silly and playful - unlike the other guys she knew. Gin wondered if he would still be the same. "Areku, could you help me get the courage to tell him," she said. "I want him to know. I don't know what he will think of me, but I'd like Idai to know."

Areku smiled at her. "Okay, we'll practice telling Idai. Pretend I'm him."

Gin only stared at Areku. "But it's not the same. I'm comfortable telling you everything. That's why you're my best friend."

Areku hooked his arm around her shoulder. "How about we get someone you're not too familiar with? That will seem more realistic. Let's see… who can we get to help us?" Areku tried to think. Ryu would be a good candidate, but he's in the hospital. Kandai is too familiar with Gin. We're on the same team. She's not too worried about Takeru. He's easy enough to talk to. Eiyu wouldn't take us seriously. He stays too himself a good bit - even though, he's supposed to be with Onari. Who would know how Idai reacts? It's a tie between Masaru and Daiya. Daiya was his best friend. However, Masaru spent as much time with Idai and was often the end of Idai's jokes. "How about we get Masaru to help? He was close to Idai. That way, your secret would still be safe. He might even be partial to your reactions if he knows."

"Masaru? The Hokage's son? I don't know, Areku. He might make fun of me for liking Idai," Gin said. She wasn't too sure. Masaru wasn't too close to anyone on the teams. He stayed at home with his family outside of his own team.

"We'll never know unless we ask," Areku said as he put his hand on her wrist. "Come on. It can't hurt. Besides, Idai's not here for Masaru to tell anyway." Gin blushed as he led her out of the room.

A blurry white ceiling was seen in his eyes. The world as he knew it, had changed somehow. His very existence felt suspended in way. Dreams of light and turtles had occupied his mind for so long, that he knew nothing else as he laid in the hospital bed. His arms felt heavy, his breathing was deep and slow. Ryu Yuhi, the jokester of Team 2, was awake. He tried to move his head to see where he was, but it was difficult.

Ryu moved his finger slowly. He was laying in a bed with metal bars. Was he in the hospital? Had Shikamaru made it here in time to help him? Ryu blinked his eyes. He looked around lazily at the ceiling as it came into focus. His ears picked up the sounds of beeping and air pumps. He started to open his mouth slowly. "Hello," he said weakly. His voice sounded foreign to him. How long had he been here?

Ryu tried to lift his legs, but they wouldn't respond. "Where… am…. I," he said as loudly as he could. Ryu wasn't able to lift his head, or his arms. His heart started to race. Not knowing where he was started to get to him. "Mmmm… ooom," he called. Ryu took a deep breath. He groaned.

The door to the room opened with a click. A nurse came in with a tray containing needles and drops for the IV bag. She set them down on the nearest table before she checked the respirator and heart monitor. To her surprise, the boy's eyes were awake. He was looking at her. She stopped in her tracks with her hand clutched to her clothing. "Oh, my. You're awake. I'll get the doctor," she said as she rushed out.

It wasn't long before a doctor came back to examine him. Ryu looked up at the old man as he shined a light into his eyes. "His pupils dilate accordingly. His pulse, respirations, and heart rate are normal. You can take these monitors off of him, Nurse. I would have to say I have never seen this type of recovery before, young man. You're very lucky to have survived."

Kurenai ran down the hall as fast as her legs could carry her. She opened the door to her son's room. Kurenai stood in the entranceway with her eyes wide. Ryu was sitting up with the help of a nurse while a doctor checked his body. "Ryu," she said as she breathed. She went to him as if she were in a daze. Her son was alright. In fact, the doctor was unraveling his bandages now to see the extent of the damage.

The doctor snipped the remaining bit of the bandages. He carefully pulled them away from the boy's body. As his eyes looked over the boy's form, he dropped the soiled bandages on the bed. The doctor's eyes widened. "There aren't any markings on his torso," he said astonished. "How is this possible? His skin and tissue were altered."

Kurenai moved closer to where she could touch her son's chest and stomach. "Ryu, how do you feel," she asked as her fingers moved down his skin. There weren't any deep grooves. He was healed.

"I… feel… strange," Ryu said as he looked at his mother tiredly. "My… body is..heavy," he breathed out. He blushed as his mother touched his face. She stroked his cheek.

Kurenai wrapped her arms around him as she leaned him towards her. She kissed the side of his head. Ryu was now taller than her. It was a bit awkward holding him. Kurenai's emotions overcame her. Her son had been gravely ill when he had arrived at the hospital. In fact, he was sure to die, but now he was fine. She was so grateful for the staff helping him. Kurenai closed her eyes as the nurse and doctor left her alone with her son. "Ryu, I know I haven't said this much, but I love you. You're the only family I have," she said as she reassured him she wasn't going to leave with the state he was in.

"Mom,… I kept… dreaming of … turtles," Ryu said as he caught her eye. She was turning him slightly to take a better look at his arm. Ryu didn't understand what was wrong. Kurenai was examining his bicep quite heavily. "What's..wrong?"

Kurenai's eyes stared at the marvelous markings that were on his son's arm. She had not known him to get a tattoo before. "Ryu, someone has helped you recover," she said as her eyes drifted over the colorful clouds. Her eyes saw a turtle at the top of the clouds who hung its head down. Falling stars were below that particular cloud. At the bottom of the picture was a red phoenix whose head was craned upwards. At that instant, Kurenai who had helped save Ryu from death. "Onari," she said. Ryu looked at her quizzically. "Onari has kindly given you a special marking just like those on her arms. Something tells me, you've inherited a friend of Akiahi."

Idai stared into the pool of water at his feet. It reflected the night sky above his head. Idai stared hard at the figure that was looking back at him. It wasn't himself. There was a man with wild red hair and black eyes watching him in the pool of water. Idai felt stiff as the figure grinned back at him. "I don't know what you want from me. If it's chakra you're after, you'll have to starve. I won't let you hurt anyone else."

Ryokuzu watched Idai quite playfully in the pool of water. "You aren't the one whose going to stop me, boy. No man upon this realm has the authority to do so." His black eyes gleamed at the sixteen-year-old. "I've waited patiently for you to mature. One can't assume as a boy that your talents will marvelously adapt to your surroundings. It takes time for mortals to be able to do that. You're at the ripe age that men often go mad," he said as he laughed heartedly.

For once, Idai didn't acknowledge Ryokuzu's accusations about his strengths and weaknesses. He only stared at the demon with the utmost hate. The demon inside of him kept him from his friends - from his life. "Nothing will keep me from returning to Konoha. Nothing," he said as he stomped the pool of water with his foot. He stood in the ripples as his head lifted to look back at the hut. Idai was going back whether Gai approved or not.

I have to see everyone again. Forgive me for what I'm going to do, Dad, but they are the foundation I stand upon. Idai reached into his kimono. He withdrew a bottle containing a powerful mind erasure. It had taken him a long time to mix the ingredients together. He held it in his hand as his eyes focused on it. Without my friends, I'm nothing. Without Konoha, the demon will overtake me. I want to live, not die in peace. Idai went inside the hut with the bottle slipped into his kimono sleeve.

Onari stared at the garden as she rolled her shirt several times. Her mind was stuck on the previous past week. Eiyu had broken up with her. She closed her eyes as she sat watching the fireflies drift through the dark garden. Onari was unsure what her heart wanted. She wanted acceptance with Takeru, she knew that. He had given up on her. He was so distant from her that each step towards her was hollow and met with no recognition of her existence.

Onari turned her gaze away as she heard Takeru and Daiya talking down the hall. Her heart felt as if it were being stabbed with icicles. She thought she was supposed to belong to Konoha when she was taken in. Yet, the one person she wanted to notice her had given up countless opportunities to look her in the face. Onari jumped slightly as the shoji screen next to her opened.

Daiya stepped out to dump something over the rail. He glanced at his sister who was sitting in the dark on the back porch. "Why are you out here this late? Is something bothering you," he asked as he walked over in nothing more than his shorts. Onari wouldn't look him straight in the eye. Daiya crouched. He turned her chin towards him. "What's got you so quiet?"

Onari went for him. She wrapped her arms around her brother before she buried her head into his chest. She felt Daiya put his hand on the back of her head gently. If she had no one in Konoha, she had him. Onari closed her eyes as he put his arms fully around her. He knew something was bothering her.

"Onari, you're usually not this attached to me," Daiya said. "In fact, ever since your vocabulary has improved, you haven't been. Tell me what's wrong," he said softly. He moved her hair out of her face.

"I don't have anyone but you," Onari said as she kept her eyes downcast. "Eiyu told me it wasn't going to work between us anymore. He said I was seeking Takeru out for attention."

"Are you seeking Takeru out? You're always watching everything he does. In the past, you two were close. No offense, but things changed when you went out with Eiyu," Daiya said. "Takeru's been hurt by it. He's not comfortable with expressing himself towards you."

"I don't seek anyone out. Takeru doesn't want to be around me and I won't force him. He's too wrapped up in himself and you two."

Daiya blinked as he leaned back to look her in the face. "What's that supposed to mean? Is it because he hangs around Ryu and I? Onari, we're his friends. Or rather, Ryu is. And I'm his brother," Daiya said starting to jumble his thoughts together.

Onari placed her finger on his lips to stop him from rambling. "Takeru does not treat me the same, Daiya. He treats me as if I'm the new girl down the road. He has known me for the past two years. We have shared everything from laughter to getting into trouble together. I have copied all of his training moves and table manners. Why is he treating me as if I am insignificant now?"

Daiya couldn't answer that. He sighed. "I don't know, Onari," he said as he touched her face. "Takeru has a stupid way of ignoring people. It makes him less aware of others, but others are more aware that he's doing it."

Onari shook her head disgusted with it all. She turned away from her brother. "I don't want to beg Takeru for attention. I don't beg, or want anything," she said as she rose. She walked down the porch to her room. Onari opened the shoji screen and closed it with a loud clack.

Daiya's eyes softened. You and Takeru are so much alike in how you approach things, Onari. Both of you try to ignore things, but your actions speak for themselves. Daiya got up. He went back to his room. As he opened the door, he noticed Takeru was already in the bed rolled over. He looked down at his younger brother. The boy was sleeping hard, his hair sprawled out on the pillow with the covers lowered to his waist. Daiya reached over to pull the covers up. I wish you two would get along. Both of you are so hardheaded. Daiya sat on his own bed before he just fell over. His mind sorted through all sorts of things that were on his mind. He stared at the wall as he thought about the past two years. Everyone had improved in their training and were successful on a majority of missions.

As Daiya laid in the bed, he felt strange as if his body was floating on a piece of driftwood. He started to close his eyes, the noises of the garden drifting to his ears. He didn't want to forget anyone when he got older. Even those that had, somehow, broken away from him. Good night, Idai…


	66. Chapter 66

**V7 ch 5**

**Run, Onari, Run!**

Onari wondered what had been going on lately. Everyone had stayed to themselves for the past few weeks. She wasn't sure if what she had done to assist Ryu had helped him or hindered his recovery. Onari didn't have the strength to go back and see him. Hospitals were terrible places where people went when they were injured. She despised it.

Ryu's situation wasn't the only thing that was bothering her. Her brother had grown quiet and sought refuge most of the time from the family. It was unlike Daiya to act that way now that he wasn't alone. He often hung around Takeru or Ryu. She sighed.

Takeru was another problem of hers. He wouldn't look at her. She didn't know why. When she managed to catch his eye, his personality was serious and nonresponsive. He didn't speak to her or interact with her anymore.

Onari felt alone. All she had was her training. Onari's main purpose was the find the man who had killed her family. However, knowing where to look was a predicament. She closed her eyes. Sasuke had given her a home for the past two years. She was more of a burden now than anything - that's how she felt.

Onari knew she caused anger and frustration with everyone. They were tired of working with her; instructing her; being patient. She was annoyed at herself for not picking up on things faster. It bothered her a great deal. What was she going to do? She could leave the village. That seemed to be the best option for her. It wasn't her own. She had no home in her mind.

Onari looked around the room. There wasn't anything of value to her here. Her fingers trailed onto the mask Sasuke had made for her. It had yellow clouds on it. The mouth of the mask was curved into a nasty smile that displayed fangs. It suited her. Masks were used to hide the face of an attacker. She held it up to look at it. Onari put the mask on. She would use it to hide her emotions.

As the mask was put on her face, she buried all of her worries, regret, pain, anger - everything. If Takeru wouldn't confess to her what was wrong - if she had done anything to him - than she would let it go. He had changed. He wasn't the same caring boy, as before. It was time for her to change, too.

Onari let the darkness behind the mask swallow her. The pain she felt at losing Takeru outweighed the sorrow in her heart for Ryu. It stabbed at her with icy needles. She couldn't cry. Onari was her own person as she had always been. No one was going to boss her around anymore.

She opened her eyes behind the mask. The world appeared differently from this point-of-view. It was a separate reality from the one she resided in. Onari looked at her hands. They seemed foreign. In this world, her thoughts shouted at her and ran free. No one else's mattered.

What as my name before I was given one? I don't remember. I don't know who I am. I do not belong here. It is only a place with walls and people that are not my own. Why do I stay here?

Onari stood onto her feet. She turned towards the window. Her hands went up to open it. She looked back at the space that was hers. Everything seemed so distant to her. Her hands couldn't touch this area anymore. Onari went out of the window. She had to find herself.

Yanagi leaned against Daiya as they sat on a branch. She let her legs hang as she looked up at him. He had become so quiet as of late that it was beginning to concern her. She reached up to move his bangs out of his face. Daiya kept staring below not even reacting to her touch. It was as if Idai had left all over again.

Yanagi sat up. She gently placed her hand on his cheek and turned his face towards her. He looked at her blankly. "Hi," she said cheerfully as she smiled at him. She rubbed her thumb on his cheek. "Hi," Yanagi said again trying to make him snap out of it. She leaned towards him to kiss his other cheek softly.

Daiya raised his hand to place it on Yanagi's arm. He knew she was there. He was just semi-out of it. Daiya closed his eyes at the kiss. She always tried to make him feel better. "I'm sorry," he apologized.

"You don't have to be. I know where your mind is," Yanagi said as she leaned back to look at him. "Just don't forget about the rest of us, okay? We're still here. Ryu isn't gone, Daiya. He is getting better last time Kiba sensei checked on him. It's going to take some time for his body to heal. We can't be impatient," she said trying to keep his attitude more optimistic.

"It's been two weeks, Yanagi. I thought what Onari did was going to heal him quickly. I didn't think it would take this much time. It's driving me insane," Daiya said frustrated. He touched his forehead with the palm of his hand. He wished he could rub it all away.

"Maybe Onari gave him the turtle for a reason. Turtles are known for being slow, Daiya. If she had given Ryu any of the other celestials, they could have sped his body up too quickly. Sometimes, it is safer to heal slowly. Try to look at it from a different perspective," Yanagi said.

"I wish I knew about the mysteries surrounding her. She isn't telling us anything about her past. I was young when I left our homeland. I don't remember a lot of things. That woman who gave birth to me was outcasted from her own family," he said regrettably.

"Onari was only trying to help Ryu. She doesn't wish demise on anyone. All of her strength is coming from the intense training she endures to protect everyone. I believe she's taken her role quite seriously. It's like she's preparing fro something no one knows about."

"I fully understand her position at home. She's the only girl and is often by herself. Wait, Yanagi." Daiya looked at her as if his brain had finally started to put on the past occurances at home. "Takeru has been acting odd, too."

Yanagi tilted her head. "Has Takeru said anything that might affect Onari's behavior?" She watched Daiya shake his head.

"No, but I am aware he's in love with her. He told me the day Onari bonded Ryu to her. We tried to stop her. It could have killed her as it drained her chakra to open the channel. Onari fought against Takeru and I. She was bent on fighting us if we chose to get near her. Takeru had to back down."

Yanagi looked at Daiya sadly. "Takeru has to understand that we make our own decisions. We have to respect each other in that regard. Takeru is usually interactive with everyone. He is a sweet guy. What is his mood like now?"

"He's distant. He doesn't speak to me much and he's gotten quite serious like dad. It's like he's another person," Daiya said as he shook his head.

Yanagi looked away. "He's given up, Daiya. He's heartbroken. I know how that feels. I felt the same way when I was unsure if you felt the same way about me. Takeru needs to focus on other things. Simply put, he wont' know how Onari feels if he doesn't confront her in way she'll understand."

Daiya reached up to move Yanagi's hair behind her ear. "I don't know what he's thinking. I suppose I need to find out." He leaned over slightly to kiss Yanagi by the ear. She closed her eyes in return.

Gin Akimichi dug through the dirt in the forest. She was looking for special seeds to help her in training. Shikamaru sensei had told her about various plants that were deadly and poisonous. Gin was wearing gloves to protect her fingers. She moved through the dirt carefully as her eyes searched for any signs of the round seeds she was looking for.

As she dug through the earth, Gin looked up to see a figure dart past her location. Her blue yes managed to see the red shirt the person wore. Forgetting about her search for the moment, she stood up to follow the figure. Gin through the person looked familiar. Where was Onari going? She followed her until the foreign girl stopped on a branch perched over the river. "Onari, where are you going?"

Onari looked over her shoulder at Gin. The girl was on a team with Kandai and Kiba's son. She tilted her head slowly trying to figure out why she was being sought after. Onari wasn't a secretive person, but she didn't understand why Gin wished to know. She didn't really know the girl. "Onari is going away," she said in her fast dialect.

"You're going away? Why are you leaving the hidden leaf village? Are you searching for something to help Ryu? We all heard how he was injured," Gin said. She watched as Onari shook her head. Onari turned around. "Onari, it is Ryu's job to protect another person on a mission. It's all of our jobs."

"Onari does not know Gin. Onari is going to go now," she said dismissing Gin's curiosity. She took off at lightening speed. Onari wasn't exactly upset with Ryu's slow recovery. She was expecting it to be that way. She was more concerned with where her position ly.

Takeru glanced at his brother as he sat cross-legged at the edge of the pond. He threw a rock into the water. It plopped. Daiya approached him from behind. Takeru didn't turn around. "What is it, Daiya?"

"You do realize that you've been distant with everyone," Daiya said. He watched Takeru nod his head before throwing another rock. "Have you given up on my sister?"

"Why are you asking me that?" Takeru lowered his head. He had told Saori he was trying to move on. So far, his decision bothered him. It was hard to get her out of his heart.

"Onari hasn't given up on you. Why are you choosing to push her off?" Daiya was concerned with the outcome of Takeru's decision. The more he through, the more he realized Onari was in love with Takeru; even though, she was unfamiliar with her own feelings.

"Saori told me the reason Onari gave Ryu the turtle, was to save the dragon for someone. She said the dragon bonded with the phoenix. Is that true, Daiya?" Takeru looked over his shoulder. He looked away. "You don't know."

"Onari and I are from two different clans. I don't know much about what her clan's way of life. Instead of worrying about what Saori has told you, why not ask Onari yourself? And if the dragon is being saved for someone, why don't you ask her if she intends to give it to you," Daiya asked. He watched as Takeru stopped throwing rocks. "You could level with me."

"I'm not afraid of being married to Onari. I'm…worried…that it may be false," Takeru said softly. He didn't know what was wrong with him. Why was he admitting something like this to Daiya? Takeru was only thirteen-years-old. He was deeply in love with Onari. He couldn't imagine a life without her. "I want to be with her. Yet, I know it's not smart for me to say that."

Daiya sat down next to his brother. He looked at Takeru seriously; watching his face. "You're more sure of what you want out of life than anyone I've ever met. You also push the rest of us to recognize our own goals and mend the fragile parts of ourselves.

I've watched how you are around Onari. You're in love with her so much, that it clouds your own thinking. You're hurting yourself by trying to get rid of her. I don't understand your reasoning for it."

"If I let her know what I'm thinking and feeling, she might grow apart from me. I don't want to lose her. I don't want to lose what we had in the past. I want her to experience more to life than just us - just me."

Daiya looked at the area over the pond. He knew what Takeru was doing. "You're testing her. That's what it is. You want to know if Onari really harbors feelings for you - like you do her. Takeru, I know this isn't my place to say, but if you have to distance yourself from her, do it gradually. Onari is going to think you hate her if you stop all contact. She doesn't deserve that."

Takeru sighed heavily. "I don't want to hurt her, Daiya, but I can't bear the thought of losing her. She'll find someone else who will have feelings for her. I'd rather walk away than to be rejected heavily."

"You don't know if she will reject you. I doubt she will. You're assuming an outcome that is not set in stone," Daiya said disappointedly. He was angry at Takeru for thinking the way he was. Takeru was not giving Onari a chance to tell him anything.

Takeru bit his lower lip. "First loves are only first loves, Daiya. They don't last forever. Onari will always be my first. I have t move on. It's not fair for me to hold her back from experiencing others. It's Onari's decision who she wants to be with."

Daiya turned his brother towards him forcefully. He looked at Takeru sadly. Takeru's eyes told him he was rejecting himself from falling madly in love with Onari. His face was emotionless, but his eyes told him all of the feelings Takeru was harboring. "Takeru, you're trying to fool yourself, but I see past it. Onari has followed after you for the past two years. She-"

Takeru shook his head gently to stop Daiya in his tracks. "Onari has to stand on her own two feet. She's not allowed to follow me anymore."

Daiya looked at Takeru in slight shock. Takeru was trying to make Onari distance herself from him. They all were going to do it at one point or another. They were at the turning roads were life was going to be more difficult; missions would get harder; and life would have to be endured. Daiya understood him a little more, but he didn't agree with it. He cupped his brother's face in his rough hands. Takeru's eyes were sad. Daiya could almost feel his brother's heart fighting his head. "I understand what you're trying to do, Takeru, but Onari might not. Childish games are over for us. I wanted all of us to learn together, but it's not possible anymore. You are right. We have to l

"Please, don't hate me," Takeru said gently. If Daiya held a grudge against him it was going to be painful and difficult to live with him. He wanted Onari to grow into a woman - not to remain as a little girl.

"I don't hate you," Daiya said. Takeru closed his eyes. It was time for all of them to mature, one way or another. He would allow Takeru one last feeling regarding his youth.

Saori Nara walked through the forest slowly. Her hand trailed the bushes as she walked in sorrow. She had checked on Ryu almost every day. His condition was still the same - he was stable. No one gave her anymore information than that. Each time she came back from the hospital, she locked herself in her room to steal away into Ryu's world. Her parents were concerned about what she was doing. They forbid her to go back to the hospital the last couple of days. Saori was depressed. Her heart ached. She wanted Ryu back.

Saori sat on a fallen tree. She put her hands up to her face. I can't do this. I can't. Her tears rand own her cheeks. She couldn't get her mind off of Ryu. The image of him laying in the bed was burned into her mind. She wiped her eyes with her arm.

I just want to see him smile again. Why is it so hard? I'm aware he's not getting worse, but he's not getting any better. Saori lifted her head to look up at the trees. The sun blinded her eyes. She blinked. Saori turned her head. She thought she had seen something out of the corner of her eye. Saori stood up. She took a kunai out. Even though she was in the forest outside the village, Saori was still cautious. She was alone.

A stick breaking caught her attention. "I don't know who you are, but you have seconds to identify yourself before I throw something nasty at you," Saori warned. She went into a defense stance with the kunai in her hand. "Time's up." Saori threw the kunai towards the noise. She blinked as the kunai came back seconds later. Saori brought Rose out to block the kunai from hitting her. It sunk into Rose's puppet body.

Saori gasped. A figure was watching her. The ninja wore a mask with a hideous smile containing fangs. She tensed. Was she about to die? The ninja was by her side as soon as Saori blocked the kunai. Whoever it was, was extremely fast. Her eyes looked over the form of the ninja - her body frozen. Long dark hair and a red shirt caught her eye. "Onari?"

The girl from the lightening country tilted her head a few times. "Why did Saori choose to throw a kunai at Onari," she demanded with an emotionless voice. She stood stiffly watching the puppet girl through her new world.

"Onari, why are you out here? I thought you were going to attck me! You're not as quiet as you may think you are. What kind of ninja gives away her position by stepping on a stick?" Saori could understand that Onari had only been training two years, but she knew better at this point.

Onari tilted her head again as she pondered what Saori said. "Onari has not stepped on a stick, Saori Nara. Onari uses the trees to travel - not the ground." Saori's eyes widened. Whatever had made a noise, wasn't Onari. Onari's guard went up. She let her head fall forward as if someone had lightly popped her on the back of the head. It took a moment for Onari to check the area using her Bird's Eye View technique. "Onari and Saori are the only ninja here," she said lowly as she confirmed it. It was probably an animal.

Saori put her kunai back in the pack on her rear. She took a deep breath to clam her nerves. "What are you doing out here? And where did you get the mask?" She watched Onari move away. "Onari?"

"Onari is going away now. Onari's mask is from Sasuke," she said as she answered the girl quickly. The puppet girl walked towards her. Onari shot back as if she was a threat. "Saori must go back to Konoha. Onari is going to go now."

Saori caught onto Onari's words. "Onari, why are you leaving the village? Have we done something?" The raven haired girl did not answer. "Is it because Ryu was injured?" No acknowledgement came. Please don't let it be what I think it is. "Did Takeru do something?" Onari turned away. She walked off. Saori followed her. "Onari, what did he do?"

Onari looked over her shoulder. "Onari does not wish Saori trouble. Saori must go back. Onari does not belong in Konoha. Onari is on her own." She turned back around to speed off before Saori could say another word.

Saori ran after Onari until the girl's form was nothing more than a blur. Onari had been hiding her speed up until now. "What in the world? She's as fast as Lee sensei! I guess it's gullible of me to assume she'd be lacking in skill with several trainers." Saori slowed down. She looked around the forest. There was no sound, or movement. Onari was gone.

"Did she say where she was going," Yanagi asked as she and Gin jumped from branch to branch. They had been searching for a few hours. No one was at Saori's house. Yanagi couldn't find Daiya, or Takeru. They were probably together. Gin had left word with Izumi of what had happened.

"No, she kept saying she was going. I asked her why she was leaving, but she wouldn't say," Gin answered. "It's not like Onari to go anywhere by herself. Every time I've seen her there has been someone with her." She kept her gaze on the path ahead.

Yanagi sighed. "I think it has to do with Takeru. Ever since Onari tried to help Ryu, he's closed himself off. He's been pushing her away since she started to go out with Eiyu. Daiya said Takeru's acting more like their father each and every day. It's unlike him to be that way. Onari is more than likely feeling abandoned. She and Takeru were so close. I know I would be if the one I loved just stopped all contact with me. Man, I wish I knew Takeru's reasoning for this."

Gin stopped on a branch. Yanagi stopped on a tree next to her. She looked around the area. "Yanagi, it will be dark soon. This was the direction I saw Onari take off to, but she could have changed her course. There's no sign of her."

"We're running out of time. I'm worried Gin. Onari doesn't know where the village is location wise. She could get lost. Onari hasn't left Konoha but a few times since she's moved here. And those times, she's been with her team. There's always been someone to guide her back. I hate to say it, but she has poor orientation."

"Perhaps it would be wiser to have Areku and Kiba sensei with us," Gin said. "They are trackers. It might be too late to find Onari. Her scent would be long gone by now."

"Gin, we are the worst trackers ever," Yanagi said with a smile. She had to laugh. "It's not wonder Kiba sensei made Idai the leader for my team."

Gin and Yanagi turned around. They started to go back the way they had come. Darkness was not a good factor against two lone ninja. It was dangerous outside the village. Who knew whom or what was lurking.

"Yanagi, where do you suppose Idai is," Gin asked her friend softly. Idai had been missing for two years now. Gin was aware of Idai's flashbacks. Yanagi and Saori had had to level with her concerning it. Areku had told her more regarding the experiences his father had relayed. There was no guarantee they would ever see Idai again.

"I'm not sure, Gin. You think he would keep in touch with Daiya, or Kiba sensei. There hasn't been any word from him," Yanagi said sadly. "I wish Idai would let Daiya know he's alright. He's so lost without him."

"But he has you," Gin said not understanding.

"He does, but Idai is his best friend. His bond with Daiya is different than mine is. I can't replace Idai. I wouldn't try to, or want to," Yanagi said softly. "It's not right to forget someone you love."

Onari stopped running. Her lungs heaved for air. Sweat beaded across her forehead. The area around her was unfamiliar. Onari was good and lost now. If she wanted to go back, she couldn't. Darkness echoed around her.

Onari looked up at the stars shinning brightly in the sky. The moon hung like a time piece keeping record. Crickets softly played their song as frogs croaked into the night. There was no one out here but her.

The mask she wore, was lowered. Her face was covered in cold sweat. She wiped it clean with her sleeve. Onari was purely alone. Izumi was not here to tell her to eat properly. Sasuke was not training her. Daiya was not around to correct her language. Takeru was not teaching her or doing anything with her. Onari pushed her emotions deep down. She refused to let it worry her. Everything was a lie. No one really wants me. I thought they liked me. Saori is sad because Ryu got hurt on our mission. It was my fault. I should have anticipated that bastard getting after him. Onari sat down. She leaned against a tree. Takeru is not himself anymore. He is starting to act like Sasuke. I don't have the right role to play Izumi with him. I also don't have the patience to demand attention. Her yellow eyes darted as she surveillanced the area. I have more important things to worry about. Gekido is going to come after Akaihi. I'll be the right age soon for him to try. If he dares to send his lightening users after me, I'll show him the true meaning of torment.

Onari took out a kunai. She balanced it on the palm of her hand; her chakra caused the kunai to hover with the sharp point aimed down. It rotated slowly. Her eyes narrowed at it. "Onari is not a stupid girl. Onari is smarter than everyone gives her credit. Onari's words may not be completely correct, but Onari's mind is just as fast." She stopped rotating the kunai. Onari snatched it before it fell and threw it. She heard it plunk into another tree. I'll show you, Takeru Uchiha. I'm not beneath anyone.

Sasuke walked down the hall. His feet softly hitting the wooden floor. Izumi was waiting for him in the family room. "We've searched the entire village. There isn't any sign of Onari. Yanagi and Gin scouted the area surrounding Konoha, but they didn't have any luck. I don't know where she could have gone." Sasuke sat down tiredly.

"Kiba and his son got word about Onari shortly after you left. They are trying to help, too. They want to locate her. I don't know where she could have gone, either, Sasuke. Onari only has us. What has her on the defensive," Izumi wondered. Onari was a quiet girl most of the time. She didn't cause problems for anyone.

Sasuke put his elbows on the low table. He interlaced his fingers together and rested his mouth against his hands. "You're supposed to be in bed, Takeru." He glanced at his son with his dark eyes. Takeru's face was emotionless and distant. Izumi was watching their son, too. "You know why Onari is gone, don't you?"

Takeru averted his eyes. "I think she left because of me. I've been pushing her away." He had to come clean. Takeru didn't know Onari was going to react to him the way she did. Daiya had also threatened to electrocute him if he didn't fess up.

"Takeru, why have you been pushing Onari away? What has she done to you," Sasuke said. Onari and Takeru never had a problem with each other before. What was the reason for his son to distance himself from her?

"I… don't want her to follow me around anymore. Onari needs to find her own path in life. She can't stay on the one where I am," Takeru said to his parents.

"Takeru Uchiha, you cannot force someone to see life as you do nor expect that person to change when you want them to," Izumi said angrily. "Do you even fathom what you have done? Onari only has us as her family. She is alone in this world. Your father and I have been training her and have accepted her as one of our own the moment she set foot in this house. You have been erasing every effort we have made!"

Takeru lowered his head. His mother was furious. The look on his father's face told him he was heavily disappointed in him. "I didn't know she was going to react the way she did!"

"Onari hasn't been following you. She's been learning from you. Every act made upon proper ettitequite to training has been etched into her mind. Onari knows nothing about having a family or how to do thing properly. You cannot expect an abandoned child like her to adjust quickly. It is the same with your brother. You may not realize this at your age because you're ignorant. Takeru, you lack respect for us, your brother, and Onari. What you have done has hurt everyone in this household!

Daiya is attached to Onari because they are from the same country. He needs her as she needs him. Not only that, but your mother and I think of her as our daughter. I wanted Onari from the moment I found out her situation. Instead of her having a better life that she deserves, she has been turned out into a dangerous world. This behavior of yours won't be tolerated further. Do I make myself clear," Sasuke said sternly as his eyes stayed upon his son.

Takeru closed his eyes. It was rare for his father to show anger around him. Takeru had upset a balance his parents had made for Onari. He bit his lip. His heart clenched. "Yes, sir," he said softly. He wanted to hide, but it wasn't going to do any good.

"Might I ask why you chose to take these matters into your own hands," Izumi said as she kept her lavender eyes focused on him. "Takeru, do not lower your head."

Takeru raised his head with difficulty. "I… didn't want Onari to be concerned with me. I wanted her to meet others and make her own decisions. I shouldn't and can't influence her. It's not my place to. Onari has to live for herself. I can't do it for her." He couldn't look at his parents. His eyes told everything. Takeru knew his mother saw past everything he said.

Sasuke had to turn his gaze away. He was really angry at Takeru. He thought he had raised him to take into account the circumstances of his actions. He looked at Izumi. "What are we going to do? Now we are plagued with a heavy decision. Does Onari continue to live here, or is it more acceptable for her to live elsewhere?"

Takeru's eyes went wide. Onari would have to leave? He didn't want that. His parents were going to get rid of her because of how he was acting. Takeru looked away the second his father glanced at him. What have I done?

"Takeru, you can go to bed. We are through with you," Izumi said in her stern motherly tone. Her son glanced at her. She caught the look in his eye. "What is it you wish to say?"

"I don't want Onari to leave," Takeru said softly afraid of an outburst from his parents.

"You should of thought about that before you chose to push her off. At this moment, Onari is not here to hear your wide of things. With the way she is, she won't come back and resume her place in this house," Sasuke said bitterly. "I see another side to that girl than you are aware of, Takeru. Onari is very headstrong, determined, and aggressive when she chooses to be. Her physical strength is much like Sakura's - Yanagi's mother. Onari is able to punch through more than just small boulders, Takeru." He caught his son's gasp. "She has been holding back her skills so as to not injure another person, or get herself attention. As much as I want her to return here, I cannot force her. If she chose to, she could easily break any bone in my body before I was able to react. Her speed has increased dramatically since she has taken direction from Lee in the past two years."

Izumi watched Takeru's face. "Brains are not the only things to rely on in battle. Physical strength can save a friend or end a life. Onari has undergone tough training from Neji and I to awaken her kekkegenkai. Whether you realize it or not, Takeru, that girl has surpassed you. Onari does not need approval from us regarding her life. She only wants acceptance and you've shot her down. The love that you harbor for that girl may not reach her now." Takeru looked away hurt.

"I've known for some time you were falling for her, Takeru. It shows in your actions more than your words. You're much like your father. I just thought you two would have given each other a chance by now. I cannot tell you if it is wise to speak to Onari if we can manage to find her. She's not going to believe a word anyone says. You may leave now."

Takeru went back to his room. His parents knew he was in love with her. He had ruined his chances with her. Takeru sat on his bed. Daiya was asleep, his body half-way in the sheets and half-way out. Daiya was going to be upset with him and he knew it. Takeru laid down. He turned away from his brother. He had lost Onari and it was his own fault.

Kiba Inuzuka jumped through the trees. It was late in the eve. The darkness around him did not frighten him in the least. His sense of smell let him know where an opponent lurked.

Kiba stopped on a branch. He lifted his head to sniff the air. "Come on, sprout, where are you?" Onari's scent was not on the wind. He was tired, but he was pressing on. He went off again hoping Onari was alright.

Kiba was not the only one searching for the girl. His son, Areku, was searching in another direction. He was hoping if he didn't locate her, his son would. They would meet up soon at a certain location to see if either one of them had had success.

Onari walked slowly on the dirt road. She didn't know where it led. The stars surrounded the sky she was under. Onari couldn't see in front of her face, much less, where she was walking. The moon had moved its position to hang above the trees. She was tired. A chill went up her back. Her teeth chattered.

Onari slightly wished she could lay against Daiya's back and he could carry her.

She had no idea how far she had come. Her anger at Takeru had kept her feet moving for hours. Onari yawned hard. She moved away from the road. Her legs went out from under her as she collapsed into the tall grass.

Onari awoke to the sounds of creaking. She lifted her head out of the grass to see an old man riding a cart pulled by an ox. The animal's horns were long. Onari sat up fully. The old man was swishing a long rod at the ox as he sung a song she was unfamiliar with. She tilted her head a few times.

The road to her left was the one she had followed to where she was now. Wherever this placed seemed to be. Onari tried to remember what had caused her to leave the hidden leaf village. Faces swirled in her head. Her mind stopped on Takeru. She narrowed her eyes behind the mask. Onari's heart ached, but her head demanded her to forget him.

Onari jumped up. The road led further away from where she had came. She had to know where it went. She started to run down the dirt road - her feet carrying her as far away from Konoha as she could get. There had to be more to life than training to protect those that didn't want her.


	67. Chapter 67

**V7 ch 6**

**Shogai, not your every day Celestial**

Eiyu slammed Takeru's shoulders against the wall of a building. He had found out that Onari had left the village from his twin. Kandai had learned it from Gin, who was the last person to see her. He narrowed his eyes at his teammate. "What did you do? What did you say to her? What was it," he demanded rather angrily.

Takeru looked away. He pushed Eiyu off of him. "I haven't said anything to her! Onari chose to leave on her own!"

"Gin was the last person Onari encountered. She bailed for a reason, Takeru. What have you said to her," Eiyu said not letting it go.

"I haven't said anything to her! I told you that!" Takeru

turned away from Eiyu. He felt terrible as it was for the consequences of his actions. He felt his teammate grab onto his arm. Takeru rotated on his heel as his fist came around. He punched Eiyu dead in the jaw catching him off guard. Eiyu Hyuuga was knocked off of his feet. He slid on the ground.

Eiyu spit the blood out of his mouth as he looked up at Takeru rather hatefully. He rose to his feet slowly. "It's you. She's been acting different because of you!"

"Why the hell would she care what I think and do? She's dating you, idiot," Takeru shouted. He watched Eiyu's face as it hit home. "She's with you," Takeru repeated softly as his eyes lowered. Eiyu had every right to be concerned where Onari was. Takeru had no authority to be concerned because she was taken.

"Onari isn't with me physically or mentally. She's always watched you, Takeru. And you haven't shown any emotion towards her unless we were on a mission. When you had to," Eiyu said as he stood next to him. "I don't have her heart. I never did."

Takeru stood with his heart racing, eyes wide as Eiyu left.

Kiba Inuzuka touched the ground where the grass was flattened. Had she previous been here? He got onto his knees, sniffing the ground strongly. Onari. She was here, alright. Which way did she go? Kiba glanced back at Areku. "Which way do you suppose she went, Areku?"

Areku approached the area cautiously with his eyes darting around. "If I were trying to be the furthest from Konoha, I would go that way," he said jerking his thumb to the right. "Onari is possibly running low on energy. She's going off of anger. It's what's fueling the fire in her."

"Sprout has the tendency to let her anger simmer for a while until she boils over," Kiba said. "The worst case scenario is she encounters an enemy out here on her own. There's no one to help her." He and Areku took off down the road. They were hot on her trail.

Onari touched her stomach as it growled loudly. She made a face under the mask she wore. The people around her were watching her strangely. Onari turned around quickly. The people moved back suddenly. What is their problem?

Onari moved down the road slowly staring at vendors. All she saw for the first few stalls were meat. She turned her head. Onari hated meat. where were the vegetables and fruit in this area? She sighed. The only edible thing she agreed upon was bread being sold by a man several years older than her. She put her hand out to offer ryo. The man didn't know how to her. Onari rolled her eyes. "Onari is paying for the bread. Man will take ryo," she said.

The man came closer surprised at the girl's voice. He suspected a bland, harsh male voice to be behind the mask, but it was female. "Onari? Are you Onari," he asked as he took the ryo a little more warmly. The people moved on. "What are you doing in our village?"

Onari lifted the mask so she could munch the bread. The man was examining her face. She glanced at him. He didn't flinch at her unusual appearance. "Onari leave Konoha."

"You're from Konoha? What are you doing way out here? You're a long way from home," he said as he assisted other customers. He couldn't leave them waiting despite his curiosity at the strange girl.

"Onari doesn't have a proper home. Onari was trained to be a ninja to benefit the team she is on," she said as she chewed. Onari caught the man's facial expression. "What?"

"Ninja don't usually leave their village unless they are on missions. Did you have a fight with someone," the man asked. He handed money back to a customer. "If you don't return home soon, they'll come looking for you."

"Onari does not want to see anyone," she said as her anger surfaced to a simmer. She flipped her head away from the man as if he had some connection to the ones she knew. After she finished her meal, she lowered the mask over her face.

"Whether you want to see them or not, they'll come looking for you. You're not supposed to leave the village you reside in. What kind of ninja are you?" The man watched her take off down the road without an answer. "Hey, where are you going," he called after her. He watched her disappear in the morning crowd. "Kids…"

Sasuke checked his back pocket for kunai, along with all of his ninja tools. He strapped on a back pack full of supplies. He glanced at the entrance to his bedroom. Izumi and Takeru were watching him. "The Hokage ordered me to retrieve Onari," he said rather bland. He kept his eyes on them before he started to recheck everything again.

Izumi feared for the foreign girl. Sasuke was sent out when assignations were the main focus. "Did he tell you to bring her back, or stop her, Sasuke?" She put her hand on Takeru's shoulder.

"If Onari shows defiance and tries to fight me… she won't be returning," he said as Takeru gasped. "Her abilities are too strong. Partially our fault for training her so well. If she gets out of control, she could turn against everyone in the village who has helped her." He stopped and stood up.

Takeru balled up his fists. "You can't! Didn't you say she was important to Daiya? She's part of our family! Onari's not a weapon!"

Izumi crouched to where she could look up into her son's face. "Sasuke doesn't like this anymore than you do. Onari's strong for her age and very smart, Takeru. The same things that make her a genius, also make her a threat to the village. She could fight everyone around her easily by using Akaihi to target those she feels are after her."

"Onari wouldn't hurt anyone. She only defends herself! Dad, you said she was like your daughter! You can't take her out!" Takeru's eyes were wild as he tried to make his father see reason. "You can't!"

Sasuke sighed. "It's an order, Takeru. I do what the Hokage demands of me. I have no choice in the matter. Right now, she's abandoned her post. She abandoned her team - her life here."

"She's mad at me," Takeru said. "She thinks I don't care about her. But… I do," he answered softly. He closed his eyes.

"Well, if I were you, Takeru, I'd pray really hard that I don't find her," Sasuke said as he stood with the backpack.

Ryu breathed hard as he concentrated. It had been a few weeks since he was injured by Nattoku, Hire's vengeful brother. The man had lost his life to Onari's celestial phoenix. Ryu had gone through countless hours of therapy to get him back to where he was physically. Ryu was tired of being in the hospital. His condition had been so serious that he was presumed dead upon his entry.

Ryu wanted out of the hospital so eh could see Saori. Her parents had stopped her from visiting him a while back due to the depression she had over him. He had to see her. Ryu managed to put his hand through the wall. He breathed hard, panting as he withdrew his hand. I need more time. Ugh. He leaned back onto the pillows behind him.

Ryu reached over to grab the mirror beside the bed. He checked his chest and abdomen. Gently, he ran his fingers over his skin. The wounds were disappearing. Soon he moved the mirror to look at the markings on his bicep. Ryu's eyes moved over the turtle and phoenix. What does this mean? how did Onari save me from death?

His eyes studied the pictures heavily. If this is a link to a celestial… how do I unlock it? He traced over the turtle with his fingers. Is this who helped me? Ryu tried to concentrate on the turtle. "Come out. If you're the one that helped me, I want to know." He waited. Nothing happened.

How does Onari get Akaihi to show up? Ryu thought hard about what he's heard and seen. The celestial only showed when Onari was in danger. Do I have to be in trouble? He shook his head. No, she has to smear her own blood on the tattoos she has.

Ryu bit his thumb. He winced. He began to smear his blood on his bicep. "Summoning jutsu," he said as he did the hand seals, not sure which ones were correct.

Ryu opened his eyes as he looked around the room. He didn't see anything. "It didn't work…" He stared at his legs. He felt something cold touch his elbow. Ryu shifted his eyes to see a brown turtle with green armor watching him. The eyes of the reptile sparkled. "A-Are you the one who helped me…?"

(I am Shogai of the North Gate. I was summoned by the one Akaihi protects. I am now bonded to you, Ryu Yuhi, until you take your last breath.)

Saori laid upon the grass filled with flowers. She breathed in their scent heavily. Oh, Ryu… The waterfall rushed to her ears. Saori had to rely on the genjutsu scroll to comfort her when others were unable. She was spending a lot of time mesmerized by Ryu's gift.

Saori's blue eyes watched a yellow butterfly move around her head. She moved her head to look up at it. The butterfly wasn't like the other ones embedded in the scroll. The tips of its wings were red. "Where did you come from? Were you trapped in the genjutsu?" Saori sat up. The butterfly started to move away. She rose to follow it, her feet moving through the flowers.

Saori soon came upon a row of steps that led down the hill. She hadn't noticed them before. Her feet moved to each step carefully. As she followed the butterfly, tulips opened by each step. They glowed with radiance. Were these here before?

She came upon a small embankment filled with thick grass. There was a pool of water ahead of her. She could still hear the waterfall in the distance. As she stood watching the butterfly turn circles at the water's edge, a turtle lifted its head out of the water. It moved its rather large body towards her. Saori only stared.

Shogai lifted his head so he could meet the girl before him. (You are Saori Nara, Ryu Yuhi's, female, are you not?) Shogai saw the girl's eyes widen.

"Ryu's female? Ryu is my boyfriend, yes," she said softly. "Who are you?" The turtle blew smoke out of its nostrils.

(I am Shogai, Lord of the North Gate. I am the one who is bonded to Ryu now. He is waiting for you, Saori Nara.)

Saori's heart flopped in her chest. "Ryu?" She gently sat upon the turtle's shell as he ordered her to do. Soon he immersed himself in the water. Shogai swam out into the pool of water going farther and farther from the embankment. It disappeared from her view.

They stayed silent for moments as the water moved past them. The water soon darkened as it became shrouded in an unusual mist. Saori had no idea where she was. Ryu's scroll only allowed an illusion to be contained in a small area. Were they outside of her room?

Saori's eyes went wide as a large Japanese mansion came into view. It stood near the water with a large gate surrounding it. Shogai soon lifted his body out of the water. Saori stepped her feet onto the grass.

"Where are we?"

(We are where we are supposed to be. You must try to enter the gate alone. I sense your emotions and strengths, Saori Nara. To be with one who is fated with a celestial, you must hold the foundation firm for him to stand on. I believe you are the rock and he is the wall that must shield those Akaihi defends.)

Saori took a deep breath. She was trying to understand what he was saying. "You're telling me my path is tied to Ryu's? You mentioned before I was his female. What does that mean?"

Shogai turned his starry gaze upon the girl. (The both of you were fated to meet. It was destined by the stars. The decision to save Ryu was also made. It was not Onari's choice to link him. The ability to do so was embedded in her actions without her being fully aware of what she was doing. You must make your choice, Saori. Now is when your fate is decided.)

Saori approached the large gate. It stood with its doors shut. There didn't seem to be any way to open it outside. She ran her hand across the wood. A large noise clicked and whirred. Saori moved her hand back. What had she touched? The giant gate opened to reveal a world of darkness. She stared into the blackness not knowing if she should enter.

(Decide your choice as you enter. Whatever happens, keep your heart focused. If your mind falters, your path will end here.)

Saori Nara thought of Ryu just as she had at the lotus competition in Otomori. Her feet moved forward until she was blanketed in the dark. Everything I do, I do it for him.

Shogai watched as the girl's form disappeared. He stood in her wake as the gate closed. It boomed its echo throughout the area.

Saori kept her heart focused on Ryu. She didn't run through the darkness or scream his name. she had to depend on herself. That's what it was all about. Was she worthy of Ryu? This was her test.

A loud growling noise came to her ears. Saori reached into her back case to retrieve a kunai. "I'm not afraid," she said forcefully. Her mind was alert, eyes searching the blackness for the noise she had heard. Saori walked towards the growling, not away from it. A pair of green intense, wild, slit eyes were watching her.

Saori stood where she was. "Whatever you are, you won't separate me from Ryu. I promised to never let go of him." The eyes came closer. The beast growled. Saori did not panic as the face of a tiger started to show. Its jaws opened to reveal large, oversized fangs. Her body was strong, firm and ready for an attack. The beast kept its eyes matched with hers.

The tiger studied the soul of the girl before him. It roared loudly to test her. She did not flinch, or back down. No, the one before him was completely cool and confident.

Saori watched as the tiger breathed in the darkness. Her eyes blinked as the world around her changed to that of a beautiful garden shrouded in bamboo and numerous ponds of lotus blossoms. Her eyes stayed on the beast, not trusting it for the moment. "You're not an ordinary tiger," she said.

The tiger moved towards her, his feet padding on the ground. He sat before her, his eyes gazing upon her with adoration. (Saori Nara, I wish for you to be the force behind my claws. You are the first in ages who has withstood my test. Your heart is strong with emotion, but not overwhelmed by it. What you desire in life is to be seen as someone superior to those not worthy of your presence. Let me trade your desires for truth.)

Saori shook her head. "Sorry, I'll pas. I admit I was like that two years ago, but not now. I desire nothing out of my reach. My goals are to be equal with those I train with. My job is to protect my team and village. I already have the one I love. What could you possibly offer me that means more to me than them? Nothing."

The tiger moved closer to where his face was right in front of hers. (You dare to reject an offer by a God?) He growled threateningly.

"I reject any offer that is selfish," Saori said just as aggressively. "You do not scare me - God or not."

The tiger smiled at her. He bowed his head low to hear, his body eased as his ears listened. (You have passed the real test before you. Your rewards is me. I am Josei, Lord of the West Gate.) He raised his head to look at her.

Saori's body shook as she realized what was occurring. It was exciting yet scary at the same time. "I'm getting a celestial like… Ryu and Onari? But I thought only Onari could bond someone?"

Josei continued to smile with his fangs showing in the moonlight. (Tigers may not be called upon. It is undignified. I choose who I approach and why. Normally, I wouldn't cooperate with Shogai - he's a wretch in my presence; however, he is what found you lurking the backbone of the one he is bonded to. You are the one who opened the gate, Saori. Do you accept the challenge standing before you?)

Saori heard the tiger's heart beating inside her head. It was a booming sound that echoed in her mind. The wildness in the beast was running around her in the forms of light. Saori soon heard the drums of the tiger beat in rhythm. Did she choose to add her own drum to its beat?

She closed her eyes searching for the answer within herself. If I answer Josei, it means I am answering the wildness in myself. It would make me separate from Onari and Ryu, yet I would be working with them for the same purpose. I'd have an important part - a huge one. I have to be the foundation for them to stand on, or it falls apart. Am I ready for it?

Josei stood patiently awaiting her answer. (Make your choice. It is not every hundred years I find someone who is worthy of my gifts.)

Saori realized her plans for becoming a Jounin like Kurenai was still reachable. This was an opportunity for her to grow and become stronger. A chance such as this wasn't for everyone. Josei had to come to her through Ryu. There was something special about her. "I accept your offer."

Josei smiled at her only the way a tiger could. He ran at Saori so suddenly, the girl stumbled backwards. As she went back, he leapt for her. In mid-air his body turned translucent then started to shine full of light.

Josei's form spiraled down to Saori's chest. She was blinded as the link to the tiger became sealed. Saori sat up looking around as she breathed hard. Her heart tried to calm down. "What just happened? Did it work?"

Ryu walked slowly to the garden. He glanced up as he saw light flash and stop. Ryu started to run towards the back of the mansion. As he came upon the shoji screen, he slid it aside quickly. He saw Saori sitting on the ground. "Saori!"

Saori heard her name being called by a familiar voice. She looked up to see Ryu standing at the edge of the garden in a yukata. He had a worried expression on his face. "Ryu? Ryu!" She quickly got up to run towards him. Saori threw herself at him with her arms out. He grabbed her and spun her around as they fell to the ground. She wrapped her arms around him as she began to breathe him in.

Ryu wrapped his arms around in her in return. He rubbed his cheek against the side of her head fondly. He swallowed as he closed his eyes. "I've missed you so much," he said gently.

Saori tightened her hold on him. "I almost lost you," she said as the tears started to flow in happiness at his recovery. "Ryu, I don't want to be parted from you."

"I'm surprised you haven't figured out where we are yet," he said as he lifted her chin. He kissed her deeply as he ran his fingers down her jaw line. Ryu parted the kiss, his eyes half-lidded. "Take a look around."

Saori turned her eyes. They were sitting in Ryu's hospital room. "We're in the hospital? All of it- everything was… the genjutsu?"

Ryu smiled at her. "I bet you can't figure out where

the scroll ended and where I stepped in." He kissed her temple.

"The steps. I hadn't noticed them before," she said as he made her stand to sit on the bed. It was a bit more comfortable than the hard floor.

"No, the steps were always there. I think you were so worried about me that you didn't move from that spot. Am I right? I stepped in when you were almost to the mansion. Shogai knew what to do. He helped me get you here. I thought I did wonders on the mansion and garden."

Ryu held her against him as he looked over her form. His hands moved the sleeves of her shirt up, rubbing her shoulders. Ryu caught sight of markings on the upper part of her arm. He furrowed his brows. Ryu turned her body so he could get a better view.

Saori looked at him oddly. He was studying her arm for some reason, rather hard. "What is it?"

"Take a look at your arm," Ryu said as he reached over to get the mirror.

Saori's eyes looked over her arm constantly, not believing it. "There's a tiger sitting on a cloud with a phoenix staring up at it. Is that Josei and Akaihi?"

"Josei? The tiger? When did you met the guardian of the west gate?" Ryu leaned towards her with a concerned gaze.

"When Shogai met me, he told me I was supposed to meet you. He said it was decided by the stars, Ryu. He told me I had to pass a certain type of test. He said I had to be worthy of you since you had a celestial. I entered the garden, but it was pitch black. Josei showed himself to me not long after. He offered me the chance to have everything I ever wanted - at a price. I refused. He said I was worthy of him. He told me I needed to be the foundation Akaihi found on because-"

"Because I'm the wall that guards the phoenix and everyone it protects," Ryu said as he completed her train of thought. "Akaihi can't fight alone. There has to be a fourth player in this mystery of Onari's." He averted his eyes as he thought.

"A fourth player? I don't understand." She saw something dawn on him.

"There are four celestials of myth: phoenix, turtle, tiger, and dragon. In the Tibetan version, there is a snake that works with the turtle. Onari is gathering an army, Saori. The only one left out now is the dragon. We already know who the snake is if she is following the Tibetan version. It's Sasuke," he said as he said it aloud. "The dragon has to fight beside the phoenix or everything falls apart. When the dragon and phoenix are at quarrels with each other, there is war."

"If me, you, Onari, and Sasuke sensei have the ones mentioned, who is the fourth…? Who is the one intended for the dragon?" She looked at him puzzled.

"We already have a good idea don't we? Who is

close to Onari and happens to be male?" Ryu swore everything was falling into place based on fate. "It's Takeru, isn't it? Didn't you tell him before the dragon meant 'marriage' for him and Onari? What if it's true?"

Saori flopped backwards onto the bed. She stared at the ceiling. "This is all so surreal. Is it fate, or chance that Onari was found the way she was?"

"That was chance. Anyone could have helped her, but Sasuke was the one who was destined to bring her to Konoha. She met Takeru and they fell for each other. We have to get them to realize it. At all costs," Ryu said as he looked down at her with determination.

Areku breathed hard as he and his father came upon the small village. He suspected Onari had come this way, but one couldn't be entirely sure. They were hoping the girl would follow the road to a place where she could get food and water. After all, she was limited on funds since she had left so abruptly.

Areku began to search the village for Onari while his father went to get food for them. His eyes darted around as he sniffed the air constantly. He looked down at Ichigo. "I can smell her scent. She came this way. It wasn't too long ago." Areku's head turned to see vendors in the street selling food. If Onari had left the village in a rush, she would be famished by now. He could only hope she hadn't ate and ran.

Areku approached the first vendor. The man was weighing fish. "Excuse me, have you seen a dark headed girl with yellow eyes come this way?"

"Kid, I've had a lot of customers today. I haven't had anyone like that pass by me. Most of my customers are old women and newly married women," he said as he went back to assisting his patrons.

Areku moved down the line until he came upon a baker selling goods. Ichigo muttered something about meat buns for lunch. A light came on above his head. Wasn't Onari a vegetarian? Of course the fish salesman wouldn't have seen her. Onari wouldn't have wasted her time at such a place.

"Excuse me, have you seen a dark headed girl today? She might have bought buns or dumplings. Her eyes are unusually yellow with a black line around the pupil."

The man leaned over the food he had sitting out. It was a good break to talk to the boy. "A girl you say with unusual eyes? The one that came through here wearing a mask a few hours ago? Yeah, she stopped here. Saw her earlier this morning to be matter of fact. She took off that way," he said as he pointed down the road.

"Come on, Ich. We've got to find her and hurry," Areku said as he took off. He and Ichigo ran down the road as quickly as possible without running into people. He hadn't known about Onari having a mask. She had changed her appearance in order to remain untraceable.

Sasuke had remained a fair distance behind Kiba and Areku. It wasn't long after he had dealt with Takeru that he had left the village. Figuring out the direction Kiba and Areku had gone in wasn't hard. He figured Onari would have stayed upon the course she was on until she found a road. The nearest road led to a village a day's journey from Konoha. And the fact Kashira followed her husband's missions and had told him the direction Kiba was headed, had helped him cheat a little. He approached the small village slowly. Sasuke had to find Kiba. He was to remain at a distance as long as Onari could be convinced to go home.

Sasuke searched the village for his fellow trainer and friend. He kept his head downcast so he wouldn't alert anyone, or bring any attention to himself. As his eyes moved side to side scanning, he saw vendors selling food. He heard a man make a comment about ninja being in the village. He turned his head slowly to look at the individual who was talking to another man. He heard the man ask his friend if Sasuke was looking for the boy he had seen earlier with the dog. "So Areku's been this way. If he's on this side, then Kiba must be on the other side of the village." He changed his direction.

Takeru had to change Onari's fate. He ran on the road as he tried to get to the Hokage's house. Dad can't be after Onari! She's just a kid! Is she that much of a threat to the village? Dammit, this is all because of me! He slid on his feet as he rounded the corner. Takeru approached the Hokage's house breathing hard. He looked up at the two guards who were staring at him. "I… have to… see the Hokage," he panted.

"Aren't you Uchiha's kid? The Hokage is meeting with the ANBU right now. What could be so urgent," the man with blond hair asked.

"The Hokage sent my dad after Onari! He can't order him to take her out," Takeru said angrily. He needed to get past them. But how was he going to do that? The guards didn't just let anyone pass.

"The Hokage has the authority to order a mission to be completed," the blond man said again. "You should know that as a Genin. Who is this Onari?"

"She's the girl my dad took in a few years ago. He can't go after her! Please, let me by! My dad think of her as his own," Takeru shouted.

"We can't let you in," the man on the other side of the entrance said. "The Hokage's decisions are final. By now, your father is long gone. He would have already let. To correct the decision made, means we've lost faith in our leader. It is your friend's choice to leave the village. It can't be changed. Consequences are the responsibility of one individual."

"No! He can't order Onari to be killed! She's mad at me! She's just a kid," Takeru said as he tried to make them understand. They wouldn't let him past. He tried to push past them with force, but the two men sent him back easily enough. He fell backwards onto the ground. Takeru grimaced. Landing on one's tailbone was embarrassing, if not painful.

"Don't you two having anything better to do than push a kid around," Jigen said as he came out of the entrance. His meeting with the Hokage was over. He turned his tiger mask to each guard as he looked them over. "It'd be shameful if he grows up to kick your butts." Normally, he remained silent and observant. However, there was something wrong with this situation.

Takeru stood up brushing himself off. He recognized the voice. More than likely, it was the mask that was a dead give away. He could only hope the man remembered him. "Jigen?"

Jigen looked ahead at the boy before him. "Captain Jigen," he corrected. "You've grown taller. What is it you wish to see the Hokage about?"

"He ordered my dad to attack Onari if she chooses not to come back. She ran away," Takeru said softly. "She's mad at me. Really mad at me."

Jigen had a memory for faces and people he met. "Onari…? The girl with the large phoenix? I remember how her strengths were improving a few years back. How does she fair now?"

"She's extremely fast and powerful with her punches. Her kekkegenkai is showing. Dad said it's what makes her dangerous."

"Rightfully so. A kekkegenkai is an inherited trait. And if she's female and angry, it makes her one explosive bull," Jigen said in deep thought. "Anyway, she saved my tail, so I guess we can try to go save hers."

Takeru's eyes widened. "They said I couldn't enter." Jigen was waving him forward. Takeru followed him as he eyed the two guards. As the doors shut behind them, he looked up at Jigen.

"They wouldn't dare oppose me. Both of them owe me at least five hundred ryo for getting them out of debt. Gambling is not a leisure activity wives are bound to understand," he said as they walked down the hall.

Takeru made a face. He has the same reasoning as Ryu. It's a bit scary.

Onari turned her head as she sat on a bench near the edge of the village. She had been contemplating where she was going and why. It would be easy to hide from Gekido and his men. But if she chose to do that, he might come after Ryu for having a celestial, too. Onari stared straight ahead. She was undecided about where to go and what to do. She didn't hear someone approach. He coughed his head to get her attention.

Onari stared dead at Areku. He stood breathing hard with a small dog standing next to him. She wasn't sure why he was here, or how he had managed to find her.

"Are you going to keep running? We were sent to find you, Onari. A ninja belongs in her village. If you don't return home, we'll all be worried about you. You can't expect us to leave you out here."

"Onari is not from Konoha. Onari goes where Onari wants to go," she said as she stood up suddenly. Her eyes remained fixed on Areku. He was ready to chase her. His body position told her so.

"They're going to come after you, Onari." He saw her confusion. "The ANBU are sworn to deal with ninja who leave their post. Even though you weren't born in the village, you were trained there. You know how they operate and the secrets of the village."

"Onari doesn't care about secrets. Onari is tired of secrets! Areku needs to go back to Konoha!" She dissipated before him.

"Onari! This is bad, Ichigo. She's able to dissipate without using hand seals. Her concentration is better than we thought."

"Where is she," Sasuke asked as he saw Areku enter the eating establishment. He must have sniffed his father out. The boy was confused to why he was there.

"I tried to talk to her and she dissipated in front of me. Onari thinks we're trying to stop her from being herself - that we're trying to control her. Her concentration is better than the both of you know. She didn't use hand seals," he said as he glanced at Sasuke and his father.

"This is getting to be ridiculous sand tedious," Sasuke said as he stood up. The chair moved back. "I can't keep chasing her to the ends of the earth. If she doesn't want to be found, she won't be."

Kiba didn't like this at all. "Onari's acting kind of like a spoiled brat. Sasuke, maybe she needs a different approach."

"And which one would you suggest I take, Kiba? I'm ordered to put an end to this one way or another," he warned. "If you have any better ideas, you might want to heavily focus on persuading me."

"Try approaching her as a father - not an authority figure," Areku said. "If I were as mad as she is, I wouldn't listen to an adult who was trying to force me into submission." He kept his gaze matched with Sasuke's.

"Onari doesn't view me as a father, much less, an older person," Sasuke said as he looked around the establishment. People were starting to listen in to their conversation. "We need to go. There's too many eavesdroppers." All three of them walked outside. "Which way did she go, Areku?"

"I have no way of knowing. It's impossible to track someone who chooses to dissipate. You were listening, weren't you?"

Kiba placed his hand upon Sasuke's shoulder before the man snapped at his son. "Regardless of what she did to escape, what other areas are around here? Does she even have a destination in mind?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Onari isn't familiar with areas outside of Konoha. She only knows where the village is when she is on missions. If I'm permitted to say this, she has to be lead back with her team. I doubt Onari could survive outside the village. There's something eating away at her."

Kiba watched Sasuke's expression. "What has her attention?" No one around him knew.

"I want to say she thinks about what her life would have been like if she hadn't of met us, or if her parents had survived. If they had, would she be our enemy now, or possible friends with everyone around her? There's no way to know. I don't want to say it's been Takeru the entire time. He's not the one who gains her focus. It isn't just her that I've seen change. It's also been Daiya. There's an entire secret they aren't telling me," Sasuke said as he lifted his backpack.

"It looks like word has gotten around that we're in the village," Areku said lowly as he spotted two men watching them from afar. The men were keeping an eye on them. One of the men had brown hair, thick muscles on his arms, and was eying them heavily. He was looking from each of them trying to figure them out.

Sasuke slowly turned his eyes to look in that same direction. "Who are they?" He didn't recognize either of them as ninja from any country he knew. One of them looked strangely like… Daiya, in a way. The man was older, but Sasuke could see the facial resemblance. "I have a bad feeling about this. We need to postpone our arrangement with our new admirers."

Kiba nodded slowly. "I agree." He, Areku, and Sasuke split into a run. As soon as they did, the two men were after them. Kiba knew his son could handle himself. After all, he had Ichigo. He and Sasuke were going to deal with the two men and try to let Areku get away. The boy was younger and he was their prime concern. Onari is going to have to wait. We're being followed!

Naruto Uzumaki, Hokage of Konoha, paced back and forth as he thought about Takeru Uchiha. The boy was worried his father was going to kill Onari. He touched his forehead, rubbing his temples tenderly. Takeru cares for that girl stronger than someone of his age ought. He had the backbone to confront me, regardless of the guards at the door, or the position I hold. Naruto smiled. He regarded me as his equal. Sasuke's son is something else.

The sad thing is, there's no way to get in touch with Sasuke. He works alone a lot of the time. There's no what t know what route he took. Naruto went to his office behind the curtains. He opened a drawer to reveal maps of all areas near the fire country. He searched for the map so he could look it over.

Once his hand was upon it, he opened it. Naruto scanned the area. He traced his finger on the map. "If she went the way I think, she would have gone here. There's a village close to Konoha by half a day, but Onari's known for her aggression during missions. If she really was angry with Takeru, it would have given her more reason to get away." Naruto pinpointed all of the villages near their location. "The last one to see which way she went was Chouji's daughter, Gin." He rose. "There's too many possibilities. That girl's running rampant. Well, Takeru better find her before Sasuke does. He completes all of his missions," Naruto said regrettably at the thought of Sasuke using force upon the girl. He hoped he was wise with the decision he had made for Takeru.

Takeru moved swiftly through the trees with Jigen, the ANBU who had helped him earlier. "Are you sure she'll listen to me? Or that we'll find her?"

Jigen smiled under his tiger mask. "Women have tempers like men - it's just they handle it differently. Onari won't run forever. She'll get tired and be confused as where to go. If you're the one that comes to get her, she'll stop running."

Takeru glanced at him. "I hope you're right." I have to step up. Eiyu's not with hr anymore. Yet, if I want her at this moment, will she let me be near her? Takeru remembered what Daiya had said. "You're more sure of what you want in life than anyone." I want her. I'm going to fight for her if I have to.

Sasuke remained hidden in the village down a street where no one seemed to be wandering. The man who was following him was taking the bait. Idiot. Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he activated Sharingan. He stepped out from behind a large crate to stare at the man.

He stood watching the one in front of him with an evil

smirk on his face. "I was wondering if you were a coward, or a man. Where is the phoenix?"

Sasuke tried not to show his surprise at the man's knowledge of Onari's celestial. He only stared back at the man watching his every move. The man finally realized he wasn't the talkative type.

"Now, now, it's unwise to remain silent. Ninja from Konoha really are drones," Masasue said as he watched the man before him narrow his eyes. "We're looking for a phoenix and a person who might have it. If you're wise enough to tell me, I might end your life quickly, or spare you. Then again, how would you know anyway?" Masasue clenched his hands into fists. Steal blades came out. He smiled wickedly. "Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke wondered for a split second how this man knew his name; however, he was famous in some countries due to his missions. "At your service," he said in monotone as the man straightened his body as if in triumph.

"So you're the one who took the little phoenix keeper from the snow village," Masasue said as he soon discovered what was happening. "I have a feeling you really don't know where the phoenix is. Why else would you be out where with two other ninja? From what I hear, you work alone."

"For someone I've never seen you sure know a lot about me. Most don't live to tell about it," Sasuke said as he ran forward. The man in front of him was after Onari. It was all very clear to him. As he ran at speed towards the man, the man moved his body back and started to punch at him. Sasuke could see his movements with Sharingan. He turned his body at the right moment to avoid a lightening blast aimed at his form.

Masasue came at Sasuke hard and heavy as he threw lightening punches. If the man came in close enough, he could slice him to bits with the claws on his hands. Masasue found Sasuke to be a real competitor. The man was avoiding him easily. As he came close enough, he saw the man had unusual red eyes. The man wasn't blinking.

Sasuke formed hand seals quickly as the lightening user came within feet of him. He took a deep breath and brought his hand to his mouth. Tough luck, pal. Sasuke blew an enormous fireball straight at his enemy. The man wasn't expecting the attack. He heard him yelp in terror. Sasuke kept blowing fire to make sure the man's curiosity was ripped apart.

Masasue rebounded as soon as the man wore out of breath. He ran at the man again, his attention completely on him as lightening flowed down his arm. His hand opened to throw poison in Sasuke's direction. As the pellets exploded, he grinned from ear to ear, thinking he had him.

Sasuke stood behind Masasue with his eyes narrowed. The man had fallen for trying to poison a clone. He concentrated and let Chidori flow down his arm. The noise caused the lightening user to whirl around. Just as he did, Sasuke went for his chest. His hand sunk in to let the Chidori rip the man's flesh apart.

Masasue blubbered as blood spewed out of his mouth. His eyes went dark as his body fell lifeless to the ground. Sasuke withdrew his hand as the body hit the road.

"I hope you weren't the best," Sasuke said as he flicked his wrist to get the blood off. He was disappointed in the man. Although, he had learned one thing: lightening users were on their trail concerning Onari. He had to find Kiba. Things were getting ugly.


	68. Chapter 68

**V7 ch 7**

**Confessions of the Heart**

A leaf dropped from the maple tree into the still water below the arched bridge. Tress surrounded the garden from all angles of the river that flowed through it. Various sizes of shiny rocks were lined at the spaces around the garden where the grass grew in thick quantities. The mountainous range surrounding the area seemed to hide the garden in the mist of the morning. A lone red bird flew over the river. Its wings flapped softly as it started to glide to a tree.

Onari followed the phoenix slowly as her eyes looked around the area. She had left Konoha the week prior. Her anger had finally subsided. Her feet moved through the grass slowly as her mind was lost in thought.

As she stood at the water's edge, she stared at her form. Her long black hair reminded her of her father. She could see him standing beside her. Her yellow eyes blinked. The figure was still there. Onari whirled around. Her breath left her. Her eyes met dark gray eyes that were watching her with concern. It was someone she hadn't suspected to see, or be able to find her. Her body loosened. Anger was not with her at the moment. There was another emotion being felt.

"You're not going to say anything? I've been tracking you for days, Ri." Takeru stepped closer. She didn't move. Was Jigen correct about his assumptions regarding females? "I'm sorry I've ignored you for so long. I was trying to avoid how hurt I was over you dating Eiyu. It wasn't my intention to hurt you this badly. I… was being selfish, Onari. I wanted to know if you felt the same way about me like… I do for you. I've been interested in who you were and everything about since the moment I met you," he confessed. "I wanted to see you smile the most with everything I did - but I've been doing a poor job of that," Takeru said as he kept his eyes leveled with hers.

"I'd rather be with you in some form, Ri. Either a friend, or team mate, or something else. I can't force you to like me nor forgive me for what I did. What I did was wrong to you. I admit that. However, I know what I want at this moment in my life. I'm more sure where I'm going and why. I just don't know where you're going."

Onari lowered her gaze. "Onari does not know where she is going. Onari is lost within herself. Gekido is after Akaihi, Takeru Uchiha." Her eyes raised.

"Who is Gekido," Takeru asked seriously. "Is it the person you've been training to go up against?" The look in her eyes told him he was correct at the guess. "Ri, why have you kept it to yourself? Dad was attacked by a lightening user like Daiya. Kiba and Areku were attacked by someone with the same qualities. Jigen and Dad had to take them back to the village to get them help. What do you know about it?"

Onari had no choice. She had to confess everything regarding her past to Takeru. She talked softly as she explained the burning desire in her. She wanted nothing more than to make Gekido suffer for messing up her life.

Takeru took a deep breath to clear his head. "The person after you wants the link to the celestial gate. Level with me, how did you know how to bond Ryu to you when everything is a complete mystery? When I watched you go through the motions - the hand seals - it was as if something was guiding you. Your expression was so serious and beautiful at the same time. I couldn't get you out of my head."

Onari stepped closer to him. She watched his face as she unraveled the bandages around her arms. The tattoos on her body appeared brighter and in more detail than previously. Slowly, she turned around to raise the back of her shirt. She wanted Takeru to know what he was getting involved in. Onari lifted her long hair as if she were raising a curtain to show an important sacred artifact. "Onari bears the weight and responsibility of the Heaven Scroll upon her body."

Takeru reached his hand up to touch her skin. As his fingers raked the markings upon her body, the tattoos came alive. His eyes widened and heart started to beat faster. The phoenix upon Onari's back moved its head as it sang a beautiful song. Colorful birds hopped around as the phoenix flew to the branch of a tree in a misty garden. A turtle lifted its from out of the pond as a tiger padded forth to drink from it. The water held stars in its reflection despite the area being day. Takeru watched as the clouds swirled to form a snow white Japanese dragon. Its eyes were red. Are these the four celestials of legend? His eyes searched the tattoos as he took in the dangerous artwork upon her skin. A snake was slithering through the grass.

"This is the Tibetan version of the four celestial gods," he breathed. "You're the phoenix. Ryu's the turtle. Who are the others," he asked as she lowered her shirt. Onari turned around. She showed him the markings upon her wrist. His eyes recognized the kanji.

"Those who inherit a celestial are marked upon Onari's wrist as an oath." She pointed to each name. "Ryu. Saori now has the tiger. Sasuke is the snake who aids the turtle, Shogai. The only one left is the dragon, Uso - the one who protected Onari's mother. Uso will only go to someone Onari loves and whom loves Onari back. She won't adhere to conflict, or a war arises. Onari's mother sent Uso back before the lightening users to obey Gekido could claim her. The one who inherits the dragon, must swear an oath to never let her fall into unworthy hands, Takeru." Onari saw the boy before her understand what she said with the mind of an adult. "Eiyu was not meant for Uso. It takes more than ninja skills to weld the abilities of the dragon."

Takeru let his head lower to where his long bangs touched her face. He felt Onari caress his cheek before she kissed him. Takeru closed his eyes supposing he was being forgiven for his actions. His heart fluttered to life as he felt Onari's hand move over his stomach to his chest. He blushed hard as she opened his eyes. Onari's eyes were softened. She kissed the side of his lips. "Ri…"

"The one who was meant for Uso, is Takeru Uchiha," she said as it hit his understanding. He moved his hand to interlace his fingers with hers. "Takeru has never questioned Onari about the phoenix. He has not looked upon the bird as if wanting to unmask its secrets. He has always treated Onari like… someone important," she said as she choked on the last few words. She felt him tenderly peck the side of her head. He was so sincere in his actions and decisions. Ninja weren't supposed to be involved with their entire being when performing missions, but he was. "If Takeru chooses, he must face Uso alone."

Takeru understood the path before him. The mist around them was getting thicker. "I'll face Uso if it means I can be with you through every trial you face." As soon as his words were spoken, Onari's face started to disappear in the mist. He could still feel her hand upon his chest; despite his eyes not seeing her. "Ri?" There was no answer.

Takeru looked around the mountainous area again. The area around him had strangely turned into night. His eyes drifted to look up at the stars overhead. "Where am I?" He lowered his gaze to see daylight in the pond. Takeru walked to the water's edge. "If daylight is here, than I am somewhere else entirely. This place is an illusion. If I were a dragon, where would I be?"

He didn't expect Uso to show herself immediately. He crouched in order to stare into the water, he ran his fingers along the surface. The water rippled under his touch. He furrowed his brows. "If Akaihi is male… and Onari's father - the phoenix takes form of the person who trades his life for it. Uso is female… Onari's mother had the dragon, but was it male or female when she acquired it? Is Uso achieved the same way as Akaihi? If so, who gave her, or his life for it?"

Takeru watched the stars ripple in the sky. "The tattoos on Ri's back showed the dragon forming out of the clouds. So… Uso has to be up there." Takeru stood. "Think Takeru. How does one get up there?" He closed his eyes as he thought. It takes more than ninja skills to weld the abilities of the dragon.

Takeru walked out to the pond, concentrating as his feet moved over the surface. He carefully lowered his body to where he was sitting cross legged. Takeru closed his eyes to meditate and focus his energy upon the clouds overhead. He had to prove to himself that he was worthy of the dragon. Each celestial opted to help a human, or bond with that person. If Uso was meant to work with Akaihi, then she was a powerful god equipped with a sense of nobility and sophistication. I have to make her want to get to know me.

Takeru thought about Onari's words. She said he was different at how he approached situations. Maybe the one I need to focus on, isn't the dragon, but Onari herself. I want to be by her side. He relaxed his posture. Takeru's mind thought about Onari so heavily that he was lost in his own dream world. His wall was lowered, heart wide open, and a small smile was spread across his lips.

Takeru sat for hours focusing his mind on the most important person to him. He felt his bangs sway with the wind. A chime sounded from far away. Slowly, his eyes opened. He had forgotten where he was, or why he was there. Takeru moved his arms back so he could lean. His fingers touched wet rocks. He blinked. His head turned to see a white surface raised above the water. Takeru looked around and up. A face was watching him with disappointment. Uso's red eyes didn't move as she blew out starry smoke from her nostrils. "You're- You're Uso, he said.

(The least a mortal can do is greet me properly when disturbing my bath.) She turned her head towards him to regard him. (You weren't expecting a goddess to bathe. Honestly, I have to look my best.)

Takeru smiled at his own train of thought. "No, it's not that. I thought you were in the clouds. At least, that's the way it was on Onari's back."

Uso lowered her head to where it was level with the boy's. (I am not familiar with an Onari. My former partner perished in a battle six years ago. How were you able to enter my sanctuary?)

"Onari's mother was the one linked to you. Onari is Sashizo's daughter who bears the mark of the Heaven Scroll. She has access to the phoenix," he said explaining everything to the goddess before him. "I'm not sure how I got here. I agreed to face you if it meant I can stay with her." Takeru lunged forward to grab onto Uso's body as she lifted her white slender form out of the water.

(The type of mortal who is able to enter my sanctuary without warning, does so with his entire being. I am more complicated than the other three celestials. Unlike the phoenix who is inherited through lineage, or the turtle who shamelessly aids those in need, and the tiger who chooses what path to follow, I am the Goddess of the West who creates paths for those in my care. I am a moving fortress, Takeru Uchiha. There is no wind, man, or mountain that can break through my walls.)

Takeru dropped off the dragon as she walked onto

the grass under the stars. He turned around to look up at her. "Whose decision is it to make a path for the phoenix?"

Uso circled around the boy. (The phoenix's path is determined by the one it is destined to protect. A mortal can make it a savior, or a bringer of death. When it comes to the latter, I do not let anyone into my sanctuary if I can help it. Dragons cannot be harnessed so easily to a human's Will.)

"I know Ri wouldn't send Akaihi to be used in a senseless war. She's trained hard to protect those around her." Takeru saw Uso snuff as if she didn't believe him.

(Revenge against another mortal is a senseless war. You are probably no different than she is. Who are you harboring revenge for?) Uso moved her face to where she was only a few inches away from him. The boy's expression and eyes didn't change. (Stop wasting my time, child. Who do you fight for?)

Takeru answered with an adult's voice, "I fight for the others around me. It's my responsibility to make them smile - to keep them from falling away from themselves," he said as he thought of Ryu. "I'm not who I am without them."

Uso lifted her snow white head to peer at the stars overhead. (A boy such as you should not be able to understand the purpose of a dragon. We four stand together and would not be who we are without the other. You are incredibly noble for a child. Can your nobility increase the strength of the phoenix?)

Takeru was not understanding what she meant. "How can I increase his strength? A god has unlimited power."

( A god as the power a mortal gives him. In short, the stronger the determination, the stronger we become. I suppose you don't recall the legend. The one who controls the phoenix, has the right to open the gate to me. If I see a mortal is unworthy, he is cast aside. If I see he is worthy, he gains me and the phoenix.)

"Onari is the one with access to the phoenix. Are you saying, I could use Akaihi and you in a fight?" Takeru saw the glint in Uso's eyes. That is exactly what she's saying. He looked away. "Love is what holds the dragon and phoenix together. Without it, there is war and chaos. Everything Onari stands for must be what I stand for, or there is no bond."

Uso knew he was getting all of it. Her form started to turn translucent as the stars began to shake in the sky. (Say it! Say what you must to lay the path!)

Takeru looked up at her and said with passion and truth in his voice, "I love Onari!" His eyes widened as the dragon turned into mist. Uso drifted through the air and to the top of the water. Takeru ran to the water's edge. He saw the dragon moving about in the clouds of daylight. Takeru Uchiha leapt into the water.

Onari watched Takeru come around as she stood in front of him. She gently took her hand off his chest. He had been standing there without blinking for a long time. Onari wondered if he had found Uso.

Takeru awoke from the dream. It had all seemed so real to him. The area around him had darkened since the sun was setting. "I saw Uso," he said softly as he touched his forehead. "She turned into mist and went towards the water. I jumped in, but I came back here." He looked around as if searching for the dragon. "I'm not sure she let me link to her." He felt Onari fidgeting with the sleeve on his arm.

Onari moved the sleeve up. She led Takeru to the water. "Uso has chosen to fight with Takeru," she said as her fingers went over the picture on his arm. Takeru now bore a tattoo of Akaihi standing side-by-side with Uso. The two celestials were looking away from each other with their tails entwined.

Takeru moved his hand to grab Onari's wrist. There wasn't Kanji where he suspected it to be. "It's not there like the others. I don't understand."

"Takeru's link to Uso is not the same as the others. The phoenix and dragon have a more important bond to each other. Kanji is in a special place on Onari," she said as she touched the place over her heart.

Takeru blushed hard. Everything was real - everything occurring to the both of them. He reached for her hand. "We've wasted all the time we can afford. If I found you, than they will soon. They could be on our tails right now. We have to leave this area."

Onari nodded as they started to run out of the garden swiftly. She whistled to get Akaihi's attention. The phoenix flew after them with his wings blazing as he lighted the path ahead for them.

Areku Inuzuka touched his father's arm as he sat beside the bed. "Dad, can you hear me?" He had left his room some time ago to check on Kiba. Areku closed his eyes. He and Kiba had been attacked by a lightening user after Onari. The man had gone after Areku instantly. He had tried to use Ichigo against the man without success.

Areku threw kunai and shuriken at the man as he jumped back. Ichigo jumped forwards growling as she attempted to bite the man on the arm. He watched the man before him erupt a wave of lightening at his dog. The kunai and shuriken were deflected with the man's other hand as he twirled a metal rod.

Ichigo yelped as she was electrocuted. "Ich!" Areku watched as his dog fell below the trees unconscious. His feet landed on a branch. Areku started to form hand seals quickly as the man came at him. There was no time. He was on top of Areku in seconds as he tried to use Ninjutsu against the man. The man punched him square in the face causing Areku to be thrown backwards. His body rolled on the branch.

Areku coughed as he spewed blood. He lifted his head as the large man stood over him. Areku growled as he narrowed his eyes.

"Time to die, little boy," Kakumei said as he smirked. He started to charge. His eyes met the youth's with a sense of dominance.

Areku caught the scent of his father. He tried to get up, but the man kicked him so hard in the stomach, the wind was knocked out of him. Areku went down as he heard the man yell in outrage as Kiba attacked.

Kiba Inuzuka growled loudly as he narrowed his eyes at the man as he sent a full fledged punch at the man's face. It hit on contact. The man smiled at him as he came back spinning throwing a leg kick at Kiba's head. Kiba ducked just in time to place his hands on the branch. He moved his legs up and twisted his body as he kicked the man with several times in the chest to throw him back. As Kiba landed on his feet, the man was thrown onto his back. "Stay away from my kid!"

Kakumei rose to his feet. He smiled evilly at the man in front of him. "It'll take more than that to get you out of this." He ran at Kiba as he brought his charged arm back. As the man threw kunai at him, Kakumei sent his arm forward as lightening busted in a spiral wave. He smiled triumphantly as the man leapt off the branch to avoid him. He pursued Kiba from tree to tree throwing lightening at him with every angle.

Kiba breathed hard as he grabbed hold of a branch and spun up over it to avoid a shot at his head. He came back around to plant a foot straight into the man's face. The man was thrown backwards but used his rod to keep himself from falling into the abyss. As it plunked into the bark of the tree, Kiba's hand seals were complete. He snarled at the man as he lowered his body. A clone popped beside him.

Kakumei narrowed his eyes as the man and his clone came at him. He let go of the rod letting his body fall into the abyss. Just as planned, Kiba came at him spinning with his clone in a powerful attack. Kakumei had him. He started to spin his own form, causing the lightening charged on his arm to spin. As the lightening came off it was sent into a huge spiraling ball towards Kiba and his clone. Kakumei watched the man enter the lightening ball and triumphed in his yell of pain.

Just as Kakumei was fixing to do the man and his son in, a figure wearing a tiger mask came out of nowhere. Kakumei brought his metal rod up to block the short sword of the ANBU. He smiled wickedly at the man. "Nice try," he said lowly.

Jigen kicked the man away as he threw a smoke bomb at the man. The man started to cough as Jigen came at him again with the sword. In the thick smoke, sounds of metal clashing with metal were heard throughout the area. Jigen wasn't giving up. Something about this individual reminded him of somebody he had encountered before.

Kakumei gritted his teeth as the ANBU threw several kunai at him. The poisonous smoke made his vision blurry. He watched his wrist rotate in front of his body trying to deflect the weapons. The kunai lodged their points in his leg and side. Kakumei swore as the trees and figure of the man became double. He had to get away. This was no condition to be fighting in. He unsheathed a small slip of paper and threw it at the ANBU. As the ANBU was blinded by the intense flash, Kakumei escaped.

Areku let his head fall onto his crossed arms. Kiba had taken a beating to protect him. Onari hadn't been retrieved successfully either. Their mission was a failure. Areku had let his father down. As he felt sorry for himself, he soon felt something on his head.

Kiba turned his head as his eyes opened. "Don't give upon your old man just yet, Areku." He smiled weakly as his son lifted his head. Kiba brought his other hand to touch his forehead. "I feel terrible. Lightening users are awful fighters. They're dirty."

Kiba lowered his hand to see Areku watching him with a softened gaze. "Areku, I'll be alright. I couldn't let him hurt you any further. I'm sorry I was slow getting there."

"He got you, too, though. We didn't learn anything about who he was. Sasuke sensei and Captain Jigen had to carry us back. Takeru went ahead to track Onari. There's been no word from him."

Kiba sighed. "If he doesn't find her, that bastard who attacked us surely will. Sasuke said the one he got already had asked him where the phoenix was. He knew Sasuke's name. Now, who would have given him that sort of information?"

"I have no idea. It has to have been someone you guys have met," Areku said as he turned around to the sound of the door opening.

Sasuke walked through the door carrying a gifted package of food from Izumi. "I figured you were in here with your father. The nurse is looking for you, Areku. Might want to be careful walking down the hall," he said as Areku blushed when he tried to cover his rear.

Areku went out of the room before he got into trouble with the staff. Was he walked sideways down the hall, he turned his back around to let a few patients pass. Suddenly, he heard a scream and a girl yell his name.

"Areku Inuzuka, where are your pants," Hire said as she hid her view behind the flowers she held.

Kiba heard Areku yelling an apology to Hire. He sat up slowly as Sasuke smirked. "The nurse bit was a lie."

"Pretty much," Sasuke said. He sat down beside Kiba's bed. "Izumi made you some food to help you recover." He handed the wrapped package to his fellow trainer.

Kiba took the gift and unwrapped it. His nose twitched at the scents coming out of the box. His mouth watered. "She made me something homemade. I wish Kashira was as good a cook as Izumi. Wait, don't tell her I said that," he said with an embarrassed smile. He was glad to have something to eat besides hospital food.

Sasuke looked out of the window opposite his chair. He saw the trees swaying in the wind. "I want to inform you that the man who attacked you, was from the lightening country. Jigen said the attacks were strong electrical currents. He managed to lodge some nice kunai into our new friend's body before he was able to kill you and Areku." Sasuke leaned back in the chair as he crossed his leg over the other. "Also, you won't believe who arrived in the village an hour ago."

Kiba searched Sasuke's face for the answer. "It can't be Onari." Sasuke nodded. "Takeru found her then. How was he able to find her so quickly?"

Sasuke reflected on the meeting with the two kids who had shown up together. "They arrived on the back of a white dragon," Sasuke said. "He managed to track Onari using the skills you had taught him. After all, Onari tends to be a bit reckless in staying hidden when she's angry."

"A dragon?" Kiba sat up more. "Where did they get a dragon?"

"Takeru has been linked to Onari. He was given the dragon as a promise to aid her in the fight she's preparing for. She confessed a man named Gekido is after her to gain the phoenix. That's not the half of it. Takeru said Ryu now has the celestial turtle and Saori has the celestial tiger. The four gods of legend are in the village, Kiba. Also, Onari has the Heaven Scroll tattooed upon her body. She's the link to the gods of legend."

Kiba waved his hands in front of his face. It was all

so much to take in. "Wait a second, Sasuke. You're telling me that little girl - the one we found in that snow village is a diamond in the rough? The Heaven Scroll is real? And Onari holds more power in her small frame than a man can possibly dream to achieve?"

"Yes," Sasuke said blandly with the bitter after taste in his mouth. "Onari wasn't aware of the marks upon her body until she bonded Ryu to her. He was the first. Saori was sought out by the tiger through the turtle aiding Ryu. Takeru, on the other hand, has fallen in love with Onari and she him. The two of them promised to protect each other - thus, his connection with Uso."

"It has a name?" Kiba plopped back onto his pillow. His head was swimming with all of the information. He popped his forehead. "If Onari holds that kind of power, it's no wonder this Gekido is after her. Who else would like to get their hands on something like that?"

"Anyone who is able. She's withheld this information from us. Onari was trying to go at it alone, but she seems to have no choice but to tell us now. Others have been hurt defending her. She didn't want us to get involved with her war. Kids these days," Sasuke said disgustedly as he crossed his arms rather annoyed.

"Just wait until I get out of here. Sprout and I are going to have a talk," Kiba said narrowing his eyes. "If she had told us this mess beforehand we would have been prepared!" He slammed his fist on the bed.

"Getting upset about it now isn't going to do any good. She could have still tried to hide it from us," Sasuke said. "Besides, we only know a little about the situation. Gekido is her father's brother and he has a bunch of lightening users at his beckoning call." Sasuke held up two fingers. "We don't know where they are located or how many of them there really are."

"This stinks," Kiba said as he threw the sheets off of

himself. "I'm getting out of here. There's no time to sit and wait if we're going to be attacked!" He felt Sasuke's hand on his shoulder. Kiba blinked and turned his head.

"They won't attack the village, idiot. It's suicide. They can only get to Onari if she's alone, for the most part. It's a cat and mouse game. Or, if you prefer, a dog and cat game."

Kiba smiled his toothy grin at Sasuke. "I get what you're saying. Yet, it's kind of hard to go barking up a tree if we have one cat hiding in an entire forest."

"Precisely my point. If you want them to show themselves, you wait for it. If Onari doesn't come out of the village to where they can get to her, they might get anxious and start to target anyone to get her attention."

Kiba watched him rise. "I mean it, Sasuke, once I'm out of here I'm coming over to scold Onari." He saw Sasuke turn around to wave at him. Once he left, Kiba stared at the bed, softly growling. That damn kid. What is she thinking not telling us about this?

"Ryu!" Takeru ran straight at his friend as he entered the house. His best friend smiled at him as he tackled him to the floor. Ryu went back instantly.

"Takeru, he's only been out of the hospital a few days! Be careful with him," Saori said as she watched her boyfriend get sprawled out by the Uchiha boy.

Ryu groaned. "It's nice to see you again, Takeru. I've heard you had quite a journey finding Onari," he said as the girl popped her head around the corner. Instead of keeping the phoenix hidden, he was perched upon her shoulder checking the area out. Ryu sat up slowly as he hugged Takeru with one arm. "I suppose there's a reason we're all here like this. It isn't just coincidence."

Saori looked at the other three. "I think I understand what's happening. All four of us now has a celestial."

Onari stepped forward to look at Ryu and Saori. "The both of you have chosen to fight with Onari against Gekido?" She saw them looking at each other for clarification on that.

"Eh, look, Onari, we don't quite understand what's going on. I know you helped Ryu out of a major sticky situation and I appreciate it, but we haven't agreed to fight anyone. You need to tell us what is going on," Saori demanded. "From where I stand, I have the choice of helping you, or not."

"Saori, you can't accept a celestial and not be expected to help her fight against her uncle," Takeru said as he stood up to face the blond haired girl. "It was a choice to help Ryu, yes, but not you. The link was given by Onari, in some form."

"Josei came to me on his own because of Ryu - not Onari, Takeru," she said as she stood her ground. "He said I was worthy of him. You are worthy of Onari - that's why you have the dragon. I want to help Ryu in any way I can with whatever he faces. He's the one I am concerned about. If she is after someone purely on revenge than it's wasted on her." Saori shifted her eyes to the girl in front of her. "All of your training and learning has been wasted, Onari, on yourself. Takeru isn't the only one whose been selfish."

Ryu came between Saori and Takeru. The both of them were staring each other down. "Hold on a minute. I know why I have Shogai. Onari wasn't giving me the link to the turtle just to start a war." His red eyes shifted to the girl. "Were you? You were really worried about me dying."

Onari tried to keep her eyes level with his, but she looked away, blushing. It was true that she had been worried about him. He was the one protecting her on their last mission together. She felt terrible at leaving him alone to face Hire's brother, Nattoku. "Onari did not want Ryu to go away like her parents," she said softly. She blinked as he lowered his head to look up into her face.

"Well, I'm still right here. I thank you for saving my life, Firebird," Ryu said as he smiled at her gently. "Saori thanks you, too, despite her having trouble admitting that right now. She was lost without me."

Saori crossed her arms as she blushed. "Yeah, I was," she said with difficulty. She was still a bit angry at Onari assuming she and Ryu were joining some battle of hers.

"What is the importance of Akaihi to your uncle," Ryu asked as he stood up.

"Akaihi is… the inheritance of Onari's father. Onari's father gave his life to protect her from Gekido. Gekido wishes to have the phoenix to demolish other countries - to have power over life," she said as she looked at all of them. "Onari used to listen to her father talk about Gekido when she was younger. If he sends lightening users to Konoha, they will kill everyone in their path for him."

"What a sad old man," Saori said out of nowhere to break the tense atmosphere. "If we already have the four celestials of legend, we are stronger than he is. It only takes the four of us to put an end to this Gekido."

"Not so fast, Saori," Ryu said. "We may have the four celestials, but that's what he wants, isn't it? If he is able to get his sole hands simply on Onari, he gains the three of us. Which means, the dragon and phoenix would be at war with each other. He would have the ability to control us and waste Konoha."

Takeru looked at the three. "It's not an easy solution. Our job is to protect Onari and the village from this guy. We don't know how many lightening users he has at his call. If they are willing to help him, it means he's stronger than they are."

"I couldn't have said that better myself," Sasuke said from behind them. The four kids stared at him. "Onari, you should have told us this when you were able to speak as well as you can. Any time an entire village is in danger, the Hokage needs to be notified. It's his job to protect every inch of our existence. As much as we've done for you, holding information such as this from us, is not fair."

Onari lowered her gaze. "Onari did not want Sasuke involved. Sasuke would lose his life for helping Onari escape the snow village."

"Yet, he is involved," Takeru said as he turned his head to look at her. "The snake aids the turtle in a fight, Ri. Dad has to be included. It's not just occurrences anymore. It's the legend of the four celestials."

Sasuke looked at his son. "The snake that aids the turtle? Are you kids referring to the Tibetan version of the legend?"

"You better show them so they'll understand, Onari," Takeru said as they all stared at him.

Onari turned around to lift her shirt. At first, Sasuke and Ryu covered their eyes, but their hands were lowered by Saori and Takeru. Onari let them view the Heaven Scroll as it showed the four celestials move around. The snake came slithering through the grass.

Sasuke furrowed his brows. "It's real. The Heaven

Scroll is a real 'object'. I don't understand why the four of you believe I'm included in this. I wasn't offered a celestial."

"The snake isn't a real celestial," Ryu said as he looked up at his trainer. "It aids the turtle. I have the turtle and you have Manda. Isn't Manda the King of all snakes?"

Sasuke stared at Ryu. "You're not getting the jest of it all. Your recovery has slowed your mind to that of a snail." Ryu only sweat dropped. "It means you have to work with me."

"I wouldn't confront Ryu on that sort of matter, sensei," Saori said as she sighed heavily waving her hand in the air. "Shogai's no match for Manda. The turtle is a crazy old pervert," she said as she tilted her head to look at all of them. "He put his face right in my rear when I bent over to look for something!"

They all stepped back with wide eyes. What kind of celestial was Shogai? Was Ryu stuck with a dud? They all looked at each other.

Ryu hopped on one foot. They were all looking at him as if he was the culprit. "I wasn't even in the room! I went to get food for that crazy creature! Next thing I knew, my head was in the fridge and Saori was screaming!"

Takeru pinched his nose. "I'm afraid to ask what Josei is like. Uso is kind of sophisticated. Akaihi, I'm unsure of," he said as he watched the phoenix clean its feathers. He couldn't imagine Sasuke being turned into an animal, or legendary being such as Onari's father.

"Josei is a bit snobby," Saori said with an embarrassed laugh. "He doesn't like working with Shogai - that was expressed when I met him. Not sure what he feels about the other two."

"This is going to get interesting," Ryu said as he looked around at the others.

Onari sat on top of the monuments of the past Hokages of the Hidden Leaf Village. Her hair blew in all sorts of directions as wind passed over the village. Her eyes stared down below to look at the various buildings and people moving about. Was this place her official home now? She had never thought about Konoha actually being where she resided. Onari was so used to running with her parents that she assumed this place was only a short stopping point.

Her eyes drifted to see Akaihi gliding with the wind current below the monuments. The phoenix seemed to be rather happy and carefree as he sang a sweet melody through the sky. Flames drifted off the tips of his wings and tail to flicker in the wind before they died away. As Onari sat there watching the area, a large shadow came over her. For a moment she thought nothing of it, but it seemed to be moving rather strangely. She looked up to see Uso's long, slender, snow white body coming down towards the village in a dive. Onari stood up quickly thinking Takeru was going to get killed. However, the closer they got, the more her body eased when she heard him yelling in delight at how fast the dragon was. Onari rolled her eyes. Boys…

Takeru gripped his hands tightly to the horns coming out of Uso's head. He smiled as they passed Onari. "Hey, Uso, you move like a rollercoaster," he said happily. "Can you do loops in the air?"

Uso glanced back a the human boy. She blew out starry smoke from her nostrils as she moved over the buildings of the village. (My body can move in any direction you prefer.) She started to soar above the village in a climb. Once she had gained altitude, she came back down twisting her boy in a spiral. She smiled coyly as Takeru was turned upside down and back up a few times. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Well, Takeru seems to be having fun," Saori said as she stood with Josei on top of the Hokage's building. "What do you think of the village so far?" She looked back at the extraordinary large tiger who was keeping his slit eyes on the people moving around.

(They seem to be happy. It is unusual for mortals to regard life as precious as they should. Even more so for a ninja village.)

"I wonder what Ryu is doing with Shogai," Saori said much to the strange disgusted looks of Josei. "You don't suppose he's training with him, do you?" She watched the children point up to Uso as she flew overhead. They were chasing her and squealing with delight.

(Training with that wretch? You have got to be kidding. There are more important things at hand than to worry about Shogai's cognitive capacity to endure training much less learn its sequences.) He rose his body to move his head between Saori's legs as he picked her up. (Uso is stealing my thunder.) Josei started to leap off of the building and on to other buildings. As he landed in the street, people stopped and stared for a moment at him. He was three times the size of a normal tiger.

Saori waved with a crooked smile at the people. They were hesitant about moving for fear of the tiger. "Josei, tigers are seen as predators on our plane," she said through gritted teeth. She saw a little boy walking towards her. "Hi, he doesn't bite or anything. He's quite harmless," she said as the mother came forth to grab her son to stop him. "Really, he's one of the protectors of the village like the dragon," she said as she pointed up.

"Protectors of the village," the woman said as she held onto her son. "It's a tiger!" Her son was trying to go forth to touch the creature and she was firmly holding him back.

"Well, yes, but he's a god," Saori said trying to explain. The woman was giving her awful looks. "I don't think this is going over quite so well," she said to Josei.

(Mortals need proof of gods now? What a waste of effort.) Josei opened his mouth. As he did, he blew colorful smoke out of his mouth. The smoke drifted through the air towards the little boy. As it came close, it turned into flower petals. (Honestly, a real tiger can't do that.)

The little boy caught one of the flower petals. He brought it up to his mother. "Mama, look, it smells like fruit," he said. As his mother grabbed the petal, she let him go. She was distracted for the moment. He ran forth to abruptly stop in front of the large beast. He smiled shyly at the tiger. "You're my favorite animal," he said.

Josei was caught off guard. He lowered his body to seem less threatening to the small mortal child. As the little boy came closer to stroke his head, he didn't seem to mind. No, Josei wasn't worried about protocol or dignity at the attention. (This is the kind of treatment I'll seek from now on.)

Saori smiled thoughtfully at the sudden change in the tiger.

Ryu stared at Shogai as he looked at the water. "You have to have some special abilities, you're a celestial. I'm not going to just casually let you keep sticking your face in Saori's rear!" He hit the turtle on top of the head. The turtle smiled goofily at him.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "It seems you and Shogai have a lot in common with panties," he said as Ryu flailed his arms at the sudden mention of the word. "Anyway, maybe he's only useful in a fight. Without a reason to protect anyone, all four of the celestials appear as normal animals."

Ryu thought a moment. "The snake works with the turtle right? Perhaps Shogai needs a little adjustment to his routine." He looked at the turtle hard as it sweat dropped.

Sasuke watched the turtle start to move back in the water. "Manda would just eat him at this rate. He's too small to defend himself," he said going along with Ryu's suggestion. Sasuke started to perform hand seals in front of the turtle making sure it got a good view of what he was doing. As he started to put his hands on the ground, the turtle freaked out. Shogai's body suddenly increased a hundred fold in size. He and Ryu were sent backwards. They landed on their backs.

Ryu swore as he sat up. His eyes widened. Shogai was enormous. His mouth dropped behind the face mask. "Oh my-" He staggered onto his feet. He and Sasuke walked closer. The turtle's shell was as thick as a fortress. He reached up to tap it. Spikes appeared all over its back. Shogai had turned into a huge weapon.

Sasuke wondered exactly how strong Shogai really was. He suspected the turtle would act differently if they scared him a little. "Ryu, get him to thrust his head into the rock surrounding the waterfall. It'll be a test in order to let us know how thick his skull really is."

Ryu nodded his head. "Hey, Shogai, Josei's mocking you," he said as he started to use his Genjutsu to show the celestial tiger in the face of the rock. Shogai and Josei seemed to have quarrels between them. The large turtle turned his body to face the tiger. As suspected, they watched Shogai move his head into his shell then thrust it forward with a thundering crash. Rocks went flying as the turtle left his impression in the stone.

"He's going to be fiercer in a battle, Ryu. He has no reason to show his true nature out in the open like this - there's no threat," Sasuke said as the turtle marveled at his work. "Although, he is an odd sort of god."

Shogai turned his body back around to where he was immersing in the cool water of the river. He realized he was too big to immerse completely so his form started to change. Shogai smiled goofily as he was now only four times bigger than a large tortoise. He lowered his head to make bubbles in the water.

"He's defiantly odd," Ryu admitted.

Gin mixed a special mixture for the blue lotus flower that she kept in a pot beside her bed. She hummed to herself as she thought about Idai heavily. As of late, she was having a lot of dreams about him. Gin had seen herself chasing him through the trees. She kept calling his name, only for her feet to slip out from underneath her. As she tried to find him again, Idai had vanished from her view. Gin wondered what the dream meant.

She poured the mixture into the pot. Idai's name was still carved on the leaf of the plant. She brought her hand closer to the plant, to stroke its petals as if it were Idai himself. Gin wanted Idai to return to the village. Without him, things were less cheery for her. She had become quite serious since he had left. Gin set the jug down. She stared at the lotus for a moment before she turned around to leave the room.

The lotus flower twisted its stalk as if it were stretching. The lotus dipped its petals as if bowing before it regained its normal position. Idai's name on the leaf started to move from it's position, down the stalk, into the soil of the pot.

Yanagi wiped her forehead as she left the training grounds from working out. She rolled her yellow sleeves up to give herself time to cool down. Kiba said she was coming along nicely in her training. Yanagi's goal was to be fast like her father. She wanted to be as strong as her boyfriend so she could work beside him on missions. Yanagi smiled at the thought of Daiya walking along side her on a mission. It was a definite goal!

Yanagi kept to the back roads of the village so she could have peace and quite. She didn't like being surrounded by hoards of people in the market and on the road while she was hot and sweaty. She flapped her hoodie to give herself more air. Yanagi smiled at the relief. She sure needed it.

As Yanagi turned a corner, she turned her head to look up at the trees. They were swaying in the wind. She turned her head back around to see someone moving in the shadows against the buildings. Yanagi wondered why someone was trying to avoid being seen. She quietly followed the person until she rounded a corner filled with trash cans. The person had disappeared, or so she thought. Whoever it was, knew I was on to them. She looked around the area.

As Yanagi tried to figure out where the person had gone, she sensed someone behind her. She whirled around to swing instantly at the person, her eyes narrowed. The person blocked her every move, ducked, and moved backwards to avoid an air kick at the head. Yanagi stopped herself from moving forward to throw kunai. The kunai dropped from her hand. Her eyes widened. "It's YOU!"


	69. Chapter 69

**V7 Ch 8**

**Yanagi's Gift**

**Part I**

Onari crawled over Daiya slowly. Today was a special day for her brother. It was his fifteenth birthday. Onari looked at Takeru as she smiled coyly. She swayed her hips, wanting to wake her brother up really badly. "Takeru, can Onari wake up Daiya now?"

"No, not yet. I'm still trying to put up the banner," Takeru said as he pinned it to the wall. He looked at it with pride. "Ri, you were supposed to get Saori and Yanagi to help you learn how to write 'Happy Birthday Daiya' properly," he said as he turned around.

"Takeru, Onari wanted to write it herself," she said as she looked at him. The kanji on the banner was badly messed up. He started to attach balloons to the banner. "Now can Onari wake up brother Daiya?"

"You're more excited about his birthday than he usually is," Takeru said. He tied the last balloon onto the banner. Takeru stepped back to marvel at his work. "Man, Daiya's sleeping rather hard, isn't he?" He peered over to look at his brother sprawled out over the bed, twisted in the sheets. "Dad put Ryu and Daiya on some kind of intense training to help them with their Taijutsu."

"So… Takeru and Onari should not wake up Daiya?" She looked at him. Onari wanted her brother to get up, but it appeared he needed the extra sleep.

"It is his birthday. We should let him sleep in. We can tell everybody in the village about the party while he's asleep," Takeru said as he smiled. He tugged her a little to get her up.

Onari got off the bed slowly. Daiya began to curl up in the covers. He was sleeping so hard he didn't hear a word of the conversation around him. She looked down at his legs. The sheets were halfway on and halfway off. Onari leaned down to kiss her brother on the cheek. "Happy Birthday, brother Daiya," she said softly.

Takeru walked with Onari out to the garden. The party was going to be out here later that day. "How are we going to get everything set up without Daiya finding out?" He had to think of something. "I wonder if we can distract him."

"Takeru, Daiya is not stupid. He will know if Takeru is trying to keep him away from something," she said. It was the truth. Her brother had become more observant over the past two years.

"What if Ryu could use his genjutsu to make the garden appear normal while we're setting everything up," he said pondering. He wondered if it was even possible. Was Ryu able to hold an illusion for several hours?

"Takeru, he can get out of genjutsu traps now," Onari said. "Onari is sorry," she said as he sulked. Apparently, she had shot his train of thought down. "Maybe, Takeru shouldn't worry. Daiya is tired. He will probably sleep a long time, jes?"

"Let's hope he does. I don't have a proper solution for a distraction. Unfortunately for us, Daiya's become more like Dad," Takeru said as an afterthought. "It's getting harder for me to do things without him finding out." Onari looked at him raising a brow. "Okay, let's go gather everybody. I suppose we can tell Areku first. He lives the farthest away."

Takeru and Onari walked to Areku Inuzuka's house. There were children already out on the road so early that morning. Two kids ran past Takeru chasing each other. He was only thirteen-years-old, but he found himself wondering about the future with Onari. He wanted to stay with her as long as he could. Takeru glanced at her.

Onari caught him checking her out. She cocked her head at him. Why was he looking at her like that? His eyes were noticing everything about her. Takeru looks like he wants to tackle me out in public. We must behave, or risk getting in trouble. She shook her head at him.

Takeru didn't have the slightest idea why Onari was shaking her head. He looked around for any signs. What is she shaking her head at? I'm not doing anything. Takeru started to mess with his shirt. Not like, I wouldn't want to do anything. He looked away as he walked beside her. We'd probably be found out and both Dad and Daiya would kill me.

"Takeru, ball," Onari said. A red ball flew at him. Of course, he wasn't paying attention. The ball nailed him straight in the forehead. She stopped as he clung to his head.

"Ah! Dammit," Takeru swore. He looked in the direction where the ball appeared to have come from. He glared at the group of children who were watching him. Just as he opened his mouth to yell at them, Onari put her hand over his mouth to quiet him.

Onari crouched to retrieve the ball for the kids. She bounced it in her hand before she threw it back. She turned her attention back to Takeru. "What would Takeru do if his own children hit him with a ball? Yelling does not correct misbehavior. An example is the correct influence," she said. Onari started to walk off again.

Takeru rubbed his forehead as he caught up to her. He swore there was a red mark in its place. "Onari, you weren't the one that got hit," he said lowly.

"Takeru needs to learn how to talk to kids. Takeru was a kid once," Onari said. She glanced at him. "Takeru does not remember? Onari has always heard Takeru talk like Sasuke since she came here."

"Ri, I'm a little too young to be worried about how to talk properly to children," he said. He couldn't figure out why she was worried about how he came across. "Why are you so concerned?"

"Some day Takeru will have his own children, Jes? He needs to learn how to catch bees with honey and not vinegar," she said as she made her point. Onari yawned a little.

Takeru blushed. He supposed some day he would have children, yes. He glanced at her again. Takeru reached for Onari's hand. He interlaced his fingers with hers. I wonder what kind of mother Onari would make. He leaned towards her to kiss her on the side of the head. He felt her squeeze his hand in return.

The both of them continued to walk until they entered Inuzuka territory. It was Takeru's first time being on their land. He had only recently learned where Kiba and Areku lived. It was partially due to the fact he didn't socialize with Areku. It was mainly Onari that came over to visit Kiba. She liked the man because he was as rough as she was. "Ri, be on your best behavior," he said as they walked together.

Onari looked at him oddly. "Onari only comes to play with brother Kiba," she said in her defense. She knew Areku didn't approve of her wild nature.

"I know. That's what worries me," Takeru said with a half smile. "You get rough when you're around Kiba. Areku is kind of dignified, even for an Inuzuka."

"Brother Kiba can tolerate Onari," she said. It was the truth. Kiba kept her busy when she visited. He taught her how to track and learn about nature. She found it necessary to learn about weather conditions and the landscape around her. She was attempting to plan ahead regarding her training. Ninja had to know something about the environment they worked in.

Takeru knocked on the door gently. It didn't take much to get the attention of the Inuzuka clan. Sure enough, someone was coming to the door. The door opened to reveal a scruffy looking Kiba with a piece of chicken in his mouth.

"Brother Kiba," Onari yelled happily. She tackled the man to the floor. Kiba looked up at her with the chicken leg still in his teeth. Onari towered over him as she tilted her head. "Kiba, it's Daiya's birthday today!"

"Oh, really? So what are you two planning," he asked as he spoke with his mouth full. Kiba sat up slowly with Onari in his lap.

"We're going to have a surprise party for Daiya," Takeru said. "We're here to see if you and Areku would like to come." He watched Areku poke his head around the corner. He waved at the older boy.

"How old is Daiya now?"

"Fifteen," Takeru and Onari said together.

"I'll try to talk Areku into it. He's been tending to Ichigo since she was injured on our last mission. Speaking of which, Onari, you know better than to leave as you did. You haven't apologized to putting us into unnecessary danger." Kiba turned her face to look at him.

"Onari didn't mean for Kiba and Areku to get hurt," she said. Onari leaned towards Kiba to kiss him beside the mouth. She sat back.

Kiba blushed badly. He coughed. Onari was only a child, but she sure did have ways of persuasion.

Takeru rubbed his forehead. "Mom and Dad are planning on having the party around late this afternoon. We're going around telling everyone. If you want to show up early, you can help us decorate. The garden isn't ready yet. Mom wanted us to wait for some reason," Takeru said trying to get back on track.

"I'll see what Areku wants to do first. I don't have any plans for the day. I can show up early to help. I don't mind. How many people are you guys expecting, "Kiba asked.

"Onari is inviting everyone on the teams. Everyone that brother Daiya knows will be there. Onari and Yanagi have a special present for Daiya," she said happily.

"A special present, huh? What kind of present, Ri? Don't look at me as if you don't know all of a sudden! How come I can't know, too," Takeru asked.

"Takeru Uchiha will get more excited than Daiya and spill the milk. Onari swore to Yanagi that she wouldn't tell anyone but Kiba," she said seriously. Kiba laughed at her. She gave him a Sasuke smirk.

"Ri, that's not fair! You and Yanagi are hiding something," Takeru said crossing his arms. "How important is this present?" He watched her move her arms out wide.

"It's very important. Daiya's present will make everybody happy," Onari said. "Onari will tell brother Kiba now." She shooed Takeru away. Takeru walked off and turned his back to her. She whispered into Kiba's ear. The man's eyes became wide. "It's a secret. Kiba must not tell anybody."

Kiba was as surprised as he could be. He was happy and excited at the same time. "I won't tell," he swore as he nodded. "Just be sure not to tell anyone else. I guess I'll see you guys later." Onari rose at that point.

Onari started to walk off with Takeru. "You still won't tell me, will you," Takeru said.

"No, Takeru, Onari will not tell," she said seriously.

Kiba stood on his feet as he watched the two of them walk down the path. "Well, I'll be damned. Daiya is defiantly going to get the best surprise of his life." He went inside to get ready for the celebration.

Onari skidded on the ground as she ran from Takeru. He was right behind her as they entered the Hyuuga compound. "Onari is going to tell Eiyu and Kandai!" She took off running to the dojo. The twins normally trained there in the morning. She knew where to find them.

"Onari, slow down! It's not a race," Takeru shouted. He panted. What has gotten into her? As soon as we left Kiba's, she's been running to get here!

Onari sat on the porch with her legs crossed. She watched Takeru put his hand on the wood, hang his head and pant. "Takeru, what took you so long? Takeru has an old man's legs." He glared at her. Onari leaned over to kiss him quickly before she took off again.

"That girl is going to be the death of me," he said as he lazily followed.

Onari opened the shoji screen to the dojo quickly. She stopped as Neji and Kandai paused their movements. They were training indeed. They both stared at her for a moment. Eiyu was sitting with his hands on his legs. He raised a brow at her.

"Hi, Onari," Kandai said as he smiled at the girl. "Are you here to train with us? No?" He watched as Onari ran at his father. Kandai moved back as the foreign girl tackled Neji to the ground.

Neji fell over as he was jumped. Onari's speed and strength had increased dramatically over the past two years. He looked up at her with a glare. She was swaying her hips like a cat ready to pounce. Onari was itching to tell him something. "Go ahead, Onari."

Takeru finally managed to catch up to her. He walked into the dojo to see his girlfriend on top of Mr. Hyuuga. "Oh, no. She's already jumped him, too," he said ashamed.

"What exactly is all of the excitement over," Eiyu said as he stood on his feet. His father was finally sitting up. Onari was grabbing Kandai's hands and swinging him around.

"It's Daiya's birthday," Takeru told his teammate.

"We're planning on throwing him a surprise party late this afternoon. All of you are invited. Ri, you're not supposed to pick up guys like that."

Onari looked at Takeru oddly. She had Kandai lifted in her arms, his legs wrapped around her hips. "Takeru, it's just Kandai," she said as if that would explain what she was doing.

"Takeru's become quite serious, hasn't he? Do you suppose he's taking after his brother, or his dad," Kandai said teasingly. He smiled.

"There is no way I am anything like Daiya. Onari put him down. That isn't ladylike," Takeru said in an effort to get her to behave. She put Kandai down scowling.

"Onari isn't a lady," Eiyu said truthfully. "She's a complete loose cannon." Onari shot him a mean look.

"Eiyu, there is no reason for you to be inappropriate," Neji said. He was aware that Eiyu's mood had become stern since Onari had started dating Takeru. "You guys are being invited to an important event. It doesn't mean you have to go."

"I'll go. I can enjoy myself with or without Eiyu," Kandai said. "He's become a sourpuss lately." He gave Onari a hug. He liked it when she was playful. It was fun to be around her.

Onari leaned into Kandai. The only physical evidence between he and Eiyu that told them apart was the way they wore their hair. Eiyu preferred to wear his hair loose like his father. Kandai preferred his to be in a ponytail. Eiyu's attitude had grown quite negative as of late. Onari glanced at him. Apparently, he was unaware that she understood a heck of a lot more than she let on.

Takeru noticed how Onari was acting. She was taking refuge by being near Kandai. He was not blind to the fact that Eiyu still had feelings for Onari. His teammate was bitter over the situation. "I think we should go, Ri. If you want to come, you're welcome to, Eiyu. See you later, Kandai," Takeru said as he reached for Onari's hand. He walked away with her.

Kandai looked at his brother with disappointment. "It's not Takeru's fault he chose to admit the way he felt and you didn't to her. I like Onari. She's my friend and the least you can do is have respect for her."

Eiyu lowered his gaze from Kandai's. Whether he liked it or not, Takeru had chosen to completely confess to Onari. He was acting like a child over a girl. Even his father was looking at him sternly.

"Eiyu, do you honestly think as much as Onari has improved in her training and skills, that she is still unable to decipher a person's true intentions towards them," Neji asked. "Onari is not as much of a loose cannon as you may think. Her behavior has improved greatly to what it used to be. She's only herself when she's around others she is comfortable with. I'm sorry that you are choosing to not be a part of her and Takeru's lives. That is your decision and I cannot change it for you," he said as he glanced at Kandai.

"If you wish to join the celebration, Kandai, you are allowed to go. You have my permission. Your brother must make his own decision," Neji said as he walked out of the dojo. The matter was over with.

Onari clung to Takeru outside the Hyuuga compound. She didn't understand why Eiyu was being mean to her. Takeru had his arms around her and his head leaning against hers. "Onari does not know why Eiyu doesn't like her anymore," she said muffled.

Takeru lifted her chin. He was taller than Onari by two inches. "Ri, I don't think that's why Eiyu is being the way he is. He's being a poor sport. He is upset with me because I told you how I felt – how I truly felt about you. I've been saying it for a few years, even though, you weren't able to understand me," Takeru said as he leaned towards her. He closed his eyes as he kissed her sweetly, his knuckles stroking her jaw line.

Onari opened her eyes as Takeru parted the kiss. She loved him more than anything in her life. They had lived together for two years. She reached her hands up to touch his face. Takeru smiled at her softly. "Onari loves Takeru."

Takeru kissed her back as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I have been waiting to hear those words for so long," he said as he rubbed his nose against hers.

"Takeru, do you want Onari to marry you," she asked as she watched the expression on his face. Onari knew he was the type of person who didn't hide anything. He was very confident in who he was.

"Yeah," Takeru said. "I want nothing more than for you to always be by my side." He reached for her hand and placed it over his heart. Takeru looked at her with a loving gaze. "You've had my heart since I saw those wild eyes of yours."

Onari blushed at Takeru's words. He was only a boy when they had first encountered one another. He had been innocent and closed off to the outside world. Takeru Uchiha had grown up quite well. He was becoming a man. Her fingers found their way to his. In that moment, there was no doubt in her mind that she had been destined to meet him. They still had a few more people to notify about the surprise party. They left the area outside the Hyuuga compound. The day was pressing on.

"A surprise party for Daiya? Sure, I can go," Gin said softly. "It's already noon though. You guys still have to inform Ryu, Saori, and Masaru. I don't mind helping. It will be easier if we split up. You won't make it to three residences and have time to decorate. Time is running out."

"I can go tell Masaru if Onari will tell Ryu," Takeru said. He looked at her to make sure it was alright. She nodded. "Alright, Gin, Saori might be training out in the sparring ring. She's been practicing a lot more. We'll split up." He took off running away from the flower shop owned by Gin's family. "Thanks, Gin!"

"Gin, wear a pretty kimono for the party," Onari said hinting at her. She smiled at the shy girl cheesily before she took off towards Ryu's house.

Daiya woke up feeling groggy. He looked out at the room. No one was there. He didn't hear Onari or Takeru shouting or feet hitting the wooden floors. He rolled over, flopping his legs on the bed. He brought his hands up to rub at his eyes as he yawned. Daiya sat up. He groaned. His body ached. Sasuke had taken him and Ryu seriously when they had announced they wanted to be trained as ANBU.

Daiya swung his legs over the bed. He yawned again. "Takeru? Onari?" There was no answer. He let his feet hit the floor. Daiya looked around the room again. This time he saw the banner with balloons on it. He had forgotten it was his birthday. Daiya eased out of the room. One could never be too cautious if living with Onari.

Daiya looked in the kitchen. No one was there. Usually Izumi was fixing something for later. He knocked on the bedroom door. "Mom? Dad?" No answer again. "Where is everybody?" It was unusual for him to be left home alone. Everyone worried about him.

Daiya walked out to the garden. It was unchanged. "Sasuke!" That didn't get his dad's attention. Daiya only called the man by his real name when he was frustrated. Sasuke didn't like it either. He was too used to Daiya referring to him as 'Dad'.

Daiya grumbled. He scratched his scruffy hair. He decided he'd take a bath since there was less of a chance for Takeru to run in on him to get away from Onari. He threw his nightclothes into the basket. After the hot water was finished, he poured warm salts in the water.

Daiya got in and grunted as he sat down. His body was on fire. His muscles ached from all of the hard training. Daiya supposed he could get away with not being so serious since no one was around. He slipped into the water and floated on his back. He closed his eyes letting the silence take him away.

Yanagi knocked on the door of the Uchiha house. She smiled a little to herself. She knew where everyone was. It was a setup and Daiya didn't know. Her job was to get him out of the house so his parents could set up the place. Yanagi had had the privilege of helping her mom and Izumi make the cake.

Yanagi waited patiently. She tottered on her feet thinking. Daiya soon opened the door. "Hi, handsome," she said as she kissed him on the lips. She threw her arms around his neck. Yanagi could smell the soap on him. "Happy Birthday," she said.

Daiya tilted his head. He put his arms around her. "I forgot about it, again. Dad has me and Ryu training our butts off. My whole body is sore."

"I'm sorry. Do you want me to give you a massage," Yanagi asked. She watched him toughen up. He normally didn't complain. She laughed at him. He was defiantly hers. "So are you too sore to let me treat you?"

Daiya kissed her softly. When Yanagi was around, he acted differently. He supposed it was because she lighted up his life. "No, I can manage." He interlaced both of his hands with hers. "Where are we going?"

Yanagi tugged him along. "Come on, Daiya Uchiha, let's celebrate your birthday!" She walked with him rather fast paced. Her mother and Izumi were going to be here soon.

Daiya wondered where they were going. Yanagi pulled him into a small stand. He looked around. "Isn't it a bit too early for ice cream?" He wasn't a child. Yanagi looked at him somewhat hurt as she paid the man in front. "I'm sorry, Yanagi. I didn't disapprove of it."

Yanagi felt stupid. Daiya was fifteen now. Ice cream was a rare treat for her, but her boyfriend wasn't going to think the same. She told the man she wished to change her order. "Just one. I'd like the cherry flavor, please." She thanked the man and started to lick her ice cream cone.

Daiya took her free hand and pulled her out of the food stand. "Yanagi, I wasn't trying to be rude. I don't like cold stuff. I'm somewhat cold natured. I catch chills easily and get sick," he said trying to make her understand.

"I should have thought about that. Then again, if you don't tell me, I cannot know. So what do you want to do with me? I'd suggest training, but you're sore enough," Yanagi said with a laugh. She got him to sit down with her as she ate. "So you said you and Ryu have been training hard?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I guess that's what I get for telling Ryu we'd make good ANBU." Daiya moved his feet on the ground. "I couldn't see Ryu and me wanting to take missions that led us away from the village for long. Ryu's gotten pretty serious about his concerns for Saori."

"So what is your reason for wanting to remain in the village? Are you afraid Takeru and Onari will get into trouble," Yanagi asked. She pictured Takeru running his butt off to get away from the girl. Onari could be aggressive when she wanted to be.

Daiya rested his elbows on his knees as he hunched over to stare at the ground. He was an adult now, wasn't he? He should mean what he says. It was time to be serious. "No, Takeru is admirable for getting away if he has to. I'd rather stay in the village to protect those that are mine to protect." He glanced at her. She was watching him. "If someone were to harm a hair on your head, I'd kill him where he stood. I'd electrocute him so badly that his own kin wouldn't be able to recognize his teeth," he said aggressively.

Yanagi knew Daiya meant what he said. He was one of the few that did. She blushed. Was she his whole reason for wanting to become an ANBU?

Daiya pressed further. "I know what my feelings are for you. You're the reason I push harder, Yanagi. You are what keeps me going when I want to break down. I know this isn't appropriate because of our ages, but-," he paused. He turned his head to look at her – to notice any changes in her behavior. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he said.

Yanagi's heart flip-flopped in her chest. "Are you aware of what that means?" She watched him move closer to her, his gray eyes matching hers. Yanagi's face flushed more when he touched her.

"I have to have children with you, Yanagi Lee. I want you to be mine. I want to see you on a bad morning- to sleep next to you on a cold night. I want to see your sleepy face – to hold you and know that you'll be looking at me smiling when I mess up," Daiya said. Yanagi was in shock. Had he frightened her? He feared he did.

Yanagi threw herself at him. She held onto him hard. Her forehead pressed against his collarbone. Yanagi was overwhelmed with emotions. Daiya wanted her. The boy she liked loved her more than he could express without being blunt. Yanagi had never dated anyone but Daiya. He was rough, blunt, serious, reserved, aggressive, and dominating in nature.

Yanagi knew he was like that because he wanted to protect the others around him. Daiya only knew his family and those that gave him a chance. He had come from a tormented existence to where he stood now. Yanagi kissed him hard, unexpectedly. She moved her hand to press him to her more. He didn't object to it.

Daiya blushed at how forceful she was being. He kissed her just as deeply. Was she saying 'yes' to him? Daiya gasped a little as he kept kissing her. He could taste the cherry ice cream on her tongue. He parted the kiss so they could both breathe. "Is that a yes?"

Yanagi smiled at him gently. "I'm really lucky to have an amazing guy who wants to be with me –who protects me and looks out for me – who thinks so much of me, as you do. We are too young to be thinking that way. Our parents would kill us. You're supposed to ask my parents for permission first, Daiya. I know you didn't understand that. I want to be with you more than anything. I don't intend to leave you. Let that be my answer for now. I can't say 'yes' because of our ages. We have to wait and see if we still love each other when we're older," Yanagi said hoping he would understand.

Daiya nodded slowly. "I understand. I'll ask again. I have no problem in waiting. Your parents don't like me much. Your dad watches me like a hawk when I'm around you – like my dad wouldn't deck me hard enough for trying something." That made Yanagi start to laugh.

"Yeah, Sasuke sensei is as reserved as you are," she said still laughing. "He would deck you and Takeru both!" Yanagi kicked her legs imagining it. It was funny. She'd seen Sasuke chase Daiya a time or two. It amused her.

"I'm glad I amuse you," Daiya said as he realized what she was laughing at. He shook his head. It wasn't funny to be chased if Sasuke was really after him, or Ryu. They'd get hit eventually.

Yanagi leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I have a special present for you." He looked at her quizzically. "It's not here though. We have to go to it. Do you want it now, or later?" She watched his expression. She was unsure how he was going to react once he received it.

"Is it a big present or something?" Daiya wondered what it was. Why did they have to go to it? Yanagi only smiled at him as she tugged for him to stand. He followed her to a small area near some houses. "Yanagi, are you taking me to another shop?" She didn't answer him right away.

Yanagi turned around as she walked backwards. "No, we'll eat later. If you want your present, you have to close your eyes. Someone is holding it for me," she said with a smile. "Don't open your eyes," she said as she put his hands up to his face.

Daiya closed his eyes. "I feel stupid doing this." He lowered his arms to cross them. What was taking Yanagi so long? What did she get me? She's taking her time. I shouldn't look. I should be a good sport about it. Daiya furrowed his brows. He didn't like closing his eyes.

Yanagi stood watching Daiya for a moment. He was wanting to look, but was behaving for the most part. She wanted to know if he would be all right with her gift. Yanagi couldn't let him stand there waiting forever. She took a deep breath. "Daiya, open your eyes."

Daiya opened his eyes slowly. There was a face watching him. He moved back quickly as he threw his back against the building. His body was tense, heart racing, breathing increased. The guy in front of him was watching his reaction sadly. Who was that?

Yanagi had feared he was going to react badly. She put her hand out to calm him. "Daiya, it's okay. He's not going to hurt you. It's okay," she said again trying to reassure him. Daiya's eyes were wild. He really didn't know who it was. She had to play it safe, or he would spark. "He's going to come closer, alright? He won't hurt you," she said as the tall male wearing a kimono walked slowly to Daiya.

Daiya lowered his head expecting to be attacked. He didn't know whom the guy was that Yanagi had brought. The male wore a blue kimono and had long red hair to his shoulders. Daiya tried to move farther back, but wasn't able as the guy leaned towards him.

"Lightening bugs aren't always brilliant," he said softly into Daiya's ear. He remained leaned over, not knowing what his reaction would be. He feared he was going to be rejected.

Daiya's eyes went wide. Those words. "Lightening bugs aren't always brilliant" – he had said those words to… his mind flashed back to the hospital when he had first overloaded. Daiya's heart fluttered. He turned to look at the male who was still leaned towards him. The eyes were sad. "I-..Idai…?"

Idai smiled sadly at Daiya. He nodded gently, his long hair moving. He had changed in the past two years as Daiya had. His best friend was muscular, aggressive, and more confident in his actions. Idai, was also more threatening. "Hi, lightening bug. Are you angry with me," he asked softly.

Daiya felt himself give out. Idai was here. The person he had worried about for two years and who had never written – was in front of him. His bottom lip quivered as he grabbed Idai hard. Daiya held onto him as he buried his face on his shoulder. "Why did you leave me," he asked as his emotions erupted.

Idai tried to speak. Daiya was crying and it caused him to get upset. Idai wanted to grab onto him so badly. His arms went up, but stopped. The nagging presence in the back of his mind prevented him.

Yanagi was watching it all unfold. Her hand covered her mouth to keep herself quiet. Idai was trying to fight himself. He wasn't supposed to be back in Konoha. He had returned to see Daiya. The bond he and Daiya held was strong. Idai is still fighting it. He's not well. He wanted to come back home so badly.

"I'm not supposed to be here, Daiya. My dad doesn't know I'm here. I left him in the Earth Country," Idai said. He was still trying to fight himself. "I'm sorry, Daiya, but I'm not well. I can't be fixed. I have to go."

"NO!" Daiya held onto him harder. "You're my best friend! I'm not abandoning you, Idai! I've spent two years not knowing if you were alive or dead. Don't ask me to spend every day of my life searching for you!"

Idai looked at him sadly. "Why are you trying to save me?" He watched as Daiya cupped his face in his hands.

"I'd rather you hate me for saving you than for you to be tormented like you are," Daiya said. "Why can't you let me be close to you? To help you, Idai?"

Idai didn't show any emotion. He felt the sadness in his heart, but his body wouldn't let him be rid of it. He swallowed hard. "I don't want to hurt you. I came back to see you again – even though, I wasn't supposed to. I'm still sick, Daiya. The person I become sometimes, isn't me. It's someone else. There's someone else inside of here," he said touching his chest. "I don't know who he is. My dad has tried to fix me. No one has been able to help me. I get violent when my personality changes. I have no control over it. The last thing I want is to hurt you, or Yanagi – anyone."

"Idai, if we can handle Daiya when he's angry, I don't think you'd be that bad," Yanagi said trying to give him hope.

Idai turned his serious gaze upon Yanagi. "Could you handle Sasuke sensei or perhaps, Kiba sensei on a bad day? What if they were at full strength and were your enemy, Yanagi. Could you handle me then?" Idai's serious eyes never wavered. "I'm not the same as you once knew. I'm more dangerous to those around me than you know. I cannot stay here. If I hurt someone, I won't forgive myself."

Yanagi walked towards him. "You're going to leave again as if you weren't here? That's not possible, Idai. I won't let you just walk away from us. Daiya has never forgotten about you. He's attached to you whether you realize it, or not!"

Daiya had his head lowered, eyes averted. He didn't want Idai to leave. What could he do? Idai was not well, in any means. He was still suffering. Idai wouldn't let him, or Yanagi try to help him. He raised his eyes. Idai was arguing with Yanagi about why he had to go. Daiya gritted his teeth. He watched how serious his best friend was becoming.

"It's not going to solve anything, Idai! You're not the only one who suffers! Do you want this to be the last time you see Daiya? Is it? His attacks have become more frequent!"

"Yanagi," Daiya shouted angrily. That was something he didn't like others to know. It was disrespectful to treat him differently.

Idai turned his head slowly to look at Daiya. "Is that true? Has it gotten worse?" Daiya would not look at him. Idai had fought himself endlessly just so he could make it here. "Are you going to die because of it," Idai asked sadly. His muscles tensed. The boy he had been was coming back. "Daiya!"

Daiya looked at the red haired sound-nin with a harsh gaze. "What do you want from me, Idai? I don't want your pity! If you want to leave – go!"

Idai pushed back the nagging presence in the back of his mind. It wanted to take a hold of him – control him. "Lightening bug, you were the reason I fought so hard to get here. I only wanted to come back to you, but even now, I'm hurting you. I don't want to hurt you," Idai said as he lifted his hands to place them on Daiya's shoulders. "Yanagi didn't know I was here until a few days ago. Right now, the thing inside of me is trying to come out. I don't want to hurt anyone," he said as his voice broke. Idai pressed his forehead against Daiya's.

"By leaving, you are, Idai," Daiya said as he grabbed a hold of the boy. "What is the point of us being best friends if you won't let me help you?"

"I'm the one that's supposed to help you, Daiya. You saved me a long time ago," Idai said. "I have to return the favor." At that point, Idai broke. He wrapped his arms around his best friend hard, pressing him to his body.

Yanagi wanted to break down, too. Idai had suffered with the full intent of trying to return to Konoha. She knew some of what he had been through. He had told her – that's why she hadn't rushed to Daiya bout Idai being in the village. Idai had to keep himself in control in order to be around others. "Idai, you have to tell Daiya what happens when you lose control. He has to know how to stop you – to help you." Idai was shaking his head. "Idai, please! I don't want to go against you and tell him. He's worried about you as much as I have."

"He'll hate me," Idai said as he took his hands off Daiya. "The one I want to protect is in front of me and I can't even protect myself." He looked away.

Daiya kept his hold on Idai. "I have to know what's wrong. You're supposed to confide in me. That's what friends do. Why is it so hard? Do you think I'll stop being your friend?" He saw Idai nod. "That's not going to happen. I've never lost hope in your return."

Yanagi put her hand on Idai's shoulder. "Please, Idai. We're still your friends. We do love you – even if you are a goofball sometimes or an unemotional statue."

"I-I get violent," Idai suddenly confessed. "It's like I'm in a dream. I can see the things happening, but I'm not able to stop them from occurring. I can hear someone's cruel voice as he attacks the others around me. My dad yells in anger when he's out. I'm fully aware of being restrained and I scream in pain as the being inside of me tries to overtake me. I can feel every sensation throughout my body when I'm attacked by those trying to defend themselves. When I come out of it, my head hurts so badly I can't see straight. I've killed someone in the past," Idai said with a shaky voice.

"Someone was trying to hold me in place at a temple with spells. I retaliated against him. I killed him in cold blood as he screamed in terror. I couldn't stop myself from doing it. Dad wouldn't look at me after that. There was blood all over my clothes and swords. He told me I was forbidden from coming back to Konoha. He had lost hope in helping me. I want to stay with you guys. I miss all of you so much, but I'll end up hurting you all."

Daiya stepped back to look at Idai. The Idai that he had known was in front of him again. Before, it had been a reserved Idai who was hollow and held no emotions. "Do you trust us," he asked.

Idai nodded slowly as he looked at Daiya. He lifted his hand to move Daiya's bangs out of his face. He was watching the boy from the lightening country with a soft expression. For the moment, Idai was lost.

Yanagi was watching Idai sadly. His slow movements and complacent expression told her Idai – the real Idai – was back. His moods shifted too quickly for a normal person's. The way he acted reminded her about something she had read in her mother's medical books. She turned around. "I'm getting Ryu, Idai. Don't be alarmed. He has been training to help Daiya on Sasuke's team. He can probably help." She left the two in her wake.

Daiya kept his attention on Idai. Idai had already warned them his mood changed without cause or reason. So far, he was fine. "What are you thinking about?" Idai shook his head. He was looking past Daiya. "You have to be thinking about something."

"Am I… an okay birthday present," Idai asked softly. It was only chance that he had returned a few days prior to Daiya's birthday. He had no realization of time anymore. Idai was only aware of the seasons changing around him.

Daiya felt his emotions overcome him again. He grabbed Idai and brought his head to rest on his shoulder. He closed his eyes as the overdue tears started to flow down his cheeks. Could he really save Idai before he lost himself? "You're the best present I've ever received." He meant it. Daiya felt Idai put his arms around his waist.

"Daiya, you're my best friend," Idai said softly. "I love you, even if I can't be fixed. I'll miss you terribly when I go." He felt Daiya kiss the top of his head. Daiya's body was slightly shaking with sadness. Idai wasn't sure if he could continue to live his life hurting the others around him. He had a lot to think about.

"Alright, Idai, I want you to watch the pencil. I want you to keep your eyes focused on it. Don't pay attention to anyone in the room. Only focus on the pencil," Ryu said. They were attempting to bring out Idai's 'better' half. They had to know what they were up against.

Kurenai stood off to her son's right watching. Idai had run away from Gai so he could return to Konoha. She had learned that much from Yanagi. The problems Idai faced had increased over the years. She believed the boy had a multiple personality locked away in his mind. Kurenai wondered if Idai had been brainwashed as a child when he had resided in the sound village. Idai admitted he was unaware of his own true strength when his other halfway was active.

As Idai's eyes grew tired, his head fell forward. His eyes closed. I'm not tired. I'm supposed to stay awake and focus. Why is it hard to keep my eyes open?

Daiya reached for Yanagi's hand and held onto it hard. He was afraid what was going to happen. Kurenai had warned them to be alert. Idai's attitude, personality, and physical strength were going to be altered. He and Yanagi were standing against the wall, as far away as possible.

Once Ryu was sure Idai's mind was in suspended animation, he lowered the pencil. "I want you to focus on the sound of my voice, Idai. Do you hear me?" Idai nodded slowly. "I'm going to ask you some questions. I'm not going to hurt you. please answer the question that I ask. Do you understand thus far?" Idai nodded again.

"Where were you born?"

"The Sound Village," Idai said softly.

"What is your name?"

"Idai."

"What is your surname?"

"Tatsumaki," he said even softer.

"Do you remember the clan you came from," Ryu asked as he watched Idai's body move a little. His posture was slumped over, head lowered.

"No," Idai answered.

"Who are your parents," Ryu asked. He wanted to see if Idai would answer his current adopted father, or his old family. He saw Idai's brows furrowed. "Please answer my question. Who are your parents?"

"O…Oru…sh-shin and… Yukihara," Idai said as his voice quivered.

Ryu glanced over his shoulder at his mother. She nodded her head for him to press further. It seemed they had a lead. "What happened to your mother?"

Idai gritted his teeth. He saw his mom yelling at him about what a shame to the family he was. She dragged him away from the house they lived in. Yukihara insulted him repeatedly, only to throw him out into the street and lock the gates on him. "She… She caste me out," he said.

Yanagi's heart was breaking. Idai appeared as a small boy in front of her who was still reliving his past. She leaned into Daiya.

"Where is your father," Ryu asked softly.

Idai began to play with his hands. "My..My father died.. He tried…to s-save me," he said stuttering. A horrible flash appeared in his mind of his father being thrown against the wall. Idai raised his arms to press his hands against his head.

Ryu had to press on. He watched Idai shake his head, trying to get the memory to go away. "Idai, is the memory painful?"

"Y-yes!"

"Idai, I need you to be strong. Try to put the memory of your father aside. Press it back." Ryu waited until the boy's posture had relaxed. "Why did you choose to come back to Konoha?"

Yanagi watched as Idai's facial expression contorted. He was struggling with his own mind. She moved even closer to Daiya. Daiya's eyes were intently watching his best friend.

"Idai, please answer the question," Ryu said sternly.

"I-I came back because I missed my home. I-I have no friends where I am. I missed Daiya and…-"

Kurenai moved forward. She put her hand on her son's shoulder. The fact Idai was having trouble focusing on the questions Ryu was asking, told her he was in trouble. "Ryu, we need to switch."

"Hi, Idai, it's Kurenai. I'm going to ask you something really important." She leaned forward to watch his face for signs of being over taken. "Why did you want to see Daiya so badly?"

"Daiya's my… best friend," Idai said with a sad voice. "I want to stay with…" He didn't complete his sentence.

"Idai, will you let your friends help you? They want to be close to you." Kurenai moved back. Idai was shaking his head as he answered 'yes'. She signaled for Ryu and the others to be on their toes. Idai was not controlling his own actions. She and Ryu withdrew kunai to protect themselves.

"Idai, lift your right arm for me," Kurenai said as she tested the boy. Idai lifted his left arm. She tried again. "Can you wiggle your toes for me?" Idai lifted his feet. Kurenai turned to Ryu, "Be on guard. He has no control over his body."

"I didn't tell you to move your hands. Who is controlling you," Kurenai asked. The boy lifted his arms like a puppet. He started to stand. Kurenai's heart started to race. He was still under hypnosis. She ordered him to remain seated.

"No," Idai said in a deep threatening voice. His eyes opened. Idai's orange eyes had changed. They were now black. "I am not Idai," he said as he started to move towards the long, raven-haired woman and the boy with spiky hair.

"Oh, no. He's going to attack Kurenai sensei and Ryu," Yanagi said as Idai's face became elated. He smirked at the two in front of him. Yanagi saw him reach for a kunai. He looked at it, his eyes examining the ninja weapon.

"I like ninja from the hidden leaf village. They don't die so easily as the villagers," Idai said. "It's kind of thrilling." He ran at the dark haired woman.

Daiya ran straight at Idai. He had to stop him! Daiya threw himself at Idai's side, causing the older boy to get off balance and slam into the wall. He pinned Idai against the wall with all of his strength. The face looking back at him was not his friend. "Who the hell are you? Why are you in Idai? Give him back to me!"

Ryu was protecting Yanagi. He was in front of her in case Idai, or whoever he was, got past Daiya. She watched as Idai laughed sinisterly at Daiya.

"Aw, that's sweet. You like this little sound-nin, don't you? I like his body a lot. It lets me kill. Would you like to be next, lightening bug? I know what he calls you," the person inside of Idai said. "I know the real reason he came back, too," the voice taunted. "He loves you – that's why. You mean more to him than his own sanity," the voice said as it continued to laugh as Daiya started to panic.

"I wonder what will happen if I hurt you. Do you suppose Idai will go insane? Will I finally get his body then? I'm tired of waiting for it," he said as he tried to slice at the boy with the kunai. The other boy in the room pulled the boy back. He laughed as he watched them all. They were afraid. He was enjoying this game so much.

"When I snap my fingers, you'll wake up, Idai. One… two… three," Ryu said as he snapped his fingers when Idai started to come towards them. He kept his arm around Daiya. Idai's eyes started to change from black to orange. Ryu sighed relief. Ida was looking at the kunai in his hand.

"What was I doing? Why are you all looking at me like that," Idai asked. He noticed Ryu was holding Daiya back. Yanagi was watching him with wide eyes and Kurenai was in defense stance. "Oh, no." Idai caught on to what was happening. He moved back. "I can't stay here," he said.

Kurenai blocked the door. "No, Idai. You must stay here. It wasn't you that did it. We have to find out how to get the other person inside of you to leave. You must trust us."

Ryu turned Daiya around to check on him. He pressed his hand to Daiya's collarbone to stop the bleeding. Idai had managed to get him, but it wasn't bad. The vest Daiya wore was heavily padded. It had protected him. "I'm still going to try for you, Idai. You're my friend, too."

"I hurt Daiya…?" He tried to get past Kurenai again. She forced him back. He wanted to end it all. The one person he wanted to protect and he had injured him. Idai sunk to the floor defeated. "Kill me. Please," he begged Kurenai. She was watching him with a horrified expression on her face.

"No, Idai," Yanagi screamed. She threw a shuriken at the kunai in his hand as he attempted to bring it down upon himself. The kunai went across the room. It lodged itself in the wall. She ran to him and looked up into his face as she slid on the floor. He matched her gaze. Yanagi put her hands on his face. "Don't do that, Idai. Don't give up. I know it's hard. I know you've been through more than we can imagine, but please don't take yourself away from us. It's not just Gai sensei that is trying for you now. It's all of us. We love you so much. We want to help you. we won't ever give up on you. A scratch is not going to stop Daiya."

"No, only Sasuke sensei can do that," Ryu said smiling at Idai. He crouched beside the boy. "We will continue to help you. Hurting yourself will make everyone around you very sad."

Yanagi turned her head to look at Daiya. "Daiya, I know I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but we're going to be late for your surprise party. I didn't expect things to turn out this way. It only proves that I need to think more of the consequences."

"I'll stay with Idai until he's calmed down," Ryu said. He noticed Daiya was searching Idai's frame for an answer to it all. Ryu rose to walk his mother and Yanagi out of the apartment.

Daiya approached Idai. He crouched in front of his best friend. Idai's eyes were averted. He was ashamed. "Can you look at me?" Idai turned his gaze towards him. "I meant what I said earlier, Idai. You are the best birthday present I've ever received." Before Idai could question him, he leaned in to kiss Idai on the cheek. Daiya wrapped his arms around his friend's neck. "I told you a long time ago, I would protect you. That still holds true." He let go as he rose to go. Ryu was standing at the door keeping an eye on them.

Once Daiya left the apartment, Ryu sat in front of Idai. He put his hand on the boy's head to rub gently as Idai blushed. "Daiya has tried to escape the village to find you. He cares for you deeply. If you truly want to be with everyone again, then close your eyes."

Idai looked up at Ryu not understanding. He raised a brow. "Ah, Ryu," he said as the genin put his hands over his eyes. Idai saw blackness.

"Concentrate on nothing. Let everything inside of you wash away as if a river was cleaning your body. There is no anger. There is no laughter. There is only you inside this world. Find yourself in it," Ryu said softly as he leaned towards him. "Concentrate on your inner self. Imagine it lifting up and out of the darkness it's been in for so long. Guide it to the light where we are. If you can find the light inside yourself, Idai, we'll have a better chance of helping you," Ryu said as he took his hands away.

Idai looked up at him gently. "Why are you nice to me," he asked as Ryu glanced at him.

"Probably because I like you, you goofy, hyperactive kid," Ryu said. He started to stand. "Come on, we have to get you freshened up if you're going to make a grand entrance at Daiya's party," he said bowing.

Idai stood slowly. He followed Ryu into the bathroom where he would wash. It felt good to be home. As Idai left the living room, he felt as if he was leaving some part of himself behind.


	70. Chapter 70

**V7 ch 9**

**Yanagi's Gift**

**Part II**

Idai sat by himself as he watched everyone enjoy themselves at Daiya's surprise party. He had tricked Gai and left him in the earth country. What he had done was unforgivable. He had used a mind erasure against the man who had taken him in so he could get away. He hated himself. Idai closed his eyes. He had betrayed the one person who had spent countless effort to help him.

Everyone was so shocked to see him. His trainer had hugged him tightly when he saw Idai. Masaru had run to him and tackled him to the ground as he asked all sorts of questions. His stomach knotted at remembering how everyone had reacted to him. They all assumed he was cured, but the moment his happiness came back, he felt the nagging presence at the back of his mind. Idai had to escape to the other side of the garden to avoid a dilemma. As he sat sulking, he heard footsteps come across the bridge. Idai looked up slowly. His eyes stared at the person watching him.

Gin blushed as she stopped in her tracks. She was late arriving to the party. Her long brown hair was flowing behind her while two Chinese buns rested on top of her head. She was wearing a green kimono with white cranes on it. Idai was so handsome to her. His hair was unusually red and shoulder length. He had grown six inches in the past two years. Gin smiled at him with her blue eyes softening. "Hello again, Idai."

Idai swallowed as he straightened his posture. Was that Gin? He felt light headed. Normally, she was shy and hid behind Areku, or Kandai when he came around. She was kindly looking him over as she stayed where she was. "Plant girl," he asked a little unsure. Gin walked closer to where she stood in front of him. "Why aren't you over there with your friends?"

Gin blushed as she took a small box out of her kimono. She put it in her hands and held it out to Idai. Gin's heart was racing nervously as Idai tried to figure out what she was doing. "I-I got this for you," she managed to say.

Idai's expression started to change. He gently lifted the box out of her hands. She was nervous being around him. He supposed Gin had heard about the demon inside of him. Idai started to open the box slowly. As he did, Gin turned on her heels. She ran across the bridge in a hurry.

Idai felt somewhat disappointed that she had left so quickly. He looked down at the box's contents. Idai's heart flopped in his chest. It was a pair of green earrings that were long and slanted at the end. He picked them up to look at them. She… got these for me…? Just because I came back?

Idai's eyes drifted to a folded note in the bottom of the box. He lifted it out. As he unfolded it, he read. I like you, Idai. I'm glad you're back. I've been worried about you. Love, Gin. Idai's fingers moved over the kanji. She likes me. His eyes searched for her on the other side of the bridge. Gin really likes me.

Gin moved through the crowd until she found Areku. He was sitting on a rock not paying attention to anyone. He didn't seem to be enjoying himself. She came up to his side blushing madly. Areku seemed to be catching on to her body gestures as she played with her kimono.

Areku turned his body fully around. "You didn't," he said in disbelief. "You actually gave it to him?" Gin nodded. "What did he say?" Gin looked down embarrassed. Areku sulked. "You ran, didn't you?" He pinched his nose. "Ah, Gin, you won't know how he reacts unless you stick around long enough."

Areku's gaze lifted. He saw Idai moving through the crowd searching for something. His eyes watched a few people move out of the way. Idai's head straightened once he singled Gin out. "Here's your opportunity," he said.

Gin wasn't sure what he was talking about. She sensed someone standing behind her. Gin turned around to see Idai looking at her. She suddenly blushed on contact.

"Can I talk to you," Idai asked as he stood awkwardly. Areku smiled as he turned his head away. The Inuzuka boy pushed Gin towards him as he looked back at Idai.

"She would love to," Areku said answering for her as he stood. He bent down to her ear. "Go. This is your chance," he whispered trying to encourage her.

Gin walked with Idai away from the crowd. She followed him shyly as he turned around to check on her. They exited the garden and went inside the Uchiha house. Gin wondered what he wanted to talk to her about. He suddenly stopped. Gin bumped into his back. She apologized quickly bowing her head.

Idai turned around to smile at her. "Why are you apologizing? Did you mean what you said on the paper," he asked as he searched her for an answer. Gin was avoiding his gaze and she appeared more nervous as he questioned her. He saw her adjust her feet a few times, as she tried to handle him approaching her. Idai finally saw her look up.

Gin's knees felt weak as he matched his gaze. She stared into his orange eyes. "Yes, I meant every word," she said as she gained the confidence she needed. Gin thought back to all of her pre-training with Areku and Masaru. It had call come to this moment. "I… like you a lot, Idai. I've worried about you every day," she said softly.

That was when Idai blushed. His heart was flip-flopping all over the place. In his mind, he saw himself trying to catch it and put it back in his chest. "Every day," he asked repeating her words. She had kept her mind on him for two years. Idai reached for her head. As he lowered his head, he brought her hand towards his lips. Idai kissed her hand sweetly.

Gin almost fainted. Idai was a gentleman. He wasn't the type of person everyone made him out to be. She felt her knees give out as he lowered her hand.

Idai caught her quickly. He looked at her with concern as she kept staring at him dreamily. Idai leaned towards her. Was it all right for him to be this close to her? He didn't feel like he was being torn between two places. Ryokuzu was staying away. There wasn't a voice nagging him in the background. His mind felt eased. Idai only saw and felt Gin.

Gin wanted to stay with him in this dream world. He was kind and caring with her. She tensed a little as he came closer. Idai kissed her cheek so gently that when he parted from her, it lingered on her skin.

Idai let his bangs touch her face as he kept watching her. He didn't want to make any demands upon her for her confession. His future was uncertain right now. "I don't know what to say. I've never had anyone like me as you do. Don't you know I'm cursed, plant girl?" His eyes looked at her sadly. "Hasn't Areku told you I have a demon inside of me?"

Gin reached her hands up to hold onto his face. She touched her forehead to his. "I've prayed to Buddha that no harm would befall you. He hasn't let me down. As long as the lotus blooms, there is hope, Idai."

Idai didn't understand. "Hope? I've forgotten what that is." He relaxed as Gin put her arms around him. Idai laid his head on her shoulder. Was it possible for him to open himself to her? Idai closed his eyes as he searched himself for the answer. He wanted to be happy.

Idai soon heard the laughter inside of his head protesting against his actions. He furrowed his brows. Idai whimpered slightly. Ryokuzu was alert. He felt a hand under his chin. Idai opened his eyes to see Gin looking him over.

Gin felt at peace with him in the hall of the Uchiha house. She wasn't nervous anymore around him. She saw something lingering in the back of Idai's eyes. To her, it appeared as a glint. She figured his mind was constantly on his problem. Gin quickly kissed the space beside his eye. "We're missing Daiya's party," she said softly. "Let's go get some cake," she said as she kept holding his hand.

Idai let Gin help him rise. He kept his hand holding hers as they walked outside. Everyone was standing around a large cake. Daiya was averting his eyes at the attention he was getting.

Izumi smiled as she brought out dishes and chopsticks for the crowd. She set them on the table. "Okay, Daiya, any last words before we embarrass you," she asked as everyone started to laugh.

Daiya tensed as he looked up to see everyone staring at him. "Th-Thank you for coming," he said softly. He felt Sasuke mess up his hair. Daiya blushed when everyone started to sing 'Happy Birthday'. Once it was over, the crowd gathered to get cake.

Yanagi singled him out of the crowd. She smiled at him tenderly as she interlaced her fingers with his. "How is your birthday going so far?" She kissed him gently.

"It'd be better if you'd marry me," Daiya said with a small smile.

"One day, I will, Daiya Uchiha," Yanagi said as she leaned into him. "What do you think about being a father?" She smiled as he put his arms around her.

"If it's with you, I'd be honored," Daiya admitted truthfully. He wanted to be a good role model if he had children. I want to make it that far with her. Please let me stay here long enough to experience that with Yanagi. He hoped her mother would be able to find out what was wrong with him. His attacks had become so strong as of late, that Sasuke had started giving him fewer missions.

Takeru ate cake with Ryu, Onari, and Saori. He sung his legs off the wooden railing around the house. "Well, what do you know? Hey, heck out Gin and Idai."

Ryu turned his gaze towards the couple. "I'll be damned. She must have told him how she felt. And it looks as if he was receptive to it."

Saori leaned on the rail. "Do you believe Gin can help Idai? I know she's liked him for such a long time. I'd hate to see her get hurt."

"She shouldn't be deterred from getting to know him. Love is never wrong – in any form," Onari said as she glanced at Takeru. He put his plate on the rail. He leaned back to rub his nose on her cheek.

Ryu raised his facemask. "It seems Onari has ways of helping everyone," he said as an afterthought. "I'd say she's wiser than her years." As he thought that, a poof happened next to him. He groaned. "Turtles don't eat cake, Shogai." The turtle looked at him with a goofy grin and stare.

Saori leaned back to watch Ryu's celestial move past him. The turtle went down the steps off the back porch. "What is he interested in, Ryu?"

"No idea. Let's try to enjoy ourselves before he gets in trouble," Ryu said as he cleaned up. He glanced at Shogai. The turtle was moving through the crowd looking for something.

Shogai sensed something heavy trying to hide. He craned is head looking around the people for the cause of the disturbance. His gaze finally saw it standing near a boy with long red hair. A shadowy figure stood behind the boy trying to blend in with the shadows of the trees. Shogai came closer. He started to move as fast as he was able for a turtle.

Ryokuzu snarled at the turtle that seemed to be aiming for him. Somehow, it knew he was there. Could it seem him? As the creature got closer, he saw the star lines lingering over it. He had to stop eavesdropping on Idai. There was something about the girl with long brown hair that made him uneasy. He shrunk away into the shadows.

Shogai stopped short of the boy and girl. The demon had vanished. He figured it was residing in the boy. Demons didn't go far from their host, if they had one. Shogai frowned. He needed to learn more about this certain type of demon. The boy held something it was after.

Idai turned his head to see a turtle watching him and Gin. "Where'd he come from?" He crouched to the turtle. It only stared back at him. Idai placed his hand upon its head. "Who's pet are you?"

Shogai sweat dropped. (I'm not a pet. Gods should be treated more decently.)

"Shogai belongs to Ryu. He was injured a while back and Onari gave him a link to a celestial," Gin said. She looked around. "I wonder why he popped up. He only comes when Ryu needs him."

Masaru had managed to find Idai. He ran towards him. "Hey, Kiba sensei wants us to spend time together as a team. We have a lot to talk about. Can you come?" He noticed Idai was hanging around Gin Akimichi.

Idai stood. He looked back at Gin. "I… don't know. I want to stay here," he said softly.

Gin blushed. "You can go, Idai. We can talk later," she said.

Masaru tugged him along. "Come on, we need to discuss if you can come back." He led Idai away from Gin.

Kiba stood outside the Uchiha compound as Masaru and Idai approached. Yanagi had to breakaway from the celebration to meet up with them. They stood for a moment before Kiba got to the point. "I'd like to have you back on the team, Idai, but we've run into several problems. As a team, we have to discuss everything. We have to touch base with you and you us. It's been two years."

Idai averted his eyes. "I guess you want to know why I showed up alone." Idai looked up at Kiba. He owed the man a lot. "I left my dad in the earth country. He told me I wouldn't return to Konoha for the rest of my life. The demon inside of me is… feeding off of me," he said. "It sees everything I see and when I can't control it, he gets loose. He… injures, or kills people."

"How were you able to get past Gai," Kiba asked as he crossed his arms. "He's kept you safe and helped you to live, Idai. You showing up here alone lead me to believe you've hurt him, or tricked him in some way."

Yanagi stood next to Masaru. She put her hand on his arm. The Hokage's son wanted to defend Idai. "We have to let him answer, Masaru."

"I slipped a mind erasure potion into his water," Idai said. He closed his eyes. "I wanted to get away. We were living in seclusion. I didn't want to die alone, Kiba! Gai has sought help for me repeatedly, but I can't be around others. I hurt other people It- It-"

"It knows everything. Therefore, you've shown up in a vast area of people, Idai, to chance it coming out – to kill everyone. It's waiting for you to lose the ability to stop it. How long can you focus keeping it at bay? The chakra and concentration it takes to ward it off, is what it's feeding on. Everyone around you is vulnerable," Kiba said seriously.

Idai wanted to bail. Just being here was a feast for Ryokuzu. He didn't want it to kill his friends.

"I… missed my home. I can't fight it alone. I want to be happy," Idai said as he crouched to the ground. He covered his head, ashamed. He felt so ignorant about his actions. Idai had led Ryokuzu straight to his friends – the best feast of all.

"What are we supposed to do," Masaru asked. "We can't turn him out. He's our friend – regardless of his problems."

"Yet, we can't let him back on the team. Oh, Idai," Yanagi said sadly. "I want you back as much as anyone, but you aren't able to predict when it will get loose."

Idai gritted his teeth. He wanted to remain here. It was his home, wasn't it? On the other hand, was he destined to be a lone? He hated the demon inside of him. He wanted everyone to be safe. Especially… Gin.

Gin had been so kind to him, even though, she knew about the demon inside of him. Her eyes and touch were soft and gentle. She had feelings for him. Idai wanted to be near her – she liked him for the real person he was. Idai stiffened his shoulders. He couldn't do it to them. Idai stood. He saw the concern in their eyes as he moved. He ran.

"No, Masaru, don't go after him," Kiba said as he stopped the blond haired boy. "He needs to think hard about his life. What he did to Gai is unforgivable. I'll keep an eye on him." Kiba started to track Idai.

Gin waited a long time for Idai to come back. The crowed had started to disperse. She saw fireflies moving through the garden. Izumi had already started to clean up. Gin leaned against the tree sadly. She had surely through Idai would have come back by now. She sighed.

Izumi folded the sheet on the table nicely. She noticed Gin was still hanging around. Takeru and Onari were taking down the festivities. Sasuke was treating Daiya at a new restaurant for his birthday; strangely, it was at Gin's cousin's restaurant. Takeru walked over to lay streamers on the table. "Takeru, is Gin waiting for someone? She's been here a long time."

Takeru turned his gaze. "I saw her earlier with Idai, but that was hours ago. You don't suppose she's waiting for him, do you?"

Izumi saw the hurt expression on the girl's face. "That's exactly who she's waiting for. He never came back to the party. Something must have happened. Try to talk to her," she said.

Takeru walked over to Gin. She was sadly looking at the ground. "Gin? The party's been over for some time. Are you waiting for Idai?"

"I thought he was going to come back when he left with Masaru. He must be tied up with Kiba sensei," she said softly. Gin wanted to believe that's what had happened.

Takeru looked away as he frowned a little. "That's partially true. Kiba, um, confronted Idai about a few thins. Idai took off. That's what he didn't return."

Gin nodded her head slowly. "Did he leave the village," she asked. She wanted to think Idai had stayed in Konoha.

"Not that I know of. Kiba said he was going to keep an eye on him. Everything will be better tomorrow," Takeru said hopefully. "It's been an eventful day."

"Yeah, I guess I'll go home. If something happens, my plant will let me know," Gin said under her breath. She left Takeru in her wake.

Kiba leaned against the tree as he peeked out to keep an eye on Idai. The boy had taken refuge at the river where he was sure to be secluded from everyone.

Idai stared at himself in the water. Ryokuzu was not being reflected. He wanted to remember who he was – what he looked like. I don't want to forget my own face. This is who I am – or was. Everything has changed. I hurt the man who took me in. I've hurt everyone around me. No one can be near me. Ryokuzu might kill them. If it ends, isn't it for the better? Idai rubbed his arms. He closed his eyes. Gin doesn't understand how I am capable of hurting her. She knows something is wrong and she still approached me back there. Idai looked at his reflection again. "I can't anymore. You won't be able to touch them," Idai said as he reached over his shoulder to grab one of his swords.

Kiba was on top of him in seconds. He wrapped his arms around Idai chest, pinning his arms to his sides. Kiba fought to keep his hand tightly gripped around the boy's wrist. "Let go of it! Let go, Idai!" Kiba grunted as he pulled Idai's hand away from the sword.

He struggled to keep Idai from succeeding in his attempt. "Idai, I swear, if you were my kid, I'd string you up by your toes for even thinking about it!" Kiba felt Idai loosen up. The boy's head fell forward. Kiba kept his arms around Idai's chest. He stood with his body tense, in case, he got out of hand again. The scent of tears drifted to his nose. He let go of the boy. Kiba turned him around. "Idai."

Idai kept his head lowered, his long bangs covering his view. He shook his head, letting his tears fall. Idai was running out of options.

"Dammit," Kiba swore. He hooked his arms around the back of Idai's neck to bring him towards him. He shielded Idai. Kiba was unsure how to solve this major problem. His mind started to think about Areku. They're both the same age. I don't know why I didn't pay attention to this before. Both of them are also single kids, without any siblings. Areku wanted Idai's attention before. I wonder if he'd be willing to help him.

"You want me to spend time with Idai," Areku asked as he looked at his father. He was lying on his bed with Ichigo, his gray puppy.

"He's having a lot of problems, Areku. His mind is focused on all of the negativity surrounding him. It's starting to reflect what the demon wants. Idai is spiraling down from where he once stood," Kiba stated. "You two are the same age. I don't know why I didn't pick up on it sooner."

Areku sat up. "Your age is against you," he said. Ichigo wagged her tail as she barked. "Idai might be more receptive to you, Ich. I remember how attached he was to Akamaru."

Idai lay on the bed in the spare room. He stared at the wall. He had followed Kiba home. His trainer didn't want him to go back to the apartment he and Gai used to reside in.

Idai clutched the sheets of the bed. His body didn't have any energy to fight anyone. He was sure life for him was slipping away. Idai looked sadly at the wall.

Areku opened the door slowly. He saw Idai's back. The boy had given up all hope of getting rid of the demon inside of him. Areku pushed Ichigo into the room. "Go cheer him up, Ich."

Ichigo looked up at the boy wagging her tail. Areku pointed forward. She padded into the room. Ichigo stood on her back paws as her head poked over the side. She growl-talked to Idai. The boy with long red hair didn't move. Ichigo jumped onto the bed.

Idai felt something licking his foot. He slowly sat up. His eyes stared ahead not aware of the puppy for a moment.

Ichigo pulled on the boy's pants with her teeth. She wanted him to respond. Ichigo let go. She sat down and whined at him.

Areku was afraid it was worse than this father had imagined. He stepped into the room. Idai didn't notice him. Areku walked next to the bed. "Idai?" Areku had to sit on the bed to get him to look at him.

Areku's eyes softened. Idai's eyes were red. He lowered his head to look up at him. "Idai, nothing is truly over. There are so many people worried about you. Gin has worried about you as much as Daiya. She's loved you for so long. Yanagi has been training more to make you proud of her. It's the same with Masaru. He really looks up to you – it's somewhat frightening. My father was so excited to see you at the party that he couldn't contain himself. He's never given up on you. Don't' let him down by giving up on yourself."

Idai saw Areku then. "Areku, do… you think K-Kiba would let me… stay here," he asked. He knew returning to Gai wouldn't be appropriate.

"You want to stay here? But what about your dad?" Areku saw the sadness in his eyes. "Idai, isn't he going to look for you? You're afraid for him to find you," he said realizing it.

Idai put his face in his hands. His shoulders began to shake. He didn't expect Gai to forgive him for what he had done.

Areku didn't know how to react to Idai. He thought Idai was struggling to hold onto a crumbling part of his life. He felt sad for him. Areku didn't like to see anyone this way. He rubbed Idai's back.

Kiba sat with his elbows on his knees. He was outside on a bench near his home. His hands were clasped against his face. He closed his eyes as he reflected on what Areku had told him. Idai wanted to stay with them. Kashira's scent drifted to his nose.

"Kiba, you care for that boy in there," she said as she sat next to him. "Are you afraid to realize it? You were the main one around him when he was on your team. He has a connection to you."

"I know. I don't want to cause trouble with Gai," he answered. "Gai cares for Idai as if he were his own son. It's wrong to rob a man of that." He sighed heavily.

"Idai seems like a sweet and caring boy. Gai may not be enough for him. He needs a family. Gai is gone most of the time on missions. Wasn't he originally only supposed to watch over him?" Kashira sought Kiba's face for concerns and solutions.

"He found something special in Idai and adopted him. It'd be wrong for me to interfere, Kashira. No matter how much I want to," Kiba said with difficulty.

Kashira put her arm over her husband's back. He had tried hard to get Idai to open up. Gai had originally worked with him and made minimal progress. Kashira believed Gai approached Idai as a trainer, not a father. Kiba, on the other hand, had approached the boy just as that without realizing it.

Idai peered over the small cliff. There was a large lake below. A waterfall ran off as birds made noises in the woods around them. He swallowed hard. "I'm supposed to jump in from here?"

"How else are you supposed to get down? The cliff is too steep. We're all jumping. Even my grandfather," Areku said as he stood wearing nothing more than a loincloth. They were all dressed in tribal wear.

Kashira walked to the boys. She wore a loincloth skirt and top to keep herself covered. She saw Idai's hesitation over the drop. "Are you afraid to go into the water?"

Idai turned his head to blush as he saw Kashira, Kiba's wife, watching him. The woman wore a short bob cut and she was as toned as her husband was. "I'm not afraid of the water, per se. I've never jumped from this height before."

"When you jump, don't hold your breath. You must keep your eyes open until you get near the water. Then you hold your breath. Any sooner than that, and you'll drown," Kashira said. She seemed to have alarmed him. "I'll jump with you, okay?" She turned around to shout at her husband. "Kiba, I'm jumping with Idai." Just as she said it, her father ran past her.

They blinked as Matozo ran straight past them. "I'm not too old to jump a cliff, you hardheaded woman! I'm too old to walk three kilometers to the nearest safe slope!" He jumped off the cliff with a yell of, "Yahoo!"

Areku saw his grandfather's rear as the loincloth flapped up. "That's plain embarrassing," he said. Ichigo mumbled her opinion.

"Alright, we're next," Kashira said as she grabbed Idai's hand. She tugged him to get closer. "Any last words," she asked with a joke. Once he turned his head to look at her, Kashira winked as she jumped pulling him along.

Idai couldn't muster a yell. The shock of it hit him. Kashira yelled at him to hold his breath as the surface of the water came closer. They hit.

Kashira kept her grip on him as she pulled him to the surface, kicking her legs. They popped up shaking their heads free of the water. "Not so bad, huh! We better get out of the way. Kiba tends to challenge others about who can make the biggest splash."

Areku jumped off the cliff with Ichigo. Ichigo poofed

into a clone of her partner. He smiled slyly. "Alright, Ich! Let's beat Dad!"

Ichigo started to spin her body as the same time Areku did. They went towards the water twirling around each other. As they hit the water, it erupted straight up.

Idai flew back as Areku and Ichigo hit the water. The water exploded up and out. It rained down on him and Kashira. Idai shook his head free of the water as he coughed. He looked out at the lake to see if they had popped up yet. Kiba was standing on the edge of the cliff with his hands on his hips.

"That's cheating, Areku! You're supposed to do it yourself," Kiba yelled through his hands. He shook his head.

Areku rung out his wet hair once he made it to the water's edge. "He's just mad because I made a bigger splash than he can pull off. Isn't that right, Ich?" Ichigo confirmed her agreement.

Kiba jumped off the cliff with a yell. He grinned as he started to twirl. As he came towards the water, three clones poofed next to him. They started to spin away from him. As he neared the water, all three of them hit causing the water to shoot forty feet high.

Kashira turned on her heels as she put her arms around the boys. She forced them to move. "Go!" She was right behind them as the water came soaring down on the embankment. It hit all of them. Kashira coughed hard as the water dripped off her hair. "Are you boys okay?"

Idai rolled over as he sat up, coughing. He shook his head several times. As he watched Kiba swim over, he yelled to his trainer, "Can we do that again?"

Areku popped him upside the head. "No, we are not doing that again." Ichigo walked by Idai muttering.

Areku walked with Idai through the woods. They were gathering sticks for a large bonfire they were building. He bent to take a stick from Ichigo. He kept his eyes on Idai. "Why do you want to live with us?"

Idai jumped slightly at the question. His fingers ran over the sticks in his arms. He stared at the ground. "K-Kiba acts just like.. Orushin," he said softly.

Areku stepped closer to the tall boy. "Who is Orushin? Idai?" He crouched to look up into Idai's face. Idai was remembering something.

"My… dad," he answered. He clutched to the sticks in his arms. Kiba and Orushin didn't look anything alike, but their personalities were similar.

He's trying to belong somewhere. Gai is a single adult who adopted him out of nobility. Idai, on the other hand, feels lost. He's trying to get back to the part of his life that is being allusive. Areku tugged on his arm. "Let's head back."

Gai stood facing Sasuke as he stood in the opening area of the Uchiha house. He had returned that morning to the Hidden Leaf Village. So far, he had not found Idai. He looked the man over. "Where is Idai," Sasuke? I know he came back to see Daiya." He stared straight head, his eyes unwavering. He wanted an answer.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He didn't appreciate being accused of harboring Gai's son. "He isn't here if you're assuming I'm hiding him from you. Idai left with Kiba a few days ago."

"Idai shouldn't be here. He's dangerous in crowds. The only way to keep everyone safe is for him to be away from civilization," Gai said trying to make Sasuke understand. "He cannot stay here."

Sasuke didn't like where this was going. Would Gai try to physically remove Idai? He hard the sound of foot steps coming from behind him. Yanagi and Izumi were trying to get Daiya to stay out of the confrontation. His son rounded the corner with tense shoulders. "Instead of telling us how Idai is capable of hurting someone else, why don't you listen to what they have to say?"

"He got away from you for a reason, didn't he," Daiya said angrily. "You've kept him in a glass cage for years!" He gritted his teeth.

"I have kept him safe from the demon inside of him," Gai stated. "If he is alone, he cannot hurt anyone. Has he told you he's killed a man before? An innocent person who tried to help contain the demon in a temple was slaughtered."

"The demon was unleashed because it was forced," Daiya said straight back. He clenched his fists. "That's what it was. Your eyes say it. He did the same thing at Ryu's when Kurenai sensei had him under hypnosis!" He heard his mother asking Sasuke if he knew anything about that. "When you lure, taunt, or mock a demon, it gets angry. And as with anything, it's going to prove itself to you – it's the same with ninjas in a fight."

Yanagi touched Daiya's hand to steady him. He was getting so angry that his hair was spiking out. She turned to face Gai. "Idai hasn't had an incident where he's harmed anyone. He's been surrounded by someone at all times while being in the village. If it's not a crowd, it's a few people he does know. He didn't hurt Ryu when he was left alone with him. I don't believe secluding him is the answer to helping him. In fact, the negative energy he's feeling is feeding the demon. To be able to fight something horrible that is living inside of Idai, one can't push him away. One has to open his arms to him."

All of them were staring at her. "Idai is my friend first and my team mate second. He is someone I've laughed with and shared responsibility. I look up to him because he has great leadership abilities. He's never been concerned with himself. He's always wanted the best for Masaru and I. I've been training harder every day so that one day, Idai would be proud of me – of how far I've come. I want Idai to give me the respect I deserve. As my father says, it has to be earned. I'm fighting hard to build upon the friendship I have with everyone around me. At the same time, I'm aware Idai loses the energy to fight for himself. I want the opportunity to fight for his place in the world. I will fight in his place."

Yanagi stood in silence as she let her body language hold true to her decision. "My determination is not my own anymore. Idai's been a huge part of my driving force, as of late. If you take Idai away, everything Kiba's taught us will break away from our routine. Every part of us depends on the other to survive. We're loyal to each other. I'm loyal to my team and my friends, Gai sense. I'm loyal to your son," Yanagi countered before he could say anything to oppose her.

Sasuke had to admit he was proud of Sakura's daughter. Yanagi had a powerful voice. He glanced at Gai. "Not all wars are started with fists. However, if you can't beat her by words, you can try to get her in the training ring."

"Can't the Hokage help that boy," Izumi asked. She looked from Gai to Sasuke and back. "Haven't you asked him for guidance regarding the matter?" Izumi watched Gai look away. "The Hokage has the nine tails fox inside of him. Isn't that true? Maybe once who has a demon can instruct another how to handle it."

"Idai doesn't have the confidence to face it, much less, over come it," Gai said as his mind shifted to past dealings with the boy. "There have been hardships along the way for him, yes; he has endured the toughest training I've bestowed upon him to make him stronger physically, so he could live, in some form. The demon manages to overtake his mind now. It can choose to eat him alive – it has grown strong despite my efforts to stop it."

"His mind is still weak," Yanagi said softly. She went back to seeing Idai's facial expressions when he had been forced by his friends and his trainer to inform them what had been happening to him. "He wasn't able to hold eye contact with anyone for more than a few seconds before he looked away. When Kiba called him out, Idai was nervous. He didn't want to admit to what he'd done to get away from you. He's never gone against an authority figure before."

Sasuke looked at all of them seriously. "What is the decision? Does Idai stay here to let others help him, or does he remain in solitude to eventually let the demon overtake him for good? It's your call, Gai. The last point I'm going to make is this: one individual doesn't complete Missions. It takes an entire team."

Gai understood at that moment that he'd been going about everything the wrong way. "All I ever wanted, was what was best for him. I learn now that a parent has to let go – to seek help from others- in order, to help himself." He closed his eyes.

"It's not easy being a parent to a child you've taken in, or who is still trying to figure out your true intentions regarding him," Izumi said as she glanced at Daiya. "It's full of obstacles, but there are also a lot of rewards to be gained. I wouldn't change the obstacles we've dealt with concerning Daiya. The only regret I, personally, have is to not have known him sooner."

Sasuke saw Daiya blush and avert his eyes to avoid their gaze. "I think the feeling is mutual for everyone in the room. You've helped Idai more than you realize, Daiya. In turn, that eases Gai's worry."

"I'm not trying to push aside your concerns for Idai, Daiya. I would like nothing more than for you to help him. However, I also have to think about him hurting you. He's not in full control of his actions."

Daiya gritted his teeth as his emotions clashed. "How are we supposed to help him? Idai's running out of time!"

Idai stared into the bonfire as the Inuzuka clan interacted with each other. He sat by himself trying to ignore listening to Kiba and Areku. Idai's mind started to drift to his past – the place where he often resided.

"Daddy, you're home!" Idai ran to his father happily, as he jumped over a small branch near his home. His father immediately lifted him into the air.

Orushin smiled up at his son, his tender gaze watching him. "I see you've been playing outside all day. You're completely filthy, Cricket." He went inside to find his wife. He noticed the moment Yukihara was found, Idai started to cling to him.

Yukihara crossed her arms as she stared at her husband. "In a few years, he's going to face the trails of our clan's council. Stop babying him, Orushin. If he embarrasses the clan, I'll never forgive either of you." She wanted Idai to make her family proud. Her parents had not been too happy about placing her with Orushin. It had been an arranged marriage. Back then, Orushin's clan was one of the top clans in the Sound Village. However, Orushin didn't act anything like his predecessors. His views were not welcomed because he thought differently.

Orushin put his hand on Idai's head to comfort him. "I don't care what the clan thinks. I refuse to turn our son into a mindless drone who follows any orders he's given. He deserves more than that, Yukihara. Our son is talented – that alone is rare."

Yukihara wasn't having any of it. She was tired of her husband's defiance over the matter. "Are you referring to that blasted flute you gave him?" She threw her hands up to give up. "He spends most of his time trying to play it and chasing birds. He's a dreamer! He has to be able to make it as a ninja!" She left her husband alone before she exploded any further.

Orushin sat his son down as he kneeled. "There's nothing wrong with being a dreamer, Idai. It means you still have the freedom of a bird – even if you don't have wings. Maybe one day, you can play your flute for me," he said, as he looked upon him kindly.

"Daddy, what if you're not here when I get really good at it?"

Orushin cupped his son's face in his hands. He kissed Idai on the forehead. "I'll always be able to hear your beautiful music, Cricket – no matter where I am."

Idai reached into his kimono, his fingers moving across the flute his father had given him. Idai took it out slowly. It glowed with the intense flicker of the flames. Before he knew what he was doing, he started to play a sad melody for Orushin.

Kiba's head turned to the sudden sound of a flute being played. As he saw Idai playing the flute with emotion, it got to him. The sixteen-year-old boy became lost within himself as the bonfire continued to flicker above the trees. Pieces of debris drifted off with the wind as Idai's melody echoed throughout the forest. Kiba was determined to find the truth in Idai's mysterious past. He had to know what caused Idai's flashbacks, as well as, what attracted the demon to Idai. He felt Kashira touch his back. His wife's keen vision noticed his moods. "I'm going to get to the bottom of this, Kashira. I owe it to Idai. I will find out what's causing him to remain an open invitation for that foul thing inside of him."


	71. Chapter 71

**V7 ch 10**

**Ship of no return**

Masaru Uzumaki stood up as he marveled the huge ship floating upon the sea next to the small boat. It was so big, that he couldn't tell where the wooden planks began and stopped. He was immediately pulled back down to hide by Jinrin and Yanagi. They were hiding on a small boat so they could get access to the unknown vessel that was shrouded in mystery. Their mission was to free slaves who were living in the quarters of the city on the sea. As the boat started to move away from the vessel, he signaled for them to jump. Team 6 leapt off the small fishing boat and onto the vessel.

Masaru dug the spiked claws he was wearing on his hands and feet into the wooden planks. They were all cloaked in dark brown robes so they could camouflage with the ship. He kept his white eyes focused on the sky. It was all they could see from their spot.

Jinrin smiled as he started to pass his two teammates. "Interesting isn't it? It's an entire city floating on the sea. Take your time getting there, or you'll fatigue quicker. There doesn't seem to be anywhere to rest out here." He continued to climb.

"The climb isn't what worries me," Masaru said as he glanced at Yanagi. "It's the sharks in the sea." He unplunked the claws to move farther up.

Yanagi tried to keep her mind focused on the task. It was rather difficult for her. She kept reflecting back to Idai. Kiba had forbid him from going on the mission. Jinrin was still replacing him until further notice. Yanagi shook her head to clear her mind. She had to stay focused. Being caught right now wouldn't benefit her team.

Kiba chopped wood near the burning engine swinging the ax over his head. He narrowed his eyes as guards kept a close watch on him and a few others maintaining the engine's fire. It had been easy to be captured as a slave so he could board the ship. All he had to do was get drunk and sleep in the streets of a village near the sea. He was abducted from his spot in the middle of his slumber. Kiba had no idea where he was location wise.

Kiba stood up to stretch his back as the guards turned away. He couldn't figure out what deck he was on. Once he had been captured, his head was covered. He had been instructed to work the engine so he could stay alive. If they had no use for him, they offered to toss him overboard.

He bent over to throw more wood in as the guards checked on the workers' progress. Kiba tried to take a long jagged piece of wood into his pants as the guard passed him. He tensed as he felt someone touch his wrist. He looked up quickly to see an old man watching him.

"Don't try it," the old man said as he smiled at Kiba. "They check everyone once your shift is over. If you're caught, it won't matter how strong you are," he said touching Kiba's thick arms. "They'll do away with you to set an example," he said as he turned back around to tend to his own work.

Kiba dropped the piece of wood. As much as he hated to be without a weapon, he had no choice but to bear it. As the old man started to sweep, Kiba whispered, "Why are you helping me?"

The old man said quietly, "You remind me of someone I once knew. He was as daring as you to try to take on the guards over the Fire Keepers. Do not be as foolish as he was." He swept the deck softer, slower, his mind reflecting upon that day.

Kiba wasn't afraid of the guards, or the numbers moving around the deck. He'd take them all on – he had his pride as a ninja. However, as he continued to chop wood for the engine, he glanced back at the old man. "He was your son, wasn't he?"

The old man stopped moving his broom. He leaned upon it tiredly, his gray eyes looking beyond the present, into the past. "Yes," he answered softly. "He didn't want the guards to enslave our family. There were too many of them and too few of us. We had traveled from our village to another one in order to sell our harvest. There was nowhere for us to board since it was a small village. We had been staying on the outskirts camping. That's when they caught us. We were all drugged and taken away to this ship. I don't remember how we got here. All I know is when I woke up, my son was fighting several guards in the cells far below. My daughter screamed and he was killed."

"So where is the rest of your family," Kiba asked.

The old man turned his back to Kiba. "My daughter was immediately taken out of the cell after my son died. I haven't seen her since. Not sure if she is alive, or where she is. My wife died a few months after we were captured. She couldn't handle the stress bestowed on her. I've been working as a Fire Keeper for years. I've seen them come and go. I'm sorry I have lost my manners. My name is Razan Ichisada. You are?"

Kiba whispered to the old man as one of the guards glanced in their direction. He figured they were talking too much. "Kiba Inuzuka. I got captured on purpose, if that helps to ease your situation."

Razan looked at the man as if he had lost his mind in the past few minutes. "Why would anyone get caught to be a slave on purpose? Are you trying to prove something to someone – that you're capable of escaping based on a bet? I've seen that happen before, too. You underestimate the power of the guards."

Kiba threw wood into the fire with a heave. He waited a few minutes so the guards would assume their conversation had ended. "We were hired to free the slaves aboard this vessel," he answered the old man. "My team and I are here to do just that."

The old man looked at him with wide eyes. "Your team? Who exactly are you?" Razan wondered how many of Kiba's crew were here. Had they all tricked the guards to gain access to the ship?

"I'm a ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village," Kiba answered lowly. "Three others should be making their way up the side of the ship. If all goes successfully, all of you will be free."

"What you're saying is highly unlikely. In order to free everyone on board, you'd have to have the type of numbers to confront all of the guards at once. Each deck has at least forty guards upon it. There are approximately a hundred and twenty of us on each level. Three guards to one person. It means they are stronger than us," Razan countered. He thought the man was wasting his time trying to attempt such a feat.

Kiba shook his head at the old man. "I'm sure you're trying to save us from a horrible fate, but we have a job to do. Nothing will stop us from completing our mission. Don't underestimate my team. We've been trained to deal with types of missions such as this."

Razan waved his hand dismissing the matter. "I don't want to hear anymore foolishness. I won't have anything to do with you trying to break free. You're only going to get yourself killed. I won't help you."

Kiba smiled a slight grin at Razan. "You have already helped me, whether you realize it or not. You've told me how many guards and people are on each deck. The only thing I need to find out is how many decks on this ship there are. If there is four of us – that means one person on each deck. In addition, if each person can clear off half the guards, the slaves will outnumber the remaining half. There will be a riot."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Razan said as he let the ax hit the wood.

Jinrin was the first to touch down onto the main deck. He scurried to hide quickly behind a few barrels who were docked under the main bridge. There were defiantly guards keeping a lookout for other vessels on the water. His eyes scanned the area quickly. Anglers were casting their lines over the side. He supposed they were responsible for feeding the slaves below. In fact, once he saw a guard shout at a young man to try harder, his assumptions had been confirmed. As he hid quietly, his catlike eyes drifted to a small pink butterfly that was landed near the steps to the main bridge. He knew Yanagi was scanning the area, too. Jinrin formed hand seals once the coast was clear. His body began to change into that of a small panther cub.

Yanagi and Masaru darted to the barrels. Her butterfly scout had been keeping a watch to make sure the coast was clear. Upon ducking, she noticed Jinrin had already shifted into his animal form. She looked down at him. "Are you sure you'll be able to slip below the deck to find Kiba? The only entrance is in the middle of the main deck. We don't know which deck he is on or how many of them there are."

Jinrin smiled at Yanagi with a sly grin. "Of course. In this form, my scent is increased. All I have to do is run upon each deck and catch his scent. Considering it's night, they should all be in some sort of holding cell to sleep, right? Once I know where those are, I just have to slip in and search for him. The darkness should be enough to mask my appearance out there."

Masaru didn't trust the situation. The number of

people on the main deck was enough to be cautious over. However, he knew he was dealing with Jinrin. The guy's ego was enough to blow Rock Lee's out of the water. He rolled his white eyes. "At least listen to Yanagi's concerns instead of shooting her down so quickly." He eyed the panther cub.

Jinrin exasperated at Masaru. "You're just sore because I can go out there without being seen, unlike you." Before Masaru was able to voice another word, Jinrin saw his chance. He shot out from the barrels to zip behind each guard that was passing. He was using their shadows to help camouflage his appearance. As he made it closer to the steps that led below, a guard started to turn around. Jinrin leapt at the mast. He clawed his way up the mast quickly. He had to get out of sight. As he held onto the wood with his claws, two guards approached each other to talk. Jinrin held his breath as his ears moved around listening for an alert.

Masaru saw Jinrin having to take to the mast. He shook his head, as he kept low. "If he doesn't watch it, he's going to be caught." Masaru had to do something. Jinrin couldn't wait for the guards to move away. As he saw the men putting fish into baskets, he got an idea. "I'm going to pose as a fisherman, Yanagi. Those guards aren't moving."

Yanagi touched Masaru's arm as he started to form hand seals. "We're a team, Masaru. Instead of going off and doing things by yourself like Jinrin, perhaps we should work together on this. I'll be the fish you catch. That way, we can distract the guards together," she said with a smile.

Masaru almost hugged her. She was willing to put herself in that type of situation just to help him with a distraction. Before he realized what he was saying, he blurted out, "Yanagi, I love you!"

Yanagi's eyes widened. She looked at Masaru rather shocked. As she stared at him, he placed his hands over his mouth quickly. All he could do was stare at her with the same expression.

Masaru looked down at the deck. "Sorry," he said softly. He had to clear his head. They had to clear the path for Jinrin. He brought his hands to the front of his body and closed his eyes concentrating. Masaru managed to poof into an angler. He waited until the guards were turned away before he left the area.

Yanagi couldn't believe Masaru had blurted out such a thing to her. Was he harboring feelings for her? She wasn't sure. She wanted to believe he was caught in the moment. Once Masaru had managed to make his way to stand in line with the other anglers, she ran to leap over the side of the railing. Yanagi sunk her iron claws into the wood. As she made her way over to the fishing poles, she saw Masaru's line come down. She had to time it just right or she was going to end up pulling Masaru over the side of the ship. Yanagi dug her shoulders into the wood as hard as she could. She brought her hands to the front of her body and concentrated. As her body started to shake due to the difficulty of maintaining her position, Yanagi kicked off the side of the ship, spun towards the fishing line and poofed into a fish. She caught the line with her mouth.

Masaru felt the tug on the line. He reared his back and lifted his arms to throw Yanagi over his head. As the line went back, Yanagi let go of the fishing line. Masaru turned around to see her slap one of the guards beside the face. The man turned around angrily to look at Masaru who was trying to retrieve the fish.

"Hey, you, watch where you're throwing that fish! It's not a whale," the guard said as he bopped the angler on the top of the head with his fist. "If you're that good at fishing, catch twenty more!"

Masaru cowered back once he saw Jinrin making his way to the steps that went below. He apologized heavily to the guards and put Yanagi in the basket. He noticed the other anglers were empting their baskets into a much larger barrel that a strong worker was fixing to carry below. "Hang on, Yanagi; I think you're fixing to follow Jinrin. This guy looks like he's waiting for a few more fish. Just wait a little while," he whispered as he dumped her into the barrel.

Yanagi laid flat on her side as the man assisted plucking fish off the lines. She flopped a bit to try to get away from the opening. It was rather difficult being a fish in the open air. She sighed and panted. It was a lot of work to get upright again. Yanagi jumped a little as a bunch of fish were poured in. She couldn't see anything as the man lifted the barrel.

Yanagi Lee was carried below the decks. She kept as still as she could, her ears listening to conversations as she waited for her escape. The man finally sat the barrel down. He talked with a guard and left. Yanagi waited a few more minutes before she attempted to break free.

Yanagi wiggled until she made it to the top of the barrel. As her head poked out, her eyes moved around to see exactly where she was. Oh, this isn't good. I'm in the food storage area. She shot out from the barrel and poofed into her normal self. I'm sure they lock it from the outside, too. Sure enough, as she pushed on the door, it was indeed locked.

"Wonderful, Yanagi. No one knows where you are, either," she said as she looked out at the surroundings. There were barrels and boxes everywhere. Yanagi had a plan. "If I can't assist Jinrin in searching for Kiba, my butterflies can." She opened the sleeves of her hoodie. The butterflies flew out and swirled in the darkness. "I need you guys to help locate Kiba. However, I need one of you to tell Masaru where I am so he can get me out. He's on the main deck. Don't get caught," she said as they started to slip under the door.

Jinrin eased from one space to another to avoid being stepped on by the slaves, or guards. He thought being seen was enough of his troubles. As he raised his head on the third deck, he sniffed the air strongly, his ears slicking back to listen. He had yet to catch onto Kiba's sent. Jinrin's catlike eyes caught the sight of a pink butterfly moving throughout the area. He knew it was one of Yanagi's scouts. He began to follow it as it moved to another deck.

Jinrin darted from crate to crate, hiding himself as

each person passed. He panted hard as he shook his head. Trying to find one person in the city upon the sea was proving difficult. Each deck appeared as a separate neighborhood filled with life and obstacles. As he moved padding his paws upon the deck, his body cowered as he looked up at the swaying lanterns. It was the only source of light on each deck. He wondered briefly how long it had been for the people to witness the sun. As Jinrin hopped onto a cart that was moving from one area to the next, he caught sight of children being forced to work. He made his way under filthy sheets that was covering a mound of something unknown.

As Jinrin remained in place passing slaves and guards alike, his nose started to pick up a strong foul scent. His ears slicked back, as the scent seemed to increase as the cart was being hauled. The moment the lanterns flashed light onto the cart and its contents, Jinrin immediately knew the men were hauling rice. However, why would rice be in a mound on a cart and not in a container? As the men moved along, the cart had to be forced over an uneven part of the flooring. Jinrin jerked back as the rice shifted. His head turned around to see a finger sticking out of the rice. His eyes widened. He knew instantly what was being concealed in the rice.

Jinrin scurried out from under the cloth, disgusted at the presence of a dead body. He immediately jumped off the cart and ran underneath it letting it mask his presence. Whoever was in charge of the slaves was also in charge of the guards. There had to be a bigger threat on the main deck.

He was unsure how they were going to free the slaves to begin with. He wasn't entirely confident in the large task before his team. There had to be a way to get the guards, or slaves off the ship. Right now, he had to track Kiba. He grinned under the black fur that seemed to be on edge. He wasn't about to let a butterfly find Kiba before he did. Jinrin started to touch the walls with his paws. As he glued his chakra to the wood he made his movement in an arch so he could keep well above the prying eyes of the people below.

Masaru Uzumaki wasn't liking the situation in front of him. He crouched low in his position behind a statue. Yanagi was busy accessing the deck she was on overhead. He couldn't believe she had managed to get stuck in a food storage closet. Masaru's white eyes glanced in both directions. The slaves were defiantly moving around like zombies following a monotone-beating drum.

The only way he knew to slip past the guards was to impersonate one of them. As an unattractive gruffy looking man went around the corner, Masaru started to concentrate. He had to match every detail of the guard's clothes, his features, and his stance, or it wasn't going to work. He poofed into the man successfully. Masaru waited some time to make sure the man wasn't coming back before he started to mold into the crowd of people. As he kept his head lowered, the real guards were not able to decipher he was an imposter. Masaru Uzumaki slipped past them until he started to make his way to the lower deck. A guard glanced at him who was coming up the steps.

Masaru almost died as the man grabbed onto his arm. Had he been found out? The man jerked his thumb back at the way he had came.

"You need to hurry and switch posts," the man said. "I've been waiting an hour for you to relieve me." He appeared rather angry at having to wait on someone to take his place.

Masaru apologized lowly to the man and explained he had also been waiting for clearance. The man seemed to think about his words before he nodded, thus forgiving him. Masaru went down the steps slowly. He breathed a sigh of relief as he touched the bottom. This deck appeared to have people hunkered against the walls of the ship. He glanced from side to side. The slaves had made refuge on this deck and made it part of their home. There were sections labeled off for each group of slaves who were joined together. As his eyes searched them, he noticed they all wore certain colors of clothes. The colors told what jobs the slaves had. Masaru was able to figure out that the slaves closer to the steps were more important than the ones towards the back. The appearance and healthiness of the slaves told him what he wanted to know. The healthier the slave, the higher the rank, or more important the job. He was disgusted with captivity. It was something foreign to him. He was the son of the Hokage, after all.

Masaru stood guard at the end of the deck. He waited patiently for a signal from Yanagi about how they were going to free these people. He wanted to remain hopeful for these people. Masaru believed in equality when it came from his point-of-view. His father had told him everyone deserved to have shelter, food, respect, and live. A little boy tried to leave the area he was in and a guard snatched him back. Masaru growled under his breath. He wanted this mission to be finished. The sooner his team relieved these people of their torture, the better.

Kiba sat on his rear with his back against the wall of the holding cell. The ones who attended the engines of the ship weren't allowed to socialize with other slaves. He suspected they were seen as the lowest form of trash. Even the guards who were watching the other workers, who had replaced them, showed them no concern. Kiba narrowed his eyes. He sniffed the air. "I smell a dirty feline who needs a bath," he said lowly.

Jinrin dropped from the ceiling, flipped over in midair, and landed on the floor of the holding cell. He kept his body low so the guards wouldn't notice him. "You'd smell just as foul if you had been running your tail off. Do you have any idea where you are located?"

"Not really, but I know the guards don't watch the ones in the cell so heavily. They are focused on keeping an eye on the current workers." Kiba rotated his sore shoulders. Chopping wood all day was a hard job. "So where are the other two?"

"Yanagi is on the 10th deck. Last time I saw Masaru he was on the 11th deck. You, however, are on deck number fourteen. There are approximately twenty decks overall," Jinrin said as he whispered to Kiba. "How are we going to free these people if we are unaware the numbers against us?"

"Ah, but that is something we know. You can thank our elderly man over there for telling us the approximate number of guards on each deck. There are usually a hundred and twenty slaves on each level. He said there is one guard for every three people," Kiba said holding up his three fingers. "There are roughly two thousand and four hundred people aboard this floating city."

"Probably less than that," Jinrin said as he shrunk

even lower to the floor. A guard was coming. Kiba lifted his legs and leaned forward to where he was turned away. He appeared to be sleeping, but he was listening intently. Jinrin's catlike eyes kept watching the guard until the coast was clear. "They carry the dead away on carts," he said as Kiba's eyes showed concern. "I managed to stow away on one. The guards are pretty slick about it. The dead are being masked in mounds of rice. So there is no way of telling how many have died on this ship, or how many still remain. Either way, there are a lot of guards," he confirmed.

"If each of us takes one deck, we can even out the playing field for the slaves," Kiba said as he watched his student raise a brow. "Try to get rid of half of the guards on each deck. Do the best you can to entice the slaves into rioting against their captors. It's the best option we have."

"Yes, but you're not counting out the elderly, or children. I don't want to endanger either groups," Jinrin said as he glanced around the holding cell. "It's a dangerous situation, but I'll try to do the best I can. I have to go now. I know you're capable of getting out of here any time you feel like it." Jinrin slipped through the bars easily as he took off running.

Kiba smiled a toothy grin. "Hey, old man, get your clothes packed. Vacation is over," he said as Razan looked at him tiredly.

Yanagi looked at the guards fiercely as she stopped in the crowd of slaves. She was waiting for one of them to notice her. She was feeling feisty and ready to do some serious damage. As one of them glanced up at her, she smiled waving her hand towards the man. "Hey, cutie, you're not doing your job too well. You've let someone stow away on the ship," she said as she blew a kiss to the man.

The guard shouted, "Get her!" He and two other men started to chase the pink haired girl as she took off running through the slaves. He unsheathed his sword to strike at the girl. His anger was starting to boil. How had a kid managed to get on the ship? He didn't particularly care right now. All he knew was he had to stop her before his superior officer found out.

Yanagi stuck her tongue out at the three guards who were chasing her. The slaves had managed to move out of her way to see what was going on. "You old guys are too slow to catch me!" Oh, that set them on fire. They started to shout insults at her along with throwing a few kunai at her. Yanagi slid on her feet from side to side, as she ran. Training with her team had improved her speed and her strength. Yanagi was not afraid of the three men behind her. As one of them came within feet of her, she jumped in the air, and spun around to throw shuriken at the man. One of the shuriken went into his shoulder. She slid back on her feet and doubled over to high tail it.

"Alert the other guards on the deck," the second man instructed the third. "We have a ninja on board! She can't be the only one! There must be an army of them!"

Yanagi smirked. Her plan was working out just fine. One guard was injured, another was getting help, and one was on her tail. She formed hand seals in front of her body as she opened the sleeves on her hoodie. Hundreds of butterflies escaped from her clothing. As

Yanagi completed the hand seals, the butterflies formed a wall to shield her. "Butterfly kiss," she said as she blew a kiss at the insects fluttering in the air.

The man watched as the pink butterflies started to increase in size. He skidded on his feet to stop himself. Each one of them was now increased to three feet long with a wingspan of five feet. "What in the-," he was cut off as they started to swoop towards him. His eyes widened. He yelled and turned around to run.

Yanagi flipped her head to see guards appearing behind her. She was caught in the middle. "Alright, all I have to do is get rid of twenty of the guards. That should even things out for the slaves," she said as she pointed her finger at the oncoming slew of men. "Let's hang them by their toes, troupe!"

As the guards ran straight at the pink haired ninja girl a row of large butterflies started to come at them. Some of the guards unsheathed swords to strike at the insects while others threw kunai and shuriken. The butterflies darted around the moving objects with precision as they circled around to grab the men from behind. The captain of the guards watched as a few of his men were lifted into the air. Another row of butterflies lifted to help the first row entangle the men into mucus covered cocoons. The captain's mouth dropped as his men were stuck upside down to the ceiling.

Yanagi looked at the main man in charge with a smirk on her face. "Oh, come now, dear Captain, you won't have to worry about such a fate. I'll even let you make the first move," she said as she narrowed her eyes. By now, the slaves were watching the scene. They were starting to speak and feel as if they had some power over their situation. As anticipated, the man came running at Yanagi with his sword. She blocked a strike at her head with her kunai.

The man growled at her. How could a girl with butterflies beat him? "You're not going to get past me, wench! I don't know who you are, but you have a sense of arrogance!" He pushed her back as he used his sword to cut her shirt.

Yanagi flipped backwards a few times, her hands touching the floor as the man came at her swinging. On her last back flip, she twisted her body to her left to allow the man to lunge forward with his sword. As soon as the sword was stuck in the deck, she had him. Yanagi came spinning around like a top with her legs kicking at the man's side. Each kick became more determined, more serious as the man was finally thrown off his feet. He was in the air as Yanagi's feet touched the floor. As she stood, he hit the floor several times, head first. Yanagi Lee stood triumphantly as her butterflies flew behind her.

She turned her head to acknowledge the shaken slaves. "There are half the guards remaining. I know there is plenty of you who can take down the others. This is your chance to be free. I am not the only one who is helping the people aboard this ship. Three others are working on each deck. If we can manage to work together and put all of our strength into this fight, we will prevail!"

The slaves stared at her for a moment. They looked at each other. An old woman smiled as she brandished a gardening tool she had swiped from the upper deck. "You have my vote, young lady! Let's get them for the last time! I crave to see the sun again!"

Yanagi watched as the slaves started to run at the guards who were coming. She smiled as she ran with them, her butterflies in tow. If she could get the people to fight these men, then her team would have a good hundred people to assist their cause.

Jinrin padded his large paws on the deck as he zipped through the crowd of slaves. They started to scream and panic in fear as his panther form was overcome by the desire to hunt. He moved swiftly through the obstacles before him as several guards threw weapons at him. He snarled showing his whiskers as he slide sideways. Jinrin's claws marked into the deck as the guards came face to face with a real threat.

"Where the hell did that thing come from? How did it get aboard the ship," a man yelled as he threw kunai and shuriken at the beast. The animal seemed to dodge each weapon successfully, its long black muscular form darting from side to side. He turned around as the panther attacked a few of his men by jumping on them. He went after it quickly with his sword.

Jinrin jumped clear of the men as the man tried to strike at him. He turned his body around to pad slowly at the man. There was no fear in his eyes the moment he leapt. The man screamed as he tried to get Jinrin off. Jinrin sunk his teeth into the man's shoulder causing the man to retaliate by stabbing him with the sword. Jinrin roared in outrage as he slashed the man's face. He pawed at the sword as it was lodged in his arm. He tried to get it out, but wasn't able to in his current form.

The slaves aboard the ship didn't know what to do as the guards came around the corner to strike at the panther. They were watching in fear as the beast was caught with a large net. The panther growled and moved its body around to try to free itself. They didn't know how it had gotten on the ship, but it wasn't any match with a wound.

"Now that we've caught this unsightly beast, what do

we do with it? It's hard to explain how it got on board," a guard said as the beast panted. It was becoming fatigued with the blood flowing out of its arm. "Should we kill it?"

A man with a baldhead walked forward. He watched the beast as it lowered its body to the floor. "No, I don't believe we will. Its chakra is decreasing." As he said it, the panther's form started to change to that of a boy with black hair. The boy weakly latched onto the katana sticking out of his arm. He forced it out. "Who are you working for, boy? Tell me now, or your life ends."

Jinrin narrowed his eyes at the man before him. If it's one thing Kiba taught him, it was to be loyal to his team. He hadn't done that at first, but Yanagi and Masaru had grown on him in the past two years. Jinrin laughed at the pathetic sight of guards in front of him. "Go to hell," he said lowly. "You deserve nothing more fitting for enslaving these people."

The man stepped to where he stood over the boy. "You're a ninja aren't you? Haven't you learned that ninja are expendable by the villages that send them out? You're nothing more than a blood trophy." He raised his sword high over his head. "Goodbye."

Jinrin had managed to slip his hand into his pants without the man noticing. He threw a poison pellet straight into the man's face. As the purple cloud erupted, he threw the net off his form. Jinrin stood weakly as he grabbed his arm. He ran as quickly as he could to get away from the distracted guards.

Masaru smiled evilly as he ran with several of his clones down the deck. He was straight in the middle of the slaves as they ran with him. There was a clone on either side of him hot footing it on the walls. The guards were staring them down with their long swords at the ready. He signaled his two clones to throw the large shuriken on their backs. The clones threw the large iron weapons at the guards as he formed hand seals quickly.

The slaves yelled in triumph as they threw anything and everything at the guards. Boxes, sticks, shoes, and even tools went flying. The guards rotated their swords to block the weak attacks, but the ninja boy from Konoha had them beat. As the two large shuriken came at them, they ripped the deck apart. Lanterns, swords, and clothing went flying as each point of the shruiken tore a path.

Masaru Uzumaki kept his fingers in a perpendicular stance as he winked. "Sexy harem!" The guards reared back to throw weapons at him, but the moment his clones turned into naked women blowing kisses, they stopped. Their eyes rolled into the backs of their heads and blood spurted from their noses. Masaru kept his form still as he giggled as a female, with his arms over his head and smoke covering the important parts of his body. "Bet you boys never saw a body like this!"

Masaru poofed into his normal thirteen-year-old body. He smiled big as he put his hand behind his back. "Well, not too bad if I say so myself! Sure helps picking up points from my dad!" As he stood at the ready, more guards came around the corner. He rotated his shuriken at the same time his clones did. Masaru held onto the large shuriken as it spun close to his body. "You guys are in for a real treat! An Uzumaki sundae," he said as the three shuriken went flying.

The guards tried to avoid the three shuriken by lowering their bodies to the deck, or jumping aside. As the shuriken became lodged again, the guards were back on their feet. Masaru signaled his clones to attack the men. "Never teach an old dog new tricks," he said as he went in for the punches and kicks. He rotated his body in midair to kick a guard aside as his clone popped behind him to guard his back. This is getting to be interesting!

Kiba threw a guard over his head at several men as they came towards him. He growled as his heart raced, blood boiling at the tension in the air. He was surrounded. Unlike previous battles in his younger days, he didn't have his faithful companion Akamaru to help him. No, he was completely alone with fifteen guards aiming their swords at him. Kiba had to think of a way to get out of this. He knew the three others on his team were fighting overhead. He had to find a way to get past these people.

Razan Ichisada recognized Kiba the moment he saw the younger man overtake the guards. It hadn't lasted long. His old eyes searched the area around them as the guards kept the slaves away from the incident. He tried to figure out a way for the man to get past them. As he glanced around, he saw the concern in the eyes of the slaves. They're tired of seeing their families and friends killed by these men. We have to do something to help him. As Razan saw Kiba lower his body, his shoulders tensing, he came up with a plan. "There's more of them than there are of us. They've led us to live this life out of fear! We have to help that man!"

"What can we do against skilled guards with weapons," a younger man said as he looked at the old man. "Fire Keepers are only used to make sure the engines move the ship! We don't have any weapons and we're searched every time we exit."

"They'll strike us down before we can manage to help him, much less, ourselves," a woman said in defiance of the old man's suggestions.

"No, listen to me! He stowed away on this ship to help free us! In addition, he isn't the only one here. He's a ninja from Konoha," Razan said to the top of his voice.

"A ninja? Why would Konoha bother to free slaves from the ship of no return," another man said as he stepped forward. "What could they gain from seeing this ship sink?"

"All of you are talking nonsense," a young boy with black hair said as he held his arm. The old man before him put his hand out towards him. "I was wounded helping people like you on the deck above. I'm not going to let my trainer and teammates fall to the likes of them. The help you need is before you. However, no one can make you grab it. Your fear is cementing your feet to the floor." Jinrin felt lightheaded. He went to his knees upon the deck.

Razan approached the boy with concern and a grandfatherly attitude. "Someone help him. He's bleeding badly. If it's not stopped, he'll die," the old man said as he looked up at the people around him. "Please, someone help him!"

"Quiet down old man," a guard said as he came towards that particular part of the group.

Razan watched in horror as Jinrin slumped to the floor. He shook the boy's shoulder. "Hey, stay with me! You can't leave your team! There's so much more you have to do," Razan said as he stared into the dark blank eyes of the boy.

Jinrin's vision blackened as he fell into an eternal slumber. The last words he heard were the old man's telling him to hold on. Jinrin, the replacement for Team 6, took his last breath in the arms of the old man whose name he did not know.

Masaru led the way as the slaves revolted against their captors. He kept fighting with them as they yelled in outrage. The guards didn't know what to think. He was sure they were taken aback. Most of the guards on the upper decks were dead, or wounded. It was time for him to meet up with his team. He ran down the steps to the lower deck where he knew Kiba was. Soon Yanagi was bound to follow.

Masaru threw his large shuriken at the guards who were keeping the crowd of slaves at bay. They moved back to throw kunai at him. He poofed as he used a substitution jutsu to appear behind them. He yelled as he kicked them in the back. Masaru punched a guard in the face as the man turned to unsheathe his sword.

Kiba looked up to see Masaru fighting the guards on the other side of the deck level. He now had a chance. The guards who were keeping him in place were focused on his student. Kiba went for several of the guards as he clawed at them. He swiped his claws upwards, slashing at their clothing. As he fought the guards, the crowd of slaves started to disperse. His eyes glanced to see Razan watching him with Jinrin in his arms. Kiba's breath almost left him. Jinrin was as pale as death's kiss. The boy had bled to death.

As the slaves started to attack the guards, they were met with more slaves from the decks above. Kiba watched in slow motion as the guards were overtaken by the slaves of the ship. He moved through the crowd, his feet hitting the floor. Kiba turned his head quickly to see a flash of fire erupt towards the other end of the deck. The slaves had started to crack open the lanterns. They were beginning to use the oil to ward the guards off.

Razan lowered his form as a bottle filled with oil was thrown over his head. A piece of cloth was hanging out. Razan saw the fire licking up the sides of the cloth as it soared. "Kiba, it's going to blow," he yelled at the top of his voice. The man came forward to shield him as he held onto Jinrin's body. The explosion erupted causing debris to fly. A hole was made in the side of the ship. Razan and Kiba both stared at the water starting to pour in. "We've got to get out of here! The ship is going to sink!"

Kiba lifted Jinrin's body onto his back. He urged the old man to stand. "Come on, with the water pouring down below, the guards won't worry about the slaves revolting! It's going to be every man for himself!"

Masaru turned his head as the slaves came running past him, their bodies becoming a blur of motion. "Sensei! What are we supposed to do?" His voice was caught in his throat as he noticed Jinrin behind hoisted on Kiba's back. Was he wounded?

"Masaru, help the others if you can! Try to get everyone to the top of the main deck," Kiba yelled as he ran to shuffle people out. He was leaving it in the boy's hands.

Masaru Uzumaki formed hand seals quickly to increase his chances of survival; along with everyone else's. He sent ten of his clones off to the lower decks to get the people to safety. As he turned on his heels, his white eyes flew past the pouring water, scanning to see if anyone was trapped.

Masaru saw a woman holding onto several children who was clutching onto the railing of one of the decks. He ran to her as fast as he could through the water. "Hang on! I'm coming for you!" He was thrown backwards by a barrel hitting him in the head. Masaru went under the water. He could hear the woman and children screaming for their lives. As Masaru became caught in the wave of water, he felt someone pulling on his arm. Masaru Uzumaki came up to the surface coughing and spewing water.

Yanagi pulled with all of her strength to lift him out of the water. "You're a better ninja than you are a merman, Masaru!" She stood watching him as she opened her sleeves. Hundreds of butterflies flew out of their confinement. Yanagi blew a kiss at the creatures sending a special mixture of dust at them. The butterflies started to grow. "Find the survivors! Carry them to safety," she instructed as they soared over her head.

The pink butterflies went below the decks full of water scanning and pulling slaves from the incoming water. As the slaves were hoisted onto their backs, they flew above the rising water darting around obstacles. Yanagi and Masaru ran to the top of the stairs with difficulty. They were being swept away with the strong current that was coming in. She screamed as she lost her footing. Yanagi was sent backwards into the water.

"YANAGI," Masaru yelled with his hand outstretched. "YANAGI!" Masaru held on for dear life, searching the water frantically.

Yanagi Lee breathed in water as she sunk below the seawater. As her dark eyes stared up into the darkness, she saw faces flash before her eyes. Yanagi couldn't move as the water pressed her down, holding her, in the cold prison she was in. She saw her parents smiling at her; her father training her when she was little. Yanagi saw Idai congratulating her on her training session. Masaru's happy face as they ate fruit while sitting in the trees. Daiya kissing her sweetly on the lips for the very first time. Yanagi blacked out.

Kiba dove into the water. He searched with all of his strength and ability to find Yanagi drifting with the current. He grunted as he kicked his legs to save her. He had already lost one student on the mission. Kiba Inuzuka punched the barrels moving around him hard to get them out of the way. As they moved aside, he pushed his feet on them to propel himself even closer. Yanagi was on the verge of drowning. Somehow, despite his fatigue, he put all of his might into the focus of rescuing her. Kiba latched onto Yanagi's sleeve. He pulled her towards him and spun his body around. As he moved around her, he grabbed her around the waist.

Masaru coughed as the water started to get higher. As he saw Kiba's head pop up, he signaled his clones to keep holding onto the railing of the deck ahead. He held his hand out for his trainer to grab on to.

Kiba swam with sheer determination to get out of the hellhole they were stuck in. He grabbed onto the boy's hand as he felt the force of the water. Kiba held onto Yanagi for dear life. He was trying to keep her from going back in. "Masaru, for once, I'm glad you didn't listen," he said as the boy and his clones pulled them to safety.

Once they were on the main deck, Kiba rushed to get Yanagi to breath. He opened her mouth and forced air down her throat. The slaves, who had fought so valiantly to be free, were watching in a hushed silence. He tried several times to get her to cough up the water. "Yanagi Lee, don't you dare," he swore.

Masaru stood, staring at his fallen teammate. His eyes were focused on Yanagi's lifeless body. As he watched Kiba blow air into the girl's mouth repeatedly, he realized Jinrin was not helping. Masaru looked around at everyone who was watching them. The ship was starting to tilt. "Ah!" Masaru fell to his side.

Kiba turned Yanagi's head as she finally started to spew water. He breathed hard as her eyes opened to search the area. The sun overhead was blazing as Kiba lifted her. "Can you stand? Masaru, instruct them to grab onto anything they can. This ship's going down."

Masaru ran to tear down the large masts with his shuriken. As the iron ripped through the wood, the masts fell. Slaves scrambled to grab onto them. Others who couldn't get a hold of the masts were seeking after barrels. Masaru, Kiba, and Yanagi leapt off the bridge of the ship as it started to sink. The slaves were all swimming away as floating planks drifted to the surface.

Yanagi and her team watched the ship of no return sink below the sea. Her eyes searched the many people for one last person. "Sensei, where's Jinrin?" She and Masaru looked at Kiba.

Kiba held onto a piece of the ship that was drifting with the two kids. "Jinrin didn't make it," he said softly. Their eyes widened. "He died trying to free the slaves."

Yanagi felt the world around her stop. The boy who had hit on her constantly for attention – the boy who had helped fight alongside her and Masaru, was gone. Yanagi didn't hear a word Kiba said after that. She only drifted with her team and the survivors.

Yanagi placed a picture of Jinrin on the monument of those who had fallen in the battle against the nine tails fox. She lit incense as she put a plush panther near the photo. Masaru and Kiba stood behind her as she lowered her head. Yanagi sang softly, with heart for the boy who loved to use panthers in his jutsus.


	72. Chapter 72

**V8 Ch 1**

**Shape up, or Ship out!**

"Idai, have you given up so soon? We're here with you. Don't you see us," Yanagi asked as she crouched to look up into his face. His orange eyes were unwavering, not blinking as he stared straight ahead at the wall in front of him. Yanagi's eyes drifted to the short chains around his wrists. He was chained to the floor for everyone's protection in the circular room. Yanagi wondered what had happened to have caused him to be chained like this. She reached her hand forward to caress his cheek. "Idai, please look at me," she said sadly. "We miss you so much."

Idai was not aware Yanagi or Masaru were in the holding cell with him. His mind had been overtaken by Ryokuzu weeks ago after Gai confronted him. The demon was not bending well to the interferences of others concerns. It was to the point of breaking Idai once and for all. Ryokuzu knew it had to make the final move soon. He was anxious and nerved by Idai's encounter with Gin. The girl was unknowingly depleting his energy. Her aura was pure and it effected him greatly.

Masaru came closer when Yanagi lowered her head. She was letting her hair cover her face. He knew she was upset over many things. He placed his hand on her shoulder trying to comfort her. Team 6 had lost Jinrin on a previous mission. It was Yanagi's first encounter with the death of a friend. Idai was so far gone, he didn't respond to people's voices, or touch. He was stuck in his own torment. Perhaps, the most painful news to her was her boyfriend's current diagnosis of chronic heart failure. The energy levels in the boy were too high for his heart to contain.

Masaru reached forward to touch Idai's hand. He held onto him as he watched for any signs of a reaction. Idai only breathed softly, his body not changing as he sat on the floor. "Idai, if you can hear me, fight it! Fight Ryokuzu! You can't let him have your body! I won't settle for him taking you. Do you hear me, you slimy, loathsome bastard? I won't let you get far if you gain it! I'll end it the moment you think you have triumphed! I swore it to Idai!"

Idai's black eyes moved slightly to stare at Masaru. The Hokage's son met the gaze with truth and determination. Ryokuzu moved with a jerk to lunge at the boy - to scare him. As the chains rattled, Masaru jumped in front of Yanagi to defend her. He was staring eye level with Ryokuzu.

Yanagi's heart raced as she saw Idai almost fully standing. The movements were not his, but the demon's controlling him. She knew Ryokuzu couldn't strike her and Masaru due to the chains weighing Idai's body down. The boy's body had not taken nourishment to be able to have the energy to move. She narrowed her eyes as she stood. "You're a fool to assume we will hand him over to you."

"And the both of you are naive to depend on devices to hold me," Ryokuzu said as he forced Idai's right arm to pull with an enormous amount of force. He laughed evilly as the chain started to bend. The moment they started to pop, the two kids moved back and towards the exit. Ryokuzu tried to go for them, but Idai's left arm was still chained to the floor. "When I'm free, the two of you will have a dying appointment that you'll want to keep."

Kiba rounded the corner as he heard the commotion. He pulled Masaru and Yanagi back. Kiba slammed the heavy iron door. He narrowed his eyes through the small slot. "Not if I can help it." He glanced at the two kids. "From now on, I'd prefer to be with the both of you if you want to visit Idai. The demon would like nothing more than to slaughter you right here and now. It would allow him to fully gain Idai's body. It would drive him over the edge."

Masaru lowered his eyes as he stood next to Yanagi. "I'm sorry, Kiba. I let my temper overtake me. I want Idai back! There has to be a way to vanquish that thing!"

Kiba led the kids out of the building. As they exited the long hall, he bit his thumb. Kiba smeared blood on the frame of the door before he formed hand seals. The kids watched as symbols were placed on the frame of the door. They watched as the symbols duplicated to cover the entire building. The seal would keep anyone out who got too close and Ryokuzu in. he stood to look at the remaining two of his team. "Anko and Gai have gone to the Sound Village."

"The Sound Village? How are they going to be able to find out where it is located," Masaru asked. "Idai is getting worse day by day."

"I know, Masaru. Gai had encountered an old woman who knew Idai on the outskirts of the village. They're working together to decipher Idai's connection to Ryokuzu. We know he was sacrificed to the demon for the sake of his clan. No one know why," Kiba said disgustedly.

"Why would someone give their child to a demon," Yanagi said horrified.

Masaru gritted his teeth as he stared at the door with the seals upon it. "How much you want to bet it has something to do with Idai's father? From what I know, Idai was Orushin's most prized possession. It had to be a way to get back at his father over something."

"I think you're on to something, Masaru," Kiba said as he put his hand on the boy's head. "Let's hope Gai and Anko can get to the bottom of this. We can't defeat Ryokuzu without that knowledge."

Onari sat on the porch with Daiya. Her yellow eyes were fixated on him. He was staring at the ground, his thoughts heavily weighed on his future as a ninja. Onari leaned towards him to kiss his cheek. She kept her eyes focused on his face. "Daiya, Onari wants you to play with her," she said as she grabbed his hands.

Daiya faintly heard her. The touch of her warm hands made him realize how cold he was. "Onari, I'm cold," he

said despite the warm air.

Onari felt his bare arms. His skin was cool. She reached forward to wrap her arms around him. Onari loosened the yellow and white kimono she wore to wrap Daiya in it. Before she knew it, her brother was laying his head on her shoulder. Onari knew he was depressed. She placed her hands on his back to comfort him. "Daiya has cold toes," she said as she wiggled her toes on his.

Daiya looked up at her. Onari tilted her head. He touched her face fondly. "I wish you were my real sister," he said lowly. Daiya lowered his hand and his gaze. He could be insecure in front of her. He didn't dare do it in front of Yanagi, or his brother. Onari wasn't the type to judge another person. "Onari, what do you think happens when we die?"

Onari ran her fingers up and down his back. "Onari

thinks we go to our family. We go to those that wait for us."

"I don't have a family," Daiya said with heartache in his voice. "If I die, I'll be alone." He closed his eyes.

"Daiya is Onari's. Urea and Sashizo will open their arms to Daiya. They will shelter Daiya from burden," she said.

"Why do you think your parents might accept me? I'm

the son of an enemy," Daiya said. "My father killed your mother."

"Daiya did not perform actions of Gekido's men. He is not accountable for their actions - only his own." Onari laid her head on his. "Daiya is tired. Onari won't move so Daiya can sleep."

Daiya nestled in to her as he sat on the porch. If he could, he wanted to feel someone next to him while he slept. He wanted to know he wasn't alone - even in his last moments in life.

Ryu Yuhi ran through the forest in the thick of night. He breathed hard as he slid on his tracks to round a tree. His feet picked up speed as he ran through the dark forest. Ryu formed hand seals quickly as his eyes narrowed. He saw the slit eyes of the beast as it came towards him. Ryu's body started to slip through the earth as the animal went for him. Josei barely missed his scalp as he leapt for him.

Josei retracted his claws. He turned his head to look at Saori as she dropped from the branch over head. (Your significant other has gotten better. I wasn't able to take off as much of his hair as last time.) He turned around, his muscular body facing the girl as his tail swished.

Saori rotated the kunai blade in her hand. "Hmm… He was able to anticipate your move, Josei. However, he took the easy way out." Saori lodged the kunai into the tree. "Well, come on. Ryu's bound to fall into my trap."

Josei padded after her as he gave a tiger's grin.

Ryu looked around the area as he dangled upside down. He growled lowly as he heard Rose, Saori's puppet moving around below. He flipped his head the second he heard claws digging into wood. He knew Josei had tracked him again. "Damn tiger," he said as he let go of the branch. That was when he saw Josei running down the bark of the tree after him. Ryu swore again. He should have figured a celestial would be able to glue chakra.

Josei growled as he started to leap from branch to branch. He was beginning to pick up speed. He was so close to Ryu that he could see the boy's red eyes. Josei opened his mouth to release shards of crystals at the boy.

Ryu had a split second to react. Before the shards hit his body, a shell popped in front of him rotating. He saw Shogai shield him, catching the shards, as he fell curled into a ball.

Shogai spun his shell as his head popped out of its hiding place. He opened his mouth to catch Ryu's vest as he touched onto a branch. Shogai clicked his shell down to where the pieces started to interchange. Large spikes appeared to rise on the shell. Shogai sent the spikes on his shell up and away. They burst off with loud pops.

Ryu crossed his arms as he dangled. His eyes widened the moment he felt something tugging at his legs. Ryu watched Rose slithering up his leg. "Ah!" He tried to kick her off but the puppet had a strong hold of him. He watched as Rose's multiple arms came out to brandish weapons. "Saori Nara, you wouldn't dare!"

Rose came all the way up to cock her head at him. As Ryu sweated the situation out, Rose came closer to his face. She poofed into Saori. "Checkmate, Ryu," she said as she kissed him gently.

Ryu thought he was going to die. As he stared at her in a panic, he yelled, "You almost gave me a heart attack!" He narrowed his eyes fully at her as he heard Shogai meep. Ryu turned his gaze to see Josei taunting the turtle. Before he could scold the tiger, the turtle opened his mouth to let him go.

Saori and Ryu screamed as they feel through the abyss holding onto each other. Saori was too scared to try and snag onto something with her chakra strings. She felt Ryu grab onto her tighter as they connected with the water.

A huge splash soared into the air as they hit. Saori popped up dragging Ryu with her. He was wheezing and coughing. As they threw themselves onto the ground, she turned Ryu onto his side patting his back. "Ryu, try to get it up." She watched him lower his face mask to spew water. Saori raised his arms above his head.

Ryu coughed hard as he bent over to let the water drain out of his throat. He was going to kill Shogai the second he got over it. "Blasted turtle!"

Saori rubbed his back. "No, I think it's Josei's fault. He taunted Shogai. I wish I knew why he enjoys doing that."

"He's an ass," Ryu said looking back at her as she wiped his mouth. He blushed as he felt her fingers brush across his lips. "I wonder if we're allowed to use them in the Chuunin exams. The entry date is coming up soon," he said thinking more about his team's chances of survival.

"I'm not sure. Onari might suggest we don't use them. Don't you know it would bring us a lot of attention?" Saori wasn't sure if summons were allowed. "Has sensei found out where the exams are to be held?"

Ryu closed his eyes. "I'm not supposed to say anything yet. All of the trainers are waiting for the Hokage to announce it officially."

Saori put her hands on her hips as they stood. "Well, how come he told you and not me or Daiya?" She blinked as a splash sounded behind her. Saori turned her head to see Shogai swimming towards them.

"All of the team leaders were told initially when the trainers found out. Why do you think we've been training at night?" Ryu smiled at her.

"Ryu, when you smile without the mask, it makes you look devilish," Saori commented. He only grinned more. "Josei, leave Shogai alone," she said as she saw the tiger's head pop up out of the water. "We better head back. It'll be dawn soon."

Gin Akimichi ran at Kandai swiftly as she slid to the side. She threw three poisonous seeds at his head. As suspected, he threw kunai at one to plunk it against the bark of a tree. The other two were wide open.

Kandai reached out with open palms to hit the seeds with direct hits. As his skin came in contact with the seeds, they shattered. Kandai's eyes widened as his skin started to feel as if it were being bitten by ants. He scratched at his skin repeatedly. "Ah, what kind of seeds were those?"

Areku and Ichigo went after Gin as she conjured a tree to grow under her feet. They hopped from branch to branch the more it grew. As he tried to catch up to her, Gin conjured other trees to grow. She leapt off to each one trying to escape. "Ichigo, sniff her out!" If Areku knew Gin, they were following a decoy.

Ichigo barked numerous times at Areku to get his attention. She could smell the girl overhead in the leaves. Ichigo saw Gin's from camouflaged with the leaves.

Gin let herself fall the moment Areku was underneath her. She threw kunai at him to get his attention. Areku whirled around to miss her strike. She twirled with his body, her eyes narrowed.

Areku brought his hand up to protect his face from Gin's fist. He tilted his body to the left and brought his leg up to come around towards her back. His foot came in contact with her, but went through her. Gin's form poofed into a log. The moment he swore, he felt the vine around his neck. It began to tighten.

"Say it, Areku. I was three steps ahead of you and Kandai," Gin said with her soft voice. "Say it." She tightened the vine around his neck as she shot another vine from her sleeve to wrap around Ichigo. Ichigo whined as she was lifted off the ground.

"Un-cle," Areku said as the vine loosened. He felt the vine fall off as he coughed. "That was dirty, Gin."

Kandai hopped around scratching his entire body. "Gin, make it stop! It's burning my skin!"

Gin threw the ointment for the seeds at Kandai. "Training needs to test all of us. I know your moves too well, Areku. Yours too, Kandai. Ichigo should be working with you -not being used as a last resort. You should respect her more. An enemy isn't going to let either of you off easily. Things are changing around us," Gin said as she looked up.

"We're all older and our experience makes us who we are. We have to live for those who are not here any longer and those that can't live for themselves," Gin said as her eyes lowered. "Shikamaru sensei told me to push the team. The Chuunin exams are upon us, Team 4."

Takeru focused his mind as he blew a fireball to ward off Onari. The girl slid on her feet as suspected. Onari wasn't used to him attacking her. Team 9 worked together - not against each other. As the fire ended, he heard Eiyu blow a whistle. Takeru turned around.

Eiyu let the whistle drop from his mouth. "Onari, when someone is attacking, you never halt your actions. I see you didn't know how to react when it was Takeru. You have to be prepared to fight anyone and everyone at the exams."

Onari tiled her head. She looked comical with the scary face mask covering her face. "Eiyu, Onari has already taken the test to train. What has Eiyu had for breakfast?"

"I had rice, fish, and be-. It doesn't have anything to do with what I had for breakfast! I'm not talking about the Academy exam!" Eiyu clenched his fists as the veins popped on his forehead. "This is a different test!"

Onari tilted her head the other way. "Is it the test to see how far Lee's eyes bulge?" Eiyu slapped his forehead. "The test to answer questions over and over?"

"No, we're not playing twenty questions! We're taking the Chuunin exams, Onari! It's the most important test to a ninja. We compete with all of the ninja in the neighboring villages. We have to fight all of them to get the title. Do you understand now? We'll be fighting each other for a very important title." He relaxed once he was said and done.

"What is the title for," Onari asked.

"The title tells everyone in neighboring villages how strong you are, Ri. It also proves to everyone you can take tougher missions and your skills are better than anyone else's," Takeru said as he covered Eiyu's mouth. Eiyu couldn't handle Onari's misunderstanding over an important matter.

"Onari does not want a title. Onari is only on a team to further her strength," she said. "Onari must defeat Gekido."

"Who is Gekido," Eiyu asked.

"Her uncle - the man who killed her parents," Takeru said softly. "He's after everyone, Eiyu. Every person in every village. He wants to be the only leader - more like ruler over all of the ninja." His dark eyes watched Eiyu raise a brow.

"That's completely ludicrous. How would he get thousands of ninja to obey him?" Eiyu believed it was a farce. "He'd have to fight every country to put that kind of fear in everyone." He crossed his arms trying to end the discussion.

"If he gains the four celestials of legend, he'll have that kind of power. Truth is, he'd only have to claim Onari's link," Takeru said. "He'd have the phoenix at war with the dragon. I'm not sure if I'd lose Uso, or if he would be able to control the rest of them."

"Then if I were Onari, I'd take the opportunity to defeat others at the exam," Eiyu said stressing the fact. "You won't further your knowledge on how many different techniques there are if you don't participate. We have to go in as a team. Takeru and I can't sign up without you." Eiyu wanted her to understand the importance of the competition. However, Onari had the option to refuse.

Kandai looked around as they stood in a large area with all of the other hopefuls on the roof of a building. He could see the usual faces from Team 2, 6, and 9; along with others who were more advanced. "Hey, Areku, isn't Team 6 short a member?" He turned his gaze to look at the Inuzuka boy with long hair.

Areku searched through the crowd of students to signal out each member. "Jinrin died on a mission, Kandai. They are short one person." Ichigo sniffed the air as she wagged her tail.

"Why are they here? They can't participate with just two members," Kandai said. Yanagi was mesmerized by the amount of people. Masaru had his arms crossed and frown upon his face.

"Idai is worse, isn't he," Gin asked as her blue eyes lifted to look at Areku. "He's not able to step in to help his team." she closed her eyes as she remembered how Idai had kissed her hand. Don't you know I'm cursed, plant girl? The comment echoed in her mind.

Areku put his hand on Gin's shoulder. "Yeah, he is. His body has been overtaken, Gin. Ryokuzu is the one who answers now."

"I won't let him use Idai!" Everyone stopped talking and began to stare. Gin was angry. She had waited so long to confess to Idai.

"We're being watched," Kandai said. He felt uncomfortable all of a sudden. They waited until everyone started to talk again before they continued.

Areku cupped Gin's face in his hands as he looked down at her. "If you know of a way to help him, tell me." Gin's eyes showed confusion. "You have to find a way to aid him. You're the most clever girl I've met. Soon Idai will be completely trapped in Ryokuzu's world."

"How do you know he isn't already," Gin asked sadly.

"Because Ryokuzu isn't always the one looking back. Dad told me Idai stares most of the time - like his mind is away. There has to be a way to get him back," Areku said as he heard the students go silent. He turned around to see the Hokage move to where he stood in front of the mass.

Naruto put his hands behind his back as the students from various teams looked back at him. "Morning, everyone know all of you are aware the Chuunin exams are happening in one month. As it stands, two-thirds of you are ready based on the reports I have received from your trainers. The rest of you need to increase your training routine. My position as Hokage is to make sure all of you have a fair chance against ninja from the surrounding countries. You must be alert when facing opponents during the Chuunin exams. Everyone has their reasons for entering this event - and a lot to lose. There have been ninja to be seriously wounded to the point of giving up their lives as Shinobi, or even worse - death."

Naruto reached into his pocket. He unrolled a scroll with the team names listed upon it. "I'm fixing to read very important information to all of you. I want everyone to listen and pay attention. The Chuunin exams are being held in the Hidden Mist Village. As everyone knows, the exams is held twice a year. The locations changes during each trial. All countries are participating for the first time in many years. Being said, the lightening country is the one of particular interest to everyone."

Onari growled under her mask as she stood with Eiyu and Takeru. The lightening country was choosing to react to the trials. She wondered if Gekido had any influence on that decision. He was one of the strongest clan leaders of her country. There was no Raikage for the lightening country as far as she knew. She didn't trust the situation.

"The lightening country is going to be in the Chuunin exams. They don't have a leader for the village." Eiyu raised his hand to question the Hokage. Naruto pointed at him to speak. "Excuse me, sir, but I thought the leader of the village was the only one who could send ninja to an exam once the trainers were approved. The lightening country does not have a leader."

"A Raikage was appointed to the lightening country six months ago," Naruto said. "She has sought out the scattered ninja in the past few months. They are re-grouping as we speak. I have no had the privilege of meeting this young woman."

Takeru looked at Onari. "It's not Gekido. He's not the ruler of the lightening country. But I suppose since he's been searching for you the entire time, he's failed to regard his own country's politics."

"Gekido will be after the new leader. You can count on it. He wants her position. He might slip younger ninja into the exam who work for him," Onari said. Her eyes drifted through the crowd. Daiya was not reacting well to the news.

Naruto continued, " The following teams are cleared for entry: Teams 1, 2, 5,7,8,9, 10,12,14,17,18, and 21. Teams 3,4,11,13,15,16, and 19 must get their teams up to par. I will be heavily focused on these teams progressing in the next few weeks. Teams 6 and 20 need a 3rd person for the Chuunin exams. There must be a 3rd man for the cell. If a cell cannot be completed by the time of the Chuunin exams, these two teams will remain behind. I wish everyone the best. May all of you return safely," Naruto said as he exited the roof.

"The Mist Village is known for ruthless ninja," Saori said. "Well be fighting each other, too. Do you think we can make it?" She looked at Ryu. He glanced at her.

"We have no choice. Sasuke has been preparing us for this moment. I'm serious about becoming an ANBU. However, we need to go in as a team and leave as a team," Ryu said the moment he looked at Daiya. "You're going to have to trust us fully. Your life depends on it."

"Without Idai, we can't take the Chuunin exam," Masaru said as he slumped his shoulders while he sat on the fence.

"No, we can't," Yanagi confirmed softly. "There are so many obstacles before us. Our team has fallen apart. Kiba is weighed down with our progress and what's happening to Idai. I'm worried if Daiya will survive the strain on his heart that's to come. And yet, I have to keep walking forward. My feet are heavy. I feel as if I'm walking through mud." Yanagi leaned her back on the fence. "I want the two most important guys in my life to be alright. Is that asking too much, "she asked no one in particular.

Masaru let his arms hang from his knees. "You only want them to live a happy, meaningful life. It's all you've ever wanted for anyone. Maybe you don't need to do it alone, Yanagi. I'm sitting right here."

Yanagi turned around slowly to look at Masaru Uzumaki. He had grown so much in the past few weeks. She hugged him around his neck. "Thank you, Masaru."

Masaru didn't know how to react to the hug. He brought his arms up with an attempt to hug her back, but his hands twitched. He was confused. Masaru lifted his gaze to see Daiya watching them with a brow raised. He flailed his arms in a panic. "It's not what you think! I haven't touched her!" He pushed Yanagi off. Once he was clear, he whirled around to jump off the fence. Masaru ran.

Yanagi sighed as Daiya stood behind her. "Forget the Chuunin exam. All you have to do is look at him. He's still scared of you."

"He has every right to be. I trust you. I don't trust him," Daiya said lowly.

Gin approached the building slowly. She stared at it as she brought the lotus flower closer to her body. Gin's hand touched the soil. Her eyes drifted to the kanji on the leaf of the lotus. Idai's name was faded. The lotus' color is fading. I have to find a way to help him. Areku said it had to be me.

"Gin, what are you doing here," Daiya asked as he watched her turn around. He could see the concern all over her face. "We're not allowed to go in. Kiba won't allow it with the way Idai is."

"He's getting worse, Daiya. His name is fading from the lotus," she said as she moved the pot out to make him look. Daiya approached with a quizzical expression on his face. "It's a special flower that tells me if Idai is alright."

Daiya listened patiently to Gin explaining how she had meditated and prayed for Idai every day for two years. The girl's voice was sincere. Gin talked fondly about how she snuck glances at Idai without him noticing. Daiya saw her stroking the petals of the lotus. "You love him," he said as she looked up suddenly with a red face. "And he doesn't know."

Gin shook her head averting her eyes. "We've only mildly kissed," Gin said. "I knew he was more worried about the demon in him. I didn't want to trouble him."

Daiya put his hands on her shoulders. "Idai needs to know who cares for him, Gin. It increases his chance of survival. But I'm not sure if he can hear you. Ryokuzu controls him now."

Gin bit her bottom lip. "why does the demon want him," she asked sadly. "Why does it have to be Idai? He doesn't deserve to be overtaken," she said as she covered her eyes. Her mind was surfacing images of Idai's happy face; of how he kissed her cheek; how he played the flute at the hot springs.

Daiya wrapped his arms around the normally shy and quiet plant girl of Team 4. His eyes moved over the markings placed upon the building. They glowed with warning that something terrible was encased inside. Daiya felt a lump in his throat. We're still here fighting for you, Idai. I hope Gai sensei and Anko find out why some bastards did this to you! Daiya growled lowly as his eyes narrowed. He started to spark slightly. Gin moved back quickly. He glanced at her. "I'm angrier than you can imagine about what someone has done to him," he said trying to explain his actions.

Gin turned around suddenly as she heard the building behind them shake. Her heart started to race. "Idai," she said as the symbols glowed brighter. She felt Daiya pull her back. Gin clutched onto the pot in her hands as she heard Ryokuzu snarl loudly through the walls. She and Daiya jumped as he yelled in outrage.

Gin moved closer with the lotus to test her theory. Ryokuzu caused the building to shake even more violently. Daiya grabbed her arm to pull her back. "It's the lotus! He's afraid of the lotus," she yelled above the commotion.

"Don't temp it! Idai's body is exhausted from being used. We can't go in blindly, Gin. If we screw up, we lose Idai," Daiya said trying to make her understand. "We can't," he said firmer. She was determined to challenge the demon.

"If we don't do anything, Idai has no chance," gin said as Daiya lifted her kicking. She held onto the pot with all of her might. As they moved away from the building, Ryokuzu calmed down. "I want to help him," she said softly.

"We have to have faith in the others who have left to try and find out the truth, Gin. Without knowing what the connection is, we can't take it away. Please don't be rash. Ryokuzu wants Idai alive. He's worthless dead," Daiya said as he lowered his head to look at her.

Gin held the lotus flower to her chest, cradling it. "It's afraid of the purity of the lotus. It's Buddha's lotus," she said choking on her words. "It has to work. It has to!"

Daiya could only watch Gin cry. There was nothing he could say to her. He knew Idai had a lot against him. A demon was a powerful negative force.

Anko stood at the river where she had found a young boy nine years prior. The river was still flowing in the late hours of the afternoon. A few trees had fallen in due time. Yet, everything still appeared the same. "This is where I found him," she said crouching to touch the ground.

Gai stood facing the river. "That must be the direction he came from. If Idai had been wandering away from the village, he might have been lost at this point."

Anko tilted her head back to see birds flying in the sky. They were flying away from one specific direction. "Or he could have been following the birds. Our best bet is to cross," she said rising to her feet. She and Gai started to glue their chakra to the surface of the water. They crossed successfully, hopefully headed in the direction of the mysterious sound village.

Kiba Inuzuka searched through the scrolls and books of the Hokage's about everything regarding demons. His wild eyes moved frantically over myths, legends, and demons associated with known clans. He threw a book angrily at the wall. Kiba watched it hit. He crouched to the floor putting his hands on his head in aggravation. "There's nothing about a demon called Ryokuzu!"

Naruto stood in the doorway watching his long time friend stress over the situation with his student. He entered the room slowly, his arms hanging by his sides. "Kiba, I know you're worried. Everyone is trying to find a way to help him. I had no idea you would become so attached to the boy when I asked if he could go to your team."

Kiba took a deep breath. "Idai is the same age as Areku, Naruto. He and Areku bonded during our camping trip a few weeks ago. Idai was so happy to be with my family. He laughed, Naruto - actually laughed." Kiba closed his eyes. "He even requested to live with us, but I couldn't deny Gai his right as a father. I had to object - despite the pain I bear for my decision."

Naruto walked to Kiba's side. He looked over the books and scrolls scattered in the room. "I understand how hard it is to accept lift for the way it is right now. I'm not sure I can offer any comforting news regarding Idai's situation. I'm trying to come up with an approach on how to attack the demon. That's what I've been doing since he was chained. Every angel I've attacked, has had the same consequence - Idai's death."

"There has to be another way," Kiba said aggressively.

"There's always another way," Areku said from behind them. He pulled Gin in with him. "Gin has found Ryokuzu's weakness." He watched his father stand and turn. The Hokage turned around, as well. "It seems demons fear the enlightenment of Buddha."

Naruto's eyes befell upon the blue lotus in the pot. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "How did you find out the demon was afraid of it?"

"I visited the building where Idai is sealed inside," Gin said averting her eyes from the two men. They were displeased that she had approached after being told not to. "The closer to the building I got, the angrier Ryokuzu became."

"The lotus may help in keeping Ryokuzu at bay, Gin, for a while. However, don't go there again until Anko and Gai return. I'm afraid if you try to defeat the demon on your own, it will end up killing you and Idai both. I know you want to help him, badly - it's all over your face, but I am a father, the same as Choji. I must keep his daughter safe as I keep my own," Naruto said to the long, brown haired girl.

Gin nodded slowly. "I understand," she said as she put the pot on the desk in the room. "Maybe it can stay here for a while. That way, if it fades anymore, you'll know Idai is worse."

Naruto watched Gin leave the room quietly. He saw Areku turn around to walk her out. "She's a brave girl," he said. "The only thing I question is how to get the lotus closer to Ryokuzu without him noticing. If the purity of the flower alerts him, it won't be easy." Naruto and Kiba's gaze watched the blue lotus intensify in color.

"The color is returning to the flower," Kiba said as he moved closer to it. "Do you think it's because Gin picked on the demon earlier?" He saw Naruto's confusion.

"I'm not sure. Whatever she did, she weakened him. I think our answers lay in Gin's ability with plants and whatever Anko and Gai find out," Naruto stated. "We have to be careful, Kiba. I don't take losing a child to a monster a light matter." He walked out of the room with his mind heavy in thought. He had to get back to coming up with a plan to help Idai.


	73. Chapter 73

**V8 ch 2**

**Gai and Anko's mission to the Sound Village**

He ran down the hall of the fortress, his heart racing as he tried to stay away from the black shadowed man. His small hands tried to open the shoji screens down the hall, but they wouldn't budge. Idai felt the air thicken around him. It was looking for him; he knew it.

The seven-year-old form of Idai Tatsumaki ran down the halls as fast as he could. He turned to run away from the source down another path when he felt it getting closer. The fortress was unlike any other he had seen. It was full of paths that led to dead ends, or ran endlessly. There were no people here at all. It was always night. There was no way out of the house - no windows- or voices. He scurried to hide under a table that was against the wall.

Idai curled up on the floor as he covered his head from the sounds that were drifting to his ears. He wanted to go home. What was this place? He shut his eyes tightly trying to calm his racing heart. "I want my dad," he said with a shaky voice. "I want my dad!" Idai screamed when he felt the table overhead moving away. It was sliding on the floor.

I have to move! I have to run or it's going to get me! Idai forced himself to rise. He took off trying to find another place to hide. He had no choice. He was only a boy. Whatever was after him wanted him badly. "Stay away from me," he screamed as the noise deafened his ears.

Idai's body jerked hard as he laid on the floor of the room he was confined to. His eyes were staring straight ahead, not wavering. He didn't hear the door being unlocked, or see a figure step in. Idai's face grimaced totally unaware he was reacting to what was happening to him mentally.

Naruto crouched to where he could see Idai better. The boy jerked again several times. "What's going through your mind, Idai? Where are you in there?" Naruto placed his hand on the boy's head. He moved the long red hair out of his face. "Masaru misses you terribly. He's not the same at home. I'm trying to find a way to help you. Please hold on." Naruto painfully watched Idai jerk and his face grimace again. He stood slowly with his eyes focused on the boy. He walked backwards making sure the demon wasn't fooling him.

Naruto closed the door slowly. He locked it from the outside as a precaution. His eyes kept watching the boy laying on the floor, his mind astray. A poof happened next to Naruto's feet. An orange toad named Gamakichi was watching him. "I want you to watch over him. Can you do that for me?"

Gamakichi stared at the Hokage. "You can't be serious. The demon has overtaken that boy. He's trapped in his own mind."

"There has to be a way to get him back. He hasn't given up completely. The demon is not always the one who looks back."

Gamakichi grunted. "I suppose I have no choice, but to do as you ask." He watched Naruto turn away to walk down the hall. "You could at least leave me a deck of cards or something," he shouted rather annoyed. Gamakichi crossed his arms. "Just my luck. How do I end up babysitting a confined demon?"

Onari sat on her knees as she looked at the bowl of water on the tray in front of her. She placed her hand over it to where it hovered. Onari closed her eyes, concentrating. Sh could see the water in her mind. Onari tensed her arm as the chakra moved down to the palm of her hand. She forced the chakra out with a powerful thrust. The sound of shattering porcelain caused her to frown. Onari opened her eyes.

"Too much force," Ryu said as he replaced the bowl with another. "In order to perform a chakra push, you have to be gentle. This bowl represents a person's chest. And… you've just mortally wounded someone."

"Onari is not sure about learning this technique. Is this for Daiya, or something else?" She watched Ryu pour half the amount of water into the bowl.

"I'm teaching you this for a lot of reasons. It's what I was taught by Izumi to help Daiya. Yet, I've found other uses for it. As you've demonstrated, enough deadly force can kill someone. But what happens," he said as he placed his hand over the bowl," if you nudge it a little?"

Onari saw the water in the bowl pulse and ripple slowly. She tilted her head. Ryu was able to focus his chakra correctly. "Ryu, are you preparing to be replaced if something happens at the exam?"

Ryu took his hand away to place it in his lap. "Summons aren't allowed for the Chuunin exams, Onari. We can't use any of the celestials. It has to be our own personal strength against another's. and if it comes down to it, I want your brother to be covered. I promised to look after him. Enough explanations." He looked up at her. "Back to training."

Anko and Gai transformed their usual forms to mask their identities. They had been watching a couple who lived outside the sound village for some time. The farmers were of particular interest to them. During the night, they had swiped a cart full of vegetables in order to enter the sound village undetected.

Gai glanced at Anko. "I hope this plan of yours works. If they detect us, we're in a lot of trouble. We won't be doing Idai any favors."

Anko walked with Gai towards the entrance. Two guards were standing there with blank expressions on their faces. As Anko moved her hand to initiate the cart, one of the guards moved forward to inspect her and Gai. Anko was passing as a pregnant woman.

"You should take it easy walking with your husband to market. The streets are busy this time of day. Wouldn't want to injure a future sound-nin," the guard said. He picked up a vegetable to inspect it further. The guard pocketed it once he was satisfied with what he had found. He sorted through a few baskets to get one of his partner. "Let them pass."

Anko and Gai walked slowly past the guards. Anko had to keep in mind she was six months pregnant to play her role well. Until they were a fair distance from the entrance, she kept in check of her attitude and mindset. "A husband wouldn't let his wife walk to market with the condition she's in."

Gai glanced at her as he set the cart down next to another man selling cloth. "It was your idea. Now I can't leave my post and neither can you. It would look strange for a husband to leave his pregnant wife alone."

"Don't worry, I'm way ahead of you," Anko said as she saw a young woman pass. she moved behind a sheet Gai had lifted to shade the cart. Anko formed hand seals. She created a clone of her pregnant self behind the sheet. The clone moved from behind the curtain to help Gai mask the real Anko. Anko transformed into the young girl she had previously seen. When she had the opportunity, she slipped into the crowd.

Gai and the clone resumed putting the sheet over the cart. He had to stay in character. As the clone moved to sit on the edge of the cart, Gai began trying to sell vegetables. He hoped Anko would be able to find something out about the Tatsumaki clan.

Anko had no idea how big the sound village was. It was nestled deep in the forest amongst rivers and lakes. Anko moved slowly, at first, to gain the feel of the area around her. It was unusual for her to be this deep in enemy territory. She wondered how she was going to ask around about Idai's clan.

Her eyes searched the buildings for a clue. Idai's family was ashamed of him. They sent him away after he failed the entrance exams. She stepped away to avoid children running into her. However, Idai had had the demon placed in him long before that. His father had died trying to save him. We know now that his mother was very ashamed of Idai and her marriage. Was Idai sought after because of his father? Anko had a feeling Idai's mother, Yukihara, had allowed her son to be taken as a way to restore her clan.

Maybe she thought by changing Idai, that it would make her own status appear greater than that of her previous husband. Anko thought some more. She tried to get her clan to be more powerful by placing a demon inside of her son. Idai's father wanted him spared from such an act. He was against it. So the mother probably went behind his back - and that is how Idai's father got killed.

Anko tried to picture in her mind the father-son relationship that had existed. Idai had adored his father. If Yukihara had been jealous of their bond, she would have sought to destroy it. Anko found the woman to be quite disgusting, in her own opinion.

She approached a random shop and pretended to be interested in the objects before her. Her hands traced over the items. It wasn't long before a man approached her to ask what she liked. For a while, Anko commented on the beautiful pieces made by the artist. She praised the colors chosen for the stones in a particular necklace. "They are simply beautiful." Her eyes found a simple gold necklace with a turquoise pendent at the end. She lifted it carefully to inspect it. "This one will be perfect for me."

The vendor praised Anko's fine choice. "This necklace was connected by hand. Each ring was carefully fastened," he said as he took the necklace from her. "I'm sure your family will cherish it always. That will be 140 ryo."

Anko reached into her pocket trying to keep a smile on her face. The vendor was taking her for a ride. As she handed the money over, Anko talked a little more about the people she had seen. Soon she had the vendor talking about life in the village. He mentioned how he sold most of his jewelry to the Hamamoto clan.

Anko lifted a bracelet to examine it. "What of the Tatsumaki clan? Do they not buy any of your beautiful jewelry?" The vendor placed the necklace in a bag before he handed it over. He seemed to avert his eyes as he moved jewelry pieces around.

"The Tatsumaki clan does not often visit the market. They send their servants out to shop for them. Why are you interested in them," the vendor pressed. His eyes met hers with a serious gaze.

"I only assumed an artist such as yourself was popular with the clans of high power in the village. Your talents are wasted on commoners," Anko said trying to keep an authoritive tone. The man was regarding the truth in her words.

"If a young woman, such as you, notices it then it must be a bad omen," he commented about her low status. "It is not easy to get business with a clan - any clan. The opportunity only arises when a servant recognizes the craftsmanship put into an artifact. If the master is searching for something that interests him, the artist gets sought out by the clan. However, one does not often speak easily of the Tatsumaki clan. Watch your tongue," he said gruffly.

Anko thanked the man for his 'kindness' before she departed. It was unwise to ask further questions. The vendor was already suspicious why a young woman was interested in that clan. She retreated back to Gai. Anko pretended to be interested in the vegetables as her clone pretended to be sleeping against the cart.

Gai gestured to a set of potatoes down the line. They were away from the curious eyes of the vendor next to him. "What did you find out," he asked softly. He had to know if Anko had been successful.

"The Tatsumaki clan does not associate outside the walls of the clan. Servants are the ones who shop in the market. It may prove harder to locate them than we thought. Also, don't ask around about the clan. The vendor I talked to was very suspicious." Anko paid Gai for a few potatoes before she walked off.

Gai watched the clone rise soon after to disappear behind the building. He had to find out about the mysterious Tatsumaki clan. They couldn't risk asking around. However, they still had to locate where the clan resided. We'll wait until night fall.

Naruto awoke to a red toad jumping on him. He sat up quickly to see Gamakichi sitting on his stomach. "What's wrong? How did you manage to get out of the building?" Naruto had resealed it once he was outside.

"Boss, the boy is worse! He was screaming when I was trying to sleep. So I looked through the window to see a black shadow blanketed over him! It molded with his form," Gamakichi said as he waved his amphibian arms around.

Naruto threw the sheets off of his body. He hurried to grab his robes as Gamakichi scrambled to get out of the sheets. Soon he followed him out of the room quickly. Naruto hurried out of his sleeping quarters to the living area. "How did this happen? If the demon overtakes him fully, he could destroy every villager in Konoha!"

Masaru Uzumaki was awoken by the frustrations of his father. He rubbed his eyes sleepily before he sat up. Masaru rose tiredly out of the bed to walk down the hall to investigate. He could hear his father talking about Idai to someone. Masaru stopped short before he entered. His heart was running away with him.

"Boss, there's only one thing you can do. If you end the boy's life, the demon won't have a host. Once it has nowhere to go, it can be dealt with," Gamakichi said. He watched Naruto place his hand over his face frustrated.

"I won't harm Idai unless there's no other way," Naruto said with difficulty. "We have to give Anko and Gai a chance to find out what the connection is. It's the only way to understand how to break it."

"There's no time! Any much longer and the boy's chakra will be completely used up. The demon will have the ability to gain his body for his own purposes," Gamakichi said as he eyed the Hokage. "His chakra is almost depleted."

Masaru's eyes widened. He left the hall quickly. He had to go to Idai's prison. He had to confront Ryokuzu against the wishes and orders of his father. He had promised Idai to help him if there was no other choice.

Idai stared at the ground as he leaned against the tree. "I want you to take care of Yanagi and Kiba, Masaru. I can't be the leader for Team 6 anymore." He closed his eyes as the voices echoed in his mind. He wasn't able to understand what they were saying to him anymore.

Masaru stood in front of Idai, his eyes never leaving his form. "You can't give up! I'm not going to let you! You have to keep fighting it!"

Idai opened his eyes. "I'm so tired, Masaru." His face started to show the fatigue he felt. "I'm always fighting Ryokuzu. He tries to get me around every corner," Idai said with a faint smile. "He's not as clever as he thinks he is. You guys are what effects him the most. He wants me to be alone…. But I still have you guys."

Masaru grabbed onto Idai. "I won't let him get you, Idai! That's a promise! I'll end it before he has the chance to hurt anyone!"

Idai only stared back at him for a moment. His body felt heavy and eyes started to droop. "Thank you," he said softly. His head lowered and body started to slump towards Masaru.

Masaru caught him. He lowered Idai to the ground where his back was against the tree. "Idai?" Masaru felt for a pulse. At first, he thought his friend was taking a short nap. It wasn't until hours later did he realize Idai wasn't coming around. "Idai, come on, wake up. It's time to get up. You can't sleep here," Masaru said shaking him. "Idai, please," he begged. Masaru had no choice but to get up in a panic to find someone to help him.

Masaru ran to the building where Idai was imprisoned. He approached it slowly, his guard up. Masaru walked around the building until he found the back where he knew Idai was. He placed his hand upon the wall. The markings upon the structure appeared as a warning. "I know you can hear me. You're always listening, aren't you? I won't let you have him. Whatever the cost- whatever it takes, you will not gain Idai," he said sternly as he gritted his teeth. Masaru could hear something moving inside. He placed his ear on the wall to listen.

Ryokuzu dragged the chains along the floor as he approached the wall. He smiled wickedly. "I already have him, son of the Hokage. Small children can't outrun darkness," he said laughing.

Masaru hit the building with his fist. His knuckles started to bleed. "I challenge you, Ryokuzu! I'm not afraid of a coward who hides in a person because he doesn't have his own form! You're nothing more than a parasite!"

Ryokuzu growled. "Hasn't anyone told you it's unhealthy to challenge a demon?" He moved Idai's arm back, increased his strength and sent the boy's fist through the wall.

Masaru watched the hand come through the cracked wall. It latched onto his shirt. He gritted his teeth as Ryokuzu slammed him against the structure. Masaru placed his hands on the wall to push away. "You're still a coward," he said gruffly. He watched the seals upon the building fade. "What the hell?"

"If you haven't noticed due to your slow mind, I've become stronger. Mere seals cannot hold me," Ryokuzu said as he broke Idai's other arm through the wall. He latched onto Masaru. "You have an appointment with me. Let's not be tardy!"

Masaru yelled as he was pulled forcefully through the wall. He tumbled over several times before he landed on his stomach. He spit blood out of his mouth as he sat up. Ryokuzu appeared more frightening than when he had seen him before. Idai's face appeared distorted. His arms and legs were longer - more muscular. His eyes were fully black. "I'm not afraid of you," he shouted angrily as he stood.

Ryokuzu went for the Hokage's son with increased speed. He slashed at the boy's face, his nails raking along the delicate skin. As the boy yelled, he punched him dead in the stomach. Masaru scrambled backwards as he coughed. "There's nowhere to run. You're trapped."

Masaru stood again to narrow his eyes at Ryokuzu. "And so are you," he said lowly the moment he activated the Byakugan. Demon or not - he still has Idai's body. I can see the chakra points! Masaru went for Ryokuzu with his heightened sense. He whirled around to a void an attempted hit at his face. As he came around, he felt Idai's fist hit his side. He latched onto the wrist to turn the arm. Masaru shoved the arm back as he turned sideways to avoid a kick.

Ryokuzu heard the commotion coming from the main entrance. He laughed at the boy as he started to whirl around blocking Masaru's hits. "You amuse me," he said as both of them ran sideways trying to hit the other. Ryokuzu jumped to the ceiling. He turned his head around to watch Masaru throw a kunai at him. Ryokuzu moved along the ceiling like a spider to avoid it.

Masaru yelled in outrage as Ryokuzu relished in the defeat. He turned around to see his father with Gamakichi and Shikamaru Nara coming through the iron door. His father was surprised as ever to see him.

Naruto looked at his son before he saw the hold in the foundation's wall. His eyes lifted to see Ryokuzu on the ceiling crouched sneering at them. "Masaru, explain yourself!"

"I refuse to let him have Idai! I promised to end it before it happened!" Masaru reached behind his back to precede unclipping the large shuriken on his back. As his father yelled at him to stop, he threw it straight at Ryokuzu.

The demon sunk into the ceiling the moment the large shuriken hit. He watched the two males move to guard the hole. The boy was still out in the open. Their forms appeared black as the foundation turned yellow in his eyes. He snickered as he watched them go to full defense. "I like it when humans keep their appointments," he said letting his voice echo.

"If he escapes, we're in huge trouble," Shikamaru said. He eyed Masaru. The blond haired youth was searching frantically for the demon.

Naruto gritted his teeth as he formed hand seals. He touched the floor of the structure. Symbols appeared on the floor around his form. The symbols began to move up the walls and to the ceiling. Naruto watched as Ryokuzu was forced out. He came flying out of the wall. Ryokuzu hit the floor hard. "So that's where you were. You're not the only one with tricks up his sleeves."

Shikamaru had completed his hand seals by the time Ryokuzu was thrown out of his hiding place. "Shadow possession!" His shadow shot forward to link with Idai's. "You won't be moving now. You're caught."

Ryokuzu yelped as Shikamaru lifted him off the floor . "What is this?" The man was controlling Idai's body and not him. His head turned to see Masaru glaring at him.

Masaru Uzumaki moved swiftly to hit the valuable chakra points on Idai. Ryokuzu's face turned to shock as the chakra flow was stopped. He stood back as his father approached the demon.

Naruto tied Ryokuzu's arm and legs together. Just when the demon tried to smile at him, he added paper bombs to Idai's body. He crouched to hold a slip of paper between his fingers. "One attempt to break the rope and the bombs go off. You want Idai's body for your own cruel ambitions. Sorry, but you won't be getting it that easily." Naruto raised his form. Ryokuzu screamed in anger. He escorted Masaru out.

Outside the building, Masaru stared hard at the foundation. He heard Shikamaru speaking to Gamakichi while he guarded the broken wall. It would take some time to patch the wall. Masaru soon looked up at his father's strict gaze.

"What you did was careless, Masaru. I don't know what reasons you had to confront that thing, but they aren't good enough," Naruto said strictly. "Ryokuzu only needs to kill someone close to Idai for Idai to lose. The torment of him losing a valuable friend would be enough to send him over the edge. You walked right into his trap."

Masaru lowered his head ashamed at himself. "I'm sorry, Dad." He didn't feel his father place his hand on his shoulder. Masaru looked up. An apology wasn't going to get him out of hot water.

"You've cost yourself the Chuunin exam," Naruto said as his son's eyes widened. "As it stands, you won't be participating." He meant every word of what he said.

"I have to or Yanagi has to forfeit, too," Masaru exclaimed.

"You should have thought about that before you decided to act rashly," Naruto said with his fatherly tone. "You will have no extra training with Yanagi or Kiba as part of your punishment. You'll also be in bed before Niru and be expected to help her with her homework. Once training is finished for the day, you will be cleaning the buildings in the village until I state otherwise."

Masaru's heart sank. His father's punishments were as severe as Sasuke's. "You could have easily lost your life against Ryokuzu. The torment you face at not knowing how to help Idai, is nothing compared to what your mother and I would feel if we had lost you." Naruto gestured for his son to go home.

Masaru Uzumaki shuffled home with his father's disappointment weighed heavily on his shoulders.

Anko and Gai moved quietly through the shadows of the night. It had taken numerous attempts to find out where the Tatsumaki clan was located. Villagers didn't speak freely to curious people about the clans in the village. Gai had had the idea of following the servants they encountered in the market. It had proved to be a difficult task. It had taken them three days to find the right ones.

Gai approached the gate of the Tatsumaki clan slowly. He touched the huge doors gently. Inside this place were answers they needed. He glanced at Anko as she walked backwards towards him, her eyes scanning the area.

"The only way to search the area with less chance of getting caught is to slip into something less revealing," Anko said with a smirk. She poofed into a mouse. She took one last look at Gai before she slipped under the gate doors. Anko scurried to hide under a pagoda. She sniffed the air as her ears perked up to decipher any signs of movement.

Gai flew over the gate doors disguised as a moth. He fluttered straight over the pagoda Anko was hiding under. He managed to clear the landscape without a problem. Gai approached one of the houses cautiously. It appeared to be where the servants quarters were. He moved on.

Anko scurried past the houses, her head moving from side to side. The Tatsumaki clan was one of the larger clans in the sound village. She stopped to see steps going up a hill. The main house must be in this direction. It's usually the last house guarded by other houses. She climbed the steps slowly.

Once Anko got to the top of the stairs, she threw herself on the ground with her heart racing and lungs heaving. Mice have it the worst. She turned her head to see the main house before her. Anko didn't know where to start. If the clan was ashamed of Idai failing the exams, his identity might be erased from the family records. She moved to find a hiding place out of the moonlight as the doors opened.

Anko hid in the bushes as she watched a woman with long black hair descend the porch. The woman's eyes were dark, expression placid, as she moved slowly through the area. Anko watched the woman stare at a place on the ground. The woman lifted her hand to point at the space before she pointed down the steps. Is she sleep walking?

"Go. Leave this place. No one wants you here. You have disgraced our family!" The woman bent over as if she was picking something up. She made a throwing gesture towards the steps. "Do not return! Death will befall you, one way or another."

Anko swore the woman was delusional. She watched her move away from the steps slowly. Anko poked her head out of the bushes to see a boy no older than five-years-old watching the woman from the porch.

"Mother, you are sleepwalking again," the boy said with a certain dignified manner. He walked to Yukihara to place her hand upon hers. "If Father catches you out here, he'll lock you in the closet."

Anko followed them as they entered the house. She

slipped in unnoticed. Could this woman be Idai's mother? Did he have a half-brother he knew nothing about? She kept after them until the boy stopped. Anko hid immediately behind a statue.

Daisetsu turned around to look at the dark hall. His dark eyes searched the area. "Utako, you're supposed to be in bed," he said seriously.

A five-year-old girl stepped out from a large ceramic vase. "I was worried about mother," she said as she put her hands on her hips. Utako moved her long black hair off her shoulders. "You have no right to boss me around. We're the same age."

"Do as you like then," Daisetsu said as he opened the shoji screen to escort their mother inside. He coaxed her into laying down before he left. He glanced at his twin as he closed the screen. "Mother was having one of her delusions again."

Utako skipped on the floor with her arms out. "Good night, brother," she said as she moved past him. He was intently watching her. She had to be careful, or he would wake their father. Utako went back to her room slowly. She sensed someone following her. Utako grabbed a bowl in front of her, turned around, and threw it. She saw a mouse try to escape. "Hey!" She started to chase it with the bowl until she caught it.

Anko came close to poofing into her normal form to scare the girl. It wasn't until the child asked if she wanted to see a secret, did she calm down. Anko watched as Utako lifted the bowl to smile at her. She eased her body.

"If Daisetsu sees you, he'll use you for target practice," Utako said. She was the non-serious one compared to her brother. Utako went to her room with the mouse in her hands. "Mother has been sleep walking for years. Ever since we were little. Father won't tell us why she goes to the same spot and does that. If you ask me, they're hiding something."

Anko was placed on the floor of the girl's room. She remained still as the girl kneeled towards her. In a way, Utako reminded her a bit of Idai. Her attitude was carefree, yet observant and clever.

Utako placed her hands on the floor. She knocked a few times on the wood until she heard a hollow sound. "I found a hiding place last year. I haven't told Mother or Father." Utako removed the wood by pulling on it with all of her strength. It popped loose. "See?" Utako pointed to the objects in the space below the flooring.

Anko peeked her head over the side to look. There were child's toys and drawings crammed into the space. Anko watched Utako show her a drawing. It showed a boy crying in a black circle. Another person was lifted into the sky colored in red. Anko's eyes softened. Is that Idai remembering his father's death?

Utako traced the people in the drawing with her finger. "My room used to be someone else's. this boy is sad," she said as she pointed to the drawing. "I'm not sure who this is, but look! There are toys in here, too." Utako took out a wooden brightly colored fish. She also removed an old stuffed doll of a ninja. The clothes on the doll were faded and dusty. Its eyes were also missing. Utako laid the doll next to the picture. "It looks just like the person in red."

Anko finally started to put the objects together. Someone had hidden Idai's belongings in the hiding spot to keep them out of sight. Whoever it had been, couldn't forget him entirely. The drawing depicted his troubled state of mind over losing his father. Anko suspected Yukihara had to be the culprit. The woman's delusions were caused by her own personal guilt over throwing Idai out. She probably thinks Idai is dead, just like his father. I wonder how she would react if she knew he was still alive, in an enemy village.

Utako sifted through the stash to take out a black bracelet made of strange stones. There were markings upon the stone in white. "Do you know what this is? It's a protection charm." Utako slipped the bracelet on. She heard movement in the hall. She quickly sprung up to put everything back into place. Utako ran straight to her bed and threw herself on the futon.

Anko's ears heard someone approach outside the room. She saw the shadow through the shoji screen. Anko darted to hide under the comforter on the futon. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw a man with long black hair tied into a ponytail enter the room. His eyes were searching the area slowly.

"You'll be scrubbing the floor as soon as dawn hits, Utako. You're not supposed to be out of bed," Etsuya Tatsumaki said. He left the room.

Anko had to get back to the rendezvous point her and Gai had set up before entering the village. She scurried to find a way out of the room before her mission was interrupted. Anko managed to escape through a hole in the wall she followed through the walls to the outside world.

Gai moved his eyes over the kanji of the mission report. The report stated how the ninja had investigated another clan involving plots against the Tatsumaki. The plots had been dealt with under the strictest penalty of death. He put the scroll back into the box.

Gai crouched low as he heard movement coming from outside. He unsheathed a kunai, his eyes darting around. Gai moved quickly to hide behind a stack of boxes. He kept his ears alert. He heard the shoji screen open down the hall. Gai saw a shadow moving on the wall in front of him. At one point, it stopped. He narrowed his eyes expecting the person to alert the clan he and Anko were there. But as Gai prepared to attack, two boxes fell over in the room beside the one he resided in. Gai scrambled, moving his body to open the screen that led into the next room. He expected to find someone in there rooting around, but as his eyes searched the area, there was no one in there but him.

Gai went to the boxes that had fallen over. There didn't appear to be any signs of anyone breaking into the room, or messing around with things. He wondered what had caused them to tumble. He approached them cautiously.

Gai carefully lifted the top off a certain box underneath. The kanji written upon it was in faded red. He couldn't make out what it said. Gai sifted through the box to find pictures of man with short white hair wearing sound village-nin gear. The man was only shown from the chest up. Could this be Idai's father?

Gai's fingers dusted off the objects in the box. They appeared to be personal objects of the ninja. He found a metal scroll case that was locked. He shook it to hear the scroll rattle inside. Gai slipped the metal case into his vest. He sorted through the rest of the box only to determine its contents to be unimportant. Gai closed the box once he was finished. He put the two boxes on top of the one he had been searching in. he quickly and silently left the servants' quarters. He slipped through the night undetected.

Anko met up with Gai outside of the sound village at their meeting point. She approached him cautiously as they stood on the opposite side of the river where she had found Idai nine years ago.

Gai took the metal container out of his vest. He stared at it for a moment before he lifted his head to acknowledge Anko's arrival. "I found this in a box located in the servants' quarters that weren't being used. It has to be important - the locked case says it all." He took out a kunai to pry it open.

"Be careful opening something like that. It could very

well be a trap," Anko warned as she stood her distance. The case could be locked simply because it held poison, or a bomb. One had to be cautious.

Gai was determined to find the answers linking Idai to Ryokuzu. As the metal lock broke, he opened the casing. Gai lifted the scroll out of its confinement. He unraveled the scroll. His eyes started to read about the past that hindered the future.

"On this day, the Tatsumaki clan gives authority to the following: Yukihara Tatsumaki to seek council with the superior leaders, in order, to engage her son, Idai Tatsumaki, in a demon summoning ritual. This ritual is to be performed under the guidance and secrecy of the clan in hopes of strengthening its future members in power over weaker members and clans.

By no accounts will the ritual be interrupted upon the penalty of death to the interrupter. If the ritual fails to be performed, or is interrupted, the binding process shall be broken. The demon will gain all of the power residing in the individual mentioned to become a host for the demon." Gai looked at the scroll with disgust.

Anko approached him slowly. She placed her hand upon his arm. "They sacrificed Idai to strengthen their clan. It was the same with Gaara and the Hokage. Yet, the ritual was interrupted by Idai's father. It sounds as if Ryokuzu was meant to be a tool for Idai to use."

Gai put the scroll into his vest. "Now Idai has become Ryokuzu's tool. We haven't learned much. I fear the effects it's having on his mind and body will break Idai to no return. There has to be a way to separate them without losing Idai."

Anko knew the options were limited. They had to have faith in the Hokage's ability and skills to help rid Idai of the demon he possessed. As they began to head back to the village hidden in the leaves, Anko could only hope the Hokage had found out more than they had. She glanced at Gai as they moved through the trees. The moonlight revealed the heavy burden upon his face.


	74. Chapter 74

**V8 ch 3**

**Gin vs. Ryokuzu**

(For Kattu/Kathryn: For being absolutely brilliant.)

Naruto placed his open palm on Idai's forehead. The boy's orange eyes were no longer present. His pupils were completely white – the signs of being overtaken fully by a demonic presence. His body was unresponsive to the touches of the Hokage. Naruto furrowed his brows. He crouched with elbow upon his knee, his robes behind him. Naruto closed his eyes. He began to meditate, trying to lose himself in the world of his own consciousness. Naruto walked down the long, dark hall where the nine-tailed-fox demon resided. He approached the iron bars slowly, his eyes lifting to stare into the darkness that was beheld in front of him.

"I need some of your chakra," Naruto said as a pair of large white eyes opened to look back at him. A wicked smile appeared under the large white eyes. Two rows of sharp, large teeth smiled back at Naruto.

"What would the Hokage need my chakra for," the fox demon asked in the darkness.

"I need to vanquish a demon residing in a boy," Naruto answered truthfully. He heard the fox demon laugh. He wasn't sure it would aid him. "The demon wasn't placed inside the boy the correct way. It was interrupted," he explained.

"As I was placed inside you by the fourth Hokage! You expect me to help you vanquish another demon that has been acquired the same way? His clan deserves to suffer for their ignorance!"

"The boy has no clan." Naruto was trying to keep his cool, which he was finding very difficult. "You gained me as a host so you wouldn't cause any trouble. We have an understanding – a bargain. A deal hasn't been made with this demon. He has free reign, unlike you. Doesn't that make you angry that one has more power than you do?" he could hear the fox demon growling under its breath. "I have one thing to ask you. Do demons know of each other's existence?"

The fox demon raked its claws on the bars of its prison. "The more powerful a demon is, the more he is feared by other demons. I am the one to be feared the most, Hokage," the fox demon said with a sneer.

"Does Ryokuzu fear you," Naruto asked to see if there would be a reaction from the fox demon. "Have you heard that name before?" The nine-tailed-fox demon laughed so loudly that the area around them started to shake violently. Naruto covered his ears. He moved back as the walls shook.

"You must think I am a fool, Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. I am the demon to be feared," he repeated more aggressively. "Not this Ryokuzu the one who lurks in the shadows."

Naruto looked at the fox demon as it narrowed its eyes. "So you have heard the name before. What exactly is this demon's purpose," he asked pressing further. The fox demon was pondering giving him that sort of information. Soon it answered.

"It is a thief in the night," the fox demon said with disgust. "A low class demon who steals the souls of its victims because he wants to become mortal. If he gains the body of his host entirely, he slaughters anything he comes across. Ryokuzu is a demon who enjoys the sufferings of others. He relinquishes in tormenting his victims, as well as, ripping families apart."

"That's not going to happen. I won't let him get any farther with Idai," Naruto stated. "He's already caused enough suffering for the boy and his father. How do I get rid of it? How do I stop Ryokuzu from advancing?"

The fox demon bellowed in a deep laugh, "Confront him with the thing he fears the most. You should know that."

"What is it Ryokuzu fears?" Naruto clenched his fists. There was no history on Ryokuzu, or knowledge of the demon in previous records. He had no choice but to go off what the nine-tailed- fox demon told him. "What does it fear," Naruto shouted angrily. He was in no mood to play games.

"The shadows fear the light, Hokage," the fox demon answered as it started to slip back into the darkness. "All negative forces fear the positive forces that can unravel their existences." He didn't give any more insight.

Naruto stood for a moment pondering what the demon had told him. It fears the positive influences. His mind flashed to Gin entering the building to inform them what she had done. The lotus flower Gin Akimichi has. That is what Ryokuzu fears. We have to figure out how to apply it.

Naruto opened his eyes. Idai was still sprawled out on the floor, his white eyes open, not blinking with his head tilted back. He removed his hand from the boy's forehead. If we don't help him soon, there won't be any turning back. Naruto rose to leave the room. A guard locked the door behind him. "I need someone to get Gin Akimichi," he said as he walked down the long hallway. A guard answered, "Yes, Lord Hokage," before departing. Naruto walked out into the open air. He took his hat off to run his fingers through his hair. The building Idai was in seemed so confined and restricted. "I bet you miss being able to run free," he said in thought of the boy locked in his prison.

Onari blocked Takeru's attempted punches repeatedly. She shifted her feet turning from side to side to keep I step with his movements. As he came around to kick her in the back, she lifted her leg to block him with her own. Onari brought out a shuriken to throw at his head. He moved out of the way, as he used Sharingan to slow down her movements. Her aggression started to heighten with the sheer determination of hitting him.

Takeru smirked as he matched Onari's moves. She was seriously getting angry. He turned his body again to avoid a direct open pal hit at his side. He brought both of his hands up to grab hers in a complete block. Takeru dug his heels into the ground to keep her from pushing him back. He smiled at her, his head leaning towards hers. "It's a tie, Onari. I told you before that I can see your moves when you react to my own."

Onari growled. She eased her body to leg to of his hands. Onari turned away to cross her arms annoyed at the failed attempt. She wanted to prove to herself that she was able to beat Sharingan. However, Takeru was just as fast as she was now. Lee had informed her it was possible to beat Sharingan if she was faster than Takeru.

Takeru smirked. He thought Onari was cute when she was angry. He moved closer to her to kiss her cheek. "Don't be mad, Ri. If you were able to get past me, you could have injured me." She turned her head to look at him. Takeru took the carved mask off her face. "You're still as exotic to me when I first met you," he said softly, his nose next to hers, eyes half lidded.

Onari's heart jumped in her chest. Her yellow eyes met Takeru's dark eyes. He was so close to her she could see into the collar of his shirt. Onari blushed hard. Takeru's body was started to reflect the training he wad under from Lee and his parents.

Takeru moved his hands to cup her face as he started to kiss her. He breathed her in with every kiss, his hands starting to trail down her neck to her shoulders and sides. He kissed her lips a few times before he parted. Takeru kept leaned over, his nose close to hers as he watched her. "You're part of me, Ri." He moved his hands to touch the back of her head. He drew her closer to him. "I want to drown in you until I can't breathe."

Onari's face turned beat red, her hands slightly shaking as she felt the warmth of

Takeru's body. He moved his face down to look at her. She could feel her heart beating out of her chest. Takeru had changed since he had achieved Uso. His focus and true strengths were noticeable to her now more than ever. Onari was head over heels for him. These sorts of feelings hadn't existed when she was with Eiyu. She had had a fondness for him; despite the fact, he was rather serious and strict in nature.

"Are you afraid of me," Takeru asked. She was completely focused on him. He could see her hands slightly shaking. Takeru felt her lungs taking quick short breaths. "Ri?" He watched her shake her head. Takeru swallowed. "Do… Do you love me," he asked softly.

Onari was becoming shy around him. She answered, "Yes," very softly. Onari gasped as Takeru kissed her hard. She felt his emotions come out through the kiss. Every detail was etched into his tongue. Onari looked up at him as he smiled gently at her.

"I feel like I'm going to bust. I was alone a long time before I met you, Ri. As a kid, I used to get upset because I didn't have anyone to talk to. We share everything together. You're with me every day, in some form. I know you're in the next room at night, but I wish you were closer," he said trailing his fingers through her hair.

Onari latched onto him, her face burying in his chest. She felt secure with Takeru. He was defiantly sincere in all his actions towards her. Onari wondered if she was allowed to be a normal teenager for a little while. She breathed him in, her eyes closing. He was real – he was hers- and she had a home with him.

Takeru laid his cheek on the top of her head, his eyes looking off into the distance. He watched the grass sway with the breeze. Takeru soon closed his eyes wanting nothing more than to hold Onari as innocently as he could.

Gin set down the bottle as soon as she had picked it up to add it to the mixture she was working on. Her eyes looked off into nothing, her hand not able to let go of the contents just yet. Her mind went back to Idai's smiling face – the face she had seen countless times when her team met with the others to train. How Idai bounced around doing cartwheels to avoid Daiya's threats made her smile. Gin tilted her head as she absentmindedly started to pour the contents of the bottle into the mixture. She started to grind the contents together.

Naruto noticed how Gin was acting all of a sudden. Her worried about Ryokuzu seemed to be a trifle matter. He wondered what was going in that head of hers. It really looks like she loves him. He smiled as he went back to sifting through the bottles on the bookshelf. Naruto found a few bottles that interested him. He placed them on the counter next to Gin. She looked up at him suddenly forgetting where she was and what she was doing. The girl blushed badly then averted her eyes. He sought to forget the matter. "We're going to mix this red bottle into the mixture first. Take these three bottles and combine them with water in another bowl. Once it's mixed really well, take the powder and sprinkle it over the water combination – carefully. Do not mix it. Let it settle to the bottom. We'll set it aside for now and work on something else."

Gin mixed the ingredients into one bowl successfully before she moved on to the other. She sprinkled the powder over the water slowly, looking at the Hokage to make sure she was doing it right. Gin pushed the bowls away from the edge of the table. "What are we going to work on now?"

Naruto gestured for Gin to sit on the purple pillow on the floor. As she did, he sat on the yellow pillow opposite her. "In order for you to defeat Ryokuzu, we need to work on your meditation," he said as he touched her forehead lightly with a finger. "Your determination is in the right place, but your mind must also be stronger. If you break at any point of the encounter, we will lose Idai. This fight is for keeps, Gin. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Gin grabbed onto her kimono and held onto it. She had to be prepared to fight Ryokuzu, or he would win. Gin's eyes lifted to look up at the Hokage with a hidden feature in her eyes. She nodded defiantly. "I will not give up Idai so easily to a shadow."

Naruto smiled at her. He put his hands in front of his body as a sign of concentration. "Now we train, Gin. We train to overcome the largest mountain in our way." Naruto and Gin both closed their eyes. They had to be well rested and ready for the tricks up Ryokuzu's sleeves.

Gai placed his hand on Gin's shoulder as she stood facing the building where Idai was imprisoned. The girl was standing firm, her arms hanging by her sides. As Gai looked down at her, she looked up slowly. "Your father and I will keep Ryokuzu from harming you physically. Guards have been placed outside the room for extra protection, in case, it escalates."

Naruto began to unseal the door to the building. "It looks as if we aren't the only ones who are here to back her up," he said as a few students showed up being led by Kiba. He glanced over his shoulder. "I'd prefer it if you all stayed out here. It's going to get ugly in there."

"Dad, Idai is our friend, too! We want to help," Masaru said with tense shoulders. Daiya, Yanagi, Areku and Takeru were standing behind him waiting for an answer.

"I know you all are distraught at how Idai was taken. I appreciate your concern more than anyone, over my son," Gai said as he turned to face the kids. "We can always use Kiba's help. There might be more leeway if you're present. However, the rest of you could get hurt. I must decline your advancements from going any further."

"I won't let that bastard keep Idai," Daiya yelled in pure outrage. He felt Kiba draw him back. Daiya was on the verge of having another outburst of anger. He naturally objected anyone from touching him other than family.

"Sasuke would have all of our heads if we let you go in there, Daiya. What we're up against is a demon," Kiba said as calmly as he could. "You're so close to Idai that we can't jeopardize anything happening to you. All it takes is harm befalling you – any of you," he said as he looked at all four of them, "To drive Idai over the edge. If you all want to help Idai, give Gin your strength. She was chosen to defeat Ryokuzu. She needs your help more than anyone."

Yanagi knew it had to be Gin. She stepped forward to look at her quiet, shy friend. "Do your best, Gin," she said with a small smile. She grabbed Daiya and Masaru's hands to squeeze them – to give them hope.

Takeru glanced at them. "Do your best, Gin. We have faith in you," he said managing to perk up despite the circumstances.

Areku wasn't going to give her false hope. He wanted her to go in there fighting with all of her strength. "Beat the hell out of that bastard," he said showing his teeth.

Gin blinked, but she soon smiled. "I won't let any of you down. I promise," she said as the Hokage opened the door for them to go in. Gai, her father, and Kiba went ahead of her. She stood stiffly until the Hokage signaled for her to approach.

As he suspected, the moment Gin became closer to the building, Ryokuzu started to scream in outrage. The four kids tensed. He could see the worry and shock all over their faces. "Stay back at all costs. This is it, Gin. Be strong," he said as she walked in with him. Naruto placed the seal back upon the door as a precaution. He didn't want the kids to get in, or Ryokuzu to get out.

Gin covered her ears as the demon became louder. She felt the Hokage place his hand on her head. She looked up at the blond, spiky haired man with blue eyes.

"Don't show him your fear, Gin. If he's already won, then we have no point in going any further. The demon will use anything and everything he can against you. You must be prepared to trust yourself," Naruto said as he led her to the very outside of the door.

The ANBU stood around the hall and door, their masks appearing morbid to her. If Ryokuzu got past the ones in the room, he'd be met with an army. She swallowed hard. Idai. Her eyes closed to prepare herself. She felt him lean down as he had previously to kiss her that day at the party. I'm coming for you.

Ryokuzu snarled as his black eyes narrowed. He was being held by three men as the chains on Idai's arms tensed and rattled. One of the Jounin had removed the seals. The moment the door opened, he caught sight of the brown-headed girl he had met when Idai came back to see Daiya. "You keep that wench away from me, or I'll slaughter all of you!"

"You're in no position to make threats," Kiba said angrily. He wanted to be the one to do away with the demon inside of Idai. It was as if, some part of his family had the demon. Kiba knew how close he was to the boy on his team.

Gin stepped into the room fully. The floor below her feet became her battleground. She saw Ryokuzu laughing at her, his dark eyes menacing. The world around her disappeared. Kiba, her father, the Hokage, and Gai were gone. She was face to face with the demon known as Ryokuzu.

"Got you, plant girl," he said as he stood in his true form. Ryokuzu cackled as his shadowed form turned into that of dead corpses. His limbs were pale – the body parts attached with thick lines of oozing blood. "Afraid, aren't you?"

Gin looked over the form in front of her. She heard the Hokage's voice again, "Don't fall for his tricks!" She stepped towards the demon slowly. Each step caused the ground below her feet to crack. She was a pure positive form in a negative world. Ryokuzu knew it. He was watching her with an intent gaze. "You are the one who needs to fear me."

Ryokuzu ran at the girl, his arms out, nails growing to the size of long daggers.

Gin formed a barrier around herself quickly as she dipped her fingers into the lotus mixture. As Ryokuzu got near, the purification substance reacted. The demon yelled in outrage as he was thrown back. "You're assuming I'm a fool."

Ryokuzu stood again. "As you do me," he said as he caused Idai's voice to be heard throughout the darkness. He smiled as Gin realized the boy was screaming and whimpering in fear. "He's not as strong as you think he is."

"I can be strong for the both of us," Gin said as she reached into her pocket. She threw a kunai at the demon. Gin watched as the kunai hit the demon's shoulder.

Ryokuzu took the kunai out of its flesh. "Those don't work on me," he said as he threw it to the ground. "You can't stay in that barrier forever. How are you going to defeat me if you can't touch me? Plants are not here to aid you, plant girl!"

Gin knew if she threw another weapon, she was really injuring Idai. She thought by throwing the kunai that it would have awakened Idai in some form. However, Ryokuzu was right at the moment. She couldn't keep throwing weapons. She had to think of another way to defeat him. Gin knew the demon was able to change the world around her with his own abilities, but what about her own? She started to form hand seals in front of her body. This was a cat and mouse game. She refused to be the rodent. Instead, Gin wanted to be the dog. As Ryokuzu menaced at her, Gin closed her eyes. The lotus substance around her feet shot up to form a blue wall.

Ryokuzu laughed at the foolish girl. "Hiding from me won't stop me! I control this world!" He threw negative blasts of demonic energy at the wall. The wall met each of his attacks with its own. The energies clashed together lighting up the darkness with crackles and sizzles of power.

Gin ran through the darkness, her heart pounding. The wall was meant for two things: distraction and decoy to allow her to get away. She didn't know where Idai was in this world. Ryokuzu had his soul trapped. She ran through the darkness, her eyes closed, ears listening. Idai, I'm trying to find you. Her heart called out to him with intense emotion. Let me hear you!

As Gin kept calling to him, she started to hear a faint sound of a flute coming from far away. She ran for it. The closer she became, the more she thought it was Idai. The melody was sweet and flowing. Gin slid on her feet suddenly. Wait. The Hokage said Ryokuzu would use anything he can to trick me. Gin turned around to run away from the flute. It knows everything I know about Idai! It knows the flute would attract me! She heard Ryokuzu laugh at her overhead.

"If I have his soul, how do you expect to find him? He's not in any position to give you any clues!" Ryokuzu forced the ground below the girl's feet to give way. He relished in her screams of terror as she fell.

Gin Akimichi landed on a futon in a dark room. She groaned as she sat up rubbing her head. Where was she? This place wasn't at all familiar to her. She cautiously walked around the room, half expecting Ryokuzu to bust through a wall to attack her. It was a normal house, for the most part. She turned around to see dust moving over a particular place on the boards. Gin walked over to that area. She crouched placing her hands upon it. Tapping it, she found out it was hollow inside.

Gin pried the wooden plank loose. She peered in to it to discover hidden toys, drawings, and others things were stashed away in the hole. She took a doll out to examine it. It resembled a ninja. The shoji screen behind her opened suddenly. Gin whirled around to see a little boy about the age of four with white hair watching her.

"Hey, those are mine," he said as he ran forth to grab his stuffed ninja from the girl. Idai looked up at Gin with a frustrated expression. He hid the doll from her view.

Gin's heart skipped a beat. It was Idai – from a long time ago. She came close to hugging him, but her arms stopped in mid-air. He was watching her strangely. Was she sure this was Idai, or Ryokuzu?

Gin reached into her kimono to pull out the lotus mixture. She popped the cork off the bottle. The boy watched her smear the mixture on her fingers. Before she could go near him, Idai took the bottle. "Ah!" The four-year-old poured half of it in his hair. "Ah, no, Idai, it's all over you!"

Idai shook his head giggling. "What this stuff?" He ran his fingers through his hair. He turned his hands over several times. "I'm all sparkly!"

Gin's hands froze from the attempt to clean him off. "You're not Ryokuzu. He would have screamed in terror at the purification mixture."

"Ryo-do-do?" Idai started laughing loudly with his cute voice. "Do-Do is an easier name to remember."

Gin blinked several times. Her shoulders started to shake as she laughed with Idai. Gin laughed so hard tears came to her eyes. She wasn't sure where the real Idai was, but she liked this version of him, too.

Idai stared at the girl. "Who are you? Why are you in my room?"

Gin came back to reality. She was still on the battleground for Idai. "I came looking for you. Although, I didn't expect to find you this way. Don't you remember me? I'm Gin."

Idai only stared at her. His face and features became placid. The room she was in started to lose its color – changing to gray. Idai turned white, his body not moving as if he were a statue.

Gin placed her hands on his shoulders. "Idai?" There wasn't another response from the boy. Gin's heart raced as she felt the floor vibrating. Was it an earthquake?

Ryokuzu moved through the old memories of the sound village. He felt Gin's laughter shake the negative demonic world he had created. She had found something to use against him. "I know where you are, you sneaky girl. Hiding here isn't going to benefit you! It's only one of his memories!"

Gin tried to make Idai move, but as she watched in horror, his form started to crumble to the floor. Her eyes saw the broken pieces of the boy turn to dust – only to blow away with the wind. What have I done? Did I destroy some part of his life? Gin had to bail. She felt the ground vibrate more intensely with the negative energy. Ryokuzu was after here. Gin stood with her eyes wide. She had no idea where the real Idai was – lost in his mind of memories and torment. Not knowing what else to do, she screamed, "IDAI!"

Ryokuzu flew up the stairs of the hill as he rejoiced I the girl's panic. He laughed sinisterly. "There's no one here to protect you!"

Gin shot out of the house as Ryokuzu came barreling through. She ran with her head down, eyes closed. Gin soon ran into something solid. She looked up with shaky eyes to see someone she wasn't expecting. Her heart clenched hard. Gin couldn't find her voice.

He lifted his arm to wrap it around her. Gin was shocked to see him. His orange eyes stared ahead as Ryokuzu came out of the debris. Idai narrowed his eyes. "No more," he said with a hollow voice. "You're forbidden from harming her."

"You can't even protect yourself," Ryokuzu said as he shot his long nails at the boy.

Gin felt Idai jump high into the air with her. She saw Ryokuzu's nails strike the statues under them. "He's after me! Not you! It's my fight against him!"

Idai's eyes shifted to glance at her as they started to fall. "I love you," he said with his hollow voice. "I cannot let Ryokuzu destroy you." As his feet touched the ground, he moved back swiftly. The demon turned around as he spun towards them, his arms out trying to slash the two. Idai moved his body to protect Gin. His clothes were ripped apart to protect her.

Gin had to do something. The Hokage had entrusted her to bring Idai back. She turned her body enough to push Idai away at the same time her right leg came out to kick Ryokuzu away.

Gin opened the purification mixture. She rubbed the substance on her hands. Idai tried to assist her, but she turned around to yell at him. "Leave this area! Go! I have to finish him!"

Idai stopped in his tracks. He stared ahead as Gin moved on her feet trying to make contact with the demon. "This world isn't real." His eyes moved to look around the area. "It's not my home. I don't belong in the sound village." Idai's eyes started to widen as each hit Gin made on Ryokuzu's body, caused Idai to gain pieces of his sanity back.

Ryokuzu detached his arm as they purification mixture touched the corpse skin he favored. He glared at the girl. The souls on his body cried out for blood and vengeance at how they were taken. "You filthy wench!" Ryokuzu hit Gin so hard that her body flew through the air backwards. She landed a hundred feet away from the scene.

Gin coughed blood as she struggled to rise. Her body hurt all over. "I can't… let him… win. He wants Idai for part of that collection. I… can't…" Gin fell over, her body giving out. She saw a pair of feet come into her view.

Idai crouched to look at her. "I can't let you fight anymore." He lifted his hand to kiss it tenderly. "You've always fought for me. Let me fight for you now. Loan me your strength, Gin."

Gin blushed hard as the purification mixture on her fingers was transferred to her lips. She gasped as Idai and the world around her started to vanish. The room she was in started to surface. "Idai!"

Gin's body was laying on the floor with the Hokage watching over her. She had been screaming and yelling the entire time she had encountered Ryokuzu. Her father, Gai, and Kiba were all alert. Idai's body was limp, his eyes turned from black to white again. Gin looked up weakly to see all four of them watching her. "I don't know what happened. Idai said… he had to protect me," she said as her eyes closed.

Kiba looked down as Idai's body flinched several times. Was the boy taking direct hits from Ryokuzu? "The demon isn't looking back. Idai's really fighting him," he said as blood started to trickle out of Idai's mouth.

Gai looked at Gin. "You saw Idai in there?" His eyes searched the girl. She seemed sad and a bit confused.

"He was there in the sound village as a little boy. He spoke to me and told me to leave. He said he had to fight Ryokuzu," she said quietly, her voice shaking. "Idai said he had to protect me."

"I think Gin needs to rest," Chouji said. He saw the fatigue all over her face. His daughter was confused. She didn't seem to be aware that she was back in Konoha. Her eyes were darting around the room, searching for something.

"I saw Idai, Dad," Gin said as her father picked her up. He began to carry her out of the room into the hall. "I saw Idai! He's fighting Ryokuzu! Dad, please! Idai!"

Naruto had to intervene at this point. He moved around the room picking an area to start. "I want you two to lift Idai. Ryokuzu won't give us any trouble as long as he's occupied." He bit his thumb. Naruto started to make symbols on the floor in a huge circle.

"You believe Gin saw Idai in her mind," Kiba asked as he lifted Idai's limp form off the floor. He grunted at the boy's weight. "You must have been training him while you two were away," Kiba said as Idai's head hung over his shoulder.

Gai moved his hand to pet Idai fondly. "A parent always prepares his child." He bit his thumb. "There's no point in you trying to do it yourself, Lord Hokage. I am the boy's father."

Kiba set Idai's limp form against the wall. "If it's alright with both of you, I'll help, too. I'm his trainer."

"No, Kiba, you're not Idai's sensei. You lost that title a long time ago," Gai said as he bit his thumb to make the third circle of symbols. "You're his brother."

Kiba gave a toothy grin as he bit his thumb, too. He started to go around the room to complete the second circle of symbols. As soon as they were finished, Kiba retrieved Idai to move him to the inner circle. He lowered the boy slowly onto the floor.

Naruto looked at the sacred symbols. "These will hold Idai's body in place to keep Ryokuzu from using it against us. I know Chouji is worried about Gin, but we still need her. She was chosen to help Idai the moment she received the blue lotus. She was able to enter the place Idai has built for himself in the darkness Ryokuzu has created."

Chouji walked in carrying his daughter in his arms. He looked at the Hokage and the two Jounin in the room. "Are you sure this is going to work?" He set Gin down near Idai's body.

"It has to. She was chosen for a reason, Chouji,"

Naruto said. "We're here to support her." He turned his gaze to the girl. Gin was fondly putting her hand on Idai's chest. She was watching him flinch from the experiences he was having mentally. Idai was still trapped. "Gin, you can defeat Ryokuzu." The girl turned her head to look at him. "I know you're tried. I know you don't understand how to gain Idai back, but Idai has shown himself to you. You know where he is. You need to let your mental state match what you feel for him. It's the only way to win against a demon."

Gin turned her head slowly to look back at Idai. She loved him like no other person in her life. Gin realized in that moment that the prayers she had for him, were not out of fear, or worry, but real true love. She wanted Idai to be happy again. Did she still want that? Gin knew her body was tired, but this wasn't about her. It was about bringing him back. He had a new family in the village. Gin wanted Idai to run around laughing as he had done before Ryokuzu got out of control.

Gin opened Idai's kimono. She looked at her hands. The lotus mixture was still all over her skin. Gin formed hand seals in front of her body. She concentrated as she wrote the symbol for purification on Idai's chest. She didn't want Ryokuzu to gain his heart. That was meant for her. Gin also put the same symbol on her head and over her heart. She took one last look at the four behind her. Gin put the symbol for enlightenment on Idai's forehead. She widened her eyes as the lotus mixture started to blind her vision.

Naruto tried to run towards the girl. Somehow, she unlocked Idai's world herself. This time, it wasn't Ryokuzu controlling the environment. It was Gin! Naruto watched as the girl's form –along with Idai's- sunk through the floor. "Gin!"

Kiba stood breathing hard. He looked around the room. "Where did they go? What just happened?"

Gai sunk to the floor. He placed his hands upon the symbols on the floor. The symbols were turning as blue as the lotus. "She's created a foundation for herself and Idai. She's challenging Ryokuzu outright."

Chouji grunted as he narrowed his eyes at where his daughter had been. She was becoming a woman before his very eyes. Gin was learning to fight with all of her abilities against a fierce opponent. "She'll be okay." He saw the others look at him. "She'll be okay. An Akimichi doesn't give up against the strongest enemies. Gin will bring Idai back!"

Gin looked around at the blue bits of snow falling in the dark of the night. She watched them sway with the wind before they landed on the ground. In front of her were the steps leading down the hill to the bottom of the Tatsumaki compound. Gin looked over her shoulder to see Idai standing behind her near the house. He was watching her sadly, his body faded from the fight with Ryokuzu. The demon had almost completely taken him. "He's not going to gain your soul, Idai. I won't let him get any further if it kills me."

Idai looked at her with sadness in his eyes. "I don't want anything to happen to you," he said. Idai tried to move, but he wasn't able. "Why can't I move from this spot?" He moved his eyes to look around as if he were being held back by something. It was by the power of the symbols placed on the floor by the blood of those who cared for his welfare.

"That is the safest point for you. I know your father tried to save you once," Gin said as her blue eyes met his shocked gaze. "And I know I'm not your father, but I do love you, Idai. It's my responsibility to see you smile again. I want that more than anyone." She turned her head forward. "I don't know what's going to happen to either of us. We may die, or forget what we mean to the other, but at this moment, I'm-," she paused as she touched the space over her heart. "I'm following the guidance of Buddha. You will return home." Gin walked down the long steps of the compound to face her most powerful adversary.

Idai stood with tears coming down his eyes as he watched the brown color of Gin's hair leave his view. He felt his heart pounding in his chest. Idai wanted to scream, to yell. Gin was replacing herself as his guardian. "Gin,… come back," he said softly. Idai watched the blue snow increase around him.

Gin stood with her posture serious, eyes full of determination and strength. Ryokuzu appeared as menacing as ever. His body was now covered with blood marks, souls screaming, as his neck moved around twisting like a snake's. She was confident. Gin knew she could beat this evil, negative force that was holding onto Idai. Gin started to walk towards the demon with her feet moving in slow, powerful footsteps.

Ryokuzu saw the ground around the girl become strengthened. Each footstep she created in the snow, revealed flowers growing in her wake. He flipped onto his back, his head turned upside down to cackle at her, as his eyes bulged out of his head. The girl only looked down at him as if she was going to slam her foot on him. Ryokuzu started to move around Gin like an upside down crab. He cackled all the while. He wanted to see what Gin was going to throw at him.

Gin knew he was taunting her. He was strong for a demon, even if he was a thief in the night. He was a stealer of souls – nothing more. Gin didn't move an inch. She stared straight ahead to collect her thoughts. It was best not to let the demon get the better of her. She was a ninja, after all. She was on Shikamaru's team. Gin had been prepared for this type of mental battle with an opponent. In this world, her body wasn't going to be able to aid her. This world wasn't real. She had to fight mentally.

Ryokuzu came closer to the girl, his body moving swift with speed. He opened his mouth to show his razor sharp teeth. As Gin moved back to keep him from biting her, he circled around fast to create another form of himself. He cackled as the split forms of himself came at her. Ryokuzu bit the girl's legs several times. He lavished in her pain.

Gin jumped high to avoid the demon coming at her on the ground. She moved quickly to stand on each statue as it attempted to crawl wherever she landed. Gin had to think fast. It was fast and it knew how to get her physically. Gin blinked. That was it. The demon was causing pain to her physically to keep her from using her mental functions to stop it! Gin narrowed her eyes. She moved quickly to meet Ryokuzu head as he came at her again.

Ryokuzu laughed as the girl charged him. He wasn't afraid of a mortal child who thought she could beat him. The moment she came closer to him, his mouth opened wide, folding back to where another mouth, smaller with black eyes shot out.

Gin's eyes widened as her mouth dropped. The demon shot out another form of himself at her. This time, the sluggish demon went into her mouth. Gin gasped as it moved down her throat, to her insides. She clutched her stomach, eyes shaking as she felt it moving around. Gin moved away as the demon rebounded with its double. It started to laugh more, its form turning over to be on all fours.

Ryokuzu showed all of his teeth, his lips curling back, as his hair grew long to fall over its pale body. He approached the girl as she screamed. The wormlike form of himself was beginning to eat her insides. "Mortals cannot beat a demon so easily, plant girl."

Gin found herself on the ground squirming as the demon started to gnaw her stomach. She screamed in mortal terror as it kept biting her. No! I can't let him defeat me like this! Pain is used to bend someone to another's will. I won't let him use this pain against me!

Gin swallowed hard as she sweated. Her body was shaking all over. The demon inside of her could kill her faster, if Ryokuzu willed it. She forced her knees to bend, her head lifting as she eyed the demon. "You won't claim Idai. You can't get his body. It's protected."

"Who says I need him anymore? Now I have you," Ryokuzu said as he moved closer to the girl, his head tilting this way and that, making sure his teeth were in full view. "You're a clumsy girl. Simple, shy, quiet clumsy girl," he said as he moved towards her head. He planned to eat her alive. Her blood and flesh would do nicely. In fact, if he ate her here and now, he'd not only gain Gin, but also the rest of Idai. His other form went up the steps towards the boy.

Gin turned her head to see the doppelganger moving up the steps to the house where Idai was. She didn't know if the protection the others had placed on the floor was going to prevent Idai from being devoured. She turned her head quickly back to Ryokuzu. He was crawling closer to her, slower, his smile lowering.

Ryokuzu loved how humans tried anything they could to get rid of him. He was the shadows that lurked in the deepest, most insane part of the human mind. He wanted nothing more than to feel their sorrow and their pain. He relished in it. Ryokuzu started to speak to Gin as if he were a parent. "Come now, plant girl. The end is near for you and him. It was a good fight, but your body is going down faster than Idai's. Why waste your pitiful efforts to go against me? If I have your energy, it only saves another from being devoured. You don't want that, do you? Would you want me to get loose and gain your friends? Your family?"

Gin narrowed her eyes as she struggled to bear the pain she felt in her stomach. She grimaced, half-screaming as the thing started to gnaw through her body. Gin didn't have much of the lotus mixture left, but she could use it against herself. As Ryokuzu smiled at her viciously, Gin popped the cork. Ryokuzu was alerted by the sound. He started to come at her faster as she poured the mixture into her hand. Gin thrust her hand down the demon's throat.

Ryokuzu's eyes widened as the lotus of Buddha went into his system. He gagged, his mouth hanging open as he grabbed his throat. "AHH!" He bent his body backwards; arms open as he staggered to control himself. He narrowed his eyes as his body started to deteriorate. "Kill her! KILL HER!"

Gin saw her stomach rising as the demon gnawed ferociously at her insides. She moved onto her back thrusting the remaining mixture down her mouth. Gin looked up at the blue snow falling onto the ground as she felt her stomach lurch. The demon inside of her was frying alive once the purification mixture hit it. Ryokuzu was on his knees, trying to crawl towards her, his body falling apart.

Gin turned her head to see Ryokuzu's flesh hanging off. The sight of it made her gag. The souls that were sewn into the blood of his skin, leaked out. They flew out of him, disappearing into the sky around them.

Ryokuzu flopped to the ground, his body parts trailing behind him. His black eyes focused on the girl until his vision went. He swore as the girl stared back at him. "You think you've won?" He laughed as his mouth stayed open. "You won't survive what my minion has done to your insides. I'm sure you've figured out now that whatever happens to you here, happens to you there. You've lost." He continued to laugh until his body was covered by snow.

Gin didn't know what to think of Ryokuzu going quiet. Was he really finished? She looked up the hill to see the doppelganger stopped halfway. It was also stopped. The blue snow was covering them all. "Even if I don't survive, at least I got to see Idai once more… along with blue snow." Her fingers twitched as the coldness of the snow melted on her fingertips. Gin's eyes stared at the blackness overhead until she could no longer feel the snow upon her body. The falling flakes obscured her vision.

Naruto looked around as the symbols on the floor started to fade. He moved towards them, not sure what was happening. Kiba moved around the area, his eyes widening. His nose started to twitch. Kiba was darting his head around, searching. "Kiba, what is it?"

Kiba looked at the Hokage, his keen sense of smell alert. "I caught their scent. I don't know where they are. Before when they vanished, I lost it." He moved around the room with Chouji and Gai following him. Naruto was standing on guard for any tricks the demon might pull on them. He went to a particular area in the room and lifted his head, closing his eyes. It was the strongest here. "I think they're up there. Someone give me a lift," he said.

Chouji squatted to where Kiba could easily get on his back. He lifted his mighty form as the man stood to touch the ceiling. "Is it a trick?"

"No, I don't think so," Gai said. "Kiba's nose has never been wrong. He's always on the mark," the man said as Kiba Inuzuka scratched at the ceiling.

Kiba soon took out a kunai to prod at the foundation. He grunted as he dug with the sharpness of the kunai through the structure. His eyes widened as he uncovered a finger. Kiba touched it slowly. Soon he wasn't the only one trying to dig them out. Naruto had called the ANBU in. As they rushed in with their swords drawn, he demanded they help him get to the ceiling. Kiba glanced at the Hokage. The man was trying as hard as he was to uncover whoever's hand it was.

Naruto narrowed his eyes as an arm came through. He recognized it. "It's Idai! Quick! Everyone start digging!" He wasn't sure what was going on, but he gave it all of his might to continue. Soon they had Idai free. Kiba caught the boy in his arms.

Kiba staggered as he stood on Chouji's shoulders. He tried to keep his balance as Gin Akimichi fell on top of Idai. "Gin!" He watched Naruto lift the girl off Idai. Kiba touched Idai's face softly before he hopped down. He hit the floor holding the boy. Had Gin defeated Ryokuzu?

Gai approached his son to place his hand on the boy's face – just like Kiba. He rubbed his thumb against the boy's cheek. Idai's red hair was still prevalent. He didn't know if it was permanent, or if Ryokuzu still lurked in the background. "Idai?" The boy's face contorted as he called his name. "Idai, look at me. Open your eyes," Gai said. Soon he and Kiba were looking back at orange eyes. Weak orange eyes that they hadn't seen in a very long time.

Idai didn't know what was going on. Kiba was holding him with his dad overlooking. "Where… are we, Dad?"

Gai's lip quivered. He hugged Idai so hard Kiba had to tell him to loosen up, or choke the boy. "Idai! You're back," he shouted as loudly as he could. Soon they heard the voices of Yanagi, Daiya, Masaru, Takeru, and Areku from outside. "And everyone has been waiting for you," he said as he took him from Kiba.

Gai walked outside with Idai once Naruto had taken the seals off the door. He was almost tackled by several bouncing kids as Idai tried to figure out what was happening. "Hey, take it easy. If I fall over with him, it won't do anybody any favors," Gai said with a smile.

Yanagi was the first to get a good glimpse of Idai. "Idai, you're back! Gin did it!" She kissed him gently on the cheek as she hugged him. "I missed you so much!"

"Not more than me," Masaru said as he hugged Idai from the side. He held onto him the longest. It was good to have his old prankster friend with him again.

Areku and Daiya both stood stiffly with Takeru. They weren't sure what to do. Daiya managed to hug him hard around the neck as Gai held the boy.

Takeru looked around at the others happiness. He and Areku were searching the entrance of the building, waiting. "Where's Gin?" Soon, the others stopped. "She helped Idai, didn't she? Where is she?"

Areku saw the worried looks of Chouji Akimichi as he came out of the building holding his daughter's limp form. "Something's wrong," he said as the others turned their heads in that direction. He ran to his best friend. "Gin!" Areku stopped in his tracks. "Gin?" He dared not say her name again. He only stared at her.

Chouji saw Idai watching Gin with the fatigue all over his face. The boy was worn out from being used by Ryokuzu. "Gin needs to rest. She'll be fine once she's well rested, I promise," he said. He placed his large hand on Areku's head. "Let's wait until tomorrow to visit, okay?"

Areku nodded slowly. He hugged Gin's arm as he

turned his face away. He hoped she was all right. He felt like he wasn't being told the truth. Areku saw his father come out of the building with the Hokage. "Dad, is she going to be okay," he asked.

Kiba looked at all of them. Idai had his head laid on Gai's shoulder. The boy wasn't aware of what had occurred in there. "Idai, what do you remember," he asked turning the question around.

Idai looked at Kiba tiredly. "I… don't know. I remember Ryokuzu chasing me. He wouldn't let me go. I was fighting him a lot. Then someone came for me. Someone said he was there to protect me. I-," he rubbed his head as he closed his eyes. "It was all a dream."

Gai turned the boys face upwards to look at him. "No, son, it wasn't a dream. Gin entered the world you were sealed in with Ryokuzu. She went to fight him for you. And she won," he said as Idai's eyes widened.

Idai's head looked back at the girl in Chouji's arms.

"Why…? Why did she do that for me," he said as he felt a lump in his throat. Gin had gone to where it was the most dangerous to bring him back.

Yanagi smiled softly at Idai. She put her hand on his head. "You need to rest, too, Idai. You've been out of the loop for a month."

Daiya watched Idai fixing to object until he placed his hand over his best friend's mouth. "Go rest. Besides, girls do crazy things when they're in love," he said speaking more about Yanagi than Gin. However, he secretly referred to Gin.

Idai finally felt himself give out in the late afternoon. He closed his eyes feeling his father's body against his. Idai slept soundly and with much ease now that Ryokuzu was gone.

Gin rubbed her eyes as she awoke to being in her old room. She sat up with messy long brown hair. Had it all been a dream? She walked down the hall with her pink nightgown covering her. "Mama? Dad?" Gin rubbed her eyes harder. She didn't see a figure approach her in the hall. Gin leaned into someone putting his or her arms around her. She blinked her eyes a few times rubbing out more sleep. Gin yawned hard. Her hand lifted to feel the arm of the person holding her. It was a bit firm and strong. It wasn't her father. Gin looked up.

Idai smiled at her softly. He lowered his head to kiss her on the forehead. As soon as he did, he caught Gin. Her legs went right out from under her again. "I've been waiting for you to get up all morning," he said smiling at her.

Gin's face flushed immediately. It wasn't a dream. Idai was here. She had defeated Ryokuzu. Before she knew it, she was flying through the air dancing and triumphing. "Yes! I beat him! I beat Ryokuzu!" She twirled happily with her long hair flowing behind her.

Idai blinked for a moment. He soon smiled as he caught her hand on the next twirl. He moved her quickly into another hug. "Yeah, you beat him. Guess what your reward is," he said as he kissed her softly. He closed his eyes as he felt her wrap her arms around him. Idai opened his eyes as he let his long red hair touch her face. "I love you," he said as he touched her cheek.

Gin smiled back at him. She had heard those words deeply emitted from his soul when she was fighting for him. "I know," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Gin let Idai carry her down the hall. All the while, she forgot she was in her nightgown, until her mother asked if she was going to get dressed before she went out with Idai. Thus, Gin Akimichi flew down the hall screaming with her face redder than ever.


	75. Chapter 75

**V8 ch 4**

**Preparation**

Idai laced his fingers through Gin's as they stood together waiting on the other kids. The Chuunin exams were coming soon. Idai hadn't been with his team in a little over two years. Was he ready to face other ninja for a serious event? He rubbed his thumb against Gin's hand. She appeared to be tense as they stood alone together.

Gin blushed badly. She was afraid her hands were sweating. Gin felt nervous due to the fact she had confessed to Idai and he, her.

Idai smiled softly as he watched Gin panic. She was such a shy girl. He bent down to move her long bangs away from her face with nothing more than his lips. He kissed her skin delicately.

Gin's blue eyes lifted to look at him fondly. She touched his cheek softly. Was Idai really in love with her like he said? "Idai, you don't have to be nice to me," she said assuming his feelings weren't the same.

Idai looked at her with a concerned gaze. "Gin, as much as you've cared about me and fought for me, I can't simply choose to ignore you. What kind of man doesn't want to feel the emotions a woman has for him?"

Gin felt like crying. She latched onto him putting her cheek on his chest. "I wish I was taller," she said about her stature. Gin was the shortest female out of the others on the teams.

Idai smirked as he picked her up. "I like you just the way you are," he said about her size. She was easy enough to carry. He kissed her tenderly before he let his forehead rest on hers. "I want you to train your best today, Gin. I know you're taking the exams next month. I don't want anything to happen to you." Idai closed his eyes. He didn't want to let go of her. However, he soon heard the teams approaching.

Idai ran his thumb across her lips. He brought his index finger close to his mouth in order to kiss it. He then placed his finger against her lips. Idai set her down.

Gin swore if the others hadn't been approaching, she would have fainted. All of his romantic gestures made her feel light-headed. She supposed that's what love was.

"We're going to do things a little differently in order to prepare all of you for the exams," Lee said as he stood in front of the students. "All of you will be fighting someone amongst you. We've taken the liberty to ask for help in picking the fights. We want it to be as random as possible."

"No one will be fighting anyone on the same team, or another person he is close to," Shikamaru said as he blew smoke out of his mouth. He lifted the clipboard. "We want all of you to fight as strongly with each other as you would an enemy."

"When you enter the exams, you'll be faced with hardships that will test your judgment, physical and mental strengths, as well as, your flaws and weaknesses," Sasuke said. "The students who participate from all of the villages have their reasons for joining the exams. In saying so, some of them are playing for keeps. They'll take your life if your guard is not up; especially if you are caught unprepared. All of you will face opponents whose abilities and ways of thinking are going to be different than your own."

"Each year the exams take the lives of students who participate. Twice a year, it is held in a different village each time it is given. The exams get more challenging depending on which village is giving it. It helps weed out weak ninja. As you all know, it's in the Mist Village this time. They are known for their ruthless attacks. That's not including the various clans that reside there. A clan trains its members to be the most deadly of any in a village so missions can be completed without failure. We don't know who you will face at the exams. Our jobs are to prepare you the best we can for what all of you are going to face."

"In saying so, I'll announce who you won't be fighting," Kiba said to add a twist to the details as he opened the scroll in his hands. He started to read down the scroll. "None of you may fight anyone on the same team. Eiyu, you're not allowed to fight Kandai. Ryu may not fight Takeru. The both of you are close. Daiya may not fight Onari, Takeru, Yanagi, or Idai. Saori may not fight Yanagi, or Areku. Takeru may not fight Ryu, Daiya, or Masaru. Onari cannot fight Daiya. Idai will not fight Gin, or Daiya. Gin, you won't fight Yanagi, or Idai. Areku may not fight Saori, or Idai. Kandai is not allowed to be teamed with Onari, Saori, or Yanagi. Masaru will not be paired with Takeru. Yanagi cannot be paired with Daiya, Saori, Gin, or Ryu."

"That only tells us who we can't be paired with," Masaru said as he crossed his warms. "Who the heck are we fighting?"

"It tells you it's obvious who we're close to," Idai said trying to quiet the blond haired youth. "If Kiba knows that easily, than whose to say someone else can't find out the same information? Who's to not know that someone we care about won't be used against us?" He turned his head to look at Masaru.

Masaru blushed with wide eyes. "Who said I cared about Takeru?" He pointed at the black haired boy. "Nobody can use him against me!" He yelped as Takeru glared at Masaru. Masaru ran to hide behind Areku. He peeked out. This is embarrassing.

"The reason you two are together is because you've

known each other since you were toddlers," Sasuke said to end the argument.

"Who are we fighting? I can't stand waiting around," Ryu said as he looked at the other teams. "Let's get this show on the road."

Daiya stared at the ground. "The exams aren't a sure fire answer to who we're going to fight. It can be anyone from another village, others teams, or are own. We could be fighting each other to the death. Our own family or best friends are liable to be used against us during the trials. And if you manage to get far enough, you will be fighting someone whose life you value. The trainers are just being nice to us for this session."

Everyone became quiet as they stared at Daiya. The realization of their training and what it entailed stood out before them. Surviving a ninja village was hard. It took skill, friendship, and one's own personal sacrifices.

Yanagi pointed her finger at Daiya with her arm out. "I won't back down at the Chuunin exams! I have to become the type of woman who can protect her family! You won't stand in my way, Daiya Uchiha!"

Daiya just looked at the woman he loved with an insane expression. "Yanagi, that wasn't what I meant!" He tensed his shoulders as he barked, "If you don't watch yourself, you won't have a family to protect!"

Yanagi put her hands on her hips. "If I lose my life to another at the exams, I don't have the right to be a Shinobi! I also can't be the type of woman you want! Nor

will I get married to a lightening bug!"

Daiya's face turned so red, he felt hot. His legs went out from under him. Daiya lowered his head with his hat falling forward. No one knew about his secret proposal to Yanagi. "Shut up!" He pulled his hat down to cover his

face more.

Yanagi smiled. She thought he was cute the way he got embarrassed. "All joking aside, we know what it means to enter the exams. Yet, we can't live in fear of other ninja. If we do, we won't ever get the experience. Nor will we know what we're truly capable of, Daiya. I fight for my team's survival as much as my own."

"No one's going to protect us, but ourselves," Ryu said as he looked down at his team mate. "That's what it comes down to. You get it so far? If you want to become an ANBU, you better do your best at kicking our butts," he said under his face mask.

"Alright you guys, that's enough. It's time to see what all of you are bringing to the exams," Sasuke said as he nodded to his wife. "And we happen to have someone from the Mist Village who will determine your fates."

Izumi walked to the front of the teams. She looked at each one of them with a cold stare. She wanted to see how each of them reacted to the eyes she used against her enemies. Izumi watched as a few of the students met her gaze, as well as, others who averted their eyes. "Those of you, who looked away, need to prepare yourselves mentally for what you're fixing to be up against. The Chunin exams are not to be taken lightly.

The Mist Village where I come from puts out a few of the toughest, most sinister opponents one may encounter. I don't know what all of you have heard about me, so I'm here to give you a fair warning. It's all true." She heard a gasp emit from one of the students. "I was the elite of the Mist Village when I was younger and in my prime.

I was assigned missions that couldn't be completed by anyone else. They were ruthless and skillful in their own ways. I'm here to sign all of you up with each other. You mighty not want to fight the person you're up against. In fact, most of you have known each other for a long time. I'm here to break you," she said seriously. "Let's begin shall we?" Izumi turned around. She started to walk off. "Now," she said with aggression laid in her voice.

The students started to walk slowly to follow her. They were unsure what was going on. She could sense how they were worried about her plans for them. Izumi led the unsuspecting Genin to the large arena used at the exams for Konoha. She led them all of the way up the stairs to the area where previous students had waited until they were called. Izumi turned her head to face them. "This is the arena for Konoha. This is where dreams are made reality and also crushed. The ones before you have fought tough opponents to make their marks in the village. There are no rules here.

If an opponent is left unconscious or dead, the fight is over. Forfeiting will not be allowed at the Chunin exams next month. Win, or lose. Those are your only options. Today, you're going to fight each other for recognition. I won't tolerate disobedience, or disrespect. Face each other as adults starting now."

Izumi smiled with a cold gaze as she took out a device. She hit a button on the control. A screen lowered to start going through names. It had been pre-programmed not to set up certain students with others. "As soon as I press this button, the first pair will be up for the match." Izumi touched the button slowly. "Masaru Uzumaki vs. Daiya Uchiha."

Masaru narrowed his eyes. He gritted his teeth as his body became tense. He was up against Yanagi's boyfriend; the one person he had problems with. Masaru thought of him as a stern, uncaring guy who viewed others as idiots. I can't lose to him. I won't lose to him. Takeru thinks Daiya's the coolest person out here next to Ryu. I have to prove to my team I can handle him.

Daiya leapt over the side with Masaru. He thought the boy was spoiled and hid in Idai's shadow to avoid responsibility. He narrowed his eyes back at Masaru. He didn't like the way the boy was looking at him and viewing him. It was a disgusted look. He had seen it often by his birth mother, as well as, by adults who looked down at Idai.

Masaru stepped forward as Izumi instructed them to face each other. "I don't know what either of them see in you," he said slowly. Masaru parted quickly reaching behind his back to unclip the large shuriken. He rotated the shuriken as he came running at Daiya. Masaru threw the weapon as the boy stood still. He formed hand seals quickly. Two clones popped in the air with him as he jumped.

Yanagi watched as the shuriken went through Daiya. He poofed into a log. She brought her hand up to her mouth. Masaru seemed to be on fire about fighting Daiya. Her team mate's anger was exploding.

Masaru and his clones ran around Daiya trying to confuse him. The wind started to increase. "What kind of ninja doesn't use shrunken or kunai? You can't possibly get close enough to hit me, much less, find out which one I am!"

Daiya lifted his arm out with his fist closed. In the time Masaru had shot the shuriken at him, he had charged. "Fool," he said as he erupted an electrical charge at Masaru with his palm open. As one of the clones was hit, he rotated on his heel, bringing his leg up to strike. The other clone groaned as it was knocked away. It poofed. He narrowed his eyes taking out a rod to block the kunai in Masaru's hand.

Masaru became furious. Daiya was blocking him single handedly with a metal rod. The boy moved his body to the side as Daiya attempted to punch his chest. Masaru turned his spine back to rotate as he brought a leg up to kick Daiya in the side.

Daiya caught Masaru's leg. He latched onto his ankle with a firm grip. "Let's see if you can fly as high as your ego," he said as he swung the boy around. Daiya let go. As Masaru soared through the air, Daiya took off after him. He wasn't going to give Masaru a chance to get up. Masaru hit the wall hard. His arms swung forward like a rag doll. He gritted his teeth in pain. As he opened his eyes, he saw Daiya coming for him again. Masaru let his body sink to the ground to avoid a direct punch at his face. He slid through Daiya's legs and lifted his body off the ground.

Masaru placed his hands on the ground to do a hand stand. He moved his legs over to kick Daiya hard in the back. Daiya slammed against the wall. Masaru pushed himself up and off the ground. He twisted his body to nail Daiya in the face with his ankle. Masaru kept twisting and kicking making contact with Daiya. Daiya was knocked off his feet.

Daiya hit the ground on his back. He tumbled over several times until he hit a tree. Daiya fell to the ground panting. His aggression was increasing.

Takeru watched Masaru stand. He looks shocked that he got Daiya. He saw his brother stand shaking his head. Come on, Daiya. Takeru watched his brother take a rod out of the casing on his back. Masaru's too far away. What good will that do?

Masaru ran at Daiya. He threw several small shuriken at the boy as he darted. Daiya avoided them easily. He started to run straight at him. He's lost it! The closer he gets, the more chances I have of doing some serious damage. Masaru sprinted around the metal rod as it was thrown at him. He met Daiya head on with his own attack.

Daiya brought up his arms to block the kunai. The weapon tore at the bandages on his arms, causing them to bleed. He fake kicked at Maseru. The boy reacted to block and Daiya hooked his arms and legs around Maseru. The turned his body around so he was in front of the rod lodged into the ground. Daiya pushed Masaru back hard.

Masaru's feet sunk into the ground as he was sent backwards. He threw three kunai straight at Daiya. He growled as the foreigner. The other he avoided, but one of them got him. Masaru smiled as he ran towards Daiya again.

Daiya pulled the kunai out of his right shoulder. He threw the weapon straight at Maseru. The boy used a substitution jutsu to avoid it. It was all Daiya needed to continue with his plan. He jumped as Masaru came out of nowhere. Daiya's foot landed on top of the rod he had thrown previously. His weight caused the rod to thrust into the ground. Several rods popped up around them when Daiya used his electrical currents to stretch out under the ground.

Masaru threw the other large shuriken on his back at Daiya. He's a sitting duck! The shuriken flew at a forty-five degree angle at Daiya as Masaru fell from the sky.

Daiya tried to twist his body to avoid the spinning weapon of death. The last thing he saw was the weapon coming at him. He felt the wind of it on his face as it closed upon him. There was a scream and then everything went black.

Ryu held onto Yanagi as she shook with fear. Her eyes were wide from what had almost happened. Masaru had come close to getting Daiya. He pressed Yanagi to him trying to comfort her. "He's okay," he said softly. "He was retrieved before it hit." Ryu closed his eyes. It had been a close call.

Onari lifted her brother. His head hung over her shoulder. "Daiya?" She opened his vest and sat him down against the wall of the upper seating area. Onari moved her head to listen to his chest. The panic of the match had caused an upset. She placed her hand over his heart.

Onari concentrated. She focused her chakra to push at his heart in slow rhythmic pulses. Daiya jerked slightly. He started to groan. Onari pushed her chakra out until his breathing became normal. She took the mask off of her face. She leaned closer to move his bangs out of the way. "Daiya?"

Daiya felt awful. He grimaced at the feeling he had of being sick. He opened his eyes to see Onari watching him. "Where… are we?" He moved his head slowly to see rows of seats.

"We're above the ground in the stands," Onari answered. She pulled him closer. "Masaru Uzumaki won the match. He came close to ripping you to shreds," she said seriously as she began to bandage his wounds. "Yanagi screamed."

Daiya stared at the floor. "So that's who it was," he said softly. He had tried to get Masaru in a trap, but it seemed the arrogant boy had gotten him in turn. "That bastard doesn't want me near Idai. And… I have a feeling he likes Yanagi."

Onari cleaned the wound on his shoulder. "Anger makes opponents stronger. You were not as angry as he was."

Daiya smirked. "I suppose not. Ah, Onari, do you have to press it so hard," he complained.

"If you want to stop bleeding, yes," she answered never skipping a beat.

Masaru walked back up the stairs with confidence. He had proved he was capable of taking Daiya down. As he made his way back, he saw Ryu turn a corner with Yanagi. She seemed quite upset. He followed them for a little ways to find out where they were going. He stopped at the corner to peer out at numerous rows of seats. Masaru watched Yanagi run as quickly as she could to Daiya. He was standing with Onari holding him up. Masaru frowned as he averted his eyes. He went back to the others with his head hanging.

The moment everyone was back, Izumi proceeded with the results. "The winner of the last match was Masaru Uzumaki." She wrote it down onto the clipboard. "Let's find out whose going next." Izumi pushed the button as it went through the names on the screen. It soon stopped with the results. "Gin Akimichi vs. Saori Nara."

Gin and Saori walked down the stairs together not saying a word to each other. They entered the arena with tense shoulders. Both of them had improved in skills and had been fighting hard for their teams. However, Gin's strength had only recently shown when she had defeated Ryokuzu. Saori was more focused on the demands Ryu put on her, as well as, Sasuke.

The two girls approached each other out in the field. Saori stood with an intense gaze focused on Gin. The girl was able to use plants and seeds to her advantage. She had to be careful. A particular indecent where Takeru was thrown by the branch of a tree resurfaced in her mind.

"Begin," Izumi shouted from the upper level.

Saori shot backwards to get as far away from Gin as possible. She threw Rose off her back and stood watching Gin perform hand seals. Saori formed hand seals of her own. Plants shot up from the ground where she stood. They started to block her off to keep her from escaping.

Gin moved her arms signaling the plants to latch onto Saori and the puppet encased in wraps. She watched the vines enclose around both of them. Gin threw a kunai at Saori and a shuriken at the puppet. She had to make sure Saori wouldn't trade places with her weapon.

Saori fought the vines as a kunai came straight at her. She forced her arm to come up to use the vine to block it. The kunai went through the vine. The point of it met a millimeter from her eye. Saori gritted her teeth. Gin was fighting dirty.

Saori crouched as the vines started to tighten around her limbs. She bent her body to the side and kicked her leg as hard as she could to free herself. As her leg went up, the vine pulled her back down. Saori swore.

Gin moved her arms out opening her kimono sleeves to the fullest. She spun on her heel to cause large pointy seeds to be shot at Saori. Saori had managed to get her shuriken case and was hacking through the vines.

Saori pushed herself behind Rose with her feet. She held the puppet firmly as the seeds hit all around her. She formed hand seals quickly. Saori and Rose sunk into the ground.

Gin whirled around expecting Saori to pop up behind her, but she wasn't there. "Chain link," she said concentrating. Thin green lines went from her hands to the bushes and plants around here. Where is she? The plants didn't form a picture in her mind. Gin opened her eyes. Looking back at her was herself. She gasped before she moved back in a defensive stance.

Saori moved her chakra strings forward from behind a bush. She wrapped them around Gin and tightened her grip. "Python hold," she said as she lifted Gin into the air. She turned her upside-down to spiral her towards the ground.

Gin couldn't get out of the hold. She tried to move, but her arms and legs were pinned. She screamed as the ground met her head on. Once the dust cleared, it revealed Gin lying on her side unconscious.

"Winner: Saori Nara," Izumi said. She signaled Onari to retrieve Gin. "Five minute break before the next pair fights." She started to write down her comments about their performance. Izumi was grading them fairly.

Onari laid Gin against the back wall. She glanced up to see Idai looking over them. "She is fine," Onari said, but Idai took off his kimono to put it over Gin. Underneath the blue kimono, he wore a netted shirt and blue pants. Onari could tell Idai had remained focused on his training in the time he was gone.

Idai couldn't help the way he was feeling. He placed his hand on Gin's head. Saori came back to the group. Idai didn't have to look at her for what he wanted to say. "Did you have to use that technique of yours on her?"

Saori looked at Idai out of the corner of her eye. "Considering she threw a kunai straight at my face along with sharp seeds, I think it was a fair defense." She stood her ground giving him one hell of a look.

"That's enough," Izumi said coming between them. "There isn't going to be any disrespect. You will fight as if you are up against an enemy. If anyone out here goes soft in his attacks while preparing for the exams, he'll have to answer to his team, trainer, and the Hokage." Izumi met both of their gazes. "You two assume I'm here as a substitute. And that's where you're wrong."

Izumi went back to her position in front of the group. She wrote even more comments down on Saori and Idai's names. "The next pair needs to get ready," she said as she pressed the button with a click. Names started to sift in front of the kids. "Areku Inuzuka vs. Eiyu Hyuuga."

The students lined the window eagerly to see the sparring match. Areku was not accustomed to training with Eiyu. In fact, the two boys rarely glanced at each other. Both of them were confident in their abilities.

"Begin," Izumi shouted.

Eiyu threw a kunai at Areku. He scowled as he ran towards him. Areku's dog, Ichigo, caught the kunai in her mouth. As Eiyu came towards them, he made hand seals quickly in front of his body. Two copies of himself poofed beside his body. They started to run around Areku to get him from all angles with multiple hits and kicks.

Areku whirled around attempting to block the three clones from hitting him. Eiyu was desperately going after his chakra points. He growled as Eiyu hit Ichigo in mid-air with his palms open in a thirty-two palm attack. The dog hit the ground sliding on her side. Areku came back at full force with blocks and attempted hits. Eiyu was blocking every strike perfectly.

"Areku can't seem to budge from where he is. Eiyu has him right where he wants him," Takeru said. Eiyu was a strategist. He knew his training and what it took to overcome his opponent.

Areku took a chance to rotate on his heels slashing in all directions with his claws. He made one of the clones poof. However, Eiyu was right on the top of him hitting the chakra points on his right arm. Areku rebounded by kicking Eiyu back.

Eiyu went into a defensive stance the moment Areku's leg came up. He slid back a few feet. As the Inuzuka boy threw kunai at him, Eiyu brought up his hand to throw kunai, in order, to deflect them.

Areku checked on Ichigo quickly. She was alright, but couldn't get up for the time being. Eiyu had stopped her chakra flow from critical points on her body. Areku went after Eiyu and his clone again. He wasn't backing down.

Eiyu waited until Areku was within close range. He rotated three hundred and sixty degrees using his chakra to block the other boy's slash attacks. Areku was thrown back as Eiyu's defense was activated. "You're not going to get me that easily," he said.

Areku popped a pill into his mouth. His body tensed as his hands turned into massive claws. His nails were even longer than before. The muscles on his arms, legs, and chest increased. His slit eyes narrowed. Not only did his physical appearance alter, but also his voice. "Is that so," Areku said in a deeper, more aggressive voice.

"Eiyu's in trouble," Kandai said with a slight laugh. He knew his team mate a lot better than his brother did. Areku was aggressive and violent when threatened. He was an Inuzuka, after all.

Areku Inuzuka ran at Eiyu Hyuuga with speed and accuracy. He formed hand seals to unleash his clone. Ichigo was still down for the count. The poor pup was slowed down tremendously by Eiyu's chakra block. As his faithful companion dug a large hole, he began to rotate his body with his clone. Areku honed in on Eiyu. "Let's see if that fortress of yours holds!"

Eiyu's eyes widened as the two clones came spiraling down upon him. He rotated his body putting his defense up. As Areku and his clone came barreling down, they hit Eiyu's chakra defense. There was an intense flash of light. Eiyu kept focusing on his defense to keep Areku from hitting him. Areku and his clone were hitting at the sides of the barrier instead of at the front. Eiyu gritted his teeth trying to keep it going.

Areku wasn't giving up. He kept rotating trying his best to wear Eiyu down. Eiyu's defense was strong, but his offense was just as strong. Areku's aggression started to kick in more. His muscles tensed hard as he started to twist his body in the other direction.

Eiyu's chakra started to wear down. He couldn't keep going. It was like trying to ward off a powerful hurricane. Eiyu yelped as Ichigo popped up below. She had dug a hole and tunnel to get inside. The dog bit his leg hard. His chakra defense disappeared as he lost focus. Eiyu was hit from both sides by the rotating clones. He was thrown forty feet into the air. His limp form started to fall towards the ground.

Izumi signaled Onari to retrieve her team mate. "Winner: Areku Inuzuka," she said writing her notes on the paper. Onari came back with Eiyu over her shoulder. She was carrying the boy like a bag of rice. Izumi pressed the button again. "I wouldn't get too comfortable." Her lavender arms glanced at the students. The names began to sift through the remainders. The names slowly stopped.

"Oh, no." Takeru looked at Onari. She was already getting serious. Her posture was intense, head lowered as she stood waiting for the signal. "Um, good luck, Idai."

Idai raised a brow. He turned his head to see Onari jump over the edge. Idai lifted the corner of his mouth in a smile. This was going to be interesting. He followed Onari down to the large area. He turned his body to face her. "You appear rather serious. How's it going, Onari?"

Onari kept her wild eyes on the boy with long red hair. She let her head remain forward, long bangs hanging. As Izumi instructed them to begin, Onari loosened her body like that of a hanging puppet. Idai tried to punch at her head, but she cocked it to her left.

Idai knew what she was pulling. Each attempt he had at striking her failed. Instead of her movements being direct, they were indirect. She was able to block or avoid easily. Time for a different tactic.

Idai threw a kunai at Onari to make her jump back or

get in a defensive stance. He unsheathed the swords on his back. As he brought on of the swords behind him, he started to rotate his wrist. The wind around the sword increased. Onari is mainly focused on her Taijutsu. Her strategy involves taking someone out quickly. Kind of like a rhino. Let's see how much she's improved. Idai sent a wave of channeling wind at Onari.

Onari dug her heels into the ground as she tried to guard, but the force of the element sent her small frame flying backwards. She tumbled over in the air until the wind subsided. Onari hit the ground landing on her back of her shoulder blades. Her legs came up over her head as she hit on her stomach. It took a moment to get her air back. Onari got up searching for Idai. He had already moved to attack again. This time, he was coming from behind her. And she was ready for him.

Idai knew it was hard to catch Onari off guard. He ran at her as quickly as he could. Onari turned around to attack, but as he jumped at her with his swords sending a wave of air at her, she bent backwards to avoid it. Onari disapaited. Idai's eyes widened. She had teleported to another location. She… moved as quickly as I did.

Onari popped right behind Idai in mid-air. Her body was turned sideways with an arm in a ninety degree position with her elbow anchored towards his spine. She came down on his back hard with sheer force. As he yelled in pain, she kept jabbing him to stop him from attacking.

Idai's back arched as he was hit with lightening speed. He went down fast. Onari wasn't giving him an opportunity to strike back. He felt her hook her arm under his. She began to lift him up and off the ground. Idai fought to overcome the pain. He forced himself to struggle against her strength. He gritted his teeth feeling her dislocate his shoulder. She was seriously trying to hurt him.

Onari had been trained by four trainers. One of them was a deadly water user. She brought her other arm up to hook around his throat with her body bending backwards. Onari increased the pressure on his throat to confuse him. She wanted to prevent him from defending himself against her attacks.

Idai was forced to drop his swords. They hit the ground with a clang. Stars were starting to show in his vision. Dammit. Onari's trying to black me out to win. He closed his eyes trying to think of a solution before she did him in. Think. Think! The way she's fighting – there's something about it. He yelled as the pain from his back resurfaced.

"Forfeit," Onari said in a hollow emotionless voice. Idai was trying to free himself against her grasp. Her fingers dug into his skin as she tightened her body. "Forfeit," she said again. Idai refused to stop fighting her. He was trying to use his weight to flatten her as she bent her back in an arch. Onari used all of the weight in her ankles to help keep herself balanced. She thrust Idai's body up hard to slam his head on the ground. Onari let go in order to let him fall. She crouched, waiting for him to move.

Idai blackened out for a few seconds. He coughed and rolled over with his throat and back hurting. He tried to swallow, but it caused him to wince. He brought his hand up to clutch at his neck. Idai gritted his teeth in pain. Was his neck broken?

Onari knew the match was over. She lowered her head to look up into Idai's face. As suspected, she had wounded him more than what she had been planning. "Idai, Onari needs to take you away now."

Idai tensed the second he saw her try to touch him. "Stay away from me," he said quietly. He gave her a cold look. Idai stood slowly faltering on his feet. He walked away from her on his own.

"Winner: Onari," Izumi said. She watched Onari stand by herself on the tournament grounds. Something happened between her and Idai. She's taking it hard. She's never raised those deadly hands of hers to a friend. "We'll take a break for lunch. There are four of you left."

Onari sat by herself with her legs raised and her arms over her legs. She had never fought against anyone hard like that but Izumi. It wasn't in her nature to fight those she knew –especially Idai. He had had to overcome so much in his life. She clutched her kimono hard, her nails digging in.

Daiya knew he'd find her at the top most part of the tournament area. He walked to her. Onari was troubled by the match. He lifted his hand to run his fingers through her hair. She moved her head to look up at him. Daiya took the mask off of her face. His eyes softened at the tear streaks on her cheeks. He lifted her up and sat her between his legs.

Daiya wrapped his arms around her. He wasn't thrilled at how Onari had attacked Idai. Yet, he couldn't hold it against her either. It was a preparation for the real exams. "He went to the hospital, Onari. I'm not sure if you broke his neck or if it's merely bruised. You did a number on his back also."

Onari hid her face harder on his attire. Is this what it felt like to be guilty? She didn't want to fight another for a title. Onari was only interested in revenge for her parents. "Onari does not want to go to Chunin exams. Idai is Onari's friend," she said unsure of the last word. The expression Idai had given her haunted her.

"I can't make that decision for you. Everyone has their own reasons for competing. If you choose to enter, I don't expect you to back down. You're not a weakling, Onari," he said knowing the aggression that lurked behind her eyes. Her training was similar to his own. It made both of them powerful adversaries.

Idai clutched his throat as Kiba carried him on his back. Onari had wounded him pretty badly. Kiba had said his back was black and purple from the attacks. He tried to speak, but he whimpered in pain. I'm going to get her back for this! She broke my neck. I know she did!

Kiba tightened his grip on Idai's legs. He felt the boy's body become tense. Idai was fuming. "You can't hold it against her, Idai. The worst thing to do is get in close range of someone with strong Taijutsu."

Idai dug his nails into Kiba's skin when his anger resurfaced. "She… deliberately broke… my neck, Kiba. I hate that girl! She's nothing more than a mindless… attacking drone!"

Kiba tried to reason with Idai, but the boy refused to listen to him. He determined Onari to be a realistic threat. Kiba entered the hospital carrying an angry sixteen-year-old. He laid Idai on a table as a medic assisted in checking the boy out.

Idai stared at the ceiling as the medic moved a machine over his head. The table he was on was cold. The medic told him to remain still as he pressed a button from another room. The procedure was over. "What did he do," he asked as he glanced at his trainer.

"He took an x-ray of your neck. It'll help determine if your neck is broke or bruised. Don't try to get up," Kiba said placing his hand on Idai's shoulder. He saw the medic come back. "How is he?"

"His neck is fractured. We'll have to get him set up to fix the damage. It looks like you had one serious training session," the medic said. He flinched as Idai glared in his direction. "I'll get Doctor Lee," he said in a way to dismiss himself.

Idai scratched his nails into the metal. "I'm going to kill her," he said angrily. He looked up into Kiba's face. "What," he demanded of his trainer.

Kiba lowered his face to where it hovered an inch above Idai's. He looked at him seriously. "You won't harm another in a fair fight. I've taught you better than that. Have you forgotten she's Daiya's sister? I think you're just angry at how you got defeated. You have a lot of time to cool off before Sakura comes to help you," he said as he stood up.

Idai narrowed his eyes. The pain he was in got to him. He had never hurt anyone from another team before. He had always avoided hurting anyone. Idai slammed his fist on the table.

Izumi tapped her foot impatiently as the students started to enter the area. "Come on, I haven't got all day!" She formed hand seals in front of her body. Izumi moved her hands as if she were shaping a bowl in the air. She threw the water at the students. They ducked as it hit the wall. "I wouldn't get too soft after eating. Who's to say what all of you ate isn't poisoned?"

Masaru grabbed his mouth. "You wouldn't! You'd poison your own kids?" He saw Izumi's cold eyes track his every movement. The other students were on guard. "This is another test! You wouldn't harm anyone out here! You'd be tracked and killed by the ANBU!"

Izumi smiled cruelly. "Who's to say I am who I am, Masaru Uzumaki?" Izumi's form melted away from her body. Her face oozed and fell off to reveal the face of a dead man – Orochimaru. The face smiled. "Why you kids act as if what you're seeing isn't real," he said with a smooth haunting voice. His hair hung loosely as he tottered on his feet.

Ryu appeared out of the wall behind the pale, raven haired man. He threw a chain to wrap it around his neck. Ryu proceeded to tighten his grip and pulled. "I don't know who the hell you are, but I'll kill you if you touch them."

Orochimaru turned his gaze to stare at the boy who was halfway through the wall. "You're the spitting image of Kakashi. My, my, did I hit a nerve? Are you as good as your old man? He wasn't able to beat me."

"I don't care what he wasn't able to do. You harm them, I'll slaughter you!" Ryu's eyes widened as he saw poisonous snakes hanging from the ceiling.

"I'd watch who you're threatening. It only takes one bite to end a life," Orochimaru said taunting the boy. "Your grasp is a bit cold. Would you mind loosening up a bit?"

"Hell no," Ryu said his voice low and serious.

The snakes hissed as they dropped from the ceiling towards the students. The kids froze where they were. Each snake had a target in its range. Ryu narrowed his eyes. "I don't know what games you're playing, but I'm too old for it."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. Everyone likes games. Let's play for keeps," Orochimaru said as he commanded a snake to lunge at Takeru.

A clone of Ryu lifted out of the floor to block the bite. The snake sunk its fangs into the clone's leg. The clone's eyes rolled back into its head as it fell over. It poofed.

"You can't stop all of them," Orochimaru said with his smooth voice.

Gin formed hand seals in front of her body. A stump formed through the cracks of the floor. She blocked another snake from biting Daiya. Its fangs went into the wood. It flicked its body back and forth trying to get free. "I'm not scared of you. I know what I'm capable of."

Orochimaru let his long tongue hang out of his mouth. He moved it around, his mouth in a subtle grin. "Brats can't defeat me."

Yanagi punched the top head of a snake as it tried to bite Areku. She slammed its skull into the floor. Yanagi picked it up, twirled it around, and threw it at the man in front of them. "There's your toy back," she said to the pale faced man. Its lifeless body hit the man's legs.

"There are more of us than there are of you," Takeru said as he threw kunai at two snakes. They wriggled around trying to get free, hissing. "It'd be embarrassing to get beat up by a bunch of kids, wouldn't it?"

Orochimaru watched as all of the kids started to move from their positions. The kids were retaliating against the fear he was trying to put in them. Each of them was watching each other's backs as they got rid of the snakes. He tried to move from his position, but Ryu pulled the chain around his neck so tightly he saw star lines in his vision.

"I wouldn't try to move. You've got an appointment with the angry brats," Ryu said. He signaled for all of them to gang up on the old man. The kids all ran towards him.

Orochimaru put his hands up in defeat. "Alright, you kids play too roughly for an old man," he said as he started to melt to the floor. "See you later, Kakashi's son."

Ryu's chain went slack as the man disappeared. He came out of the wall fully to stare at the space on the floor. "Who the hell was that?"

Sasuke flopped down against a tree rubbing his

neck. "They've improved about guarding each other. In fact, Ryu didn't back down when I mentioned Kakashi to him."

Naruto smiled as he leaned against the tree. "You pulled the Orochimaru scare didn't you?" He heard Sasuke smirk. "You weren't there long. What happened?"

"They all decided to gang up on me," Sasuke said matter-of-fact. "Ryu was the first to attack. He was ahead of me by one move. He defended the others and was on the verge of strangling me to make his point clear."

"He's come a long way. Do you remember how he used to shy away from attention? He had difficulty adapting to other students or showing what he knew," Naruto said. He was impressed with the progress. "How far do you suppose he'll get?"

"I'm not sure. He shows a strong brotherly attitude

toward the boys. I know Daiya respects him to the fullest extent. He normally doesn't disobey an order Ryu gives him." Sasuke's mind flashed to how Takeru acts towards Ryu. "How Takeru perceives him, worries me."

Naruto only smiled.

Izumi Uchiha narrowed her eyes as her son kept her from entering the area where the trainees competed. Takeru was standing as serious as he could with a kunai out in a total defensive stance. She moved a foot towards him. Takeru threw the kunai at her before he started using hand seals. Izumi disapaited and appeared behind him. She grabbed him around the throat as she stopped the others in their tracks with a death glare. "What. Is. Going. On?"

"Let go of me! You're not my mother," Takeru yelled as he tried to get out of the hold. He was being dragged backwards.

"Takeru Uchiha, what has you on the defensive?" Izumi noticed only Areku and Onari were not on guard. Her eyes shifted. "Daiya, you try it and your butt's mine." His eyes widened.

"Takeru, it really is your mother," Areku said as he held Ichigo. "The other person wasn't. She smells like she's supposed to."

"What other person," Izumi said loosening her hold

on her son. She was now catching on to what had happened. It seems something occurred while she was out with Temari for lunch.

"There was a man with pale skin who summoned snakes to bite us. He had long black hair and was extremely creepy," Areku answered. "I couldn't tell you who it really was. The scent was masked."

Oh, this has Sasuke written all over it. Izumi rubbed her temples. "You guys, I'm not the only one who can summon snakes." She let it sink into their brains.

"Sasuke," Onari said.

"That's right. Sasuke. You guys can get him back later. We have work to do," Izumi said trying to get them back into order. She pressed the button to activate the shifting of names. "Kandai Hyuuga vs. Ryu Yuhi. Get busy."

Ryu cracked his neck then rubbed the back of it. He would fall for something Sasuke pulled. He sighed as he looked at Kandai with lazy eyes. "I don't feel like fighting."

"Ryu, Ms. Izumi isn't going to let you forfeit," Kandai said with a patient smile.

"Who said something about forfeiting?" Izumi tried to come out onto the grounds. A few of the kids were pulling her back. Her routine had already been interrupted for the day. She growled. "You better start, Ryu, or Sasuke will be the last of your worries!"

Ryu rolled his shoulders. He spun a kunai on his fingers before he scratched his head with it. He watched Kandai get in a defensive stance. Ryu unclipped the scythe on his back. It was linked to another scythe by a chain. He ran at Kandai and began to move the pair of scythes to slice off the boy's arms and legs.

Kandai moved his body backwards darting around to avoid the dangerously sharp weapons. He whirled around bringing his leg up to block and push Ryu back with a kick. He spun on his heel to lift his body off the ground in a roundhouse kick.

Ryu poofed on him. He came back behind him at an angle. Ryu hit Kandai in the back then spun his body to dig his feet into his spine. Kandai went straight to the ground.

Ryu had him trapped. He grabbed Kandai's wrist from underneath the ground with a clone. The clone started to pull on his body like a mole carrying food into its den. Kandai's arm went through first. He yelled as his shoulder entered then his entire body. Ryu watched him kick his legs furiously trying to get free.

Kandai grunted as the clone kept pulling him into the dark hole. Now only his calves were visible. The clone smiled at him through the face mask, waved, and poofed. Its job was finished. Kandai couldn't move his shoulders or his body. It was defiantly a tight trap. He grunted.

Ryu crouched letting his arms hang. He could see Kandai struggling to get out of it. "I haven't got all day, Kandai. Pop out already so I can hit you on the head like a mole with a mallet."

Kandai had to stop struggling. It wasn't getting him anywhere. How was he going to get out of this? He pulled his arm up hitting the top of the tunnel with his hand. His other arm was stuck between his body and the wall. Kandai tried to pull himself forward with his one outstretched hand. How long was the tunnel? He wasn't sure.

"Ryu got him fairly easy," Yanagi said as she watched from the top. Kandai was having trouble getting out of the trap. "Where did he learn a technique like that?"

Daiya glanced at Yanagi. From his father. His eyes shifted to see Ryu becoming annoyed.

"I've got something planned for you, Ryu," Sasuke said as his student tensed. "What do you think about learning one of your father's techniques? One he particularly used on me?"

Ryu blushed slightly. He crossed his arms trying not to be heard. "You'll teach me my father's technique?" He felt happy, but embarrassed at the same time.

Sasuke glanced at Saori and Daiya who were watching Ryu's reactions. "Why don't you two practice your tree runs," he said. Sasuke waited until Saori and Daiya were started before he continued. "Your father was very talented. I thought since you never knew him, you'd like to know more about him, in some way."

Ryu stared at the ground for a moment. "Sasuke, will… will you show me what he looked like? I've never seen his face. My mom gets upset when I ask. Sasuke, please-"

Sasuke placed his hand on Ryu's head to quiet him. "You don't have to beg me, Ryu. I can show you a picture of him that I've had for a long time."

Ryu was highly agitated. "Time's up, kid. I'm not waiting all day." Ryu formed hand seals in front of his body. He began to close the tunnel on Kandai.

Kandai's eyes widened in the darkness. He heard the earth coming towards him. He lifted his hand and forced chakra out as powerfully as he could to deflect the dirt. Kandai moved his free hand in various directions trying to keep his face clear. If it covered him, he'd be in trouble. He yelled as he shielded his face from the dirt. It was impacting him from all around. Kandai coughed trying to breathe. It was pure darkness in the tunnel.

Ryu knew Kandai was finished. There was no way out from being buried alive. He waited several minutes until Kandai's body stopped moving. He grabbed the boy's legs and began to pull him up with all of his strength. Kandai came back to the surface, his body covered in earth. His eyes were closed. Ryu turned him over. He started to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Kandai.

Eiyu tensed. Was his brother dead? His nerves were on edge until Kandai coughed hard and wheezed. He grabbed his clothing. Onari placed her hand on his to try and calm his racing heart.

Kandai sat up with help from Ryu. He looked up at the older boy. "Why'd you save me?"

"You're not my enemy. This isn't the exam. It's a tough training session. However, if we do face each other next month, you better be prepared," Ryu said. He stood to go back to the stands.

"Winner: Ryu Yuhi," Izumi said as she marked her clipboard. She was disappointed in Kandai. He got beat so easily and seemed to be unprepared. "I think the last two know who you're fighting. Get started Takeru and Yanagi," she said. She watched them exit. Izumi wondered if Yanagi fought like her mother. Takeru could be sinister when he wanted. Something had changed in his fighting styles since he and Onari had come to an understanding.

Takeru smiled at Yanagi Lee. She was grinning at him with her hands on her hips. "Yanagi, you're about as confident as Lee sensei," he joked. Takeru knew her strength sand weaknesses. She was still advancing with her Genjutsu – a technique that wouldn't work on him.

Yanagi pretended to be waiting for the signal to start. However, she was heavily thinking about how to approach Takeru. He studied from her father, but also took a lot of outside direction. It wasn't his parents that influenced him heavily, but his peers. He copied Ryu a bit and wanted to learn Daiya's skills. She frowned as Izumi told them to begin.

Takeru was already spinning in the air with a kunai in his hand. He rotated the blade and threw it quickly. It went straight through Yanagi. Her form shattered turning into pink butterflies. He blinked his eyes to activate Sharingan.

Yanagi smiled as she sat on the branch of a tree. Takeru thinks I'm going to appear from behind him. She formed hand seals fast. "Billion eyes jutsu," she said. Pink butterflies escaped her clothes. They fluttered around her waiting for her command. "Takeru needs a lift."

Takeru didn't see Yanagi anywhere. He turned his head around several times trying to catch a glimpse of her. Where is she? This is annoying. He turned his gaze to see butterflies moving above the ground. Takeru threw shuriken at them. Those are Yanagi's! He felt his shirt being pulled up over his head. "Ah!" Takeru waved his arms as numerous butterflies hovered in the space over his head. They began to lift him into the air.

Yanagi came out of hiding when she heard Takeru yelling her name. she whistled as she waved. "Hi, Takeru. Don't you like flying as a bird?"

Takeru started to swing his legs. He arched his back getting his body to lift his legs up in a flip. He managed to let the shirt be taken by the butterflies. Takeru bit his thumb and made hand seals to unlock a summoning jutsu. "Summoning jutsu! Uso!"

Yanagi watched as a medium-sized white dragon with red eyes formed below Takeru's outstretched hand. The beast turned its head to regard her. Takeru was caught by the ankle with the creature's tail. "You're not supposed to use a summoning!" Yanagi took off running with the dragon tailing behind her.

Izumi put her hand to her forehead. "You kids don't listen. If Uso eats Yanagi this will be bad," she said to herself. Izumi was slowly losing control of the last match.

Takeru tried to hold on while Uso chased Yanagi around the field. He slipped one time grabbing frantically at Uso's scaly skin. "Uso, you can't eat her! Ah!" Takeru grunted to lift himself up as the dragon turned in a wide curve.

Yanagi narrowed her eyes. She formed hand seals again and concentrated as her feet flew. Yanagi's body went through the ground. She used the Genjutsu her mother had taught her in order to hide. Yanagi breathed hard. Takeru would use it as his trump card! Her heart raced in a panic.

Uso halted on her feet. Her claws dug into the

ground. Takeru finally fell off onto his side. He sat up rubbing his head. "You can't eat her. Daiya would kill me."

(If the girl is not a threat, do not call me! I am not a pet, Takeru Uchiha.) Uso snuffed her nostrils at him blowing starry smoke in his direction. She stuck her long head into the air. The white dragon began to fade away into mist that was carried by the wind.

"Oh, great. I got lectured," Takeru said as he hung his head. He turned his head to see a nasty caterpillar coming at him. It opened its mouth to spew horrible foam at him.

Yanagi petted the caterpillar as it cocooned Takeru in its sticky foam. He was trying to get his hands to touch. Yanagi leaned on the insect. "The dragon was unnecessary, Takeru. You're a bit of a show-off."

"Get me out of this, Yanagi!" Takeru kicked his legs unable to get free from the foam. It had hardened to that of stone. He couldn't figure out how to get out of it. His hands wouldn't connect so he could make hand seals. He growled as the pink haired girl smiled.

"If you can't get free, then perhaps the match is over," she said as she jumped onto the hardened foam. She rotated a kunai in her hand. Yanagi moved her arm to let the sharp end of the blade touch his throat. "If this were a real match, you'd be dead."

Izumi lifted her hand. She called it. Takeru wasn't able to get free from Yanagi's caterpillar attack. "Winner: Yanagi Lee." Izumi lowered her hand. She sighed. "I need a break."

Yanagi put the kunai back. "Should I leave you here, or let you out?" She petted the large caterpillar fondly. Takeru was complaining outright. "Mahari, time to eat."

Takeru's eyes widened as the over grown, slimy caterpillar began to eat the hardened foam. He freaked out as its mouth came close to his body. "Yanagi, why didn't you ask Onari to get me out?!" He yelled watching the insect's mouth come close to getting his chest. "You're enjoying this aren't you?!"

Yanagi kept smiling as she stood with her hands on her hips. Just a little. I think I enjoy this technique the best. Maybe I shouldn't tell Takeru Daiya helped me with it. She giggled.

Sasuke scrubbed his arms with soap as he sat on the stool in the bathroom. He glanced at Daiya rotating his wounded shoulder. Takeru was busy scrubbing himself so hard his skin was turning red. Sasuke and the boys eyes widened the moment they heard Onari trying to get into the area. Izumi was attempting to push the girl back. "Not good," he said getting up suddenly to move away from the shoji screen.

"Onari wants to bathe with Takeru," she said pushing on Izumi. "Onari is not a child, Izumi. She can bathe with Takeru," she said again trying to make the woman understand her frame of mind.

"That's all the more reason you can't go in there," Izumi said as she pushed her back again. "All of the guys are in there! Onari!"

Onari made it past Izumi to slide the shoji screen aside. She saw Sasuke and Daiya covering themselves with wooden tubs. Onari signaled out Takeru. She tilted her head. "Did the caterpillar bite Takeru there, too?" She pointed and turned around to look at Izumi for an

explanation.

Sasuke sweatdropped. "So much for the adult talk Izumi had with her. She still doesn't understand the difference between males and females, does she?" He looked up to see Izumi trying to force her out.

"Nope," Daiya said to confirm the suspicions.

Onari got free again to come running at Takeru full force. She tackled him outright. Takeru lost his footing and they both went over into the large tub. Onari hugged him around his chest.

Takeru shook the water out of his long hair. Onari was in the water with him. "When did she get over her fear of water?!"

Daiya held up his hand. "Sorry, I've been helping her for a while." He could feel the death glare on his back.

"What else are you not telling me," Takeru yelled. Onari lifted her head. She kissed him full on the lips. Takeru's anger blew out of the window.

"Onari loves Takeru," she said softly, her eyes fluttering.

Takeru blushed. "Do you have to when I'm naked?" He stared into her wild eyes and moved his head closer to kiss her. As he did, his eyes lifted to see his mother, father, and brother staring at him in shock. Takeru's heart leapt into his throat.

"You two are too young to even think about being that close," Izumi said as she grabbed Onari from behind. She lifted the girl out of the tub.

Daiya relaxed once the shoji screen was closed again. He went back to bathing. Takeru fell back into the water. He groaned. Onari was something else.

Daiya lowered his head as he clutched his shorts. He was sitting in front of his adopted parents. He lifted his arm to rub at his eyes, hiding his face. It was a heavy discussion.

Sasuke walked over to the defiant teenager he had taken in. he sat on the floor in front of him. "Daiya, it's not an easy decision for us to make. We're not trying to hurt you."

"He doesn't understand that, Sasuke. I think he's more worried about letting his team down and himself," Izumi said trying to let her husband have control over the situation.

Sasuke took his son's arm away from his face. He grabbed Daiya and shielded him from the world. "The hardest thing for me to do right now is be your trainer. I don't think I can hold onto that persona. So I'll approach this as your father. We don't want you to lose your life because of your ailment. It's now to the point of causing you to black out when it's under heavy stress."

Daiya clutched to Sasuke hard. "I want to follow Ryu! Can't he watch over me? He promised! He PROMISED!"

Izumi hugged Daiya from behind. She laid her head on his back. "Shh," she repeated rubbing her hands up and down his sides. "Shh, Daiya, it's okay. No one's trying to hurt you. We need to make sure you're safe."

Takeru leaned on the wall as he listened in on the

commotion in his parents' bedroom. Daiya's worse off than I thought. He's wanting to tag along after Ryu. Takeru tensed as Daiya's anger sparked, literally, in the room. Uh, oh.

Takeru opened the door to run inside. His parents were trying to calm Daiya down, but his brother was sparking everywhere. Takeru lunged to grab Daiya on the side.

Daiya went to the floor with his brother on top of him. He gritted his teeth as he felt the charges erupt for a few seconds. Daiya panted as Takeru held onto him hard. Soon it ended. He looked up tiredly to see Sasuke hovering over him.

"We'll have to talk about this further, Daiya. It's time for bed," Sasuke said as he signaled Takeru to get off of his brother. He picked Daiya up and carried him out of the room. You're incredibly stubborn, Lightening Bug.

Ryu sat on the bed with his back against the wall. He looked at Saori who was helping him go through all of the scrolls he wanted to use for the exams. He picked up a particular scroll and moved it aside. He decided it was time to break the silence. "Sensei is wanting to pull Daiya from participating in the Chunin exams."

Saori's hand froze over a scroll. She looked up at Ryu. "Is it because of him passing out the other day?" Ryu nodded. "If Daiya remains behind, we will have to withdraw."

"I know, but his ailment is getting worse, Saori. Sasuke told me Daiya got upset and his charges went wild the other night. He's losing control of his kekkegenkai." Ryu closed his eyes. "He wants me to watch after him so he can participate."

"So instead of Sensei making the decision, he's leaving it up to you." Ryu nodded. Saori thought for a moment. "You shouldn't be the sole guardian. I'm part of the team, too."

"What are you saying, Saori?"

"I'm saying, I'll help take care of Daiya. It'd be wrong to disrespect him as long as we've known each other. A team should be like a family," she said as she slipped one of Ryu's scrolls into Rose's mouth. The puppet was laying on the bed with its head turned towards her.

"And families shouldn't steal from each other. Put the scroll back. You must think I'm going to use it on you," Ryu said eying her.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Saori said as she took the scroll out of Rose's mouth.

Saori looked at Daiya when Ryu left to go get bento lunches after their training. "We have to talk." Daiya only stared at her with his normal blank expression. "Why did you ask Ryu to look after you at the exams? Are you embarrassed about it?"

Daiya lowered his gaze. His hands balled up. "Shut up. It's none of your business."

"It is my business. We're a team, Daiya. I agreed to help watch you. Ryu can't do it by himself." She walked up to him. He was shaking with anger. Saori put her face into his view. "I thought we were friends. Do you not want to be?"

Daiya didn't understand. "What does this have to do about Ryu running his mouth?" He turned his head away.

"You never tell me anything. You always seek out Ryu. I don't know whether you distrust me, or simply don't like me. We have a very formal relationship," Saori said. She glanced at him. He was not listening to a word she was saying. "I'll help Ryu look after you. You're my team mate –friend or not." She sat on the bench by herself staring at the ground. Daiya truly only responded to a selected few.

Daiya watched Saori sulk. The way she was acting got to him. He thought she was only stepping up to the plate as a favor to Ryu – or Yanagi. He sat down beside her with his elbows on his legs. "I don't want to let Ryu down. He's done so much for me. But… so have you."

Saori lifted her head. She turned to look at him. "I don't understand." She tensed as he suddenly hugged her. The actions didn't make sense. He was being sincere. He really is physical in everything he does. Saori slowly moved her arms up to hug him in return. It was strange, at first. "We'll keep you safe, Daiya. I promise."


	76. Chapter 76

**V8 ch 5**

**The beginning of our lives**

Several weeks later….

Ryu lifted his backpack onto his shoulders. He checked his vest carefully for scrolls and made sure he had everything he needed. He turned around for a brief moment to look back at his room. It was a simple bare room with a small twin bed. There was a desk in the corner that he rarely sat at. Ryu preferred to sit on the bed to write his jutsus onto his scrolls.

Ryu turned around to step through the doorframe. He made his way out of the apartment not looking back. Today the students began the journey of their lives. Soon the Chunin exams were going to begin.

Neji and TenTen stood at the steps of their home looking over their twin sons. Kandai and Eiyu had grown up since they started training on their teams two years ago. TenTen was fussing over them the only way a mother could. Neji placed his hands on the top of the boys' heads. "Look after each other and your team mates. Now is the time to make your mark on the world."

TenTen waved at her sons as they turned around to walk out of the Hyuuga compound with their backpacks. She felt saddened that they were leaving, but a mother's love for her children was eternal. She hoped Eiyu and Kandai grew with each other and the experiences that they faced ahead.

Saori Nara yelled at her father to hurry up. She threw Rose onto her back then straightened her clothes. "Dad, come on. It's time to get this show on the road," she said with a grown-up voice. Saori shut her door hard before she went running down the hall. "Dad," she yelled again trying to get her father's attention.

Shikamaru zipped his vest up. He padded himself down to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything. Just as he whirled around to check his room again, he suddenly found the pack of cigarettes he knew he couldn't be without. "Hold your horses, Rascal." He felt Temari kiss his cheek. "Take care of yourself while we're gone. Wish us luck."

"Luck is for dragons," Temari said. She hugged her husband hard. "I wish you both a safe return," she said instead.

"Saori, at least say 'goodbye' to your mother and Chame," Shikamaru said as he hoisted his backpack.

"Bye, Mom! Don't let anyone beat you up, Chame," Saori said more to the effect of a warning than a confidence booster. She pulled her father by the hand out of the door. Saori was excited to visit another village- even if it was the Mist Village.

Gin smiled as she met Idai outside of her house. She turned around to wave at her parents before she left. Gin reached for Idai's hand after they were out of sight of her house.

Idai leaned over as they walked to kiss Gin's

temple tenderly. He felt her lean into him slightly. Once the exams started, they would all be competing with each other for dominance and respect. Idai hoped he and Gin wouldn't face each other in the exams. He already knew if it came down to it, he'd have to knock her unconscious to keep from hurting the girl he was in love with.

Forfeiting wasn't an option.

Areku smirked as he put a strawberry hanker chief around Ichigo's neck. The pup made her comments regarding it. "It's not that flashy. What if you meet someone that sparks your interest, Ich?"

Ichigo doubted that. They were going to kick some serious butt. She wanted to be feared. Making friends was not part of the Chunin exams in her eyes.

Kiba complained about Kashira fussing over him. "Kashira, I'll be fine. This isn't the first exam I've led students to. Worry about Areku." He made a face as his wife tried to be romantic all of a sudden.

Kiba's face turned red as Kashira let her shirt fall enough to where he could see cleavage. "The boy is right there!" He pointed to where Areku had been standing.

"Parents are gross," Areku said as he started to walk off. "Dad can catch up later." Areku grumbled as he heard loud noises coming from his home. He started to pick up the pace the moment he heard Kiba yell in surprise followed by a huge crash.

Masaru Uzumaki brushed off his clothes. He clipped the two large shuriken he used onto his back before leaving his room. Outside, he was met by his father and a few of the guards. "Are you really going to the exams with us?"

Naruto adjusted the Hokage hat on his head. "It's part of my duty as the village leader to meet with the other village leaders when the competition starts. It's a very important event."

"How many leaders are going to be there?" Masaru crossed his arms. The ANBU stood around his father acting as a strong defense. We aren't even out of the village yet.

"All of the village leaders will gather at the Mist Village. They are bringing the best of their teams to compete. It's not only about showing skills, but also survival. Everyone is going to make their presences known. A lot of the teams were turned away from the exams this year. They weren't able to stick with the rough training routines I incorporated over the past several months. I wanted all of you to have the chance of coming home," Naruto said to where Masaru understood.

"Do ninja die every time the exams take place," Masaru asked not sure what he had gotten himself into.

"Yes. Lots of ninja die when competing against each other," Naruto answered. "They lose against each other, as well as, the environment they are up against. Your guard needs to be up the moment we leave the village, Masaru. Sabotage has been known to occur."

Masaru nodded his facial expression becoming tense.

Yanagi hit the wooden pillar outside with several bilateral arm punches. She stepped back once she was finished to examine her hands. Yanagi reached into her back pouch to wrap her bruised knuckles. I have to keep pushing myself. I four team is going to overcome the obstacles we're about to face, I must do everything I can, to win.

Lee whistled for his daughter. "Yanagi, it is time to go. Take your training out on your opponents." He turned around to leave the training area.

Yanagi bent over to get her bag. She took one last look at the pillar. I'll snap you in two when I get back.

Takeru watched his brother bandage his torso and arms. He got off his bed to walk over to him. "Daiya, are you going to be alright?" He saw the look his brother game him. "I mean, are you prepared for the exams?"

"Of course I'm prepared," he said to-the-point. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Daiya had stopped being Takeru's equal some time ago. Lately, he had turned into a dominating older brother.

"I-," Takeru closed his eyes. He didn't know what Daiya would think of him. He shook his head. Takeru grabbed his back pack. He marched out of his room. It wasn't long before he saw Onari waiting at the front of the house outside. He knew she was watching him behind the mask she wore. "I couldn't tell him."

Onari reached her arm out to stroke his cheek with her finger. "Takeru, Sasuke and Izumi were against him attending. His heart is not better. This could be the end to Daiya's stubbornness."

"He's an adult, Ri. That's the way he's to be portrayed at his age. Daiya's not a child. He won't understand me saying something like that," Takeru said in his own defense.

"When are you going to tell him, Takeru? Actions will be more demanding when we get to the Mist Village. Daiya is a tough guy, but he listens when you speak softly," Onari said. As if on cue, Daiya exited the house.

Daiya stood more as an authority figure away from Onari and Takeru. His mind was in a 'no bars held' frame. The exams were to be taken with sheer determination and force. He wanted to prove he wasn't an abomination.

Sasuke soon met up with the kids. The air seemed to be heavy outside. He noticed Daiya was standing away from the other two. Takeru had something on his mind, too. Sasuke didn't want to interfere. Whatever it is, they'll have to settle it on their own. "Start moving. The other teams will beat the main gate soon."

Takeru took one last look at his home. His mother had said 'goodbye' to all of them earlier that morning. She was upset that they were leaving. It was hard for her to except the fact that all three of them were growing up.

"I would like everyone to go ahead and get with their teams," Naruto said. The ANBU were standing behind him on guard. "Look at each of your team mates. The two others in your cell will be helping you to survive. Once the exams start, your trainers will not be allowed to interrupt the matches. You must fight for each other, as well as, yourself.

Your trainers have been given confirmation to enter the village at certain times on a specific day for registration. Each team will leave separately to take a different route to the Mist Village. You will not see each other again until you are opponents at the exam."

The students stared at each other. This was it.

Training days were over. They were all going to be separated. "Say your farewells to each other now," Naruto said giving them the chance to transition.

Yanagi approached Saori slowly. She looked at her best friend. "Take care of yourself," she said hugging her hard as her eyes closed. "Keep an eye on Daiya for me."

Daiya stared at the pink haired girl. He cupped her face in his hands as he kissed her on the forehead tenderly. He closed his eyes, breathing her in. Yanagi tried to suppress her feelings, but he felt them. "Look after her, Idai," he said not taking his eyes away from her face.

Idai reached his hand up to mess with Daiya's hair. "You don't have to ask. I always look after her." He felt Gin clasp her hand with his. "Make sure Areku and Ichigo don't get their butts kicked, okay," he said with a light smile.

"I heard that, Idai," Areku yelled as he stopped saying his goodbyes to Saori.

Takeru jumped on Ryu's back. He hugged him hard around the neck as he hung his head. "Ryu, I'll see you again, right?"

Ryu blushed at the sudden attention from Takeru. He rubbed the boy's head fondly. "Yeah. Now get off of me."

Eiyu was fine with the situation. He was surprised when Kandai hugged him though. "What has gotten into you?"

"We've never been apart from each other. You're my brother. Shouldn't I be worried I won't see you again," Kandai asked as he stepped back.

Eiyu didn't show any reaction to what his brother said. For twins, they were total opposites. He was a recluse while Kandai sought attention. Eiyu figured his brother was worried about his own securities. Eiyu wouldn't be there to protect him anymore. Kandai was going to have to protect himself.

Onari pushed Takeru at Daiya. She wasn't letting him bail out now. "Tell him, Takeru." Daiya raised a brow as he watched the both of them. "Daiya, listen to Takeru."

"Listen to what? He's quiet as a mouse – something I've never seen before," Daiya said. Takeru was embarrassed about something. He was staring at the ground. "Whatever it is, say it. Everyone's gone back to their teams."

"I-," Takeru stopped. He shook his head. Onari pushed him closer. "Ri, I can't. He's not going to understand!" Takeru yelped as Daiya grabbed his shoulders. His shaky eyes met his brother's.

"Stop wasting my time. Grow up and say it, Takeru. You're not a child anymore. The second we leave, you'll be an adult," Daiya scolded.

"I… love you," Takeru said to where only Onari and Daiya heard his words. He saw how shocked Daiya was to hear it. "I told you a long time ago when… you were still as innocent as me. But neither of us are like that anymore. I know when we leave here, things will be different. For now, at this moment, I love you, Daiya. You're everything I could want in an older brother. Please be careful," Takeru said as he turned around with Onari. They went back to their team.

As soon as everyone was calmed down, Naruto called the teams in order that they would leave. "The first team to leave is Rock Lee's team." The team moved to the front. Naruto signaled them to depart as his hand came down. "Go!" Everyone gasped as Lee's team flashed then vanished with speed. "The next team to leave is Kiba's team." Kiba's team moved forward.

Yanagi swallowed hard. Her heart was racing. She didn't have the heart to turn around to see Daiya. She had to be a strong woman from this moment on – for him and for herself.

Idai moved his hand to clasp it with hers. "I'm next to you, Yanagi. Take a deep breath. Ryu will watch over him. Calm down," he said softly.

"Go," Naruto commanded. Kiba's team took off from the village. "Next team to leave is Sasuke's team." The team approached the gate. "Go!" Sasuke's team took off. "Last team to leave is Shikamaru's team. Go!" Shikamaru and his team exited the village on their course to the Mist Village.

Ryu flew through the trees with his team. They were following Sasuke through an unknown route to the Mist Village. Ryu glanced at Daiya. It was his responsibility to watch over him. He had promised to keep him safe. Ryu caught on to how Daiya acted as of late. It concerned him to a point. I can remember when he used to be afraid to take direction from me. Now he listens without an argument. Is this the right path for him? Was I being selfish about going to the Chunin exams? Ryu saw how focused Daiya was. I feel like I'm making a bad decision.

"Sensei, how long will it take us to get there," Saori asked.

"A few days," Sasuke answered as he touched down and leapt off a branch. "Keep your eyes and ears open. We aren't the only ones headed for the exams."

"What do you mean," Daiya said thinking his dad was referring to the teams that had just left the village.

"It'd be a shame if a few teams didn't make it to the docks. That's where we're headed. We warned you there was sabotage," Sasuke said.

"Oh, great," Ryu said sarcastically.

Ushi Sarumara from the Demon country moved his green eyes around. He smiled as he flicked his cigarette aside. "Time to play," he said as he leapt off the branch. Unlike some of the teams on the journey to the Chunin exams, his team had split up. What fools they are. It only makes them more of a target when they travel in packs.

Ushi stopped to form hand seals. Once the combination was completed, he touched the branch. Light shinned brightly throughout the area as the metal wolf he used on his targets showed itself. Ushi picked at his teeth. "It's time to play, Bansho. New Genin are dying to meet you."

The metal wolf turned its shiny head. Its long razor sharp metal hairs moved in the wind. Bansho sensed a new group coming towards them. It leapt off with its master to devour the Genin.

Yanagi Lee brought her leg out in a straight kick as the foreign ninja came towards her. She spun around unleashing a swarm of kunai at him. Yanagi's eyes widened as the man poofed to appear over her head. Her eyes drifted up to see him coming down on top of her.

Idai forced Yanagi to the ground as he shielded her from the man's shuriken attack. Idai brought out his word and rotated his wrist. He deflected the weapons from hitting her. It was the least of his problems.

Kiba and Masaru were fighting a large frightening wolf that appeared to be made of metal. The beast bit through a small sapling to get at them. Kiba pushed Masaru back as the bottom of his ninja shoe sent the wolf slamming into a tree. "All of you – go! Your concern is to get to the exam!"

Yanagi ducked as a kunai went over her head. She threw herself to the ground as Idai was forced back by the foreign ninja. She scrambled to get out of the way as Idai fought to keep the guy off of him. Yanagi froze as a metal head came around a tree to look directly at her. The wolf bared its teeth. Her eyes went wide.

Masaru threw his large shuriken at the branch over Yanagi and Idai. It sawed through the wood as if it were paper. Masaru grinned as the branch fell onto the metal wolf, slamming it onto the ground. "Don't underestimate me!"

Yanagi narrowed her eyes. She got up to turn on her heels. She ran directly at the guy who was fighting Idai. Yanagi tackled him from the side. "You're out numbered!" She punched him hard in the stomach as the man attempted to kick her. Yanagi blocked it. She hit the guy on the middle of his back with full force. The man was not staying down. He was back up moving his arms, twirling, to strike her.

Idai rotated both of his swords together. He turned his body to throw the wind at the guy as he went for Yanagi. Idai watched as the wind forced the man to be thrown out of their area. Idai breathed hard. He turned his head to glare at the wolf. It was trying to get out from under the heavy branch. Idai started to make his way towards it until Kiba called after him.

"We're done here. The best thing we can do is get out of here. He may not be alone. Idai, leave it," Kiba stressed. He waited until the team re-grouped before they took off.

Rock Lee guided his team safely through the area until they were in close range of a small village. "We're stopping here for the night. It'll be unwise to move any further," he said as they ran swiftly to the village. "I'll see if there is a place for us to stay." Lee walked off to find a resident or inn to take his team to.

Eiyu placed his back against the wall of a building. He sunk to the ground. "He's pushing us as hard as he can to get us there. Is there really ninja out there who are trying to stop us from reaching the exams?"

Onari crouched next to Eiyu. She placed her hand on the side of his head to push him towards her. Onari leaned her head on his. "Eiyu has not chased Onari enough to be concerned about chasing Lee this far."

Eiyu blushed. "You're embarrassing me," he said trying to avoid the way he was feeling. Despite him being comfortable with his new situation regarding Takeru, he still harbored feeling for Onari. Maybe it was wrong of me to break up with her. I shouldn't have let my ego get in the way.

Takeru patted Eiyu on the head to distract him. "Hey, what village is this anyway?" He was becoming slightly jealous of how at ease Eiyu was with Onari.

Eiyu glanced up at him. "How should I know?" He straightened his posture to where he wasn't leaning against Onari anymore. Eiyu finally stood up. "Let's go find Lee."

"He told us to wait here, Eiyu," Takeru said as his team leader started to walk off. Onari turned her head to look at him before she soon followed Eiyu. "No one ever listens to me," he muttered under his breath.

Eiyu glanced around the village at the people. Some of them were avoiding his gaze, or were staring. "I suppose there aren't a lot of ninja who come through here."

"Where could he have gone? This place isn't that big. It looks like a normal farming village," Takeru said as he moved out of the way. A man carrying hay went past him. Takeru looked ahead to see Lee walking towards them.

"I thought I instructed you three to wait where

you were," Lee said.

"It was Eiyu's idea to walk off," Takeru said placing the blame elsewhere.

"And whose idea was it to follow him," Lee countered. Takeru didn't seem to have a come back for that one. "Next time, I expect my team to listen. Now is not the time to be pointing fingers, Takeru."

Takeru stayed silent as they followed Lee to a hut on the other side of the village. A young woman stood at the front of the house. She appeared as if she were waiting on them.

"This way please," she said as she led the kids into the back of the shop. Shigeko gestured for them to follow her down a certain hallway to avoid being seen by customers. She issued them into a bare room. "We normally use this area for our stock to replenish the store. However, it will act as a temporary bedroom. Please be gone before you are noticed," she said as she exited the room.

"Friendly, wasn't she," Takeru said as his team stared at the bare room.

"It's to be expected. We're not wanted here. Ninja must have a negative effect on this village," Eiyu said. He looked out of the window. There were a few people walking past. "It's a quiet village. There isn't really anything exciting that goes on here."

"We should eat and lay down. It would be wise for us to leave as soon as twilight is upon us," Lee said taking the rations out for their journey.

Gin Akimichi led her team through the large open area of a field. They split up as they headed off to be less of a target. She formed hand seals as she darted around. "Chain link," she said as green strands glided from her fingers to the surrounding tall grass. Gin formed the images of her team mates in her mind. Who else is here?

The grass pulled up the image of a form she could barely decipher from its surroundings. It was a ninja who was able to camouflage his body in the grass. Gin stopped in her tracks as the images of two others entered her mind. Where are they?

The two images she had just received were on the outskirts of the field, waiting. The one ninja who was hard to see was moving through the field, searching. Gin had to warn her team. She opened her pocket to take out several seeds. Gin formed hand seals to get the seeds to grow into small plants which blossomed blue flowers. She picked the blossoms off the plants.

Gin Akimichi took out a kunai to write a warning on the petals. She cast the petals into the wind as it blew over the field. Gin kept concentrating using her Chain Link jutsu to get the plants to find her team mates. The petals were guided by the plants once they drifted down into their reach.

Areku skidded on his heels as he sniffed the air. He caught the scents of others in the field that weren't on his team. The boy with long hair crouched low to the ground, his feet and hands moving quickly around the plants. His father had taught him how to track. There was someone ahead that he couldn't see. The plants looked different to his slit eyes. Their color was slightly darker in certain areas. Areku darted quickly to his right to come around the area. Just as he did, the colors in the plants changed in all directions. He narrowed his eyes as he threw kunai at the discoloration.

Domeda Hiranuma bent his body to avoid the kunai. He wondered how he had been detected since his body was able to camouflage itself with his surroundings. No matter, he suspected he was to be found out eventually by other ninja. Domeda took out a long metal rod. His thumb touched the side of it to open the slots holding numerous slender spikes. Domeda smiled to let the boy see his teeth.

Areku signaled Ichigo to get back. The ninja was remaining camouflaged to keep his movements hidden from Areku's eyes. The only thing they could see was the weapon moving through the air as it started to tear apart the plants. He moved back quickly ducking his head and rotating on his heel as the ninja came at him with extreme speed. Areku moved his arms up to block a strike at his chest. The weapon tore through his sleeves. He gritted his teeth in pain as blood was drawn.

Kandai moved swiftly through the field. He could

hear Areku fighting someone. Byakugan! Kandai's face muscles tensed as his Kekkegenkai was activated. His vision shot forward to see Areku fighting a weapon that no one was holding. What the..? Kandai reached into the case on his leg to take out several shuriken. He threw the weapons at Areku. As they spun through the leaves hacking them off, Kandai formed hand seals. He poofed into a log in order to come straight around next to Areku.

Domeda whirled around to block the shuriken with his weapon. He wondered how many other ninja were choosing to travel in the field. Domeda turned around to strike the boy with his other hand. There was a ninja with long hair moving towards him. Domeda turned his body to miss the open palm hits on his chest.

Kandai missed his primary target, but he settled for getting the individual's arm. He quickly hit the chakra points on the man's arm. Areku signaled Ichigo to attack as well. Ichigo leapt with her mouth open at the man's arm. Kandai had revealed the arm once the chakra was blocked. Soon the ninja appeared. Ichigo growled as the man tried to shake her off. She bit harder keeping her hold on him.

Areku and Kandai tag teamed the ninja who thought he was going to stop them from making it through the field. They both whaled on him until he was yelling in pain. Areku gave the man a right hook so powerful, that he was knocked off his feet. He dusted his hands off. "How'd you know I was fighting?"

Kandai lifted the petal out of his shirt. "Gin

sent me a warning. I guess you didn't get yours. She knew there was someone out here waiting for us."

"So where did she and Shikamaru sensei get off

to," Areku asked.

Kandai pointed to the edge of the field. "I don't

think he was alone. They went to handle the other two who are waiting at the edge. He seemed to be the toughest out of his group."

"Yeah, well, team mates are supposed to fight together – not separate. I guess wherever they came from, they didn't learn that valuable lesson in their training," Areku said. He signaled Ichigo to stop kicking dirt at the ninja. "We need to catch up, Ich. He's not going to be getting up for a while."

Gin and Shikamaru had finished typing up the two ninjas who had been waiting for them. They looked behind them with their weapons drawn as Kandai and Areku emerged. Shikamaru turned his back to the ninja who were shouting at them to be freed. He signaled for them to take another route to the docks. Shikamaru suspected the team that had tried to ambush them was going to seek them out. The team took off in a straight direction from the field. When they were far enough away, they turned their route several times to confuse anyone trying to follow them.

Ryu sat near the hollow tree with his eyes and ears open. He held a kunai in one hand as he focused his Genjutsu. Behind him, his team slept soundly on the ground. He wasn't entirely sure if they were being followed. Ryu wondered if the other teams had had problems since leaving the village. Just in case, he was masking the tree to make it seem solid. He heard movement behind him. Ryu glanced quickly to see Daiya rubbing his eyes. "Go back to sleep, Daiya."

Daiya yawned hard. He turned his head to watch Ryu sitting at the entrance. "How long are you going to guard us?" He was incredibly tired. Sasuke had kept them moving since they left the village. Daiya knew his father and trainer was trying to keep them from running into trouble, or being seen.

"As long as I have to. My job is to guard my team. If you don't get the rest you need, your body is going to give out. Go back to sleep," he stressed again as fireflies moved through the forest.

Daiya reached his hand forward to touch Ryu's knee. He saw the older boy move his eyes towards him. "Do you think the other teams have run into trouble?"

Ryu knew Daiya was asking a lot of questions

because he was concerned. Takeru and Onari were on Lee's team. Daiya wasn't able to watch over them. Another factor was Idai and Yanagi were on Kiba's team. He had no way of knowing how far they had gotten, or if anything had happened. Then again, Ryu wondered if Daiya was simply worried about himself. He lifted his hand to place it on Daiya's back. "It doesn't help to worry. The teams still have Jounin with them to protect them. Now, go back to sleep," Ryu said moving his hand to place it over Daiya's face. He closed the boy's eyes.

Ryu turned back around to look out at the vast darkness in front of him. They had been fortunate enough not to find other ninja along the same route. Sasuke seemed to know a lot of hidden routes that other ninja didn't use. The man was intelligent as well as quick in actions to respond to his environment. As soon as twilight came, they would be off again. Ryu hoped they reached the docks without a problem.

Onari darted her eyes as she leapt from branch to branch. She sensed they weren't the only ones on the same route to the docks. Her ears picked up the movement of several others who were headed in the same direction they were. She stopped on a branch as her team went ahead. The wind blew through the trees. Whoever it was, was trying to use the wind as a sort of decoy to their whereabouts. Onari wasn't buying it. She formed hand seals quickly.

Onari's vision shot up from her body to scan the area around her in a three hundred and sixty degree revolution. She could see four others moving quickly off to her left. Onari's head cocked to the left as if the three were a bunch of idiots she was regarding. She turned on her heels. Onari decided to go after the four by herself. She leapt off.

Areku sniffed the air as the wind blew with his team moving through the area. They were getting close to the docks. The breeze sent salty air to his nostrils as well as the scents of a lot of people. "There's more than one team waiting at the docks. Should we continue to go ahead?"

Shikamaru nodded his head as he led his team in the direction of the large boats. "Once we reach the docks, we'll be safe. Extra precautions have been taken. There are more guards from our village ahead."

"You mean the ANBU have been sent out to make sure we get there," Kandai asked.

"No, not exactly. A few ANBU are guarding the Hokage. The others must remain in the village to protect it. Let's just say a lot of Jounin are interested in finding out who arrives at the docks. They have been sworn to protect the teams approaching," Shikamaru said as he saw the masts of the boats starting to appear over the trees.

Gin's hair flowed behind her as they found their way to the docks near the sea. She touched down on the ground to witness the waves of the sea beating against the shore. "We made it," she said with a smile. There were Jounin from the Leaf Village standing around to meet them.

"Congratulations on making it to the docks that will take you to the Water Country," a Jounin with short gray hair said. He approached the team slowly with his hands on his hips. "You are the 5th team from Konoha to make it here."

Kandai looked around. "We are? Which other teams have succeeded in getting this far?"

Shikamaru tilted his head to the right. "Take a look, Kandai. You know whose on that team."

Kandai turned his head to see his brother and Takeru Uchiha watching him. He ran to his brother with a smile on his face. "Eiyu, your team made it here before us. Where is the rest of your team?"

"Lee sensei went after Onari," Eiyu said with a bit of annoyance in his voice. "We don't know where she is. She was with us one minute and gone the next. Honestly, being on a team with her is driving my patience," he said as he glanced at Takeru as if it was his responsibility to watch over the girl.

"I'm glad you made it," Kandai said as he ignored Eiyu's serious tone. He placed his hands on his twin's shoulders. "Mom and Dad will be happy to know we made it this far."

Eiyu glanced at his brother. He didn't know why Kandai was touching him. Eiyu moved his hands up to remove his brother's hands. "You're embarrassing me," he said before he walked off to look at the docks by himself.

Takeru saw the sadness play out on Kandai's face. He moved his head to where Kandai could see him. "Kandai, Eiyu doesn't mean it. He's just…"

"Don't cover up for him, Takeru. Please, don't cover up for him," Kandai said as he looked into the Uchiha boy's dark eyes. "I know Eiyu doesn't particularly care for me. He's a very serious person. I'd like to get to know him better, but he's always been distant from me. Ever since we were little, I've watched him from afar. So it's alright if he still doesn't want to be near me."

Takeru stood up straight as he looked over at Eiyu who was moving from boat to boat with his head in the clouds. "I want to say Eiyu doesn't know how to be a brother. But you've given him every opportunity to do that. It's his choice to get to know you, Kandai. Daiya's not my real brother. He's a complete stranger. We're not even the same age. And at times, he does revert back to being untrustworthy. Yet, he tries to get to know me, or figure me out. I wish Eiyu was the same with you." Takeru walked past Kandai. There wasn't much he could say to the Hyuuga boy. He knew Kandai and Eiyu for a long time. They were always an odd pair.

Takeru walked towards the rest of Team 4. He looked up at Shikamaru as the man smoked his cigarette. "Onari took off again. What kind of techniques did you teach her up in that mountain," he asked about the snow village where the man had helped rescue the girl.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. He grumbled. "Onari's always had ideas of her own. I only taught her to run when her life depended on it. Perhaps your father taught her something," he suggested as he bent down to look at Takeru.

Takeru raised a brow slightly confused. "Dad only teaches her to defend herself. Mom's the one who teaches her to go after…," Takeru paused. He sighed. "Mom has taught her to go after what she has to. I thought it was only at the dinner table."

"Well, looks like you overlooked something," Shikamaru said as he stood up. "Wherever she went, she had a reason. If Lee went after her, he'll find her. All you have to do is look for the trail of groaning bodies," he said much to Takeru's disgusted look.

Rock Lee shot through the trees scouting for his student who had left her team. Of all the times for that girl to part from the group. Where could she have gone? His dark eyes kept focused on the area ahead of him as he kept moving. Onari was starting to act rashly in her decision making. He didn't know why the girl had decided to leave her team when they were close to the docks.

He saw a flash of light appear off to his right. Lee headed in that direction to find out what was going on. As he got near he heard the breaking of large branches as it echoed throughout the forest. Lee stopped on a branch. Down below was his student crouched with her hand hovering over the branch she had just broken with her strength. His eyes drifted to see a small red phoenix fly through the air quickly towards Onari. The bird's tail left traces of fire flakes through the air. It landed on the girl's shoulder.

Onari looked up to see Rock Lee standing over her head on another branch. She turned her gaze back into the abyss. If the male she had attacked decided to get up, she was going to knock him down even harder. Onari's guard was completely up. She was afraid and worried she would encounter Gekido or some of his men. However, it was surprising that she had not seen the man since she was a child. Yet, her fear dug deep.

Akaihi opened his beak to sing sweetly to Onari

in order to get her attention. When she turned her head to look at him, he raised his feathers. Onari was focusing too much attention on the ninja she had defeated. He wondered what else was on her mind.

Rock Lee noticed how tense his student was. He jumped down to her level. "Onari, it is unwise to have left your team. They are already at the docks waiting for the next vessel to head out. What has you on guard?"

Onari stood with Akaihi perched on her shoulder. "Ninja was tracking Onari's team, Lee." She held up a small humming bird. Its lifeless body revealed red dye dripping from its beak. "The red dye is sugar that lures the bird to its owner. Its how he was controlling it to scout us out. It told him how many of us there where and what direction we were heading in. Onari does not trust those she doesn't know."

Lee took the bird from Onari. He examined it before he chunked the lifeless form into the open. "You should have warned your team. It's never a good idea to leave the group. Have I not taught you this?"

"Onari is capable of protecting herself. She has to look after Takeru and Eiyu," she said with mild defensiveness. Her head turned to look back out at the trees. She wondered if anyone else was going to be stupid enough to try and spy on them. Onari hid a lot of her understanding from her team and the others around her. She knew what it meant if Gekido got a hold of her. It wasn't just the phoenix he was after. It was her. The heaven's scroll upon her skin was the last link to summon the celestials of legend. Onari had passed the links onto Takeru and Ryu for various reasons.

Takeru was the boy she was in love with. He had befriended her greatly over the past two years. Onari owed him for his kindness, as well as, becoming her first real friend. She could see Takeru's face in front of her smiling as she learned to eat new things and have new experiences with his family. She owed it to Izumi and Sasuke, who had both trained her on the side, to protect their sun. That is why she had given Uso the choice of testing Takeru. The dragon was the noblest of the four celestials. Uso would do everything in her ability to protect Takeru from harm.

When Ryu Yuhi had been dying, Onari opened the connection to Shogai. The turtle was as unyielding as Takeru's best friend. Ryu was a strong guy who, despite his non-caring attitude, displayed the very foundation Takeru stood on to succeed. Without Ryu to push Takeru, by example, the boy was not going to be of much use to Onari.

Saori Nara had gained Josei on her own. The tiger sensed Saori's fighting spirit in the midst of a crisis. It was not Onari's choice to include Shikamaru's daughter in the web Gekido had woven. If Onari had had her way, she would have given the tiger to another – Daiya, or possibly Eiyu. However, what was done, was done. Saori was now included with her boyfriend.

Onari suspected fate had a strange way of playing out when one's life was in danger – or seen as a destruction force. If Gekido got her body, Onari would not be able to stop him from claiming the other three who had a celestial. The phoenix is required for the ingredient to the cycle of life and the cycle of destruction. All he had to do was get his hands on Akaihi to start a chain reaction. The other three who had celestials wouldn't back down to protect each other, thus the cycle of destruction would begin.

As long as she and Takeru formed a union, the cycle of creation existed in peace and harmony. Without Takeru, Onari was lost. The dragon and phoenix must cooperate, or everything falls apart. There won't be war with the lightening country as long as I breathe. I will protect Takeru if it means defying my trainer, Sasuke, and my brothers. Her yellow eyes glanced back at Lee. The man had his arms crossed.

"We need to head back before the boats leave us. We will discuss this later when we can get a hold of Sasuke," Lee said with sternness. He knew Onari would not regard him as an authority figure. In training, she only followed Takeru as an example. She never regarded him as a Master, or someone who knew any better than her. What a stubborn girl…

Ryu, Daiya, and Saori fell to the ground as they made their way out of the forest surrounding the docks. Saori rolled over breathing hard with Daiya next to her. "We made it. We finally made it," she as her kept beating out of her chest.

"We've been going all day like there's a mass of ninja on our tails," Ryu commented. He lifted his hand to take his glove off. Ryu glanced at Daiya. The boy was breathing hard with a certain look of unpleasantness on his face. Ryu put his hand on his team mate's forehead to make sure he wasn't cold and clammy. He's alright. For now, at least.

"It looks like my dad and Lee's teams are here, too," Saori said straining her head before she rolled over. "I didn't think we would meet at the docks. I thought we would all meet at the Chunin exams when everyone was about to start."

"Our boat leaves in a short while. You all can rest for now," Sasuke said resuming his trainer attitude. He was making sure Ryu was still tending to Daiya. Sasuke didn't know how long Daiya was going to last at the exams. The opponents and situations were going to be unlike any he had experienced before. All he could hope for was that Saori and Ryu were near him in case danger was near. He walked away.

Sasuke signaled out his son sitting next to Kandai Hyuuga on a few crates. Once he had made his way over, he placed his hand on his son's head to get his attention. Takeru turned his head, not expecting him to be there. "Hi. I see you all made. Where's Onari and Eiyu?" His eyes searched the area for the two missing from Team 9.

"Dad!" Takeru hugged his father around the mid section. "Onari went off on her own, again. Lee had to go after her. Eiyu is being a mole," he said. "I think he's off somewhere looking at the boats more closely."

"Takeru, we're in public. You're not a child anymore," Sasuke said giving his son a certain look to make him let go. "I expect you to act like an adult from here on out."

"He's still your little boy, isn't he," Kandai asked with a smile.

"Kandai, where's your team," Sasuke asked rather

embarrassed with a sweat drop.

"Hah! I beat you to the water," Idai said as Masaru chased him down the dock. He heard Yanagi calling him and Masaru back. Idai turned around to see her waving at them. "What is it now?"

"It's time for us to leave. The other teams have already came and gone. We're the last ones to show," Masaru said jerking his thumb. They started to walk together to head back. "Are you nervous about going to the Mist Village?"

Idai glanced at Masaru with his orange eyes, his long red hair flowing in the sunset breeze. "No. Is there a reason I'm supposed to be afraid of a bunch of secretive ninja?"

"I don't know. They are quite the ruthless type. Any of my dad's men who have gone up against them have lost their lives," Masaru commented to Idai. "I wouldn't take them lightly, Idai. You never know what you're going to be up against."

"And they don't know what they're up against," Idai said with a cold hearted voice. "I'm not all sunshine and joy anymore, Masaru. You have no idea what I've gone through since I left. And in saying, you don't' know what I can do."

Masaru only looked at Idai rather strangely. His friend's face had a certain sinister expression on it. He knew Idai had been holding back a lot of things since they had rejoined as a team. Masaru wondered if the time would come if he'd be up against Idai in the exam. He didn't want to fight Idai, but there was always that hidden surprise awaiting them.

Yanagi grabbed Masaru and Idai's hands as she turned around to lead them to the boat they were getting on. "It's time to go, you two. Kiba sensei has already gotten us clearance to board. You know who left before we got here? Lee's team was ahead of us. It seems Onari left her group again to run off. It delayed them."

"You overheard that, didn't you," Idai asked as he blushed at Yanagi holding his hand. He wondered what would have happened between them if Daiya had turned Yanagi down from the start. Idai had secretly liked Yanagi when he had been put on the same team as her. It wasn't just Masaru who had a fondness for her. She was a very bright girl who meant a lot to him. Yanagi managed to keep everyone on her team going; not to mention Daiya.

"I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. I heard one of the Jounin here talk about the teams that had left. We are the last team to leave, but I think it's funny that out of everyone who has left, Lee's team was ahead of us," she said as she felt Idai grab her hand a little hard. Yanagi's eyes opened wide. She blushed and looked down at his hand.

"Sorry," Idai said softly. He was glad Masaru wasn't paying attention to his slip up. Idai tried to play it off as they neared the boat. "I thought I saw something in the water."

Yanagi turned around to look at him. Idai was staring hard at the water in the sea. "What did you think you saw?"

"A shark. I've never seen one before. Maybe we'll get to see one before we get to the water country," Idai said as he smiled at her with his eyes closed.

Nice save, Idai. Masaru sulked as he shook his head. He knew Idai better than his friend knew himself.

"I've got all of your bags with me," Kiba said as the kids approached. He was lugging all of them on his shoulder. "When we board, don't eat anything for a while. I don't want sick students this early into the voyage," he said as he walked with them up the ramp.

"I've never been on a boat before," Idai said as he looked at how massive it was. "How many people do you think this thing can hold?" He was amazed at the large sails. The boat was starting to move away from the docks.

"I'd say a comfortable hundred," Kiba said placing their bags down. He turned his head to see Yanagi and Masaru leaning over the side of the top deck near the steering mast. "You two be careful!" Kiba couldn't help going after the two curious kids.

"They're alright," the captain of the boat said as he steered the large vessel. "Curiosity never hurt anyone. You can tell it's their first time being on the open sea."

"Yeah, but curiosity gets a ninja killed," Idai said under his breath. "Kiba, can we eat now? We haven't had anything since this morning. There's nothing on our stomachs to make us puke," Idai yelled.

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Say that a little louder, Idai. I don't think the entire crew heard that," he said sarcastically.

"Ryu, are you feeling any better," Saori asked as she rubbed his back. Ryu was hunkered over the side of the boat with a sick look on his face. She wondered if she had stopped throwing up. "It's been a while since we've been on a ship like this. And the water's a little rougher at night."

Ryu groaned as he closed his eyes. It's worse with my eyes closed. He opened his eyes again to see a bowl of rice topped the veggies and meat in his face. Ryu's eyes widened.

"I saved you some dinner," Daiya said. He watched Ryu push the bowl away only to vomit more. Daiya tensed at the sound of it.

"I don't think that was wise, Daiya," Saori said as he tilted his head. "It's no wonder Yanagi likes you so much. You have cute dumbfounded qualities like Ryu," she said with a giggle.

Daiya blushed at what Saori had said. She was comparing him to Ryu – someone he highly respected. "I-I do-do not!"

Ryu slumped to the deck. "Daiya if you don't take that bowl back, I'm going to chase you all over the boat till we get to the water country!" Ryu glared at him. He had been sick for so long that he was annoyed to the max about it.

Saori watched Daiya lower his head. He walked away from them. "Ryu, he didn't know you were still sick. He was only trying to be nice," she said touching her boyfriend's pale face.

"He needs to use his head more," Ryu said avoiding the concern in her voice. "Sasuke isn't too happy about Daiya participating. The run we had earlier took a toll on him. Haven't you noticed he's been below deck since we boarded?"

Saori hadn't really noticed it. She thought Daiya was trying to get some alone time with Sasuke. "I haven't been paying too much attention to his body gestures. I'm sorry, Ryu."

"You need to help me keep an eye on him. I won't forgive myself if he doesn't make it," Ryu said. He felt he was the solely responsible for Daiya's welfare.

Takeru sat next to Onari as the ship bobbed up and down on the open sea. He watched the men move about across the deck. Eiyu was busy learning how the ship worked. He had been talking to the shipmates a lot since they had boarded. "Where did you go earlier? You took off from the team, Ri."

Onari was wondering when he was going to bring it up. She glanced at him. He was handsome in the moonlight. "Onari sensed a ninja following us for some time. She had to go and take care of him before he signaled others to get involved."

"So instead of telling us, your team mates, you went off on your own. How is that solving the problem, Onari? We're in this together," Takeru said turning his head to where he could see her face. The mask she wore was hanging on the side of her head. "You're supposed to trust us – trust me."

"Onari is sworn to protect Takeru. Takeru does not understand what he will have to face if Gekido shows his presence," she said stressing her words. Takeru's eyes narrowed. He was turning angry. Onari moved her body back.

"I know why I chose to link to Uso. Don't tell me this, now of all times, that I should have backed out, Onari," he said in anger. "What are you hiding from me?" The girl's eyes didn't waver from his, but stayed focused. "You are hiding something. You're always hiding things from us! Not just me, but dad, mom, Daiya! Don't you care what happens if you don't tell us?"

"Onari cares more about Takeru than Takeru realizes! That's why Onari has kept it hidden for so long! If he knew what she did, he would have cast her out," Onari yelled loudly enough to where the crew around them stopped for a second.

"Cast you out? You don't know how I feel about you," Takeru said in a hurt, angry voice. "If you think that sort of thing in your head, maybe you should have stayed with Eiyu!" Takeru got up quickly to leave her alone. He couldn't be around her when there was tension in the air. He knew she was up to something. Onari was always watching and waiting for something. The way she trained surfaced in his mind. He crossed his arms and stared at the dark sea. It's always been about her training. Every step she has made has been in preparation to fight someone else. I thought she just wanted to be near me – part of our family. I can't believe her!

Eiyu approached Takeru slowly. "Takeru, I know this doesn't mean much coming from me, but Onari was trying to catch up to you so she could be on a team with you. When we trained with her at home, she was always telling my father how she wanted to be like you." Takeru turned his head to regard him. "She comes from a completely different world than ours. We have families who protect us and love us. Ninja train to fight. Isn't it alright if Onari continues to train and fight with us – whatever her reasons?"

Takeru turned back around. "That's not what I'm angry, Eiyu. She chose to trick me into linking to the celestial dragon to benefit her quest – or whatever it is. I'm not a fool! My father didn't raise one!" He gritted his teeth not wanting to speak to Eiyu any further.

Eiyu placed his hand on Takeru's shoulder. "No, you're not a fool. You're a very smart guy who has shown that girl more compassion and understanding than a lot of people. You can't let the walls she has keep you outside."

Onari sat on the highest wooden pole she could get on. The sails moved around her as the ship tottered on the sea below her. She let her leg hang off the pole as she wiped her eyes. Akaihi was watching her sadly. "Onari did not trick Takeru, Akaihi." She stared out into the darkness of sea and stars.

Akaihi moved forward on the pole his feet clacking against the wood. He didn't want her sad over an argument. She needed to keep her head focused. Akaihi cooed sweetly as his feathers erupted in flames. He blew out smoke rings to get her attention.

Onari lifted her eyes to see the phoenix blowing smoke. "What are you doing? The crewmen might think the mast is on fire."

Akaihi turned around in a circle as he blew a large smoke ring. He leapt off the wooden pole to fly through it then back to her. Onari was trying to suppress a smile. Akaihi blew fire out to the right side of his body. His eyes got wide as if he were afraid then bailed down the pole, blowing fire in the other direction to run back towards Onari. He did this a few times trying to get her to laugh.

Onari caught on to what he was doing. The phoenix was acting as if he were scared of the fire flames being left behind. She smiled moving her hand in the air. The phoenix approached to where she could pet his head. Flames licked across her fingers, not harming her. "Defuse, Akaihi. Onari isn't sad anymore. Takeru will get over it, as brother Daiya says."

Akaihi defused the flames around his body. He lowered his body to where he could look up into her face. That's my girl.


	77. Chapter 77

**V8 ch 6**

**The Chunin Exams**

**Part I**

**Enter into the Mist**

Takeru stood quietly as Rock Lee showed the passes to the guards at the front gate of the Mist Village. His dark eyes stared at the ground. Onari kept glancing at him, but he wouldn't look at her. There were numerous teams standing behind them. Takeru's mind was focused on the journey they had taken to get here.

Eiyu stepped forward realizing Takeru was not moving. He turned around to tug on his sleeve. "Takeru, we've been cleared. Come on, you need to focus."

Takeru followed Eiyu into the Mist Village with his eyes watching the boy's shoes. He glanced around lazily. I feel betrayed. What is she planning? Did I get Uso to fight with her in some war involving her clan? I thought we were in love with each other. Maybe it's just me. Onari wants revenge for her parents. If her uncle gains the phoenix, she said he controls it. I don't understand this anymore. He doesn't know where she is… What are the chances of him finding her?

Rock Lee put his hand on Takeru's shoulder. "You need to pay attention, Takeru. It wouldn't be brilliant to walk into a cart," he said steering the boy away. "What happened on the boat? You've been distancing yourself from the team."

Takeru shook his head. "Nothing, Lee. I'd rather forget it." Eiyu and Onari were moving ahead in the crowd. Other teams were coming into the village, as well. Lee handed Takeru his pass. Takeru took it and put it into his pocket.

"Don't get lost. I'll come get you after a while," Lee said. He didn't know what was going on, but Takeru needed time to think about it before the exams started.

Takeru found himself wandering the Mist Village aimlessly. This was the village his mother was from. He glanced around at the ninja who passed him on the road. He was so lost in thought that he didn't see a large man stepping out from a building. Takeru ran straight into him. He stepped back to see the man carrying large bundles of baskets filled with grain on each of his shoulders. "Sorry," Takeru said softly. The man ignored him.

"It's kind of a pain to use your head like that," a voice from off to his right said. Takeru turned his head to see a boy about the same age as his brother with brown hair in the form of a Mohawk with blue eyes. "You're from the sky country," he said recognizing the symbol around the guy's neck.

"And you're from the fire country," Enshi said pointing to the symbol on the boy's left arm. "Goto Enshi," he said introducing himself. His team stood behind him.

"We don't have any quarrels with the leaf village do we? It'd be such a shame to introduce one's self if the situation is heavy," Jun Umehara said moving his long blond hair aside. Mae, his pet flying squirrel stuck her head out of his oversized white shirt.

"No, we don't have quarrels with anyone," Chie Shibata commented. She eyed the younger boy with her one eye. "Wandering an unknown village without your team, makes you a target. You're no safer here, than you are outside the village," she said.

"I can hold my own," Takeru said blinking his eyes to reveal Sharingan.

Chie crossed her arms. "Don't get me wrong, kid. We don't want to start a fight this early in the day. Save it for the tournament."

Jun offered Mae a berry to nibble on. "Now that we're all chummy, lets get a cup of tea," he said clapping his hands together. "Nothing says friendship quite like a calm relaxing cup of jasmine."

"Clueless as ever," Chie said looking at her team mate.

"Sorry, Jun will take any chance he can get to partake in his aristocratic ways," Enshi said. "It seems you arrived here just as we did – so why not? It'll take you rmind off of things."

Takeru blinked his eyes again to turn Sharingan off. "How did you know something was bothering me?" The team turned around for him to follow their lead.

"Because your head's in the clouds," Jun said

with a gentle smile. "That's our territory." Mae climbed to the top of his head to get a better view as they walked down the road.

He reminds me of Kandai.

Minwa Ui smiled under his gas mask. "Look at what we found. A team trying to get to their room. Should we let them pass?"

Umai Nozora opened his mouth. He stared right at the blond headed girl with pig tails. "You're a cute one. What weapons do you have hidden in that shirt of yours? Open it and show us."

Saori's eyes widened. The male's voice lingered in her ears. She started to move her hand up to unbutton her shirt. Saori couldn't stop herself.

Daiya grabbed his team mate's wrist. "Saori, don't!" He struggled to keep her from obeying the ninja from the sound village. "Ryu, she's not stopping," he said grunting to keep her arms away.

Ryu narrowed his eyes. "Let her go. Now," he said with a growl. He started to move towards the team withdrawing a kunai.

Rina Nagai moved forward taking out her metal devices. They dangled from her fingertips as they spun. "Not so fast. One wrong move and I'll send your head cracking wide open," she said with a sly smile.

"How about we make things a little more interesting," Umai said. He leaned forward to take out a small light thin whistle. He blew it once, his eyes focusing on a particular member of that team. "Attack your team mates." He blew the whistle three times to initiate the command.

Ryu turned his head expecting Saori to attack. His eyes went wide with shock as Daiya started to charge. His team mate lifted his hand aimed at Ryu. The charges started to crackle down the boy's arm. He's not aware what he's doing! What did they do to him?

Ryu threw himself to the floor as an electrical charge went over his head. The flash of electricity burned the wall. "Daiya, knock it off!"

Minwa chuckled. "You're not a very good leader, are you? You can't even stop your team." He opened his armor to reveal long pipes jutting out of his sides and back. Noxious fumes started to escape the pipes. "Nighty night, team from Konoha."

Ryu coughed hard. He struggled to keep his body upright, his focus on the sound village team. Ryu tried to throw his kunai at the figures in front of him, but their forms were swirling in his vision. The kunai tumbled to the floor as it slipped from his fingers, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. The last thing he heard was Saori and Daiya falling to the floor beside him.

"He's coming around," Ryu heard a voice say. He opened his eyes to see a ceiling overhead. Ryu sat up quickly to throw a kunai at whoever was near him. His head became dizzy as Shikamaru grabbed his wrist. Ryu fell backwards with a groan.

"Take it easy, Ryu. Whoever attacked you fled the scene," Shikamaru said as he placed a cold rag on the boy's forehead. He noticed Ryu was craning his head to look around the room. "Saori and Daiya woke up some time ago. Who was it that attacked you?"

Ryu sat up holding his head. "Sound-nin. They stopped us in the hall. They wouldn't let us pass. Daiya attacked me and Saori tried to reveal her weapons to them. Those bastards were controlling them," he said as his head ached.

"I thought I trained you better than this," Sasuke said from Ryu's left. The genin turned his head to blink his eyes at him. "You're supposed to be on guard at all times in a village. This isn't Konoha. Some of these students are playing for keeps; as you found out today. Think of their mischief as a warning to you and your team."

"You call that mischief? I call that an attack," Ryu said almost coming off the bed at his trainer. "I wasn't the only one to blame for not reacting quicker. You left us alone. We're in your care while-"

"Your responsibility is to protect your team, Ryu Yuhi," Sasuke said with a fatherly tone. Ryu slightly lowered his head, calming down. "Have you forgotten that my son and Shikamaru's daughter are also in your care? I shouldn't have to worry about my students defending themselves against anyone with the training I've given them. You have been prepared for this moment. It's called 'survival'. I suggest you get your head out of your rear and make sure your team survives the exams."

Ryu turned his head away as Sasuke walked out slamming the door. He closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and slammed his fist into the bed. My screw ups are going to cost my team their lives!

Shikamaru watched Ryu punish himself with his own mental thoughts for a while. He finally decided to speak after Ryu calmed down. "You're not the only one whose made major mistakes with his team," he said with a low caring tone. Ryu glanced at him. "I once almost cost the lives of Neji Hyuuga, Choji Akimichi, Kiba Inuzuka, and the Hokage." That seemed to get Ryu's attention. "A long time ago – something I'll probably get in trouble for mentioning – all of us were sent on a mission to get Sasuke back from ninja who had captured him. We were up against the most strongest opponents we had ever faced. Each of us, had almost died fighting to save him. Trying to be wise and quick to solve the problem, I split everyone up to handle each ninja – a huge mistake. We should have faced them all together. That would have been wiser. Our ages and inexperience were against us. The end result was, Sasuke was gained by a man named Orochimaru. We couldn't save him, Ryu.

I was upset at my decision making. I know strategy when it comes to facing my opponents. I thought I was wiser and had better planned everything out. But when I learned Choji had worn himself out in his fight; Kiba had almost came close to sacrificing himself; and both Neji and the Hokage were spent to the ending strands of their chakra, I broke. It was all my fault. My father told me I wasn't a man because I had acted too rashly in my decision making. I vowed to become a man from that day on – to come up with better strategy – to not cost my team their lives. Today you've learned the same lesson I did. You need to become a man to protect them, Ryu. Saori loves you more than you'll realize. And Daiya looks up to you as much as he does Sasuke. Today, become a man to protect them."

Ryu could not answer Shikamaru as he listened to the man's testimony. He could only sit quietly, with ears open, and eyes staring. Today, he had to come a man to protect his team. It wasn't Sasuke's job anymore – it was his.

Gin Akimichi sat on the floor of the room in the inn where they were staying for the Chunin exams. She looked over the forms of her sleeping team mates. Her eyes moved from each one of them, burning the memory into her mind until she stopped to look at Shikamaru. He was sprawled out with his hair loose. She had never seen him without a ponytail before. Gin covered her mouth giggling. He looks like a sleeping prince. I wonder if Ms. Temari is in love with this side of him as well. She smiled to herself. Tomorrow the Chunin exams would begin.

Gin wondered where the other teams were. Her fingers trailed on the bed of the futon as she thought about Idai. They weren't supposed to have any contact with each other until the exams started. Shikamaru had informed them there were always chances of fighting their own friends, or team mates. It was a random draw. Gin didn't want to go up against Idai. He was the person she was in love with. Her heart skipped a beat trying to imagine him fighting. She put both of her hands together in a prayer. I hope you do well, Idai.

"Sasuke's team was attacked by sound-nin once they were left alone," Kiba told his team as they sat at the low table looking over their food. "We can't take any chances these next few weeks. I don't want my team alone. I expect all of you to watch over each other."

"We can do better than that," Masaru said as he stared at his food with his chopsticks in hand. "We can look after all of our allies as well as ourselves. I'm not afraid of any sound-nin, or any other ninja that comes near us."

Idai sat with his chin rested on his hand. He squeezed Yanagi's hand under the table. "I doubt Team 2 knew what was coming. Sound-nin are sneaky," he said of himself and of what he remembered as a small boy living there. "They probably ambushed the team. They knew were and when Team 2 was for a while."

"Or they just wanted to toy with them," Kiba said as he caught Yanagi's frown. "They had every opportunity to finish them off while they were unguarded. No one would have been the wiser to who it was. Why did they choose to leave them alive?"

"It was a warning," Yanagi said as she pictured Team 2 under attack. "They're overly confident of their own abilities. Idai is right about them watching and waiting as Ryu's team moved through the village. How else would they have known when Sasuke sensei wasn't around? We need to be on our toes," Yanagi said with a hard stare at the table.

Onari stood on the roof of the inn watching the stars above the sky. Her team was fast asleep below. She had a lot on her mind and needed to get her head clear. Akaihi clacked his nails on the rooftop. He was defused to keep a low profile. Onari sensed someone behind her, watching her. "Why is Idai watching Onari?"

Idai walked over to her slowly with his head craned up at the sky. He had gotten over the fight between him and Onari. It had taken a lot of re-direction by Kiba to make him realize she was doing what her training entailed. "You're just like me, in some respects. We seek higher places when we have things on our minds. What's on yours?"

Onari felt Idai sit next to her. He was petting Akaihi on the head. Should she bother to tell Idai what was really bothering her, or let it go? "Onari had a fight with Takeru."

Idai turned his head slowly to look at her. "First off, try saying I instead of your name. It makes you sound less significant to the others around you," he said tapping her shoulder. She turned her head to look at him. "I had a fight with Takeru," he repeated.

"On- I had a fight with Takeru," she said. It felt strange to be equals with the others around her. Onari's yellow eyes watched Idai lean his head forward a bit.

"What did you two fight about?" He hadn't known Takeru to fight with anyone in a serious manner. Most of the time he had arguments with Daiya, or Onari, but that was over trivial matters.

"Takeru thinks I have tricked him into linking with the celestial dragon," she said in a hurt voice. "He won't talk to me right now. He keeps telling me I'm hiding things from him."

"You are," Idai said as she flipped her head quickly to regard him. "You've been hiding yourself this whole time, like I have. You're not really all that serious, or stand offish like Daiya, Onari. Underneath that tough skin of yours lies a girl who is afraid of what she's been training for." He could see it in her eyes. "You're afraid to lose those around you like Takeru is. Maybe that's why the two of you are so perfect for each other." He laid back to stare up into the sky. Akaihi crawled onto his stomach and laid down.

"See, from what I know, Takeru has been alone most of his life. Until you came along, he didn't have anyone who would listen to him, or regard him. You sought him out – to learn from him – but also to be his friend. Haven't you realized that your bond with him is stronger than his and Ryu's?" Idai turned his head to see her sad eyes. She hadn't realized it. "When you came to the Uchiha house, he was prepared to accept you for whatever background you had. I don't know too many people that are like that."

Onari bit her bottom lip nervously. Takeru had always been smiling and playing with her. Even when she misbehaved or didn't understand something, he was there with her. He was always guiding her with a smile, or coaxing with his hand. Onari owed him more than just a simple explanation of who she was.

"I promise if you open the doors to that secret garden of yours, he'll caress every flower in it," Idai said in a soft, romantic way. "He does care about you, Onari. He just feels betrayed that he's shown you who he is without ever knowing you." Idai sat up abruptly once he heard her crying. Akaihi fell off of him and tumbled over a few times. "Ah, Onari, I didn't mean to make you cry!"

Idai moved in front of her on his knees. He leaned towards her watching the tears flow down her face. "Please stop crying. I'm an idiot for saying it that way. I really am." She shook her head at him. His eyes softened. "Daiya's going to beat me up for making his sister cry."

Onari reached her hand up to place her finger over Idai's lips. "No, Idai is correct about what On- I have done. I haven't shown Takeru who I am. He has been very open about who he is and what he wants. I have been avoiding such an influential person that I love."

"So… what are you going to do to make it up to him," Idai asked. He watched Onari come up with an idea. He yelped as Akaihi bit his finger for throwing him off. "I can't win right now," he said as he wrestled his finger out of the phoenix's mouth.

Takeru Uchiha woke to the sunlight peeping through the window in the inn. He raised his body slowly. It felt as if every bone in him ached – even his heart. Takeru lifted his hand over his chest to touch it. His sad eyes looked over at Eiyu and Rock Lee sleeping soundly. He wondered how early it was. His eyes moved around the room to look at Onari sleeping far away from the group, but she wasn't there.

Takeru arose to find a piece of paper with a message written on it near his ninja sandals. You are requested in the kitchen. The paper slipped from his fingertips onto the floor. Takeru walked slowly out of the room. What was Onari up to? His feet touched the bases of the stairs as he moved to the first floor. Takeru looked around the quiet area.

He soon moved to the back of the inn where the kitchen was located. His hand brushed the curtain away as he stepped inside. Takeru's eyes befell upon a small table. It was decorated with plates and food. He moved towards it. Was he supposed to sit here?

Takeru sat down on his knees with his hands placed on his legs. He wasn't in the mood to eat. Soon he heard soft movement towards the doorframe he had walked through. A husky looking man entered the room. He glanced at Takeru then preceded to write down a list of items he needed for the day. After his list was complete, he left.

Takeru lifted his hand absentmindedly to touch the bowl of food in front of him. It was still steaming. Why did she go to all of this trouble? He hung his head letting his long bangs shield his view.

Onari hung from the ceiling watching Takeru. She didn't know what was going through his mind. He wasn't aware she was there. She let her chakra detach from the ceiling to flip over in the air. Onari landed behind him with the grace of a bird. She crouched with her hands on the floor and leaned her head towards his ear. "I love Takeru Uchiha as much as it is a bird's destiny to fly. I did not give him the dragon to ensure he would fight by my side." He slowly turned his head to look at her with a hollow gaze.

Onari looked at him sadly as she reached forward to touch his hand. "I gave you Uso so she could ensure your survival. I am very aware how strong Gekido is and what he controls at his fingertips. An army of lightening users are a reality, Takeru. It only takes one to waste an entire family. I do not want that to be your fate."

Takeru looked down at his hand as Onari shyly held onto his one finger. "If that is the reality you're afraid of, why keep it to yourself, Onari? I can't do my part to protect you if you don't trust me. Who are you really?" His eyes rose to look into hers. "Who are you," he repeated.

Onari knew in that moment that Idai was correct at what Takeru perceived. He didn't truly know her, or understand her. She lowered her head. "I'm afraid," she admitted. "All of the training your parents have taught me is out of fear. I do not want to be killed like my parents from Gekido, or his men. I do not want my brother, or you taken away from me. I've caused you a lot of pain by not letting you inside. But how do I know that you'll still accept me if I act the way I feel?"

"Stupid," Takeru said as she looked at him hurt. "I've liked you no matter what crazy things you've done in the past. Onari, you're not that slick. None of us are." He kissed her softly to make his point. "Trusting someone takes a lot of effort. You've wasted two years of your life guarding yourself instead of opening yourself to me." He ran his fingers through her long dark hair. "I wish you would give me a chance to know you. The real you, Ri – not just letting me skate on the ice. I want to swim in you," he said with half lidded eyes as his lips hovered over hers.

Onari grabbed his face and brought his lips closer to hers. She kissed him deeply and slowly, letting him feel every ounce of her emotions. Onari pulled Takeru with her as she laid back. She blushed hard as she touched his cheek watching him from her view. "I think you need to eat breakfast. We start the Chunin exams today."

Takeru shook his head as he turned his head to kiss her hand sweetly. "I don't need breakfast. I can live without food for a while. I only need you," he said sincerely.

Onari blushed hard. She moved her hand through Takeru's hair. Onari stared at him for a while until the sun was getting over the trees. "Takeru, please eat. You're going to need your strength for the match."

"Only if you'll eat with me," he compromised. Onari tilted her head on the floor with her eyebrow raised. Takeru pulled her up.

"I only made food for you," she said as he turned around to grab the chopsticks. Onari watched as Takeru got some of the stew. He brought it to her mouth and waited. Onari felt her pulse increasing. She opened her mouth slowly and cautiously. Takeru simply started to feed her before he ate himself. She watched him eat hurriedly as she sat next to him with her heart racing.

Takeru drank his tea in two gulps. He set it back

on the table. "Ri, I like how shy you are," he said much to her surprise. "Who would have known that's what's behind your walls?" He turned to see her gaze on him with her mouth slightly open. He reached up to close her mouth.

The teams walked down a long hall until all of them were gathered in a large circular room with many doors. Every team from the various countries looked around the room at their opponents. They were sizing everyone up. The tension in the room was enough to make Ryu Yuhi tense. He wondered where they were going to take the written portion of the exam. Every country gave a written portion. However, the Mist Village was one sneaky place. He noticed that the Jounin were standing high above them on various platforms. They were being watched. "We seem to have an audience," Ryu said gesturing his head up. His team started to look in the same direction.

"They're up to something," Saori said taking the words right out of Daiya's mouth. She had been accustomed to being cautious since gaining him as an allay. "Notice the doors around the room. Why are we gathered in such a large area if we're to take the written portion of the exam?"

Daiya's eyes shifted to stare at each person who was near him. He saw ninja from the Wind country as well as the Grass country. Soon they moved away and his eyes were stuck on ninja from the lightening country. "They're from the lightening country," he said almost in a whisper.

Saori turned her head in the same direction as Daiya's. "So they did send a team to compete in the exams. One of them appears to be a lightening user, too," she said noticing the strange metal plates on the boy's outfit. He didn't resemble Daiya in any form, but his attire was similar. She looked at Daiya who seemed to be quite uneasy. "Are you worried about them finding out where you came from, Daiya?"

Daiya swallowed before he answered. "I don't know which side they are on. I don't want them finding out about Onari. They could have ties to the person she fears. I'll protect her if it costs me my life," he said seriously much to Saori's surprise.

"Before you go being heroic, I'd suggest you start protecting yourself," Ryu said. "Onari can take care of herself. Don't jump out of fear. They don't know you, or her. You're letting your mind run away with you."

Aku Endoso smiled evilly as he looked out at the teams in the room. "They look absolutely delicious," he said licking his lips as he kept his eyes focused on a particular ninja he was interested in. "I want that one, first," he said about a girl with blond hair in ponytails. "Her chakra has to be the best out of the bunch."

Meiji Kamon held onto the bazooka he had strapped to his back. "I doubt her chakra is what you're interested in," he said moving his eye over the girl's figure. She was interestingly voluptuous.

"Males are incredibly disgusting," Arawasu Ryusaki commented. She adjusted the grass insignia on her waist. "We're here to win. So if we come across your little favorite, I will slaughter her," she said with malice as she stared the girl down.

Indo Otani from the Hidden Hot Springs sensed she was being watched. She turned her head to see a girl from the grass country eying her. Indo waved to her with a big smile and giggled. I'm going to kick your butt. Nice to meet you. She put her arms together and made sure her breasts were squeezed. The girl from the grass country turned around to hit both of her team mates upside the head.

Masafumi Okasawa shook his head as he watched Indo embarrass the team. "If you keep doing that, they're all going to stare at you. At least have a little bit of dignity." He filed his nails as he waited for the exams to begin.

Indo turned around with a pouting lip. She flipped her head to the side making a sad face. "Masafumi is so mean to Indo. She's only having a little bit of fun," she said defending herself. "Besides if I know what they're interested in, I can use it against them." She winked at him as she raised her finger.

"I'd like to see you use the interest of killing us against them, "Masafumi countered as he adjusted his glasses. "Remind me how you got to be the team leader again." He crossed his arms.

"She bribed us, remember? We hardly knew each other and she gave each one of us a kiss while begging to be the top dog," Ogai Maikoka said reminding his team. "It's our own fault."

Masafumi sweat dropped. "That may be so, but we deserve a better team leader who isn't going to use us as her pawns." He eyed Indo who was turned around doing the same thing as before to another guy on another team. He tensed and closed his eyes. "Indo, pay attention!"

Indo turned around with an innocent expression on her face. She reached up putting her arms around Masafumi's neck. Indo pressed her chest close to his. "You're jealous because I'm not showing you that kind of attention," she said with a chime in her voice.

"I am not! I have someone I like back home. You're not as dignified as her," Masafumi said as Indo asked Ogai who he was referring to. He narrowed his eyes getting angry as he heard his team mates discuss the possibility of it being his mother.

"It's time to weed these kids out," said Haruchi, an older ninja, who signaled to the Jounin around him. The Jounin nodded as they signaled for the doors to be shut behind the students and locked. The students turned around as the heavy doors slammed into place. He watched some of them get into defense mode trying to figure out what was going on. Soon he started to walk out to the edge of the platform above the students. He placed his hands on his hips. "Well now, it seems none of you have any idea what is going to befall you – Good, good."

"The first part of the Chunin exams will begin shortly. You all are gathered here to pick a door to enter. What you will find is a challenge unlike any you have expected. Now your exam begins," he said with a smirk as the students regarded his words. "Do it," he signaled the Jounin around him.

The Mist Village Jounin jumped from the platforms to run at the students. They started to herd the students away from each other to split the crowd up. "Move it, or you die here," a man told several teams as he took out a kunai. "Go towards the door!"

A girl fell over onto her side afraid of what was happening around her and her team. A man came at her with a malicious expression. "Get up," he said forcefully stomping his feet on the ground. He turned his head to see a fist coming straight at him. The man was thrown off of his feet. His body slid on the ground.

Idai narrowed his eyes. "Ninja don't take orders from anyone but they're own leader. You're not her leader," he said with a low threatening voice. He helped the girl up.

The girl tensed as she saw three ninja coming straight at them. "Look out," Nabiku shouted. The guy with long red hair started to unsheathe two swords that he wore on his back. She blushed hard as she noticed the insignia on the straps around his arms. He's from the leaf village.

Idai rotated both of his blades, spun on his heels, then sent the gusts of wind at the three ninja coming at him. He kept his body rooted in place as the force of the wind sent the Jounin back. Idai glanced out of the corner of his eye at two others who were deciding to target him. "Not so fast," he said as he directed his chakra at his feet. Idai jumped as if he were a jackrabbit avoiding a pack of wolves. The Jounin slammed into each other. Idai landed next to them prodding them with his foot.

He looked around the room. The other Jounin had managed to herd the various teams into certain sections for each door. He was in the middle protecting a girl he didn't know as the man on the platform gave him a harsh look. Idai gave him the same expression back.

"You with the swords," Haruchi yelled above the students. "Get back to your team before I disqualify you! NOW!"

Nabiku bowed low to the guy who had helped her. She stood up blushing as she heard someone from another team off to her right yell at them. Nabiku turned around to go back to her team. She ran to them.

"Idai, quit screwing around! If you disqualify us, I'll knock the hell out of you," Masaru said as he shouted. He saw Idai glance around before starting to move towards them. "Does he have to cause trouble everywhere he goes?"

"No, but that girl was threatened, Masaru. Idai's not going to let anyone bully another person. He takes it personally. If it had been you, he would have defended you in a heart beat," Yanagi said as the Jounin eyed Idai when he approached. "What happened out there?"

Idai turned his head to look behind him to make sure the girl was safely back with her team. "That bastard wanted to get his point across when she fell. I don't approve of anyone playing on someone's fears," he said to quiet the matter.

Haruchi shook his head at the upheaval that kid had caused. "There are ten doors in this room. Each door will hold ten teams. The object for each team is to complete the puzzle that is inside the room. Find out it's meaning to help you with the second part of the exam. If you manage to survive both parts, you will fight until you are a successor or a loser. If your team cannot get all of the parts to the riddle, you are disqualified." He signaled for the Jounin to open the doors.

"Enter the rooms now. Each team will go through that opening – either left or right and stop. A small opening will lift and your team will gain a piece of parchment. Upon that parchment is a clue. Complete the riddle by outwitting the other teams," the woman said. She signaled the ten teams to go inside.

Each team entered the rooms cautiously looking around. Once they were all inside, Haruchi gave the signal for the Jounin to close the doors, locking the students in. The Jounin moved into position, pressed a button, and the door started to automatically shut. They moved back and waited. There was utter darkness in the rooms. Haruchi soon heard the students arguing and yelling as they became confused to the darkness. "Now let's see which teams survive. This will help to weed them out," he said with a smile before he turned around to walk off the platform.

Enshi Goto couldn't see anything in the darkness of the room. He could hear people trying to move around, but they were bumping into each other. "Why don't we regroup the situation so we can figure out what's going on?"

Jun Umehara moved his hair aside as he tried to let his eyes adjust. It was pitch dark. "It's apparent that we're suppose to get to the target without seeing where we're going."

"Or fight without knowing whose around us," Chie Shibata said as she stayed against the wall. She started to feel along it walking sideways. "Come on, you two. We can't just stay in this room. We're sitting ducks like this."

"And where do you suppose we go once we get what we're supposed to retrieve," Jun asked as he held onto her arm. He tugged Enshi to follow them through the darkness. "It's a rather peculiar predicament," he said in his aristocratic voice. "Whoever heard of a written exam being in the dark?"

"That's not the point," Enshi said as he mind started to whirl with solutions. "It's to make it more challenging. The target is still the same. It's no different than taking a mission at night. Just watch yourselves. Some of the teams are getting heated," he said.

Azuki Kobi, from the Valley, moved her body around trying to feel for her team mates. She wasn't surprised that she had poked Kimi in the eye. "Sorry," she apologized. "I can't tell where you are," she told him.

"Most people feel below head length," Kimi Seo said rubbing his eye. "This is ridiculous. They want us to attack each other in here to limit ourselves as well as everyone else. It's a no-win situation."

Ikki Usami popped a pill into his mouth after he had managed to fish it out of his coat. "I wouldn't say that," he said as his voice started to change from human to that of a beast. His eyes changed to a bright yellow. The pills he used let him see the heat signatures of others around him. "This is more to my advantage. Maybe I should thank them for this opportunity." He looked around to see three ninja up against the wall moving towards the entrance.

Ikki grabbed the arms of his two team mates. "This way. We have some competition already going for the parchment." He led his team through the opening and off to the left. There he ran into the wall. "Ah, dead end," he said shaking his head.

"Why don't you let me help," Azuki said moving past Ikki to get to the front. She started to feel along the wall for an opening. "There's something here. I can feel the way the stone is cut out. I can't figure out how to open it."

"Show me where the groove is," Ikki said. Azuki grabbed his clawed hand and let his nail slip into it. He started to slide his claws under it. Ikki pulled with all of his might, grunting as the stone started to lift. They all heard it open.

Kimi reached forward to feel around for the parchment. He found it. "I've got it," he said withdrawing his hand. As he did, the stone door closed suddenly.

"Now what do we do," Azuki asked. The wall in front of them started to slide apart. "It opened. Are we supposed to go in there," she breathed.

"What other choice do we have," Kimi said as he walked inside. The rest of his team followed. Kimi kept his hands on the walls trying to find out which directions they were going, but once the stone wall closed again, lights turned on. He blinked his eyes. It was tough coming out of the darkness. "This is a change."

Ikki smiled revealing his sharp teeth. "Yeah, but now it's fair game. Whatever that parchment says is our key to finding out what the second part of the exam is."

"It's not going to be that easy, Ikki," Kimi said showing Azuki what was written upon it. "We have one word: The. Whoever has the other two are the ones we fight," he said noticing the number three written in the corner with a circle around it.

Areku Inuzuka and Ichigo sifted through the scents of the ninja around them to find Gin and Kandai. His team mates were starting to get as confused as the other teams in the dark room. "This way," he said leading his team straight ahead. "It's amazing that once a person's sight is gone, how useless they can be."

Kandai held onto Areku's vest as they weeded themselves through the crowd of ninja who were bumping into each other. Each team was having difficulty getting past the obstacle, but some were also finding their way through the opening. He felt along the wall until it stopped at the end of the tunnel. "I think the parchment is located somewhere in this area. That man told us to grab it at the end of the hall."

Areku sniffed hard. "It's behind the wall. I can smell the ink upon it. There's going to be a certain way to open it. We just have to find it."

Gin Akimichi formed hand seals in front of her body. She didn't need to use her sight to know the sequence to unlock one of her jutsus. "Forest seekers," she said using one of her newer techniques. Vines started to lift out of the stone floor. The plant structures twisted and grew upon the wall . Soon the newer, smaller vines started to make its way in the grooves of the stone, searching for an opening. Gin heard the stone creaking as it began to open. "There we go." She reached forward to grab the parchment. "Now that we have it, what do we do?"

Kandai turned around to hear other teams finding their way down the paths. "We run," he said as his head flipped around to see the wall moving aside. Gin latched onto his wrist to pull him into the wall with her and Areku. Kandai blinked his eyes trying to adjust to the light that suddenly turned on. "Where are we?"

Areku turned his head around to hear another team attempting to open the wall. "Wherever we are, we need to get going. There's another team behind us. Right now, let's try to avoid coming into contact with anyone. We need to figure out what this place is."

Gin started to run down the hall as it began to curve one way then another. "I think it's a maze," she said as she skidded on her heels. There were three different ways to go. "Which way," she turned her head asking Areku.

Ichigo sniffed along the floor to figure out what other direction the previous teams had been taking. She shook her head grunting as she made comments. The teams ahead of them had each went a different way. There was no way of knowing which direction to take.

"One of them has to be the correct direction," Areku said. He could hear the other teams catching up. "We have to pick one. Choose one, Gin, we don't have time to stand here."

Kandai grabbed both of his team mates and jutted off to the left. He urged them to keep going. Within a matter of minutes they came into a large room. He looked around to see the three openings behind him. "They all went the same direction. It's used as a distraction tactic."

Areku wondered what this room was for. He walked forward slowly until he saw a different colored stone on the floor. Cautiously, he touched it with his foot. Areku had to really stomp it in order for there to be a reaction. The stones around him started to lower into the ground. Ichigo was barking madly at Gin and Areku. "Get on! It's the only way out of this room!"

Gin and Kandai quickly ran towards their team mate. The floor underneath them was lowering into the earth. Team four didn't have a clue where it lead, but it was their only option. Gin screamed at the floor they were standing on tilted to drop them off. They fell several feet onto another floor. She looked up to see the stone floor lifting back into place. Gin turned over onto her stomach so she could get up. "We're trapped."

Eiyu went straight for the girl's chakra points as he spun on his heels to avoid a strike at his chest. He hit her once on the shoulder and as he attempted to strike at her collarbone, she blocked his hand, latched onto his wrist causing his body to move down. Eiyu grunted as he was kicked full force into the chest with the girl's leg. He coughed hard going down to the stone floor.

It was impossible to see in the darkness of the room. He could hear other teams fighting each other, as well as, the others around them. They were all trying to make light of the situation. He heard the girl who had kicked him yell in outrage as her forearm was clamped down upon. Eiyu knew it was Onari defending him.

"Let go of me, you little-," the girl swore until Onari put more pressure on the girl's arm. Now the unknown student was alarmed at how Onari was breaking her bone. She was trying to get away from her and calling to her team mates to defend her. Onari turned her head at to the sound of a boy approaching her from the back. She moved her body fully to her right, letting the boy's arm come over her shoulder. Instead of hitting her, he hit his own team mate square in the face. The girl went tumbling backwards. Onari lifted her body off the floor, spun slightly and came back around to nail the guy with her fist.

Takeru was busy forming hand seals to light the room. He had to be cautious of using his fire jutsu in the room. There was no way of knowing who was near him. Takeru made sure he was pressed against the wall before he slowly blew. A tiny flame came out of his mouth. For a split second, the area around him was illuminated. Eiyu was fighting two guys at once while Onari ducked to the floor letting two girls run into each other. Everyone was in a huge unorganized mess. Takeru sighed disappointed. This isn't what I expected from the Mist Village…

"Takeru, could you stop playing around with fire and help us," Eiyu said rather aggravated as he tried to avoid three others coming after him in the darkness. He skidded on his heels to force his hands down while his feet came up. Eiyu used the wall to give him an extra push as he twisted his body in the air. He landed on his shoulder blades. Eiyu began to spin, rotating his body as his legs came out. "Three hundred speed kick!"

Onari threw herself to the side as the three ninja came soaring past her. Eiyu was breathing hard; she could tell that much by his increased agitation. Onari stood as a wall in front of Eiyu as someone came at them. She lifted her hand. When the boy came within her reach, she hit three direct spots near his collar bone stunning him. As he stood in pain, she sent her chakra directly at him. The boy was pushed back by an immense force. She heard his ninja shoes skid on the floor until he slammed into the wall. "I'm tired of cat and mouse. Can we play tag now?"

Takeru smirked as he signaled her voice out. He grabbed onto her hand pulling her along as he yelled, "Eiyu, this way!" Takeru ran through the opening of the stone wall and down the path to the right. He didn't know why he chose that particular path. Once they had managed to find out how to get the parchment out, they made their way through another opening.

Eiyu moved his team along as he heard other teams starting to figure out the puzzle. "We need to get out of here fast. They're starting to catch up with us." He led his team through the left tunnel with the parchment. Much to his surprise, all of the tunnels connected. It led them into one single room. "I suppose now we fight to the death."

"I wouldn't say that," Takeru said as he noticed a particular stone on the floor. It wasn't the same color as the others. He bent down to touch it with his hand. Something clicked. They all stood up in defense mode as the floor started to lower with them on it. Eiyu looked at him rather strangely as he laughed embarrassed. "Maybe I do have a brain in my head, Eiyu."

Eiyu smiled shaking his head. "No, that was luck, Takeru. It could have been a trap for all you know." Eiyu felt his body tilting to the right. He yelped as he and his team went tumbling to another floor. He fell on top of Takeru. The stone floor moved back into place over their heads. Eiyu was pushed by Takeru to get off. He sat up taking in the room. "What's the point of this room?"

"It's another riddle," Takeru said as he blew small streams of fire out so he could see. "Ri, can I have some of the bandages around your arms?" He took out a kunai. Takeru wrapped the bandages around the end of the kunai then preceded to blow out fire. Now they had a torch. "What were you saying again, Eiyu?"

"Alright, now you're being a smart ass," Eiyu said as he walked to stand next to Takeru. His eyes looked up to strange pictures on the wall in front of them. "I guess this is another riddle we have to figure out," he said watching Onari trace her hand over the images. "It appears to be the symbols for the earth's elements. This is a compass," Eiyu said tapping his finger to a point of paint on the wall. "The earth's elements are all associated with certain directions."

"Like Feng Shui, I guess," Takeru said watching Eiyu nod. "So we just have to put these symbols in the correct positions," he said moving his hand towards them. Eiyu grabbed his wrist. Takeru turned his head. "Why are you stopping me?"

"It's not that easy, Takeru. Onari explain it to him," Eiyu said knowing Takeru would fathom what she said in her own words. He let go of his wrist.

"The symbols of the earth must be put in a certain order. What order are we trying to create? There are two paths for the earth to take: Creation and Destruction. If we create the wrong path for the earth to follow, a trap will be laid upon us," Onari said. She pointed to the symbol for fire. "Fire is the start of creation and destruction." Onari pressed the symbol. The stone moved into place. They watched the fire symbol light up. It was correct. "What is next, Takeru?" She was giving him the opportunity to figure it out for himself, instead of relying on Eiyu's brain intellect.

Takeru looked at the other symbols on the wall. "It can't be metal. Metal isn't a natural element. It's something deep in the earth. It has to be water, wood, or earth next." He sifted through the images in his mind and what they related to. "Wood has to be on earth. Water has to be beyond wood, but it is above earth. The next symbol is earth!" Takeru pushed the symbol in before Eiyu or Onari could say a word. The symbol glowed green. It was correct.

Onari moved Eiyu's hand along the wall until it touched the symbol for 'metal'. "Metal is next, Eiyu. Fire must start the process. Earth must come next for a foundation. Metal is what sparks life and the center of creation."

Eiyu pressed the symbol. It glowed silver through the stone. "So far it's: Fire, Earth, and Metal. Wood or water is next." He thought about it for a minute. "Wood cannot exist without water to make a seed grow. Water has to exist for life to begin." He pressed the symbol for water. It glowed blue.

Takeru took Onari's hand. He forced her to push in the symbol for 'wood' with his fingers over hers. "And life begins with plants."

Team 9 turned their heads to the left as a door opened. They hadn't noticed it before. With the parchment in their possession, they continued upon their journey of the first part of the Chunin exam. They had no notion of how the other teams were fairing. However, they would get as far as they could with each other by their side.

To be continued…


	78. Chapter 78

**V8 ch 7**

Bombs, Dolls, and darkness, oh my!

Idai ran with his team through the darkness of the tunnel, leading them through the maze of twists and turns. He soon abruptly stopped, his ear picking up the faint sound of someone's feet shuffling on the stone floor. He signaled for Yanagi and Masaru to take different routes from his. He didn't know who was ahead, but he wasn't going to jeopardize his team's safety. It was clearly a trap.

Yanagi glued her chakra to the wall as she started to run in an arch from her point of entry. She moved swiftly trying to throw the attacker off guard as Masaru ran on the wall opposite her. She came off the wall with her leg out shooting blindly for whoever was crouched near the corner. Her foot came into contact with a person's face. She heard him groan as his fingers slipped on his weapon. The weapon the boy was holding turned over and over on the stone floor. Yanagi was on top of him in a matter of seconds.

Idai unsheathed his swords from their confinements on his back. As he withdrew his weapons, a girl came running at him from the side. Idai moved the sword in his left hand up to block the kunai blade she had grasped in her hand. He spun on his left heel, coming around to aim the other sword at her side. The blade was forced to the girl's left, her body moving back to avoid it. Idai started to spin the sword in his right hand down the blade of the other sword. A vast wind of sound came shattering through the air. His opponent quickly covered her ears. Idai had her. He flicked his wrist, causing the wind to suddenly elevate in speed and pressure. The girl was thrown backwards against the wall.

Masaru smiled as he went into hand-to-hand combat with an older boy wearing a mask. He didn't bother unclipping the large shuriken on his back. Masaru decided at this close range, it was perfect to use the Byakugan. He concentrated focusing his attention on his kekkegenkai; inherited from his mother, Hinata. Masaru saw the chakra points light up like beacons on the boy's body. He moved his arms out quickly in alternating punches to hit directly on certain points to stop the boy's attacks. The boy breathed hard moving back, finally catching onto Masaru's attacks. He wasn't giving up.

Masaru charged the boy, ducking his body as he spun around to avoid the high kicks towards the space where his head once was. He forced his chakra out from the palms of his hands, hitting the boy's legs. The chakra was now stopped on all four limbs. He watched as the boy fell over. Masaru turned to see the boy Yanagi was fighting unclip a bomb attached to his waist. He shouted for her to withdraw.

Yanagi wasn't afraid of anything. She wanted to use the training everyone had given her to outwit this opponent. As the bomb was thrown at her, she formed hand seals with rapid speed. Her body position poofed into the air moving out of harm's way. The bomb was airborne; its position heading straight down the path. As soon as it hit the floor, it was going to explode. She turned her head, her eyes following the path of the bomb.

Idai moved his body back, directing his swords at the bomb. He had to throw it off course. If it hit the floor, the entire area was going to be one big deathtrap. Idai spun both of his swords together causing the amount of wind to throw the bomb against the wall. As it headed in its new direction, he ran forth tackling Yanagi to the floor. He covered her with his body as the bomb detonated. The explosion caused the wall of the tunnel to collapse. Huge amounts of stone came tumbling down behind them.

Idai coughed as he hovered over Yanagi. He shook his head free of the debri. "We can't go back that way. No one is going to be able to get in," he commented watching small bits of stone fall onto the larger pieces. If they had been near that, by any means, they would have been buried and crushed. He turned to give the other ninja a piece of his mind, but Masaru had beat him to it – with a punch. Their opponent was left unconscious on the floor.

Yanagi blushed hard wondering when Idai was going to move from his position. Even Daiya didn't sit on her like this. It made her slightly uncomfortable. As she glanced at him, his eyes met hers. He, too, started to blush, embarrassed at where he still was. "Th-Thanks," she said softly as he rose. Idai helped her up offering his hand to her. She brushed off her clothes. Masaru was still swearing and yelling at the unconscious boy on the floor. "Masaru, it's not like he can hear you."

Idai breathed hard, his eyes darting around looking for any more signs of an ambush. He dragged one of the ninja to the wall to leave him. He turned his head watching Masaru react to the previous fight. His team mate was slightly on edge since the bomb had gone off. The Hokage's son was contemplating moving on, or ending another's life. The kunai in his hand was raised to his collarbone in defense, fingers gripping tightly. "Masaru, this is a test. Unless we're on a real mission, or our lives are in danger – leave it."

Masaru stared at the ninja on the stone floor, waiting for him to move. He wanted to limit the chances of being a target of revenge. "I can't. What if they come after us again? What if we meet some time down the road and they remember it was us who caused them to fail? I can't leave it."

Idai narrowed his eyes. "You're looking at probabilities and not reality. I'm giving a direct order – leave it!"

Yanagi handed the piece of parchment she had found off to one of her butterfly scouts. She sensed the defiance radiating from Masaru. "Whether you want to look bad, or not, is not your decision," she said breaking the dead silence in the air. "Idai is the team leader. You have to obey him."

Masaru moved his eyes to look at Yanagi. "Yeah, well, what if he wasn't the leader? We're only on teams for a short while until we get our own missions. I won't have to listen to either of you anymore, or worry about ridicule from Kiba." He walked off ahead of them in the darkness.

"He's been outweighing my authority lately," Idai stated as he issued Yanagi to move on. "Let's hope he's up against me later on. I'll slam him so hard on his rear, he'll think he broke his tailbone."

Yanagi glanced at him. She didn't know what was going through Masaru's head. Is he trying to prove to us he's outgrown the team? Odd considering he still has much to learn about maturity.

Kiba waited at the top of the tower with the other trainers from around the lands. He leaned on the rail overlooking the long bridge. The water below sparkled with the cast of stars in the night sky. He breathed the air, his lungs filling with the various scents. A few teams had already made it out of the winding tunnels to find themselves out in the open. He watched as a team from the wind country crossed the bridge. They seemed to be dirty from the trial. He wondered if his team was going to pop up any time soon. His mind was a bit worried. Idai hadn't been back but a few months since his departure.

Kiba was already seeing the different attack styles and mental capabilities of each member in the team. Yanagi was the most problematic. She was able to figure out how to get out of situations using her head a lot better than using her fist. Unlike when he had first met her, Yanagi was already finding her own styles. She trusted herself a lot more. He wondered if that had anything to do with her relationship with Sasuke's adopted son. Daiya struggled with his own ailments, and in turn, he suspected that made Yanagi stronger.

Masaru was another matter. At times, the boy took direction well, but he was also stubborn in his way of thinking. Deep down, Kiba believed he was burdened with the demands of being a Hokage's son. Masaru had a lot to live up to. It messed with his head and his confidence. The boy had been showing defiance lately towards Idai. He thought Masaru would take direction if Idai came back, but now it was proving to be the opposite. He sighed, his mind weary over his team. He wanted them to be able to survive the exams.

"Looks like you've got a lot on your mind," Sasuke said from behind his fellow trainer. Kiba didn't turn around. The man's shoulders told him he was in deep thought. Sasuke moved beside him, his eyes searching the bridge. "A few teams are coming out of the tunnels. That's a good sign. Maybe it wasn't too hard for them."

"I'm surprised you aren't worried," Kiba said as his eyes saw a team coming out of the cave after the first one. He knew Sasuke wasn't going to admit anything, or speak his mind. "Haven't you been contemplating your team's chances?"

Sasuke leaned onto the rail with his arms hanging off. "If I keep thinking about it, I'll want to go into those tunnels myself and find them. I have to keep my mind off of it. They're doing the best they can."

Kiba knew the conversation wasn't just about Sasuke's team. It was also about his sons. "I hope they make it," he said speaking of both. "Ryu won't let anything happen to Daiya. He's going to be overprotective with the condition he's in."

Sasuke needed to hear those words. It made him feel a little better about allowing Daiya to participate. "I know. He's a good team leader, even with his flaws."

"Am I allowed to be pessimistic," Takeru said as he stood looking at the stone boulders now in their way. He wondered what could have happened here. "We've come so far. Man, how are we going to get past this?"

Eiyu walked up touching the rocks with his fingertips. "It looks like there was an explosion. A bomb, Takeru," he said in simple terms. "Someone decided to make sure no one got any further." He turned his head to see Onari digging through the rubble. "Onari, what good is that going to do?"

"How else are we supposed to move it, Eiyu," she countered with her usual serious tone. Her hands wrapped around a stone about as wide as Gin's father. She grunted, arching her back to lift it. As the stone came off the pile, she staggered back to place it against the wall. Onari gave the boys a certain look to make them work.

Eiyu couldn't believe they were going to have to be laborers to get everything out of the way. "You know, if another team comes behind us while we're doing this, we'll have to fight them. It's not a good situation."

Takeru figured he was right. There was bound to be teams who hadn't gotten all three of the parchments to move on to the next test. "Eiyu, what do you suppose the words mean anyway?"

Eiyu grunted heavily trying to lift a medium-sized boulder. He was forced to put it down, almost jamming his fingers under it. "This thing is too heavy," he panted. He saw Takeru put his arms around it. Eiyu went back to lifting it with Takeru's help. They moved it to the side of the tunnel. "At this rate, it's going to take us a long time to remove these. I'm not sure if it's daylight or nightfall out there."

"Eiyu, what do the words mean on the parchment pieces," Takeru asked again trying to refocus his team mate.

"Huh? Oh, the parchments we've gathered. The three words are: tower, the, and crux. So all you have to do is put them in order," Eiyu said moving to another good sized boulder.

Takeru thought about the words. "Crux the tower? No, that's not right. Tower the crux? That doesn't sound right either."

"The tower crux?" Eiyu shook his head continuing to move the boulders. Onari was already clearing the path as best she could. She wasn't appearing to move everything, but just enough so they could get through. "The crux tower?"

Onari looked up at a large boulder that was bigger than she was. She wasn't sure if she could move it. "Onari is not positive that one can be lifted."

Takeru looked up at the large piece of rock. "Ri, no offense, but I don't want you to get hurt." He saw her looking down at her hands. "You won't be able to bust through that without causing a landslide."

"He's right," Eiyu said pushing her back. "After all the ones we've moved, it seems there are too many of them. We can't move all of them. By the time we're finished, the exam will be over."

Onari began to move towards the pile of rocks again. "Onari is not calling it quits," she said stubbornly. She started to lift the rocks even faster, her anger taking over. She had worked too hard to get on a team in order to let some test defy her.

"Instead of wearing yourself out, how would you prefer some help," Areku asked from behind them. Team 9 turned around to stare at him. "We're not after your parchments," he said reassuring them. "We already have ours. Anyway, Ichigo and I can help you get those out of the way. Besides, if we don't we'll be here all night waiting for the mist-nin to let us out."

Gin tottered on her feet. They had came upon the other team struggling to free the path ahead. She walked forward waving to Takeru. "Hi, Takeru. You look awfully tired," she said with a soft smile. "Would you all like us to help you? I can push the rocks out of the way with one of my jutsus."

Eiyu pondered. "I didn't think of that," he admitted. "It would be easier for Gin to use her plant jutsus to free the rocks with the least damage to anyone."

Kandai stood silently watching his brother. He and Eiyu weren't on talking terms right now. He averted his eyes pretending he didn't know who he was.

Areku moved back pulling Kandai with him. "Quit zoning out on us. Whatever problem you have with Eiyu can be settled later. Right now, move out of the way. Those plants of hers don't have a mind of their own."

Gin formed hand seals in front of her body, she searched with her mind's eye for any plant life that was growing under the stone floor, or in the walls. She frowned. "There aren't any seeds I can use in this area," she said with disdained hope. "I'm sorry, I can't."

Eiyu sighed. "It was a nice thought. We just have to find another way to get out of here. We only have till morning to make it out of the tunnel. Any other plans?"

"Why not go with Areku's original plan to use he and Ichigo? They could easily move the boulders aside," Kandai suggested again holding his hand out. He shrunk back when Eiyu glanced in his direction.

"How are you and that little dog going to move those," Takeru asked. He saw Areku smile at him in a way that made him tense. "What? Did I just say something funny?"

"Ich and I are bonded to each other through teamwork and friendship. I can mold my body with hers," Areku said. "There's a lot you don't know about the Inuzuka clan," he said with confidence. "I also don't show all of my abilities in the training rings. All of you might want to move back as far as you can. Once we're molded together, the canine instinct takes over."

Onari walked with the others down the path until Kandai stopped waving her farther into the dark. "What does he mean by the canine instinct takes over? Is Areku going to urinate on his territory?"

Gin put her hands over her mouth. She blushed. Onari was defiantly Daiya's sister. They were both open-mouthed about what their thoughts pertained.

Kandai smiled at her not able to help her outright question. "No, he and Ichigo are going to get bigger. You'll see."

Areku looked once again at the boulders in the way of the path. "Alright, Ich, we've got work to do," he said. She barked her approval. Areku formed hand seals in front of his body, focusing on he and Ichigo's bond with one another. They both poofed into a large two-headed gray dog. He growled with Ichigo, both of their heads moving around to examine the area. Their scents and canine instincts were heightened.

"Oh, my,-" Takeru tensed as he saw the huge teeth on the two-headed dog. The ears of the beast were slicked back, alert for any sign of movement. He was slightly afraid to move.

Areku and Ichigo preceded to paw at the boulders. A few of them fell to the stone floor, slamming and cracking against each other. They moved them aside until the area was clear. The two-headed dog slammed both of its heads into the boulders causing them to crack. Again, Areku and Ichigo moved forward pressing their paws into the ground for stability. The boulders were beginning to show resistance.

Gin covered her ears. Areku was surely getting into the challenge. He and Ichigo slammed so hard into the boulders that several of them were lifted free of their placement. She screamed seeing two coming towards the group. Gin threw several seeds out in front of the group, reacting quickly to shield them. "Vine fortress!" The vines shot out of the seeds, growing thicker as they headed for the ceiling. "Run!" She wasn't sure if the vines would hold the boulders off.

Takeru wrapped his fingers around Gin's arm yanking her along as the boulders crashed into the vines. The impact caused the vines to break quiet easily, but it did slow the boulders down. All of them threw themselves to the ground as the boulders rolled over several times. He turned around to see a boulder no more than four feet away. If they hadn't of leapt, they would have been under them. "Working with Areku is dangerous."

Once the task was finished, Areku and Ichigo separated. It was taking a lot of chakra to maintain their current form. He breathed hard falling onto his rear. "I hope there isn't any more obstacles ahead," he breathed. Ichigo barked her reply. She hoped there weren't either.

"Good work," Gin said praising her team mate. "Now all we have to do is leave the tunnel. We're almost to the end. And time is almost up," she said starting to run down the tunnel.

Team 9 was following her. Onari had stopped to lift Areku onto her back despite his protests of being carried. She wasn't in the mood to listen to his complaints. "Be quiet, Kiba boy," she said hushing him. "There is no time to worry about pride."

"What other things do I have to worry about? You're not even on my team, Onari! What are they going to think when we exit like this," Areku shouted as Ichigo struggled to hold on.

Saori sipped water as she sat at the table inside the Crux Tower. Her team had had a bit of trouble finding the parchments, but they had made it with enough time to spare. Daiya was fast asleep on the table, his eyes closed with his head laying on his arms. Ryu, however, was sitting watching him to make sure he was alright. "He's just worn out, Ryu. He's okay," she said with a reassuring smile.

Ryu lifted his hand placing it on Daiya's head. He was still responsible for the boy's welfare. Sasuke had been right earlier. He had a lot to worry about. Shikamaru's daughter and Sasuke's son were on his team – two very important people to him. He removed his hand looking up to stare out of the window. "Well, all be damn. Here comes Team 9 and 4. Time's almost up," he said watching the sun starting to peek over the trees.

Saori turned around. "Why is Onari carrying Areku? He's not on her team."

Ryu watched Onari drop Areku on his rear. She hurried to catch up to her team. Areku seemed stunned he was dropped so closely to the entrance. "Who knows," he said with a frown, shaking his head.

Teams 9 and 4 busted through the entrance almost  
falling over each other. They were all panting, looking around the area. Other teams were watching them curiously.

"Were we the last ones to make it out of there," Kandai asked. He saw two-thirds of the original teams in the waiting area. "The tunnels took out quite a few teams."

"That's the whole point of them," Takeru said. He was starting to get weird looks by some of the teams. They were up against some powerful opponents in the next few days. This was only the beginning. "Come on, we need to find a seat. See you guys later," he said moving through the crowd of ninja with his eyes darting.

Onari flipped her head to hear the main doors shutting. "Takeru, we are locked in," she said confirming her assumption. A ninja tried to open the door out of panic, but he wasn't able to. The teams in the room were starting to get anxious. None of them had any idea what was in store for them.

Eiyu found a spot near one of the corners in the room. He kept his eyes focused ahead. "We need to figure out the meaning of the parchment. I know what a tower is. But what is a crux?"

Takeru reached behind his back taking out a kunai. He felt trapped with the other teams. They were watching each other as if there was a piece of meat out in the open and they were all starving. "I have the feeling we're not going to get any farther unless we fight again. We're at a huge disadvantage. The teams that were close to the time limit are going to be the most fatigued. Team 4 is also getting glared at. All of them are planning against us."

"Apparently some of you don't know about the graduation rites of the Mist Village," a guy with long black hair said. He smiled at the teams around his own. "This is a death match. Those of you that can survive to make it out of here alive, moves on to the next round."

"You have to be kidding," Nomi Kakimomoto from the Snow country shouted. She saw the boy sneer at her ridiculous statement. Her eyes moved around the room hearing stone moving out of place. Soon she found it. A small opening in the wall started to lift off the floor. It revealed a low tunnel type opening. There was no other escape from the room.

Hikaru Kuwabara stood his ground, his tall form towering over most of the students there. His one eye started to size up everyone in comparison. He knew what his team had when it came to combat. "We're not afraid of any of you," he said in his deep male voice.

Kaoru Sakiyurai peeped out from behind Hikaru, his blue eyes hinting at his playfulness. His small form was not to be taken lightly on his team. It allowed him to maneuver in tight spots – such as this one. Kaoru spun the long circular metal plate hanging from his wrist. "I'm ready to play with all of you," he said in his boyish nature.

Achira Baisotei from the Rice country grunted as he was hit from behind. His head swam with star lines as he tottered on his feet. Before he knew it, he had crashed to the floor unconscious.

Fusae Saga whirled around with a kunai drawn, her eyes narrowed for whoever had attacked her team mate. "Who was it," she demanded, her arms tense as she stood in the middle of the room, "Who attacked him?"

Eda Ichiro threw a small thin needle called a senbon at the girl who had her kunai drawn. The needle lodged directly into her neck, its poison seeping into her flesh. "I did," he said as his team started to move.

"Oh, crap, it's started," Saori said watching the Marsh team move through the crowd picking on weaker ninja to take out. She noticed the one who had announced his plan, was staring dead at her. Her team was being singled out due to Daiya being the weakest member. "Ryu!"

Ryu was forming hand seals quickly as the boy from the Marsh came at his team. He concentrated his mind on his genjutsu techniques. The room they were in started to transform into a dark, thick forest. "Let's see how you can attack us when you don't know where we are," he said with his voice echoing as if they were in a cave.

Saori put her hand on Daiya's shoulder shaking him hard. "Daiya. Daiya, wake up! Daiya, come on, get up," she repeated trying to jar him awake. "Daiya, please," she begged. He was so tired he wasn't moving. She had to think of something. There were a lot of teams in this room. For right now, they were confused. What can I do to protect my team? Ryu's trying to keep them at bay.

Saori thought about her training entailed by Sasuke Uchiha. Her team was her second family. They were her life. She breathed hard, trying to think. We're not allowed to use summonings. They told us that at the beginning. But now is different, isn't it? There is no other way for my team to survive when everyone is out to get us in this place. At the cost of my life, I'll defend them by any means possible.

Saori brought her thumb towards her mouth. She grimaced as she bit herself, the blood trickling to the floor. Saori crouched quickly forming symbols around her body. Taking a kunai out, she ripped the bandages around her arm to reveal the tattoo given to her from her contract with Josei. Her thumb hovered over the tiger's form. "For the survival of my team – and myself." Saori smeared the blood over the tiger's form.

The symbols on the floor started to glow with blinding light. She could hear the other teams exclaiming how they could see where she stood in the room. "Summoning jutsu! Celestial God of the West Gate, Josei!"

The light started to form into a huge, overbearing tiger with his fangs showing. Josei roared with his head downcast, shoulders raised. He began to prowl around Team 2 with his mighty body, his tail flickering from side to side waiting for one of the ninja to pounce.

"What the hell is that? A tiger?! I thought summoning techniques weren't allowed," a boy yelled with his hand up to defend himself from another ninja hitting him.

Yo Jippensha from the moon country stood with his moon staff by his side. His long white hair flowed behind his back, his gray eyes hauntingly following the movement of the tiger. "What chunin exam expects ninja to obey small, simple rules," he asked. "There are no rules during the exam from start to finish. It's who survives, that matters."

Saori stood in a defense pose, her body language speaking for her. If they chose to get near her, she'd slaughter them. "Back off," she warned as a team began to advance towards them. "Don't assume he won't listen to me," she spoke of the tiger.

"Oh, we know he'll listen to you," Akitazu Okakura stated. "We count on it. There's only one of him. There are three of us and three of you."

Sakue Yonai moved around the startled team as if she were a hyena taunting them. "Your team won't make it to the door. You all are sitting ducks guarding a sleeping boy. How cute," she said with a light hearted laugh.

Eda Ichiro formed hand seals, concentrating on the genjutsu surrounding his team. "Release!" The genjutsu around him faded as if it were a hopeless dream. He smiled evilly at the tall genin before him. "Got you now," he said twirling a kunai in his hand.

"Don't be so sure about that," Ryu said. He kept his eyes focused on Eda as Daiya dropped from the ceiling on top of him. Eda was slammed to the ground, the impact of his head hitting the stone floor, knocked him out. Ryu heard Daiya's clone on the bench poof. "Next time, I'd tell Saori what your plans are."

Saori took one look at her team mates and scowled. "Daiya Uchiha, you could have told me that was a clone," she shouted at him embarrassed. Her face flushed remembering her hands on his arm trying to rouse him. In a way, she felt as if she had cheated on Ryu and betrayed Yanagi. Damn it, why does Daiya have to be attractive now of all times? He wasn't like that when he was younger.

Josei lunged at a few ninjas that were getting too close to Team 2. He roared his outrage, pawing with his claws out. The ninjas were scrambling to get away from him. A few of them were twirling weapons at him trying to attack. "You dare attack a God? Foolish mortals," he roared at them. They moved back quickly once he spoke.

"We need to get to that door," Daiya shouted as he dodged a kunai being thrown over his head. The teams around them were attacking each other. "This is bullshit," he said in anger, his body beginning to charge. His hair spiked out. Daiya began to charge at the ninja who were close to him, his arms emitting powerful electrical forces.

Ryu had his own problems to worry about. He was busy keeping two ninja off of him. Worrying about Daiya taking charge was not on his top priority list right now. "Saori, start moving towards the door," he called to her.

Saori blocked a sharp staff with Rose. "What? And leave you and Daiya behind?" She moved her body, crouching to the floor as Josei leapt over her to defend her.

"That's an order, Saori Nara," Ryu said. "We'll catch up. Now go!"

Saori swore under her breath. She held Rose out to the side, moving her around to keep the other students from hitting her with their weapons. Saori ran through the fighting crowd, her eyes focused on the door. Josei was soon on her heels moving swiftly as people were getting attacked. A boy flew over her head as he was thrown by someone. She fell to the floor, scrambling on all fours to get back up. It was utter chaos around her.

A large stone golem moved in front of the door to prevent anyone from exiting the room. Saori skidded on her feet, moving back as the creature swung a weapon at her head. She signaled Josei to stay away from it. "You can't bite through stone!"

Onari kicked a boy in his back as she twirled in the air, her arms out, kunai ready to slice anyone moving towards her team. The boy fell onto a table in the room, breaking it. He went crashing to the floor. She flipped her head seeing Saori with Josei near the door. They weren't able to get past it with a stone golem blocking their escape. Onari's anger fumed. She had warned all of them not to use the celestials at any costs during the exam. It would make them a target. Sure enough, a boy came charging at Saori twirling a chain.

Onari went straight at him, her motions a blur. She was upon him with her hand outreached to grab onto the chain. Before she knew it, she was being dropped on by two others in the boy's team. Onari growled under her mask, her arms coming up to fight the two holding her down. "Get off!"

Katamaru Takano held the girl wearing the mask down with all of her strength. "That girl isn't on your team ninja from Konoha. Why are you defending her? You must know something about that tiger of hers."

"Seems she doesn't want us to get any closer to it," Washi Hojo said as he kept twirling the chain. "You're in no position to stop us. Where we come from, there's a legend regarding that tiger. That wasn't an ordinary summoning jutsu."

Unkei Eimino let go of the girl's arm to see a ninja staring him down with brown hair in a ponytail. He smiled at the boy, moving his arm down to slip into the casing on his leg. Unlike ninja who carried shuriken, he carried metal plates that were one inch in diameter. They helped him direct his electrical charges farther in distance. "Now, now, what do we have here? With all that metal on your body, one would think you're a lightening user."

Daiya's face remained solemn, his expression emotionless as he spoke in his monotone voice. "I am a lightening user. Get your hands off my sister."

"Oh, that's sweet. We have a brother-sister combo," Katamaru said from her position. She had the girl's arm behind her back. "I wouldn't move any closer than that, I'll break her arm," she said putting more force on the bones in her grasp.

Daiya saw the symbol on their bodies. They were from the lightening country. "Whether you believe it or not, her bones don't break that easily," he said taking out a long metal rod. He twirled it in his fingertips, his eyes focused on the other lightening user. Daiya lifted his left hand as he kept their focus on what his right was doing. He aimed his electrical charge out towards their feet. Daiya erupted.

Unkei shot back, falling over Katamaru and the girl under her. "You idiots! He was using a distraction!" He got back up throwing a metal plate in the air. Unkei erupted sending his charge at the boy in front of them.

Daiya used the rod in his hand to hit the metal plate as if he were hitting a baseball. Unkei's charges went off elsewhere, away from him. He moved towards the boy darting around the electricity hitting the floor. Daiya swung his arm aiming straight at the boy's face. As he came within close range, he nailed him so hard, his jaw was dislocated.

Washi went after the girl who had summoned the tiger. That was his focus. His team could fend for themselves. No sooner had he thrown his chain at the beast's mouth, he felt a sharp object poking him in the side. He turned his head to see a tall boy with spiky hair watching him with intent.

Josei narrowed his slit eyes at the mere thought  
of being confined. He opened his mouth struggling against the chain. The ninja in front of him was over confident. He started to pull back, his paws embedded into the floor. The ninja in front of him was being taken by Ryu, who was not tolerating such an action on Saori.

Saori tried her best to remove the chain from around Josei's mouth. Her fingers tried earnestly to grip it with the tiger struggling against the ninja was still holding him. "Josei, stop. I can't free you if you keep pulling. The chain is too tight!"

Ryu pressed the kunai into the boy's side more, drawing blood. "You're not afraid to die. Let the tiger go," he warned.

"I don't think so," Katamaru said bringing out one of her dolls. She lifted her hand causing the doll to walk towards the girl and her tiger. "Oh, don't be foolish. She's not a puppet. She's very much alive."

The doll smiled at the girl and tiger with a menacing look. Her stitched mouth opened to sing a rhyme, "Fearless and talented, I hold your fate. You have an appointment at hell's gate. Don't bother to flee when you meet your doom. Five, four, three, two, one…I'm about to go kaboom!"

Saori screamed and urged Josei to break the chain. The doll was a bomb! Ryu fell back letting Washi go. He grabbed a hold of Daiya's arm, his fingers wrapping around the electrical charge being emitted. He yelped in pain, but managed to get Daiya's attention. "Move back! That thing's a bomb!" As his voice was raised, the other teams around him turned their focus on his position. He watched all of them drop what they were doing to either run towards the escape in the wall, or move towards the locked door.

Onari kicked Katamaru out from under her legs, having been forgotten for the moment. She ran to one of the walls punching it as hard as she could. It started to crack. With all of her force, she brought her kekkegenkai into motion. Her arms moved with lightening speed to make a hole in the wall. The morning air blew through the hole.

"Onari! Catch," Yanagi shouted as she threw the  
doll at her. She was pushed to the ground by Idai covering her as the doll's eyes started to go black. It was sparking.

Onari grabbed onto the doll forcing it through the hole in the wall with sheer strength. Once it was sticking halfway through, she heard it click. Her eyes widened as the bomb exploded. Onari was thrown backwards, along with other ninja who were too close. She slammed hard onto a table, blacking out.

The smoke in the room drifted through the air. Debris was raining down on the unconscious students. The room had been destroyed. All of them laid on top of each other in heaps as they had tried to get away from the doll. Takeru coughed trying to get the smoke out of his lungs. He raised his head, looking around for his team. Eiyu was laying on his back, his arms out on top of three others. "Eiyu! Eiyu!"

Eiyu heard someone calling his name. He groaned feeling as if a ton of bricks had hit him square in the head. His eyes opened to see Takeru getting up. He was walking with a limp. "Where are we?"

Takeru fell once he had managed to get over the lying ninja. "Someone threw a bomb, remember? We have to get out of this room," he said helping his team mate sit up. "Where is Onari?" He stood up leaning slightly on his right leg for support as his eyes scanned the area. Students were laying in every which direction, their bodies flopped over by the impact. He grunted as he began to recognize his colleagues strewn out all over the room. Takeru made sure Eiyu was trying to get up with a glance. He had to get everyone out of the place.

Eiyu saw Takeru making his way to Areku Inuzuka. Kiba's son was being crushed by the weight of another ninja on top of him. He began to assist Takeru in the search for others they knew. Eiyu activated his Byakugan to heighten his sense of sight. He was able to zone in on particular areas as he searched for hands, arms, legs, or any other part of person's body he recognized. Eiyu hopped over a person sprawled out, his eyes signaling in on Daiya. Onari's brother appeared to have been thrown under a table to help shield him. It must have been Ryu.

Eiyu placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, shaking him hard. "Daiya Uchiha, wake up," he said forcefully his arm not stopping. Eiyu saw him stir, but he figured he must have sustained a concussion. "Sorry about this," he said pinching the fire out of Daiya's wrist.

Daiya yelled as his head rose fast, almost hitting the table he was under. He looked around until he saw Eiyu Hyuuga standing in front of him. "Wh-Where are..we?" Eiyu was forcing him to stand. Daiya grunted.

"We've got to get the teams out of here. If the bomb didn't take everyone out, they'll be on our tails soon enough in the tower," Eiyu stated. "We can't find Onari either. She had her hands on the doll."

Daiya was alerted by the words escaping Eiyu's mouth. "Go help Takeru," he ordered pointing as he staggered on his feet. Daiya started moving people out of the way with his strength, searching for his sister. "Onari!" He didn't see anyone around him move. "Damn it," he swore with aggression in his voice. He heard the sound of Masaru getting up somewhere behind him off to his right.

Masaru didn't recognize the waiting room. "It's a  
total mess," he commented, his body trying to move. Takeru was busy helping Saori up. Josei was nowhere to be found. Masaru figured if Saori was knocked unconscious, like any summoning jutsu, the creature you conjure, vanished. "Idai, Yanagai," he called trying to find them. Masaru kept calling until he saw Yanagi's yellow sleeve waving about in the air. "Yanagi!" He ran to her at full force hopping over people.

Yanagi coughed, groaning as Masaru pulled her out from under Idai. "He's hurt, Masaru," she said turning around to get the fallen stone off of her team mate. "He shielded me from the blast," she said with sadness. Idai was laying on his side, his head back as if someone had sucker punched him.

Masaru bent down checking Idai's pulse. He was still alive, but not able to respond to either of them calling him, or shaking him. "I'll have to carry him," he said. Masaru started to lift Idai, his own body shouting complaints with pain. "Oh, shut up," he told his arms and legs. He turned around to see some of the others being found or assisting in the searches. "Do you want us to help?"

"No, get inside the tower," Ryu ordered. "We can find the others. Take your team and go!"

Yanagi flipped her head to see Daiya watching her as he searched for Onari. "I love you," she called before she turned on her heels. Yanagi Lee was soon following Masaru through the dust with an unconscious team leader through the opening to the Crux Tower. She bit her lip, her heart jumping the moment she was on the other side with Daiya and his team still in the other room.

Masaru urged her to keep moving. "He'll be alright, Yanagi. He's with his team. Right now, we have to help Idai," he said trying to re-focus her. Yanagi soon nodded, her mind still unable to maneuver away from Daiya's image.

Gin Akimichi found Kandai on his stomach, his body laying as if he had been thrown like a rag doll. "Kandai!" She started to lift people off of him with Takeru's help. Gin kneeled quickly to the floor, her hand searching him for life. "Kandai," she called.

"He's hurt pretty badly, Gin," Takeru said rolling Neji's son over. There were bruises all over his body. "Areku," he called to gain his attention. "Help Gin get Kandai out of here. You two need to make it inside the tower," he said. Some of the teams were starting to move. "They're not going to be too happy once they fully gain consciousness."

Areku lifted Kandai onto his back. Ichigo was limping slightly. Gin picked up the dog to carry her in her kimono. "Takeru, I hope you all find her," he said with one last look to the Uchiha boy. He and Gin were soon off headed for the entrance to the tower. It was crucial the teams made it inside. Who knew what kind of traps or obstacles lay ahead.

Takeru turned his head hearing Daiya's panic over finding his sister. He was soon running through the broken room, trying his best not to trip, or step on anyone. Takeru tried to get closer the moment he saw Onari's limp form crashed into a broken table. Saori was pulling him back.

Daiya's eyes searched the mask Sasuke had made for his sister. The mask was cracked down the front, yet it was still holding together. Daiya crawled over his sister to get his hands on her. "Onari," he said, but she wasn't moving. Carefully he lifted the mask off of her face. Her eyes were closed, head tilted back, blood running down her nose and mouth. Daiya placed his hand on her cheek, moving her head towards him. "Onari," he said again. She appeared lifeless to him.

Daiya lifted her body up where he could hold her. Her head fell forward, her long hair draping over her form. "Ryu," Daiya shouted, his arms protecting his sister.

Ryu was already on the way, his hand reached behind his back to open the pouch on his waist. He was taking out bandages, ointment, and smelling salts. "I'm coming," he said moving past Takeru and Saori. Ryu kneeled beside Daiya, his hand lifting to check Onari's pulse. "She's lucky it didn't kill her," Ryu said dabbing the bandage on her face in order to clean her up. "Her pulse is slow, so she's alright."

"The mask sensei made protected her head," Saori said, her eyes staring hard at the crack upon it. Takeru was loosening his body. He had remained unsure until Ryu had diagnosed the problem. Saori saw the change in his eyes.

Ryu moved the smelling salts under Onari's nose. "Come on," he said letting it drift slowly into the air. Onari's head jerked. She started moaning, her vocal noises a welcome sound. Daiya was kissing her forehead, relieved she was only injured. Ryu's head turned to see a few teams rising out of the debris. "Whoever's carrying her, better take her now. We have to bail. They don't look too happy," he said.

Takeru moved forward to lift Onari, but Eiyu placed his hand on his chest to stop him.

"I need you to protect us, Takeru," Eiyu said. "I'll carry her. You've done enough," he said stepping up to the plate. Eiyu gently lifted Onari onto his back, adjusting his feet so he could rise without tumbling over. Eiyu halted in his footsteps towards the exit. Teams were singling them out again. They were withdrawing their weapons. It wasn't over.

Daiya began to charge, his anger getting the better of him. Despite the calming lessons he had taken from Izumi, or the strict discipline enforced on him by Sasuke, he was still a hot head. "Get my sister and brother out of here, Eiyu," he said telling the Hyuuga twin to keep moving. Daiya charged fully, his eyes narrowed. "You've got me to deal with!"

Eiyu moved his leg kicking Takeru in the rear. "Move, Takeru! We can't stop him!" They started to run towards the exit with Onari's head hanging over Eiyu's shoulder. The teams were starting to move towards them with speed, their hands throwing weapons in their direction.

Takeru formed hand seals as he ran, his mind concentrating on the jutsus he had learned from his mother, the elite of the Mist Village. He grit his teeth, his mind focused on protecting his team. Takeru turned around, running backwards, watching the shuriken and kunai coming straight at them. "Water wall," he shouted as droplets of moisture started to come together, forming walls around his team. The weapons were caught in the water, their momentum slowed down. Takeru turned around once he heard the weapons clattering to the floor, his form disappearing into the darkness once he was through the exit.

Daiya sent his electrical charges at each team he encountered. They were doubling back, but he was hot on their tail to stop them from attacking his team, or following Team 9. He growled as a girl threw a chair at him. Daiya punched the wooden chair, his fist going straight threw it. It broke into two, hitting the floor.

Fubuki Kamioka summoned her stone gargoyle who had blocked the exit earlier. She told it to take out the teams who were preventing her team from advancing. "Attack," she ordered again. The eight foot tall gargoyle started to move slowly through the room, its large feet stepping over those that were fallen.

Chichi Noro from the Stone Country was busy fighting off the team from the marsh. They were serious about stopping anyone and everyone from getting inside the tower. He bit his thumb the moment he was free from his offensive attacks. Once they brought their arms up to block his weapons, or poof to another location, he lowered his body, crouching to spin on his heels rubbing blood on the floor. "Stonehenge formation," he said as huge stones broke out of the ground to shield him from anymore attacks.

Satoru Okawa was swinging his stone mallet at the boy who was emitting lightening attacks on everyone in the room. He sent the weapon at his head, but the boy was ducking the moves, his feet moving as if he were a dancer. Satoru turned his body in the air, unleashing small stone pellets to be sent forwards.

Daiya crouched low grabbing part of a table to shield himself from the stone. The stone hit the table going halfway through it. He blinked, dropping it only to use his twirling rod to fend off the stones. He shouted to Ryu and Saori to get to the exit. He would hold them off.

Saori sent Rose twirling at a team, the puppet's arms brought out with weapons drawn. She felt Ryu pick her up, causing her chakra strings to go slack. The puppets weapons came within inches of slicing and dicing. "Ryu! We can't leave him behind!"

Ryu was carrying her on his hip with the weight of the puppet causing him to dig his heels into the stone. The puppet was dragged onto the floor, tripping over anyone who was trying to follow them. He hurled Saori through the dark hole, throwing her inside with complaints drifting to his ears. Ryu went through the exit, leaving Daiya behind.

The trainers from the various countries watched Team 2 exit the room. They had left one of their team mates behind. As they stood in the room watching the monitor, Sasuke's body tensed. Other teams had started to arouse from the explosion. Daiya was having to defend himself from multiple attacks. "Get out of there. Get out, Daiya," he said softly his eyes remaining focused on the screen.

Rock Lee was glued to the monitor like Sasuke. He was contemplating Daiya's chances of making it out of there alive. The boy was really having to emit a lot of charges to keep other teams from taking him down. He was slightly on edge himself. It wasn't just the fact that his daughter was dating Sasuke's son; it also had to do with Rock Lee's own inner ambitions. He wanted Daiya to overcome the obstacles he was facing around, and within himself.

Shikamaru's mouth was agape, his cigarette hanging off as he narrowed his eyes with intense waiting. Daiya had allowed his other two team mates to go ahead of himself. Saori was safe for the time being, but he was not. As soon as a stone gargoyle starting swinging its weapons, Daiya took the chance to kick it back as he spun in the air. The creature moved back, staggering. Daiya took the opportunity to glue his chakra onto the gargoyle and as it started to fall backwards, he moved his legs, going up and over it. Daiya landed safely behind it. He was now faced with the ninja from the stone country.

Kiba lowered his head, covering his face with his hand. He couldn't bear to watch any further. He soon felt Shikamaru lower his arm.

"Don't ignore it," Shikamaru said glancing at him. "Whether he makes it or not, we have to give him that bit of hope. Keep watching the monitor."

Jun Umehara took out the handle of a sword from his oversized white shirt. He whipped his hand back, then forwards causing the device inside to click. The blades of the sword came out of the handle, clinking in place. "Now, don't be surprised," he told the ninja in front of him. "Technology is always increasing with creative influences in various countries." He started to move his sword from side to side with his hand behind his back, feet moving on the stone floor. Jun glanced at the boy with the brown ponytail. He was stunned to why he was assisting him. "You're related to Takeru, yes?"

Daiya moved his rod to send a weapon off in another direction. He overlooked the man from his shoulder, his head nodding slowly. "How do you know my brother?"

"Met him earlier, before the first trial," Jun said as his sword clanked with the shuriken in the ninja's hand. "He's a good kid," he said admiring the boy's personality. "My team and I can take care of these fools long enough for you to make it through."

Enshi was already using his jutsus on the wall to send himself flying from one point to another. The ninja around him were finding him a hard target to master. "You guys couldn't hit the broad side of a barn," he taunted.

Chie's long slender body turned into three versions of herself twirling long necklaces on her hands. "Avoid me if you can," she said throwing the necklaces towards several ninja. Some of them moved, others were in the wrong positions. They were up against the wall. One necklace went around a boy's neck. It appeared harmless, until Chie formed hand seals. Her eyes locked with his. "Defend me," she commanded. The boy's pupils dilated. She had him. He began to move like a zombie towards his own team mates, attacking them.

Daiya took the chance to make a run for the exit. He ducked his head low, trying his best to miss anything flying through the air. "Thanks," he called to the tall blond headed man who was still fencing off attacks. Daiya had to catch up to his team. As he entered the crux tower, reality seemed to disappear all around him.

To be Continued…


	79. Chapter 79

**V8 ch 8**

**Survival**

Daiya walked in the pitch darkness with his team. He breathed out slowly, ears listening for any signs of an enemy. The fortress they were in contained deadly traps and obstacles for his team to get past. He wondered if the other teams were as uneasy as his was. Daiya's feet padded behind Saori's. He heard a click as his foot pressed on something in the barely lit hall. The floor began to drop out from underneath him. Daiya yelled as Ryu and Saori tried to grab onto him. He went down into the darkness of a shaft. He tried to grab onto the surface around him as he fell, but it was no use. His nails scraped on the wood until he fell straight into a box.

The lid of the box closed on top of him. Daiya screamed in sheer horror as his claustrophobia kicked in. The experience sent him back to when he was a child being tortured by his biological mother. Daiya covered his head as he tried to break out of the tight space by kicking. His body shook all over as his panic heightened. Unknowing to him the box was sitting on a rotating piece of wood. As a hidden door opened off to the right, the box containing the frightened ninja rotated and was thrust into another room.

Hashano Maeno from the Fang country sucked on his sharp teeth as he made his way down the watery tunnel. He rolled his yellow eyes wondering if Dayu was laughing because he got separated. Bastard. As Hashano turned a corner, he could hear someone screaming. Without a justifying thought about why the sound was occurring, he ran after it. His feet sloshed in the water as he moved.

Hashano came upon a large box that appeared to be lying against a wall. Someone was trapped inside. He could tell by the high pitched screams the male inside had a strong dislike being in the container. "Not very fitting for a ninja," he said to himself. "I'll get you out!" Hashano slammed his elbow on the edge of the box. It started to crack and break off with the repeated force. He quickly thrust the top of the box open. Out fell a boy with a ponytail clutching his chest. Hashano lifted him. "Hey. Are you alright?"

Daiya's half lidded eyes saw a guy watching him with yellow eyes. He reminded him of a younger looking Kiba. He didn't know why, but he answered the guy truthfully, "My heart is… making me blac-," Daiya's head went back, his body going limp.

Hashano picked the boy up out of the water. He knew something wasn't right. "If I was cruel, I'd leave you here until the exams are over. But I'd like to compete against you." He lifted the unknown boy onto his back. Hashano pictured Dayu shaking his head in disapproval. He's still a bastard.

Ryu and Saori ran through the hall quickly to avoid weapons darting over their heads. Saori used Rose as a shield over her and Ryu. Kunai and shuriken rained down upon them. The kunai made tack noises onto the wooden puppet. Saori breathed hard as they exited the hall around a corner. She put her back against the wall. "Ryu, what are we going to do about Daiya? We don't know what kind of trap he fell in to," she said trying to catch her breath.

Ryu punched the wall hard. He let his forehead hit it. His other fist punched the structure as if it had anything to do with their team mate's disappearance. "He could be dead for all we know. If that trap didn't get him, his condition will."

Saori put her hand on his back. "We can't give up. We have to keep moving. These traps aren't the only thing we have to worry about. If Daiya is able to meet us later, we have to show the initiative. We aren't giving up on him!"

Ryu was stressed out. It wasn't the fortress beating him, but his own thoughts. He wanted Daiya to be alright. He just had no way of knowing where he was, or if he was still alive.

Areku swore as he climbed up the rocks jutting out of the wall. He heard the shink sound and removed his left hand as a long metal needle came out of the fake rock. He swung his arm back as the metal spike retreated. "Watch your hands and feet! They've put poison on the tips of these things. One prick and you're out!"

Kandai moved up as quickly as he could when the rocks went inside the wall they were climbing. He held his position on the rocks he stood on throwing his body against the wall. Kandai stared at the floor three stories below. He breathed hard trying to keep his focus.

"We're almost there, Kandai. Keep moving and don't look down," Areku said. Ichigo was buried in the back of his vest. He glanced over at Gin who was higher than they were. She's fast for a petite girl.

Gin had to get to the top before her team. She was planning to use her plant jutsus to help them make it the rest of the way. The rocks jutting out started to go back into the wall again. This time, her feet were slipping. Gin frantically held onto the rock as her body dangled. "Whoever thought of this is cruel," she said.

Kandai started to move faster as his hands and feet interchanged positions. He was more afraid of the needles than he was falling to his death. He gasped as his hand was removed in time to see a needle pop out. "Guys, I know this doesn't help, but the needles are coming out faster!"

"That's not what I wanted to hear," Areku yelled as he began to move quicker. He breathed hard as the rocks started to do something he didn't expect. They began to rotate three hundred and sixty degrees. Areku's hand started to slip as the rock his hand was on, rotated. He yelped as the one under his feet did, too. "Ah!" Areku fell from his position. He dug his claws into the wood, but his weight caused gravity to pull him down faster.

Kandai placed his hands onto the wood directing his chakra to his palms. As Areku came towards him, he swung his body, twisting his mid-section to give Areku something to grab onto.

Areku anxiously grabbed Kandai's legs. He dug his nails in trying to hold on. As Kandai's body came back to where his feet could find placement, Areku tried to find his own footing. Once he found it, his nose picked up the scents of other ninja directly below them. "We're not the only ones climbing. Move!" The team started to pick up speed.

Domeda Hiranuma snickered as his head craned upwards with his hands on the rocks. "I can see three little monkeys ahead of us," he said. "If the wall doesn't get them, we sure will." His team began to move quickly up the wall to catch the other team.

Gin tensed as a wave of water was dumped over the side of the wall. She held on tightly as the fluid washed over her body. Her entire team was being soaked to the bone. Gin forced her body to move, her nails searching for the rock. As soon as she found it, she continued her journey.

Areku placed his foot on the same rock as Kandai. He crawled over him to get his team mate to pick up the pace. "Get going, Kandai! They're getting closer," Areku said with alarm in his voice.

Eriko Taira whistled after the kids ahead of her team. "Come on and play with us brats. We don't bite much," she sang as her arms and legs moved to avoid the needles coming out of the rocks as they turned.

Kakuei Ushiba unhooked the long whip from the belt on his hip. He grinned showing his teeth. "It's a long drop," he shouted up to the kids who were continuing to move up the dangerous wall. He started to twirl the end of the whip eying a rock over head. Flicking his wrist, he caught onto it. Kakuei began to pull himself up, easily avoiding the rocks moving around him. He was gaining on them.

Kandai moved from each stone trying to catch up to Areku. He and Gin were almost to the top. A needle popped out of the rock going into his hand. Kandai yelled in pain moving his hand away, but it was too late. The poison started to seep through his bloodstream. A voice from under him caught his attention.

Kakuei touched down on the rocks, his hands holding on as the boy above him caught onto his movements. "That's a nasty wound you have there," he said moving up to where he could see the blood exiting the boy's hand. The rocks started to rotate unlike the rocks on the lower levels. Kakuei hopped from rock to rock, trying to keep himself from falling.

Kandai's eyes started to feel sleepy. The world around him swirled with colors as the poison took over his mind. His body wasn't able to respond to the rocks moving under his feet. His feet slanted with the motion of the rotating devices, his body instantly leaning back. Kandai Hyuuga was swept away by the poison in his system.

Gin Akimichi had made it to the top just in time to see Kandai's body depart from the wall. She screamed his name, his form disappearing from her sight. Gin threw several seeds out into the open air. She formed hand seals quickly causing the seeds to sprout. Her eyes closed, her concentration holding as the vines shot with rapid speed out towards the bottom of the drop.

Areku threw himself onto the landing, his muscles aching from the strenuous exercise. The team that had been taunting them was still moving to catch them and finish them off. He signaled Ichigo to come out of the vest. The canine jumped down, her body stance ready for a fight.

Domeda jumped upwards his form coming up over the edge of the wall. The kids were definitely surprised to see him. He unhooked his large weapon from his back. It resembled a staff, but on the end of it was a long piece of metal equipped with needle thin spikes jutting out three feet. One swipe of it towards an enemy, and he could tear their flesh off.

Areku and Ichigo jumped back as the weapon came barreling down on the space where they once were. The wood splintered off in huge chunks flying through the air. I've got to keep this guy off Gin! He threw shuriken at the guy to distract him.

Gin saw the vines tighten; she only prayed they managed to latch onto Kandai before his head came into contact with the floor. She now had to worry about getting him up the wall without the other team interfering. The other two members of the Haze team were within feet of reaching her. Areku and Ichigo were attacking the main leader, their forms blurring as they moved around to outwit him.

Kandai dangled an inch from the floor, his head back as his breathing started to slow down. He wasn't aware of the activities around him. The poison in his body was reacting fast.

Domeda went after the boy and his dog, his Harikanazuchi drifting along the corridor. The tower walls were being ripped apart by his sheer force. "You're not going to get away from me that easily!"

Gin had to get to Kandai. She jumped from the edge of the level with her hands outstretched towards the vines. Catching on to them, she started to slide down them, her legs wrapped around as if it were a pole. The two team members yelled at her, but she refused to hone in on what they were saying. Gin finally saw Kandai lying limply wrapped in the vines. She detached herself from them landing on the floor.

"Kandai? Kandai!" Gin searched for his pulse as he hung around. Her eyes softened. His pulse was slow - the poison had already taken over control. She began to search her kimono for the pouch she kept for such emergencies. Gin opened the pouch to find the seeds she needed. She poured out the seeds she carried, searching for the right ones. Gin placed them on the floor, her body turning to open the pouch on her back. Pulling out a small wooden bowl and handle, she began to grind the seeds into mush. Gin found the vile of elixir she kept hidden in her kimono. Untwisting the cap, she tilted her hand pouring the right amount into the bowl. She kept mashing the seeds until they were dissolved in the water. Hurriedly, she opened Kandai's mouth.

Gin poured the antidote into his mouth as her other hand moved to support his head and neck. She wasn't sure if he was going to make it, or not. It varied on the amount of poison put on the needles jutting out of the rocks. Gin also had no idea of knowing what kind of poison it was. She was using a simple antidote taught to her by Shikamaru to counteract the effects on Kandai. Her head lifted to hear an all out attack being held with Areku and Ichigo. She had no choice but to gather Kandai and assist her team mate.

Areku and Ichigo ran at the Haze team their bodies twirling in the air with the double clone attack he had learned from his father. Man Beast Clone was a sure fire signature that he was an Inuzuka. Areku growled as his fangs started to show and his nails grew longer. He twirled from one end of the hall as Ichigo came barreling down the other end at an angle.

The Haze team started to split up trying to limit the chances of their entire team getting the full blunt end of the attack. Domeda brought up his Harikanazuchi as he stood in a defense stance. If the boy ended up coming down on it, he'd be done with. The needles jutting out from the weapon were enough to lunge straight through any body part in its way.

Areku wasn't able to stop the spinning motion his body was performing. His eyes saw the Harikanazuchi appear out of nowhere as one sole Haze member stood to oppose the attack. He and Ichigo hit Domeda with sheer destruction and force. Areku Inuzuka hit the weapon so hard, the handle of it broke in two, but it wasn't over. He stood up with his eyes narrowed in on Domeda, the needles piercing through his left arm and shoulder. Areku's brow furrowed as the pain hit.

Domeda showed his teeth pressing the spikes further into the boy's arm. "Nice try, but no one can avoid my Harikanazuchi," he said as he planted his left foot forward and pulled. The needles came ripping out of the boy's flesh, blood escaping the large wound. The kid's knees buckled as he fell to the floor. The small dog who had been spared was growling at him, her ears back. "You were lucky, mutt." He turned around to signal his team. "Take care of that girl," he ordered.

Gin had just secured Kandai on her back when she saw two Haze members coming down the vines. She was in trouble. Areku must have been defeated. Her first decision was to protect Kandai, but she also had to protect herself. Gin began to form hand seals – she wasn't beaten just yet. The vines above her started to grow again, but this time, their extensions were deadly. "Vine strangle!"

Kakuei yelled as a vine wrapped around his neck. His legs kicked in the air as his hands came up trying to loosen the hold it had on him. Eriko went ahead to try to finish the girl off. He grunted as it tightened. It was becoming difficult for him to breathe.

Eriko formed hand seals of her own as she jumped off the vine, avoiding a strip of plant from attaching itself to her body. Shadow people started to come out of the darkness towards the plant girl. "Avoid this!" Eriko kept her hands forming the hand seal for 'ox' as she landed on the ground.

Gin turned her head around several times. The shadows were moving towards her, their red eyes watching her. Kandai was too much weight on her back for her to be able to dart past them. She shifted her feet attempting to avoid them from touching her. The jutsu was unfamiliar to her.

Eriko had to keep the girl confused. She heard Kakuei finally cut through the vine to free himself. As the leaf-nin ran around to avoid her creatures, she signaled them to come even closer, trapping the girl in a circle of shadows. "I wouldn't let them touch you, if I were you. They'll drain your chakra," she said.

Gin thought the girl was bluffing. She ran to go through one of the shadows. Her body came in contact with it. Being in contact with the dark energy made her feel sick to her stomach. Her head swirled as she stepped back. She could hear the girl laughing at her for the attempt.

Kakuei jumped to the bottom of the wall, his body crouched with the landing. He stood up, his eyes watching the girl try to escape. "Your trainer didn't prepare you for everything," he said giving Eriko the signal to take care of her. "Finish her off. We have to get going. Who knows how many levels are inside this tower."

Eriko changed hand seals, her eyes focusing ahead on the shadow people, her eyes not blinking. "Shadow swarm!" The shadow people started to move around the girl, their human like forms becoming nothing more than a blur of blackness that was getting smaller. The girl from the Leaf village whirled around with a weapon drawn, but it was of no use. Eriko's shadows struck her, causing her form to disappear from sight.

Gin was blanketed in darkness. In the darkness she heard evil voices whispering in her ears, their looming presence causing her heart to race in fear. She wasn't aware that it was all a trick of the shadows to elude her. Gin's ears picked up on a voice she remembered from months ago. Its bellowing laugh was all around her. Her head flipped around trying to find its form, but there wasn't any. The fear she had in her from that time got to her. She couldn't defeat Ryokuzu again. Gin blacked out falling to the floor with Kandai's limp form on her back.

Eriko signaled the shadow people to disembark. Her gray eyes looked up and down at the unconscious girl on the floor. She flipped her curly, short dark green hair satisfied with her training. "One team down," she said with affirmation.

Hashano carried the boy on his back for a while until he saw a team ahead of him examining the stairs leading to the upper level of the tower. He stopped in his tracks. There were only two of them. They hadn't spotted him yet, which was in his favor. Hashano gently crouched eying the situation. He leaned back to put the boy against the wall. The boy's head slumped forward. I must be out of my mind watching over someone I don't know. Hashano felt sorry for the guy. He formed hand seals as a kunai went soaring past his head. He opened the buckles on his vest to allow his minions free reign. A dozen fleshy mouths formed out of his body. They popped off of his skin and onto the ground lashing their teeth as their small feet darted them around. "I'd back off if I were you. Their bite is pretty serious," he said.

"I'll take my chances," the guy said as he held his scythes ready. His red eyes moved to Daiya sitting up against the wall. "What are you doing with my friend? Answer me," Ryu yelled as he attempted to slice at the guy's head.

The mouths on the floor moved around biting at his legs. Ryu growled as he was pulled back by Saori's chakra strings. She lifted him in the air as her feet hit the floor.

Saori studied the unknown boy. Her sharp eyes picked up on observations Ryu had missed. "You were helping Daiya, weren't you," she asked calmly. The guy's posture was aggressive. She stood up, her chakra strings detached from her boyfriend. Ryu fell to the floor with a yell. "You can answer me. I'm Saori from the Hidden Leaf village in the Fire country. Who are you?"

Hashano relaxed a little, but when Ryu stood up rubbing his head, he tensed again. "Why should I tell you? Both of you tried to attack me."

Saori loosened her posture. She sat on the floor crossing her legs to make herself seem less threatening. "Ryu attacked you – not I. he figured you were harming Daiya, but it's impossible to do that if you're carrying him." Saori smiled. "I was watching you while I used a clone to make it seem like Ryu wasn't alone," she said pointing to the ceiling. She had been hiding there the entire time.

"Maeno Hashano. Don't call me that. Everyone calls me 'Ano'. What's wrong with him," Hashano asked as he took a quick glance at Daiya. "He blacked out after I rescued him from a box he was trapped in. He was screaming his head off and banging around." Hashano eased his body entirely. The situation had changed all together. "Neither of you were aware he's claustrophobic."

Daiya heard familiar voices talking as his eyes slowly opened. He vaguely remembered the guy in front of him who was eying Ryu. He saw Saori glance in his direction.

Saori moved past Hashano. She crouched placing her hand on his forehead. "You're fine. Do you remember Ano helping you?" Saori pointed to Hashano. "He's from the Fang country. Daiya, I'm worried about you continuing with the exam."

"He chose to enter. There's no backing down now. The only way out of the Mist Village is on a stretcher, or a body bag," Ano said. "They deem forfeiters as cowards."

"The stretcher might be the lease of our worries," Ryu said quietly. "You shouldn't have entered because of Saori and I. I know that's the reason you chose to lead us here. It's only the beginning of the trials and your ailment is reacting this quickly. I didn't agree to this," Ryu said turning his hard gaze upon Daiya. Ryu walked off angrily toward the stairs. He didn't want to associate with his friend.

"What ailment do you have," Ano asked.

"He has a bad heart," Saori said as Daiya frowned staring at the floor. "This is too much stress for it to bear, Daiya. You don't have to prove yourself to us."

"I have to prove everything to myself," Daiya said lowly. "I can't depend on you and Ryu to defend me when I'm not able to, or because of this stupid reason!" He touched his chest, his fingers wanting to dig into his body and thrust his heart out.

"You're not doing your team any favors, kid," Ano said. "You realize that now right? They're going to have to baby-sit you." Ano called the mouths back to him. He crouched down as they leapt for him. The mouths were absorbed by his skin. He buckled his shirt.

Daiya watched Ano crouch in front of him. He looked at him with a blank stare. "Why'd you help me?"

"It's tough to make it through the trails without having to fight yourself along the way," he answered realistically.

Daiya lifted his hand. He placed it on Ano's head, petting gently. Ano didn't seem to understand the gesture.

Ano stood up walking away with Saori by his side. "Uh, what was that all about?" He stopped near the stairs for an explanation. Ryu was staying away from him for the time being.

"It means he likes you," Saori said. "Take it as a compliment. He's standoffish to most people."

Ano glanced back to look at the guy he had rescued. "Take care of him. He's got a lot to face with the trials. I need to make it back to my team." He went up the stairs to the other level, leaving the blond haired girl in his wake.

Onari looked across the room at the wooden pillars standing out in the open off the landing her team was standing on. They were trying to understand what lay before them. The wooden pillars were stretched out in all directions. Across the way was the continuation of the hall. Lights from above were showing the depths of the darkness below the pillars. Onari exhaled assessing everything in view.

The area was so large that several teams could have a serious fight at one time. The darkness allowed another team to mask an ambush hidden from the reach of the lights. Onari growled under her mask. Her side training had prepared her for this moment. She wasn't fooled one bit.

Onari formed hand seals, her eyes remaining focused ahead. Three forms popped into view. Clones of her, Eiyu, and Takeru stood awaiting instructions. For the moment, she was taking charge. She signaled Eiyu to create an illusion.

Eiyu Hyuuga formed hand seals as he concentrated. Genjutsu was a hidden talent of his. He was the only one on his team who could perform it well. The three clones in front of them helped hide their real selves as the world around them began to change. Eiyu and his team disappeared leaving the clones in full effect.

Takeru tilted his head as he glanced at the rest of the clone team. He began to put a foot on the wooden pole, testing it. As he stepped fully onto it, the pole dropped three inches due to the weight change. He remained where he was, waiting.

Onari was the next to step out onto the wooden poles. She moved ahead by four poles as if she were a pawn in a game of chess. Her body remained stiff, eyes looking around for anything out of the ordinary. She and Takeru were guarding Eiyu as if he were a king and they were the knights defending the fortress.

There weren't any sounds being emitted from the area except the shuffle of their feet moving on the poles. Takeru moved away from Onari, his posture starting to lower. He tilted forwards at an angle. Takeru's clone shot forward, darting left and right randomly to avoid becoming a target.

Onari opened the casing by her leg. She threw several shuriken in each hand in a diagonal pattern to give the illusion she was protecting Takeru from a frontal assault. The shuriken flew through the air, their spinning forms disappearing out of sight.

Eiyu's clone lifted its arm pointing straight ahead to give Onari a visual command to attack off to the right. He started to move on the poles, his weight causing the pole to drop, just like Onari's and Takeru's motions. It was soon learned that if he stepped on a pole that had already been touched by one of his team mates, that it dropped away out of sight into the abyss.

Team 9 stayed where they were as they watched their decoys try to lure out the other team. Eiyu knew they weren't alone in the area. It was foolish to think so. The Crux Tower was a confusing adornment of challenges. Where are you? Eiyu's white eyes searched the darkness again for any sign of a reflection. He wasn't able to use the Byakugan right now. It was impossible to use two techniques at the same time.

Byo Funaki from the Whirlpool country crouched low on the ceiling with his dark purple hair tucked into his clothing. The Mudasanyou, a demonic three-talon creature with a suction cupped mouth, stayed in position next to him away from the lights. His team mates were on the sides of the walls waiting for his signal. Until he gave it, they would remain where they were in seclusion.

Jurobei Tsukade's eyes followed the girl's movements in his line of sight. She poofed using a substitution jutsu to change her location. The team from Konoha were avoiding becoming a localized target. However, they were assuming the team was in front. They know we're not below 'em. The weight of the poles would have dropped each of us off by now.

Kankeo Yasui narrowed her eyes, her fiery orange hair making her appearance appear rather wild. To her, it was unusual the team was separating themselves from each other. Something's not right. Either each of them is a huge threat alone, or they want to be taken out.

Byo figured out everything at the same time Kaneko did. They want us to give away our positions. Foolish, but perhaps not. We can't advance without defeating them. Damn. He signaled his team to move forward by tapping on the ceiling. The sound echoed throughout the area.

Jurobei sent his large crab like arms out into the light in order to strike fear in the girl near him. Each claw came out snapping onto the poles as he pulled his body forward. His feet came down, his back arched as he lowered his head in an intimidating gesture. The girl was watching him with a blank stare.

Takeru's clone moved back with a jump landing seven poles away as a girl came shooting out of the darkness at him. He moved his eyes sizing her up and down. Takeru pretended to form hand seals to get her in a defensive stance. It was an attempt to learn about the girl's techniques.

Kankeo formed hand seals of her own as she prepared herself for a fight. Her eyes locked with the boy's. "It's a fine time for a trip," she said changing the environment around them. The poles disappeared forming a bamboo floor. The walls became that of a dojo. Now he doesn't know where to step without falling in.

Byo went after the leader. He signaled his Mudasanyou to land in front of the boy while he landed behind him. The Mudasanyou came crashing down onto the poles, its massive weight causing them to sink a foot below the others around it. Its suction cupped mouth puckered and swelled as its saliva was expelled. The sharp talons on its feet dug into the wood as it arched its back threatening to pounce at Eiyu.

Byo took out his three linked bombs that were on a strand of wire. He could move them in any direction he wanted to create a large explosion area or a small one with more impact. He watched the boy glance over his shoulder in his direction. "I'd keep my eyes ahead if I were you," he said making the bombs move farther apart.

Eiyu Hyuuga just stared ahead annoyed as his clone started to go into a defensive stance with the arms brought forward, palms facing the creature. What kind of fool does he take me for? I'm the one watching his back.

Onari moved her hand out to touch Eiyu's arm gently. He was fixing to give away their real position out of anger. Boys and their stupid tempers. She rolled her eyes. Takeru was already ahead of her in the planning department. He had moved his position farther away. Eiyu can't hold onto our illusion much longer. And neither can I. The whirlpool team has already shown themselves. It's time they meet the real us.

Takeru turned on Sharingan. His clone was doing a perfect job of acting confused and not knowing how to react to Kaneko. Genjutsu doesn't work on us from the Uchiha clan. Too bad she doesn't know that. As the girl remained distracted, he glued his hands and feet to the side wall. Takeru moved along it like a spider after its prey.

Eiyu's brows furrowed. He was at his limit of using Genjutsu on the whirlpool team. It was taking more chakra than he wanted to wager. "Onari, I can't hold on to it any longer," he whispered.

Onari moved her left leg out to flash with speed towards Eiyu. As the Genjutsu was released, she wrapped her arms around him to pick him up. The green creature in front of Eiyu's clone caught a glimpse of their movement. It alerted the leader by spitting its saliva everywhere.

As Jurobei moved his massive arm at the girl, Byo yelled the team they were fighting were decoys. His claw went through the girl's form. She poofed on contact.

Kaneko's kunai went through the boy she had trapped. Her eyes widened as he disappeared at the same time Jurobei's opponent did. She swore whirling around to be met with an enormous fireball coming her way.

Takeru held his position on the wall with his feet glued to the surface as he kept the tiger sign strong. The fire scorched the wooden poles so badly, they appeared black. His eyes saw the movements of those in front of him. Onari was in the air spinning with her arms outstretched as kunai came flying at her. Eiyu was hitting the chakra points of Kaneko, the girl with the wild orange hair. His eyes focused on the guy with the large crab arms. He was coming around to slam his hands on top of Onari. Takeru narrowed his eyes.

As the motions occurred, he leapt off in a sprint with his arms out to the sides and body tilted forward. Reaching into the casing on his leg, Takeru took out several shuriken, throwing them straight at Jurobei to stop his motion.

Jurobei yelled in anger as sharp metal hit his arms. His hands came down missing the girl by a few inches. "Damn brat," he said singling Takeru out. He went after him.

Eiyu moved his body twisting on his heels as he aimed his open palms at Kaneko's chakra points. The girl was still trying to hit him. "I stopped your chakra flow. There's nothing left for you to defend yourself with," he said blandly. Kaneko resulted in moving back to rethink her attack. Eiyu took the opportunity to unclip the bamboo flask on his hip.

Takeru needed the water inside the flask to unleash another technique of his. As usual, he used fire to limit the advances of another team. But now the area was bone dry and the technique couldn't be pulled off. Eiyu pried the top of the flask off with a kunai before he threw it at Kaneko. "Takeru!" He thrust the water from the flask out into the open air.

Takeru formed hand seals stopping on the sign for 'dog'. He concentrated choosing a technique his mother had taught him in preparation. "Water fortress," he said as the water from the bamboo flask was released.

Jurobei grinned as the water formed around the boy creating a four walled structure. "That's not going to work on me." He moved his arms through the water halfway as he tried to attack Takeru. What is this? It's not allowing me to pass through it!

Takeru ducked as a massive hand went above his head, trying to snap it clean off his neck. Idiot. My mother was the elite of the water country. You can't pass through heavy water molecules containing only half water and half part oxygen. He moved around continuing to avoid Jurobei's assaults on the fortress.

"Come out of there," Jurobei demanded getting angrier by the minute. He kept punching through the water expecting to make contact with the boy inside. Jurobei began to angle his hands at the top and bottom of the water. "I'm going to get you!"

"Doubt it, since I can see your moves," Takeru said dodging every attempted hit. He took out a kunai and came down upon Jurobei's arm hard. The blade went straight through. The other ninja yelled in pain, but Takeru kept attacking him.

Onari whirled around punching the Mudasanyou between the eyes. It cried out as she heard the cartilage break. "Sit," she said lowly. "Bad."

Byo threw a tied wire strand containing three bombs at Onari. He watched the ignited weapon soar through the air. Just when he thought it was going to hit, it snagged on another piece of wire he hadn't seen. He turned his head in disbelief to see Eiyu holding the wire that was linked to a kunai lodge on the far side of the wall.

Onari was busy punching the Mudasanyou all over its body. Once it toppled over she lifted the heavy creature into the air. As the bombs began to spark, she threw it at the strand. As she suspected, Byo went after his pet. The bombs went off blowing the wooden poles apart.

Takeru opened the water fortress long enough to escape from the back. Jurobei kept trying to attack through it until the water fell on top of him. The girl Eiyu had defeated ran once she realized her attacks were useless against him. He turned his head, his feet touching the remaining poles to see Jurobei leaping towards him with a death blow.

Onari's form poofed behind Takeru in mid-twirl, her long iron spike jutting out from the sleeves of the kimono. Aiming the pointed end up, it caught Jurobei in the chest going cleanly through his back. She fell on her side with the man stuck to her hidden weapon. Onari plucked it free with a grunt. Crawling out from underneath him, she rose, brushing herself off.

Takeru and Eiyu waited on Onari to make it to the solid flooring. They were both surprised at the new weapon's abilities. She stood before them with her wrist extended. Flexing her wrist, the weapon shinked back into its hiding place.

Team 9 exited the area moving ahead to the next obstacle they would face. "So uh… what have you been doing in your spare time, Eiyu," Takeru asked with a glance.

Eiyu smiled knowing his colleague was going to catch on as soon as he saw the details of Onari's new weapon. He walked off to the right around the corner leading his team. "Designing weapons, Takeru," he said as an afterthought occurred to him. How many levels were in this place?

Nahoko Ieyasu made her way to the strangest area she had ever seen. Moss covered the walls and floors of the hall they were walking through. Her eyes shifted around examining her surroundings. She led her team further into the tower, their feet walking slowly in case an attack occurred.

Saji Yamaha adjusted the goggles he wore around his eyes. "Now that's not something you see every day," he commented as they came to a blinding sight of old trees rooted in the flooring. Their branches stretched far and up to the next level of the tower. Moss hung from the dark wood, their intoxicating smell of mold hitting his nostrils. "It's apparent these have been here for a while."

Raidon Adachi rolled his eyes. "Stop stating the obvious," he said annoyed. "It's a trial not a nature expedition," he said moving past Saji. "It's the only way up and we're going to have to fight for it."

Idai crouched on the branch his arms hanging as he watched the Red Bean Jam team arrive. "Now what would ever make you think that?" His orange eyes locked with Raidon's.

Masaru was several branches up, his hands holding onto a branch as he pulled himself up. Swinging his body he managed to get onto the slippery wood. Masaru flipped his head around, his white eyes looking for Yanagi. She must be in hog heaven up here. That caterpillar of hers is probably eating through the bark.

Saji moved his fingers in his gloves. He was ready to take on the Konoha team. "I'm not getting any younger, let's get started," he said flashing his movements around the tree until he was straight under it. Idai seemed to be taken aback by Saji's speed. "Are you feeling alright," he asked as if Idai was merely lightheaded and his eyes hadn't seen what they did.

Idai lifted his arm putting his hand on one of his swords. He wasn't taking any chances. He had two others on his team he had to protect. One of them happened to be his best friend's girlfriend. Idai didn't know what the Red Bean Jam team was capable of, but he was fixing to find out.

Nahoko started to climb the enormous tree, her hands moving quickly up as her feet found footing. She wanted to get to the next level as quickly as possible. It had been two days already since her team had been trapped in The Crux Tower. Night and day were passing them by. Any longer in here and we won't make it out. I've seen teams already annihilated by stronger ones. It's the survival of the fittest!

Raidon wasn't attaching himself to the tree like his other two team mates. He was looking around for the third member of the Konoha team. There's one of 'em missing. Where could she be? He searched all over the branches, but there was no sign of her. He took out a small bag tied closed with a string. They were highly combustible. He snickered as a grin went across his face. How he loved to make things explode.

Saji flashed his form again appearing near the leader of the team. The boy turned his head to regard him. "Don't be so surprised," he said before his form faded out in a blur of colors. He was above Idai in a heart beat, his form hanging as he tried to sucker punch him unaware.

Idai crouched just in time as Saji came overhead. Nahoko was already near him, too. She was making her way towards him to get a clear shot at him. The girl's arm was moving to grab a hold of the long wooden object on her back. Idai had to react fast. He unsheathed both of his swords, rotating his wrist above to send Saji away from him.

Saji moved his form quickly to another location as Idai shot a current of air in the space where he once was. The branch he had been on cracked so hard that it began to snap off. Saji took out kunai and shuriken, throwing then at Idai. The weapons soared through the air.

Idai moved out of the way of the branch falling. As he moved, he was hit with weapons. Idai grit his teeth as his hand moved up to pull the shuriken out of his right arm. The kunai had hit the wood around him. The broken branch began to lean as gravity pulled its heavy mass down. The smaller branches came flinging back towards Idai, shifting their branches. He was pushed forward by the force, his body slamming against the hard surface. Idai scrambled to get back up.

Nahoko was unclipping her wooden zenbon pipe. It was a foot and a half in length, half an inch in diameter. She began to load it with the poisonous zenbon needles she loved to use to take down her enemies. The pipe allowed her to shoot farther than she could throw – even get into tighter spaces than she could possibly aim for. Nahoko began to bring the weapon up to her mouth. As she inhaled air, she felt something pulling on her leg. Nahoko looked down at her feet to see a hand wrapped around her ankle. Another thrust and she was caught off balance, trying to steady herself.

Yanagi's form came half way out of the tree. She wasn't about to give Nahoko the chance of hurting Idai. The woman was trying eagerly to get back up but Yanagi was catching each of her legs, pulling as hard as she could to keep her from gaining her balance.

Idai's head flipped around trying to track Saji's lightening fast moves. Every time he thought he had him, the man would move somewhere else to confuse his strategy skills. Idai was becoming annoyed. It was like trying to catch a fly with a pair of chopsticks. Patience was not one of his virtues.

High in the moss covered tree, Raidon pinpointed the location of a blond haired kid moving around with a large shuriken on his back. He wondered briefly why the boy had chosen to remain up here instead of helping his team mates. Raidon thought it was a foolish move when going up against an unfamiliar team. "Have you no idea how much trouble you're in," he asked as the boy landed on a branch opposite him. Raidon was older, wiser, and bigger.

Masaru only stared at the man from the Red Bean Jam team not giving any acceptance or denying to what he was saying. It was wrong to confirm the thoughts and actions of an opponent in battle. His father had taught him that. Things could change in an instant. Masaru wasn't away from his team for sheer lack of intelligence. No, he had been leading Raidon away for his sheer stupidity. Masaru Uzumaki smiled slowly at Raidon.

Raidon didn't know what the boy was smiling at. He threw several of his combustible powder bags at the boy to make his point. "See if you're still smiling after this!" He watched Masaru's form get annihilated by the bags of exploding powder. His homemade bombs were enough to make any formidable assassin proud. They were quick, on contact, and hard to foolproof.

Masaru stood again watching Raidon from the same location. This time, he had moved to another branch a little farther back that was more stable. Raidon seemed confused as hell to how he could have survived the all out explosion. Again, Masaru only smiled at him keeping that same blank stare he had learned from watching Idai a time or two.

Again Raidon reached into his clothing to take out more of the bags. He didn't know what game the boy was playing with him, but he wouldn't be caught up in it. Raidon threw more of the bags in his direction – this time from the top and bottom as he leapt off towards him. "Stupid kid!"

Masaru didn't move. As the bags came within feet of hitting his body, he concentrated. There was one formal fact about being a Hyuuga descendent – his mother had taught him a special technique to protect himself. Masaru spun around quickly creating a blue ball of light to guard himself against the exploding powder. As the powder came raining down, he kept rotating his form. The ball of chakra kept him from getting hit by the debris or getting seriously injured.

Raidon's eyes widened. He had never seen a jutsu like that before. "What kind of technique is that," he asked as he hunkered down, his body moving closer to Masaru, his feet stepping on each winding branch. He had to know. It was a hobby of his to familiarize himself with different clans and their techniques. "What clan are you from?"

Masaru answered the man truthfully, his smile dying away. "Uzumaki," he said not giving Raidon the full answers he sought. It was true he was both an Uzumaki and a Hyuuga, but his mother was a descendent and he was not part of that original clan. Masaru unclipped his shuriken from his back. "Enough talking," he said throwing it at the man.

Raidon leapt high into the air surprising the boy from Konoha. He threw more of the powder bags, his tongue going across his teeth. "I want to see you dodge all of these," he said as he kept on throwing them not waiting for the powder to disperse.

Nahoko had to get Yanagi off of her. She decided to let herself lose her balance to throw the girl off. Nahoko let go of the branch, her body falling as she brought the zenbon pipe up to her mouth. She inhaled quickly before unleashing a wave of poisonous zenbon on the girl.

Idai had to abandon his attack with Saji. It wasn't getting him anywhere. Yanagi was in danger. His main focus as a leader was to protect his team. Idai jumped with his sword drawn, arm outstretched as it came in front of her. Her eyes widened as he started to rotate the sword down the angle of the other one. A huge wave of wind was blasted forth sending the zenbon back to their original owner.

Nahoko's eyes widened as her zenbon came back. She shielded her face, curling into a ball, but it wasn't a match for the ones she had sent out. The padding on her body was thick, but only in certain areas. As the zenbon rained down on her, Nahoko's body was obstructed like a pin cushion. She fell to the bottom of the tree, her body lifeless as the poison seeped through her veins.

Masaru kept his attention focused on Raidon as he allowed himself to run riot. It was getting harder to keep the ball of chakra going around him. Masaru was starting to wear down and Raidon knew it. The man was sending even more bags at him, if it was possible to believe. Masaru couldn't see or hear anything as the bags exploded one after the other around him.

Yanagi ran up the side of the tree with her chakra gluing her feet to its moldy old bark. She tried to get to Masaru in time, her heart racing as her team mate was being attacked. Yanagi formed hand seals causing hundreds of pink butterflies to be expelled out of her clothing. The butterfly swarm went straight after Raidon.

Raidon laughed manically as he kept throwing the bags at Masaru. The ball of chakra the boy was contained in was starting to fizzle out. He turned his head just in time to see a pink mass of insects coming at him. He took his last combustible bag and threw it at them. The explosion sent pink wings everywhere.

Saji was on top of the girl his kunai drawn as he came down on her. She met his blade with her own, her dark eyes watching him intensely. He only smiled at her behind his goggles. "A lovely girl such as yourself would make a finer nurse maid," he said pushing her back with his strength, his heels digging into the wood.

Yanagi wasn't used to being talked down to. She sneered, her mouth turning into a frown. "Bring that pretty mouth of yours a little closer so I can cut your tongue out," she said in anger.

Idai bucked the large caterpillar as it climbed up the tree, its sharp feet catching onto each branch as it circled. He held onto its hairs as it moved faster once it saw Yanagi. Idai smiled as his hair fell forwards into his face with the movements of the creature. "Ah, you see your mama don't you?" Idai bucked more with his heels.

Saji pushed the girl so far back that her feet were fighting to stay on the branch. He was taller than her by a foot and a half. Yanagi was struggling to keep her arms from buckling under the weight of his own. Saji pushed down on her arms. He could tell they were starting to give from the pressure.

Idai had to help Masaru first before he could help Yanagi. "Maybe we can take them both out at the same time," he said patting the caterpillar's head. Masaru had resorted to creating one clone of himself at this time. Both he and the clone were running around Raidon to confuse him, but also creating a whirlwind.

Raidon threw shruiken and kunai at the boy and his clone. He didn't know which was which, but he didn't particularly care. His feet were starting to hover above the branch. Damnit to hell! I would run out of weapons at this point in the battle!

Masaru was tired as he could be, but he kept it up. He had to! If Raidon overthrew him now, Masaru was as good as dead. He was fighting until his body wasn't able to take anymore. The clone he was using to create the twister started to slow down. "No, not now," he yelled at the clone. It apologized to him, but poofed on him. His chakra was low.

Raidon smiled as his feet touched the branch once again. "No more tricks up your sleeve boy?" He threw a kunai straight at Masaru's face. Masaru threw one back to get the weapon off course. Raidon threw another and another trying his best to hit the boy. He watched Masaru run behind the large frame of the tree. "Cowards hide," he taunted as he started to follow him. Raidon slid on his tracks almost falling off as he was met by a large caterpillar who was reared up at him.

"And idiots with big egos fall right into traps," Idai said as he commanded Yanagi's pet to put Raidon in his place. He and Masaru watched the caterpillar open its mouth spewing forth an icky sticky fluid. As Raidon swore and tried to pull himself out of it, the fluid hardened. Raidon was caught stuck in an awkward position.

"Now to help Yanagi," Idai said as Masaru laid on the back of the caterpillar. The creature moved down the tree passing Raidon as he swore several times at it. "You have plenty of time to wash your mouth out," Idai called back.

Yanagi twirled her form in the air as her foot slipped. She brought her other leg up and kicked Saji right on the side of the face. He went flying at the tree, hitting it. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Idai on the back of her caterpillar. Maybe it had been wise of her to unleash it ahead of time. Yanagi came around rotating her body in the air with her arm and leg outstretched. She caught onto one of the lower, thinner branches below.

Saji pushed himself off the bark of the tree, completely fed up at this point. The pink haired girl was becoming more of a nuisance to him than he could have ever imagined. Saji started to dart back and forth before he leapt off the branch with his arms out, feet tucked in, weapons drawn.

Yanagi half expected to be mince meat, but soon she saw the familiar fluid go flying over her head. Saji was soon caught in her caterpillar's defense. Yanagi yelped moving herself under another branch as some of the fluid came dripping past her. "Ew, gross," she said up to her pet. It cleaned its mouth with hits teeth.

Idai helped Yanagi up onto the back of the creature as Masaru laid behind him breathing hard. "Maybe we should let it complete the rest of the trails for us," Idai said as the caterpillar started to circle around the tree like a rollercoaster. It's body went up and down as Team 6 held on.

"No, it wouldn't be fair to him. He did his job," Yanagi said. She looked over her shoulder at Masaru. "You finally found someone to wear you out," she said petting his head.

Masaru wanted to take a nap. It had been difficult keeping that technique of his mother's going. "Yeah," he said breathing hard as his eyes half-closed. "That guy had almost enough energy as Idai."


	80. Chapter 80

**V8 ch9**

**Selfish Decisions**

Saori Nara walked ahead of her team. Ryu was heavily scolding Daiya about his ailment. She moved her blue eyes around watching the floor ahead. So far, they had managed to make it to the fifth level of the Crux Tower. Saori had forgotten how many days had passed since they had entered the structure. There was no way for them to know without windows. It reminded her of being in an endless haunted house – where the monsters were real.

"We have enough to worry about in this hell hole of a place," Ryu shot back. He and Daiya had been heavily fighting since they woke up from resting. Ryu's way of worrying about someone was to explode verbally in anger. He lowered his head, his anger still fuming with Daiya's rash decision to enter the competition.

"How about the two of you shut up," Saori said

completely fed up with the bickering. "Another team won't have to plan an ambush on us. You two are already giving away out position!"

Ryu tensed as he made a face under his mask. Saori could be as much of a hot head as either of them. "I'm sick of walking through these confusing hallways. Ever since we cleared level three, we've had to back track – and even gotten lost."

Saori twitched sensing a fight brewing. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes shooting into flames. "Are you questioning my tracking skills?" At this point, Daiya started to move next to her out of fear of being her next target.

"No," Ryu said as he crossed his arms closing his eyes. He lifted up a finger near his face. "I'm saying, you don't have any tracking skills."

Daiya stopped as Saori shot past him. He closed his eyes as he heard kunai clanging together. After a few moments of yelling, the sounds subsided. He turned around to see Ryu upside down on the wall with kunai holding his clothes in place.

Saori brushed off her clothes as if the scuffle with Ryu had caused her to roll down a hill. She marched ahead, her eye twitching. "Come on, Daiya," she said putting her arm under his, forcing him to move.

Daiya was pulled along, his head turned to see Ryu struggling to get free. "What about Ryu," he asked as quietly as he could without angering Saori any further. The blond haired pig tailed girl tightened her grip on his arm – giving him his answer. Daiya chose to remain quiet.

"He's a big boy. He can take care of himself,"

Saori snuffed. She muttered under her breath. "No tracking skills? I have no tracking skills? Sasuke trained me to have tracking skills. At least I didn't get held back on a team!"

Ryu yanked at both of his arms trying to loosen the kunai from the wooden wall. dammit, how many of these things did she use? His pants were held in place worse than his sleeves. "Saori!" Ryu swore as he heard her voice get farther and farther away. "Woman, get back here! You wait till I get out of here! SAORI!"

Areku Inuzuka yelled in pain as his clothing was removed from by the medic-nin. When they got to the last part of his mangled vest, they started to cut it off. Areku was unsure if the rest of his team were alive or dead. He groaned as he opened his eyes trying to see the environment he was in. The Haze team had defeated them in the Crux Tower. Were they outside of it?

Lights were shinning in his face. It was hard for his pupils to make out the faces of the medic-nin who were fixing his wounds. He heard a man confirm to another that he was awake and responding to their actions. His ears tried to pick up on the bangs and shuffles occurring around him. "Where… Where.. are.. they..?"

The medic cleaning the holes in Areku's body flushed the blood out. "Where is who, son?" He worked hastily so they could move him to another area to repair his skin.

Areku felt the remaining portion of the vest coming off. It was stuck to his skin with the dried blood. He screamed. His arms came up trying to fight the medic-nin off. They were hurting him beyond belief. Once he started to right back, the medic-nin surrounded him attempting to restrain him.

A medic-nin rushed in with an IV-pole carrying a supply of blood. He stuck the needle in Arkeu's arm – causing him to be alerted even more. Areku panicked not knowing what they were doing to him. It wasn't until he felt a hand on his forehead did he stop thrashing.

Kiba kept his hand placed upon his son. Areku's eyes were starting to drift out of consciousness. I promised Kashira I'd look after him. Those holes in his body are serious. If the Crux tower didn't have monitors throughout the areas, more of the kids would have died.

"Where.. are.. th-ey," Areku asked weakily.

Kiba sensed the medic-nin were ready to move him to another room. "Gin's holding Ichigo in the waiting area. Kandai's been poisoned." He saw Areku's hand go up as if he was going to have another wind at fighting the medic-nin. The short lived attempt was soon depleted. Kiba watched his son's hand flop back down onto the stretcher.

He moved out of the way as his son was moved through the double doors. As the doors stopped swaying, he pushed them open to be met with a pair of dark eyes staring at him. "They just moved him."

"I heard him from outside. Does he know I'm here," she asked as she followed Kiba down the hall. She really wanted to know if Areku was going to be alright.

Kiba shook his head. "I didn't get a chance, Hire. His wounds are serious." He still felt the tender area where the needle had been stuck earlier. "I'm only hoping I helped him."

"Well, you did. No reason to doubt your parenting decisions late in the game," Hire said. "Give Areku a kiss for me," she said puckering her lips as if she needed a demonstration of what a 'kiss' pertained. "I need to get back to my team. Or… what's left of it." Before Kiba was able to ask, Hire stuck her hand up and departed.

Does she really expect me to kiss Areku for her?

Takeru balanced himself on the thin pieces of metal jutting out from one end of the parted floor to the other. He glanced at the level below them. One wrong slip and he'd be a goner. Walking on his bare feet seemed to give him more stability on the thin rods. With his arms out, hands holding his ninja shoes, he took another careful step. Takeru started to sway a little, but regained his balance.

Eiyu hadn't chosen to walk foolishly on the metal rods. Instead, he was moving across with his legs hooked around it, arms moving every time he shifted his legs to help pull himself along. His head turned to see Onari upside down with her legs out. She was hand walking on the rods with her fingers curled. Her balance is incredible.

Onari moved her hands one at a time flipping her long hair out of the way. To her, this seemed more like another obstacle course. "Takeru, Onari would like this in the garden."

Takeru almost lost his balance at the mention of doing this for fun. "Ri, you're not helping." Takeru closed his eyes meditating to gain his self-confidence.

"Takeru, I admire your precision and ability to calm the mind – but now is not the time to be Buddha," Eiyu said bringing his team mate back to reality. "Get your butt across," he practically shouted. Eiyu grunted pulling himself up more. "How much farther have we got to go," he yelled at anyone who would answer him.

"If I told you, you'd turn into an oni," Takeru stated concentrating hard as he moved three more feet. Truth was, they were moving slowly. Eiyu wasn't going as fast as he thought he was. Takeru felt the metal rod digging into his aching feet.

Onari turned her head to check on the two boys. Eiyu was sweating profusely as he continued along his route. Pain was written all over Takeru's face. Both of them are wearing out. Onari bit her lip pondering. Takeru's legs are shaking. He's going to fall. Onari flipped over landing on the rod. She hooked her legs around it as she balanced herself.

Eiyu breathed hard. His fingers were numb from the strain of holding onto the rod and pulling himself. He saw Takeru start to crumble, his legs buckling. "Takeru!"

Takeru's legs went out from underneath him. As he saw the rod coming overhead, a flash of red light appeared out of the corner of his eye. He heard his name being shouted by both of his team mates before he landed on a soft firm surface. Takeru moved his hand feeling the sensation of feathers. "Sashizo," he said quietly.

Eiyu dropped on top of the large phoenix next to Takeru. His hand went to Takeru's shoulder. "Hey, quit messing around," he said as Takeru looked at him tiredly.

"Eiyu, Onari's not supposed to unleash the phoenix," Takeru said watching her continue along the rod path alone.

"I know. What other choice did she have? Your death would burden her. You're so troublesome," Eiyu said flopping onto his back.

"What was that strange flash of light," Washi Hojo asked moving his eyes around as he stood with his team.

"Who knows," Unkei Eimino said as he searched the fallen ninja he had taken out. His eyes narrowed. "Damn, nothing on him is useful." He moved the guy aside with his foot as if he were discarding a broken limb.

"You would take that route," Katamaru Takano said as she continued her path. "Besides, leave the dead where they ly. We have more pressing matters to take care of."

Washi caught up with her, his eyes glancing at her. "You're thinking about that girl with the mask, aren't you?" He heard her snort. That's what I thought.

"That girl's strength is unnatural," Katamaru said thinking about how her doll came to an end. "My dolls aren't meant to be tossed away so easily. Their explosions should be as beautiful as they are."

Unkei picked at his teeth. "She's still going on about 'Moriko' getting shafted, isn't she?" He couldn't believe Katamaru named those hideous things. "Get over it. We need to win this."

Washi caught onto the edge in Unkei's voice. The corner of his mouth turned into a smirk. "Troubles at home?" He felt Unkei grab onto his arm hard, shoving him into the wall. Washi turned his eyes on him.

"Watch your mouth," Unkei said narrowing his gaze. "You don't want to go up against me," he warned. The electrical charges around his form sparked.

Katamaru came between the two of them, her eyes becoming serious. "Neither of you want to wager your lives for the other. Don't do so against each other either," she said thrusting a kunai at each of their throats with her hands.

"Exactly why are you so threatened," Washi asked his posture not changing as his shoulders remained raised. "If you're not here for the Raikage, who are you here for?"

"Who do you think," Katamaru said to her team mate. "He's got more things to worry about than the Raikage. I've known for a while you've been pressured to join Lord Gekido. They've really gotten to you."

Unkei grabbed her wrist shoving her into Washi. "He's not the one that frightens me. What damage could he do that's more lethal than a legend coming true?"

Washi rolled his eyes. "I don't believe in legends. They're only myths that the elders told to keep order, or respect." He walked away. "Keep your fears to yourself."

"Keep saying that when war breaks out," Unkei said under his breath. He walked ahead, his body tense. He was being recruited for an inside job he didn't approve of. It seemed far fetched to him. If he got found out by the Raikage, or any of her guards, he was in deep trouble. He'd be seen as a traitor. But what was worse to him? Being a traitor against a new leader, or an old one who commands a bigger army?

Gin moved her hand down Areku's arm until her fingers interlaced with his. He was lying on the bed with his arms and shoulders bandaged. She was concerned not only as a team leader, but also as a friend. He had defended her long enough for her to get to Kandai. She closed her eyes wanting him to recover.

Gin turned around hearing a knock at the door. Shikamaru stepped through with his hands in his pockets. She turned back around gazing at Areku sadly. She was trying to focus on him to keep her mind off Kandai.

"Gin, it wasn't your fault for leaving him alone," Shikamaru said. He glanced under the bed to see Ichigo asleep on the floor. Shikamaru didn't want Gin punishing herself over Areku's decision. "Do you want me to tell you why he chose to fight that guy instead of you?" Gin nodded silently. "You wouldn't have stood a chance against him. That guy's weapon did some serious damage to the walls and flooring around the battle. Your plant jutsus wouldn't have been effective."

Gin swallowed. "I could have used a tree to knock him off his feet. I had enough seeds in my pouch," she said trying to force reason into her words. Shikamaru sighed. Gin knew she wasn't cooperating. "If Kandai dies, then it won't matter what direction I took. Both were wrong."

Umai Nozara stood on the eighth floor, his eyes looking out at the two doors across the way. "Kind of eerie, don't you think?" Standing in front of the Sound-nin were two wooden doors bearing peculiar marks of birds, whales, crickets, and other animals and insects that were known for their sounds.

Rina Nagai's eyes drifted upwards at the wind chimes. "Why hang these here? There's no wind to hear them move."

Minwa Ui smirked as he opened the compartments on his sides and back. "It's a clue, idiot," he said as he unleashed the wind from the pipes. The wind chimes twirled in the air. Their noises caused a plank to open between the two doors.

Rina moved closer to view the Hiragana. "Each door chooses its fate well. Step through to unleash what you may, or may not, live to tell." Rina crossed her arms. "That doesn't frighten me."

"Then if it doesn't, pick a door," Minwa stated blandly. He pulled a lever inside his gear. The pipes on his sides and back lowered back into their compartments.

Rina looked at each door carefully. They were both the same. "Oh, this is ridiculous. It has to be a trick of some kind. That's all this tower is."

Umai walked forward to open the door on the right. "The both of you get in there. We're wasting valuable time," he said rather annoyed. His eyes stayed on each of them until they passed. Umai turned his body closing the door behind him. His eyes adjusted to the darkness. His team was stuck in a small room. "It's a dead end."

Just as he voiced his opinion, the wall opened in front of them to a lighted room with strange one-foot stones poking out of the floor. Umai and his team walked forward cautiously. The stones appeared ordinary. There were no marking upon them; unlike the outside doors. His head lifted to see four hand sized holes on the upper side of the walls. "Now I wonder what's going to come out of those."

Minwa craned his head, listening. He narrowed his eyes as he threw kunai at the wall. "Let's find out," he said using a kunai in his hand to keep his balance as he began to step on the ones lodged in the wall. He moved carefully scaling the forty-five foot wall.

Once in reach of the holes, he moved his hand, fingers extending to feel the material. His skin came in contact with metal, but also small droplets of water. "Hope you guys know how to swim," he said as he looked extensively at the moisture on his finger tips. Minwa looked down at them. "Water."

"Water? So this room fills with it," Rina said confirming her thoughts. She moved over to one of the stones, her hand moving along the contours. "It's here, too. These must allow it to drain."

Umai tapped his head with a finger. "Sometimes what's in front of you is obviously allusive," he said in a sweet, tender voice. "You two are missing an even bigger point."

"What could be bigger than drowning," Minwa asked as he touched down.

"The other door," Umai stated with his hands out as if he was holding up a marvelous feast. "We won't know what those stones are for until another team goes into the other room. We're wasting time again."

Rina punched her hand into her palm. "Arg! We're sitting ducks until someone else discovers the other door!"

"Exactly," Umai said as he leaned against the wall, waiting. "One team comes out and the other doesn't." He furrowed his brows looking to each of them.

"For both of your sakes, you better hope it's us," Minwa said his anger starting to show. He didn't like having losers on his team. Furthermore, if they lost this trial, they would be disqualified – or dead.

Gusen Muro poushed the Bear Country team through The Crux Tower. They had managed to take down three teams in the past few hours. He grunted as he began to move a heavy piece of food that was in his way. It fell to the side, the loud crash echoing in the enormous room.

Machi Tabuchi kept a look out for any signs of another team approaching. She put her hands on her hips waiting. After several moments her assumptions were confirmed. "We're the only team on this level. Not one person has passed us since we've been here." She flipped her head around. "Now what?"

Gusen stood in the entrance to the hall he had uncovered. Two doors were at the end. One of the doors had a bright light over it. "All of these levels are the same. We go around in circles until we're trapped and forced to fight in order to make it to the next level. Simple, we find out what those doors hold," he said answering Machi.

The team moved forward. The door with the light over it was locked. "How much you want to bet there's already someone in there? We move to the other door," Aki Masuko said. "What's the purpose of these etchings," he asked as his eyes gazed over the markings upon the door.

"It's a riddle," Gusen said his large frame moving closer to it. "This whole place is one giant trap." He glanced at them before he opened the door. "It's dark. Imagine that," he said with pure sarcasm. "Let's go."

Each member of the Bear team went inside the room. The door behind them shut on its own. Soon the team entered the room filled with stones on the floor.

Aki didn't like the looks of the area. "Alright, why's it smell faintly of water," he said more to himself trying to problem solve the area. His eyes caught onto the holes in the wall. "Oh, they mean to drown us. I should have thought as much with everything else we've been through."

Gusen slammed his foot on one of the stones, his eyes looking around the room. "Stop wasting our time. We're ready for whatever you have pulled up your sleeve," he said with his arm on his knee.

Machi stood near Gusen, her ears picking up the sounds of crickets being imitated. Her ehad flipped as she heard water pouring out of the holes in the wall at the top. "What is the objective of this trial?"

Aki sloshed through the water, his eyes moving around head turning as he figured out the purpose of the stones. "It's a puzzle!" He heard the sounds being made out of the stone in the floor. As he bent over, he pushed it with his foot trying to get it to lower. It didn't move.

Machi caught on to where Aki was standing. "The closer a cricket sounds, the father away it is," she said moving to the other end of the row. She pushed the stone with her hands. It started to sink into the floor. The water in the room had already reached a foot in such a short amount of time. "I don't understand."

Gusen hadn't moved from his position. "The only way the water will disappear is if we solve all of the sounds. Until then, we're all in trouble."

Rina Nagai moved swiftly with her team as they searched the stones for the next sound. She found it difficult to locate it due to the water pouring in through the holes. The water helped mask the true location of the sound being emitted. Whirling around she started to randomly press her foot on the stones. It has to be one of these! Her anger started to get to her.

Minwa noticed his team was getting distracted by their frustrations. "You two need to calm down! If this trial defeats you, then you don't deserve to pass!" He slammed his hand on the stone emitting the noise. It went into the floor sinking with the others that had already been pressed. He breathed hard, coughing a few times. "It's getting harder to distinguish the sounds from the water pouring in."

Umai fell into the water. Despite them being able to solve the sound puzzles, the water didn't stop – it only slowed down. How many of these do we have to do? Almost all of the stones are pressed." He looked up at the holes the water was coming out of. "The water's only three feet up above the floor. That's not enough to drown us."

Minwa run out his sleeves. He was sick to his teeth of the substance. "It means there's another trick we're having to wait on. Who said each trial we face only has one puzzle, or obstacle to it?"

"They're as ruthless as we are," Rina said hearing the next sound being emitted. The water started to pour in faster as she began to search the stones for the correct one. She sloshed through the water, the sounds of the elephant driving her mad. Rina wished there was another way to tell which one it was. "This shouldn't be so difficult! There's three of us and one of it!"

Umai took in a deep breath of air before he ducked under the water. He figured the stone had to be blowing out air bubbles as the sound was vibrated through the air. Opening his eyes under water proved he was wrong. There weren't any signs of bubbles he could see. Umai went back up for air. He shook his head, water flinging off as the sound ended.

Minwa swore as he saw Umai coming up out of the water. "What in the hell are you doing? It takes all three of us to figure out which one it is. Stop playing around!"

Rina caught on to her team mate's movements. "He was helping," she said defending him against Minwa as she stepped between them. "If there were air bubbles, or some sort of vibration around the device, we'd know it. We wouldn't have to listen for the sounds." She crossed her arms. "There's only four more stones to push."

Gusen's team finished pushing the remainder of the stones into the floor. The water level was already five feet high. He glanced at his team mates. They were fatiguing faster than he would have liked. He couldn't blame them for their condition, though. Ever since they had entered The Crux Tower, they had been pushing themselves against the odds.

"What do we do now? The last stone is in place," Aki stated. Had they lost? There wasn't any escape to the room filled with water. "At least the water stopped pouring in." He kept his hand under Machi who was relatively short compared to the height of the water.

Machi refused to believe it was over. She tried her best not to latch onto Aki as he kept her head above the water. "How are we supposed to get out of here?" As soon as she asked, three ropes dropped from the ceiling. Machi grabbed onto the rope with difficulty. Her hands were wet. Grunting, she started to lift her form up the rope with all of her strength.

Aki and Gusen moved to their own ropes and began climbing. Aki's suspicions about the tower were being confirmed. He noticed the ropes were far enough apart to keep each team member from helping another. If one of them slipped, they'd fall straight into the water and have to start all over.

Machi began climbing, her fingers wrapped tightly around the rope. Her legs shifted to move up as well. She was having to move little by little for fear of losing her grip. Falling into the water would be like hitting the ground at full force.

Gusen urged his team to keep going and to not look down. He grunted, his large body trying to remain on the rope between his legs. Machi and Aki were trying their best to get as high as they could. Gusen, however, wasn't sure about this sort of method. The openings in the ceiling beckoned him to the next level as he dangled high over the water.

Aki was halfway to the top when his legs started to slip off the rope. He kicked his legs out as he shouted. "Ah, no!" Aki's weight caused his hands to slide down the rope. As the material burned his skin, he tried to stop himself from falling, but it was no use. He had to let go. Aki's hands released as he fell backwards to the water. He hit hard, the impact causing him to black out.

Gusen swore as Aki's form disappeared under the water. He could see his team mate's arms coming up over his head. "Stay where you are!" He turned his head signaling Machi to keep going to the top. "Head for the roof!" Gusen let go of the rope. He, too, fell towards the water with his legs aimed straight down.

Machi watched as Gusen splashed into the water. Her heart raced with anticipation. She didn't know what to do. He was her team leader and had given an order. Machi closed her eyes regaining her self-confidence. I have to keep going. Aki wouldn't want me to stop. Machi opened her eyes, tilting her head back to stare straight at the hole in the roof. She began to climb again, faster.

Gusen put his arm around Aki and forced him to the surface. "Aki!" The kid wasn't answering him. He slapped the side of his team mate's face trying to arouse him. "Ah, hell," he said once he realized Aki wasn't breathing. Gusen hurried to force the water out of the boy's lungs.

Machi managed to make it to the top, pulling herself over onto the next level. She flopped on her back breathing hard. Her clothes were soaked and fingers numb from the climb. Remembering Aki had fallen, she sat up to crawl and peer over the side. Gusen was swimming to a rope with Aki in tow. "Is he okay," she called down below.

Gusen held onto the rope with one hand as he tried to figure out how to get the unconscious kid out of harm's way. He heard Machi calling to him again. "What? He's fine," he answered. "Your girlfriend is impatient," he told the kid. Gusen figured his best bet was to keep a hold on Aki while he climbed up. The difficult part was going to be to lift the boy out of the water with one arm.

Aki's body drifted with the water as Gusen pulled himself up the rope with one arm. He grunted straining his muscles to keep Aki's head from going under. "Come on," he told himself. "You can do this. You're stronger than anyone back home," he said forcing his hand to remain closed on the rope. Gusen let Aki go for a split second to hook his arm around the boy's chest. His fingers dug into the wet material as his back began to straighten. Aki's limp form came out of the water, but at a price. Gusen felt the muscles in his back call out to him. The pain hit him so hard he yelled.

Machi's eyes went wide as she realized what Gusen was doing. He was injuring himself to rescue Aki. "Gusen!" He wouldn't listen to her.

Gusen managed to lift Aki half way out of the water. As the boy dangled, he used his other leg to force Aki's body up. Gusen heaved him upwards until Aki was pressed hard against his side. Once he was secure, Gusen moved the boy's body up and over his shoulder. He breathed hard, the pain in his back shouting at him. The opening in the ceiling seemed farther away.

Machi knew Gusen was stuck. She had to think of a way to get him and Aki through the opening. Their weight was too much for her to pull alone. What if I make a pully out of the rings and wires I carry? The idea struck her. "Hang on," she shouted down to them.

Gusen let his forehead touch the wet rope. "What else does she expect me to do," he said to no one but himself. He turned his head checking on Aki. The boy wasn't moving, or responding to him calling his name. "Damn, he's really out of it." As Gusen pondered the chances of both of them making it out of the predicament they were in, something hit him in the head. He looked around to see a metal ring spinning in the air. It was dangling on wire. Just as he thought about what Machi expected him to do with it, another ring came down, clanging next to it.

"Put Aki's arms in the rings with the wire wrapped around his torso. I can pull him up," Machi called. She knew Gusen wasn't understanding with the expression on his face. "I made a pully system," she shouted trying to explain. "Just get him on it! I'll pull you up next!"

Gusen wasn't too sure about this. He reached out trying several times to latch onto the rings. As soon as he had them, he moved Aki's form down slipping a ring all the way down his arm and up to his shoulder. Wrapping the wire around Aki's vest several times he tugged on it to make sure it was secure before putting his other arm through. "I'm fixing to let him go," Gusen called back up to her. "Brace yourself." He gave her a moment before he prayed the wire would hold.

Gusen let Aki's form drop from his own. Aki's body went down a foot before the wire tightened. It was holding. Gusen breathed again as he watched Machi slowly lift Aki's body overhead. He was threw the opening now. Gusen watched Machi pull Aki away from the opening, in case he woke up.

Machi took the rings and wire off Aki as he lay on the floor. She didn't have time to worry about what condition he was in. She had to get Gusen out of there. Machi lowered the wire with the rings again. She placed her foot on the wall beside her, her eyes checking the kunai that were acting as levers to take the weight off her. "Okay, let go," she called. As Gusen let go, the wire straightened again with a poing.

Machi grit her teeth as her hands held onto the wire. If she hadn't of been wearing gloves, it would have cut through her skin. Gusen was heavy. She kept pulling until sweat encased her brow. It was the hardest thing she had had to do. Until she saw Gusen's head pop over the side, Machi forced herself to keep going.

Gusen flopped hard onto the floor, his back not able to take much more. He heard Machi fall as well. They were both breathing hard. Before he could manage to get the rings and wire off, his eyes closed. He heard Machi mention something about taking a break before they headed out. He couldn't agree more.

Ryu stood at the top of one of the boulders, his red eyes looking down below at the Rain team. They were coming for them. He signaled Saori and Daiya to make themselves scarce. "Yeah, I'm waiting for you," he said his head lowering as his hands started to form hand seals.

Fusae Soga, the leader of the Rain team, stopped on the boulder signaling Nahohiro Ekiguchi and Kotai Watoga to move away from her. "This is between me and him," she said. They took off to find the other two hiding from the Leaf Team. "You want to play, I'll play," she said slipping off the box on her back.

Ryu smiled coyly under his mask, his hands moving to throw several kunai at her in an arch. "I'd like nothing better," he said as he darted around her to come behind her. He didn't know what was in that box of hers, but he was going to find out.

Fusae smiled as she unraveled a large scroll as the kunai came at her. The caricatures upon the paper glowed as the kunai were sunk into it. She turned around swiftly as he moved behind her, rotating the paper a few times, before the kunai were released back at him.

Ryu's eyes widened. This girl was playing with some sort of new jutsu he had never seen before. A wooden puppet named Rose appeared in front of him, the kunai lodging into her frame. He was pushed back with the force of the weapons and the weight of the puppet.

Saori hid amongst the boulders, her chakra strings glowing blue. She had ignored Ryu's command to depart. A good team mate didn't abandon another – even at the request of strategy.

"It seems one of your team mates ignored your order," Fusae said as she flipped open the back of the shrine box with her foot. It slammed to the ground. "Such a pity," she said as the spiky haired boy's eyes befell upon her collection. "As you can see, I don't use normal weapons. What's the point when this is a bit more sinister and unexpecting?"

"Bones?" Ryu didn't approve of using the dead in any kind of jutsu. He wondered what Fusae was up to. She was watching him intently, her eyes focused on Rose who was still guarding him. Ryu wouldn't put it past this girl to use Rose against him. "Saori, move Rose! That's a direct order!"

"What," Saori said in alarm. She felt herself being watched. How did she get found out so easily? Saori flipped her head in time to see a swarm of hornets coming at her. She screamed trying to avoid the insects from stinging her. Rose was pulled along like a rag doll as she began to move through the openings in the boulders.

Kotai Watoga smiled as he found the puppet girl hiding in the rocks. He went after her with his hornets, signaling them to attack her. "Take her out," he commanded.

Daiya erupted as Naohiro sent an exploding pellet at him. It went off before it came within range of taking him out. The explosion caused him to be thrown backwards amongst the rocks. He slid on his back going down into a dark area. "Ah," he yelled in surprise.

Naohiro slumped to the right watching the pony tailed youth slip out of sight. "You won't get away from me that way," he said forming hand seals. Naohiro's body started to turn the color of the rocks. Soon his form slumped down as if he were water being dumped out of a bucket.

Daiya groaned as he stared up at the ceiling high over head the area. He sat up rubbing his head with his hand. Out of nowhere he heard, "I'd be on guard if I were you." Daiya's arm came up just in time to stop a shuriken from sinking into his face. He pulled the sharp pointed weapon out.

Naohiro slipped out from the rocks, his form taking its regular shape again. "There's nowhere for you to hide that I can't find you," he said with his hollow eyes watching the boy rise. He was ready for a fight.

Daiya narrowed his eyes at the pale boy in front of him. He cracked his neck, moving his head around. "Moron," he said with one word. Daiya shifted his weight on the dirt, his hand grabbing a metal rod out of the casing on his back. He took it out twirling it in the air with both of his hands as Naohiro threw kunai at him. They pinged off the metal rod, going astray. Soon the other boy was on top of him.

Naohiro had to keep this guy busy. He was a lightening user and could eliminate him if given the chance. Bringing his leg up, he started to kick the boy in the side, then came up twirling around in the air, the water jutsu around his body lashing out at the boy. It started to strike the leaf-nin several times with the force of a whip.

Daiya yelled in pain as he was struck, his arm coming up to block the water. It felt as if he was being hit with an icy whip. The molecules in the water were being held together with a strong jutsu. "Get off of me!" Daiya got so angry to the point that his hair started to spike out causing Naohiro to strike even faster. The water whip was slicing through the bandages on his arms making him bleed.

"I don't think that's a reasonable request," Naohiro said as more water whips came out from behind his back. He used each of them to strike different vulnerable parts of the leaf-nin's body. His eyes narrowed as he started to punch the boy hard in the head. He had to make him go down, or there was a chance he'd fail.

Fusae held her index finger in the air in front of her nose as she concentrated. The spiky haired boy was forming hand seals trying his best to overcome her. "World of the dead," she said in a haunting voice. The shrine box on the boulder started to shake, the bones inside of it shooting out. Now she had him!

Ryu freaked out as the bones came shooting out of the shrine towards him. He moved back throwing kunai and shuriken at the inanimate, now animated, objects. The bones were gluing themselves to parts of his body. Ryu's skin started to crawl as the dead latched onto him. He shook his arms and legs trying to get them off, but they wouldn't move.

Fusae kept her pose her mind concentrating on the signals she was sending to the bones. Soon the bones responded to her commands. She smiled showing her pointed teeth as the boy was lifted into the air upside down. He kept rising until he was a good fifty feet up. "Drop him," she said as his eyes widened.

Ryu yelled as he was suddenly detached from the bones. He went falling back to earth his head aimed downward. As the ground came up, he closed his eyes expecting his skull to crack wide open.

Daiya sent a huge lightening stream at Naohiro, who had begun to move swiftly through the water like a fish throwing smoke pellets at him. Having had enough of this assault, he kept his chakra going based on the anger he was experiencing. Naohiro shot backwards and up landing straight into Ryu, who was falling from the sky. It caused both of them to be thrown off course.

Ryu was now hitting the ground on his side and back, his body sliding on the boulders until he landed smack into another one. Moaning, with his head spinning, his eyes focused on the bones from the shrine coming back at him. He got up quickly, throwing himself over the boulder as they slammed into the side of it. He breathed hard, running away from Fusae. You have got to be kidding me!

Saori breathed hard as she fought Kotai. He was the strangest looking guy with a hornets nest on his back. The hornets buzzed around both of them, their stingers aimed at her as they battled. Saori saw the look in his eyes – he was completely toying with her. She growled under her breath bringing her hand up with a kunai to block his own.

"How does it feel to not know when death with come," Kotai asked the blond headed girl. "Even now, you know it's lingering all around you – calling your name," he sang the last word to her. The girl only kept her attention on him. "Good girl," he said as a wave of hornets came down towards the leaf-nin. Kotai felt something press into his back all of a sudden, throwing his weight forward.

Ryu had his hand placed on the ground with his legs out kicking Kotai forward as the hornets came down. "Timing is everything, bastard," he said as Saori was also thrown back. The hornets began stinging their host, his screams echoing all over the area, arms flailing to get them off of himself. Ryu ran forward, scooping Saori up. She was surprised to see him.

Saori blinked her eyes at him. "What happened to the girl you were fighting?" She saw him smile at her, in his usual comical way. Nothing good can come from this.

"When all else fails, let Daiya handle it," Ryu said with a light hearted laugh.

Daiya's foot slammed onto the bone, causing it to crack. Naohiro was pleading for him not to harm her as she clutched to her shrine box. He only stared at her with a blank expression.

"Don't torch the shrine I made," Naohiro begged, her body protecting it. "It's all I have left of them." She touched the box fondly her hand scooping up the stray bones, trying to put them back in, as if it would protect them from further harm.

"All you have left of who," Daiya asked his posture tense. He was ready to fight this girl even more if he had to. He watched as she cradled a few of the bones. He wasn't sure if they were arm bones or leg bones.

"My family," Naohiro said her dark eyes watching him. He turned around leaving her alone with the shrine. Naohiro's team had been defeated by the leaf-nin team. As she hurried to put the bones back in, she cleaned them off trying to keep them from touching the dirty ground. "Don't worry mama, or daddy. I'll cook you some rice and put it in the altar when we get back home," she pleaded, her voice shaky.

Daiya caught up with Ryu and Saori as they moved across the boulders. He glanced at how loving Ryu was being with Saori. Saori, on the other hand, was pushing him off as he laughed. His heart started to ache for Yanagi. He wondered if she was okay. Soon his predicament got to him. "Would you two knock it off?!"

Saori glanced at him with the last shove she gave Ryu. "Daiya, we're only messing around," she said noticing the hurt look on his face. He averted his eyes from hers.

"Hey, what's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Ryu narrowed his eyes. "When this is over, we're having a serious talk."

Saori saw Daiya move ahead of them, his body language telling her he wasn't listening to anything Ryu said. "Ryu, I think he's missing Yanagi. He doesn't know if she's alive or dead in here," she said trying to make him understand. "He has a lot on him."

"It's only going to get worse," Ryu said not buying into anything Saori was saying. "If he manages to survive the rest of the tower, he'll have to fight his way to the top. Yanagi didn't come here to watch him kill himself."

Saori only looked at Daiya's back painfully. It was true that Yanagi had shown him the utmost respect when it came to his decisions. Now as their time of The Crux Tower was coming to an end, Saori figured Daiya had made the biggest selfish decision of them all.

Areku Inuzuka sat up in the bed his eyes looking around the room. He heard Kandai had been poisoned by an unknown variety. Gin was trying to help the medic-nin come up with an antidote to counteract the poison in their team mate's system. Way to go, Kandai. Areku's mind flashed back to the happy-go-lucky Hyuuga twin standing around in the training arenas. Now you really are the weakest member of the team.

Areku's hands clenched the sheets that were around his body. If Kandai died, Gin wouldn't forgive herself. She had finally come to accept the title as team leader. Shikamaru sensei had given her a lot of confidence boosters to cause her to react in a more positive way. He can't keep pushing you, Gin. You've got to accept things for the way they are.

Areku knew it was pointless to confront his best friend about the worries she had. It had been the same with Idai leaving the village a few years ago. At first, Areku assumed Gin was attached to Idai's memory and wasn't able to let it go. However, when Idai had returned to the village, her adoration had turned into love.

All of the extra training I gave you and this is how you repay me? Areku slammed his fist several times into the bed. Kandai had been lagging behind with every training session they had had as a team. Areku didn't want the Hyuuga boy to be injured on a mission, so he had stepped in, loyally, to make sure he caught up. You stupid bastard! Areku closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as Kandai's happy face swirled in his mind.

Takeru walked between Eiyu and Onari as they made their way down another level. "I wish we were finished with this," he said rolling his aching shoulder. The last stunt he had pulled had caused him to be slammed into the wall with a statue pressed against him. It had taken Onari and Eiyu to pry it off of him.

Stopping in the hall, Eiyu felt a strange sensation over his entire being. Takeru and Onari turned around wondering what was up. The look on his face was of uncertainty. His twin signal was strong. "Kandai's in trouble," he said to the other two on his team.

"Kandai's in trouble? How do you know," Takeru asked watched Eiyu shake his head, his head lowering as he tried to think how he exactly knew. "Eiyu?"

"Eiyu is bonded to Kandai," Onari said in her usual dialect her eyes watching her ex-boyfriend's posture. "Takeru does not understand how?" She watched his eyes soften.

"Kandai's with his team, Eiyu," Takeru said trying to ease the older boy's concerns. "As long as they are together, they should be fine." Eiyu only shook his head in return. Again, all three of them stopped.

"Kandai's the weakest member on his team," Eiyu said, but not in a disgusting way, which surprised himself and Takeru. "It's why I've always looked out for him. It hasn't been because of my authoritive nature," he said dismissing Takeru's scoff. "I thought if I ignored him, he'd learn to catch up to me, or do better to please Father. That hasn't been the case."

Takeru thought for a moment that Eiyu was writing off Kandai's abilities and skills. He moved forward with a step, stopping in mid-gait, Onari's hand on his abdomen to keep him back. His head turned to look at her. She shook her head at him not wanting him to interrupt.

"Kandai's a good kid," Eiyu said defending his brother. "He hasn't done anything wrong – he just takes longer to figure out moves, or what an opponent is trying to master. That's one of the reasons he was placed on Shikamaru's team."

"And… how do you know this," Takeru said seriously.

"I overheard something I shouldn't have," Eiyu confessed. "It was a few months ago. Mother and Father were talking about Kandai's improved progress with Shikamaru sensei. Father embarrassingly told her that he had asked Shikamaru to try and get Kandai to train harder. He figured if he couldn't get Kandai to react to him in the dojo, that Shikamaru sensei could in real life situations."

"Sometimes that's what it takes," Takeru said dryly speaking more of himself. He knew he hadn't been trying as hard as he should until Onari was put on Team 9. "Don't give up on your brother, Eiyu. I don't know if he's in trouble or not, but maybe that feeling of yours is just nervousness."

"I don't know if it is," Eiyu said as he started to walk again remembering where he was. He had to lead his team to the next level and to the top of the roof. "A gut instinct is pretty hard to ignore," he said as his team followed him further into The Crux Tower.


	81. Chapter 81

**V 8 ch 10**

**The Crux Tower Finale'**

Areku Inuzuka walked down the hall of the clinic as he was supported by a crutch. He was worried about Gin. As he tapped along the hall grunting, the pain in his body surfaced. He leaned against the wall, the sweat on his brow blinding his view. If his father caught him, he'd be sent home immediately. The only thing preoccupying the man's time was the fact his team was still participating in The Crux Tower.

Areku regained the ability to walk down the hall, the crutch pressing hard in the floor with his shifted weight. After stopping several times, he finally made it to Kandai's room. He pushed the door open. "Gin?"

Gin Akimichi sat on the hospital bed with her legs dangling. She had been waiting patiently for the results of Kandai's tests. Her head turned to see Areku looking at her with a horrified expression on his face. "Areku, you're still wounded," she said getting off the bed.

Areku staggered on his feet, his eyes looking at the empty hospital bed. He was so shocked, he dropped the crutch to the floor. Where was Kandai? "He-He's dead!" Areku clutched his head gritting his teeth, eyes closed as he hunkered over.

Gin ran forth to help support her best friend. "Areku, he-," but before she could get a word out, he grabbed onto her, pressing her to him. Gin blushed hard as the door opened to the room. Apparently, Areku hadn't heard it. He was babbling incoherently as he cried. Soon she understood a few of the words he had said. "Areku," she tried again, but he shook his head at her.

"Gin, I'm so sorry! I failed all of you," Areku said blubbering. "I tried so hard to get him prepared for the trials!" Areku grabbed Gin's face, his eyes looking dead at her. "Gin, forgive me," he yelled. "I can't bear the thought of you being disappointed in me!"

The nurse blinked her eyes as she watched the boy in front of her erupt emotionally. She had no idea how to approach such a display – or what to say. The boy in the wheelchair was covering his eyes. If it was from shame, she could understand.

"Areku, I can see your bare butt," Kandai stated. He peaked through his fingers to see Areku looking over his shoulder. "Would you please cover yourself?"

Areku turned around hastily with is legs and arms out in an awkward pose. "You're alive!" He heard Gin scream and he blushed. Areku hastened to pull his hospital gown closed, straightening his posture.

Kandai couldn't help but laugh. "Wow, Areku, Idai's going to kill you for sure." He laughed even harder at the expression appearing on his team mate's face. "You have to go purify yourself for flashing Gin."

Gin covered her face with a pillow as she spoke, her voice muffled. "Kandai woke this morning. The antidote we made for him helped his body overcome the poison in his system. It wasn't enough to kill him – he was in a deep sleep."

Areku sighed relief. He scratched the back of his head. Now he felt embarrassed over how he had reacted. "At least you're okay," he said not looking at him.

The nurse pushed Kandai in the rest of the way. Once he was near the bed, she helped him get into it. "Since I'm going down the hall, I'll escort you back," she said to Areku. He glanced at her. "In," she said pointing to it. "You're not supposed to be out of bed."

Areku grumbled as the nurse forced him to sit down in the wheelchair. "I'll see you guys later," he said as Gin lowered the pillow. Areku laid his chin on his hand as the nurse pushed him out of the room.

(Scene Change)

Team Tea moved through Level 9, their eyes focused ahead. A large area was coming into view, along with another team. Haruhiro Yasuijiro signaled his team to stop. They stood far enough away staring down the Mountain team.

Kafu Okanaya kept himself crouched, his eyes looking at the approaching team from the Tea country. "We don't have a problem with your team," he said holding his hand up to stop the other two from advancing near his side. "This is a competition about who gets to the top of the tower."

Banken Dazai stared hard at the Mountain team, unleashing his forearm swords from his back. "It doesn't matter what you think. We happen to have a problem with you," he said sternly.

Kafu Okanaya stood, his face expressionless. "So be it," he said as his team started to move backwards into the open room. He signaled them to stand behind him. His defenses were up.

Haruhiro led the Tea team onto the strange floor in the open room. They faced each other, their weapons drawn. The floor underneath them began to rotate several times, the floor rising into the air. Haruhiro heard the device click in place. Both of the teams were caught unaware as a monitor screen from the ceiling lowered. A man's distorted face appeared on the screen. "Think fast," he said before it crackled out of view.

Chikyo Inao from the Mountain team moved off the space she had been standing on. A cylinder structure made of metal popped up, rotating out of the floor. It went back in, the noises it created causing her to place her hands over her ears. "Get off the floor," she yelled to her team.

Kafu signaled his team to watch their feet as more of the structures began to pop up out of the floor in random spots. He formed hand seals to open his kekkegenkai. Kafu's arms and legs started to loosen, their muscle fibers stretching. His arms shot up, his chakra gluing to the ceiling with the palms of his hands as his lower half cam up, flipping into the air. A structure barely missed him. He managed to peer inside of it to see what it contained.

"Don't let those things get you," Kafu warned his team in alarm. "Those spikes will rip you to shreds!" He let go of the ceiling, dangling with one hand glued as he started to throw kunai to get the Tea team to back off.

Hyobe Uemara snickered as he went after Chubei Hamacho. The magical inscriptions on the skulls around his neck started to glow in response of a battle. One of the mouths opened with a piece of parchment. Hyobe took the parchment, throwing it at the girl.

Chubei used her maniki chains, twirling them behind her as the parchment came towards her. She let one of the chains go, shooting it forward to rip through the paper. Her eyes darted as her body moved backwards. She formed hand seals as Hyobe came after her again with several scrolls aimed in her direction.

Chubei wasn't taking any chances. This time the scrolls began to spark with flames. He was using paper bombs to take her out! Chubei tilted her body to the right, her arm going down, as she started to cartwheel out of the way. Despite her effort, the bombs fully charged. They went off, sending her tumbling in the air until she hit the floor with a thud.

Haruhiro went after Hyobe with the mud people he controlled with his earth jutsu. He tried to find Chubei in the chaos, but his eyes had to remain ahead. Hyobe was moving around him in circles trying to confuse him as he cackled. Haruhiro ordered his mud people to combine themselves into one large mud person. He watched as the mud molded, the creature becoming larger in size. "Finish him," he ordered as he kept his hand formed into the sign for 'rabbit'.

Hyobe lifted one of the skulls from his neck. "That won't work on me," he said as he threw the glowing skull at one of the mud creature. The skull's mouth opened, a large rod springing forth to shoot through the mud creature. The rod opened on the other end to reveal an anchor that kept it intact. Hyobe watched as the creature started to bash the skull around, trying to free itself.

Banken blocked the large beetle from snapping his head off. He grunted, trying to push the large bug back with all his strength. As he kept the beetle at bay, he shifted his weight, moving in a circle so he could view where his team was. The beetle was trying its best to move forward. Banken had one of the pincers caught in one of his forearm swords. "I don't think so you overgrown dung beetle," he said.

Chikyu Inao hopped off her partner to land behind him. He could handle himself. She moved away from the beetle expecting him to take out Banken soon. She formed hand seals, her eyes locking on Chubei. The girl from the Tea team had regained consciousness. She was lucky enough as it was that she hadn't been caught in the structures coming out of the floor. Chikyu stayed where she was as one of the structures came up near her, its spikes spinning in opposite directions.

Chubei rubbed her head. She was a bit disoriented at where she was. The fighting around her, soon registered that she was at the Chuunin exams. Her eyes moved around the room to see where everyone was. Banken was busy fighting a beetle that had appeared. Haruhiro was trying to overcome Hyobe's exploding skulls. She turned her head to see Chikyu near her, the woman's eyes focusing on her. The world around Chubei altered. Oh, no. She's using Genjutsu!

Chubei couldn't break away from Chikyu's eyes. The woman's eyes shown bright green through the altered world. Chubei was standing in the clouds, her feet moving against some form of foundation. As she moved slowly, the clouds started to part, revealing a long drop back to earth. Chubei gasped, moving backwards.

Chikyu had Chubei where she wanted her. The girl was too afraid to move towards her team. She didn't realize that she was still in the Crux Tower. "The world around you is falling apart. Your team – everything you've known- is on fire," she said as she created an illusion for the girl to believe.

Chubei's eyes widened. She was standing in the clouds as her village caught on fire. She screamed as she started to hear the voices of the ones she knew drifting up to her. "No," she yelled with her hands out. What could she do? She was stuck where she was. If she jumped, she'd only die with them. She wouldn't be able to save them!

Banken heard Chubei screaming. He had to get to her. The beetle's force was overwhelming to say the least. He had to get out of the fix he was in. Banken let the insect push forward as he let go of one of the forearm swords, his back leaning as he went to the floor, and rolled. The beetle's pincers slammed into the floor, cracking it. He got to his feet as quickly as he could to see Chubei standing where she was. Moving towards her and Chikyu, the world around him started to change. As the landscape disappeared, he realized Chikyu was using Genjutsu to overcome Chubei. He stood near them, his hands over his mouth sensing the beetle coming up behind him fast. "It's not real, Chubei! She's using Genjutsu on you!" Banken whirled around to lash out at the beetle. He had to get his other sword free.

Chubei turned her head around several times trying to figure out how to get out of the Genjutsu. She wasn't that skilled in releasing herself from the technique. Only Haruhiro was able to do it. She lifted her foot over the edge of the clouds, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. If I don't get past this, my team won't survive. I have to get out of this. They're all busy fighting the Mountain team!

Haruhiro's mud people exploded along with the one Hyobe had managed to snare using his exploding skulls. He swore as he started to try to get the remaining few to go after Hyobe. A cylinder structure came up behind him, startling him. It rotated, the spikes grinding before it went back into the floor. He breathed hard, searching wildly for the rest of his team. Moving backwards, Haruhiro didn't expect the structure to come out of the flooring again. He was wrong.

The cylinder structure came out of the floor, on the piece of tile Haruhiro was standing on. The moment it came up, he tried to flee, but it his body hit the metal, his arm getting cut by one of the spikes inside. His eyes widened as it started to move in opposite directions, the spikes jutting out more towards his body. He yelled in sheer horror as he was bore down upon.

Kafu landed near Chikyo. She was so busy entrusting her Genjutsu trap to work, that she had ignored the threat that was coming out of the floor. He shot his arms forward, wrapping them around her waist. "Not now, Chikyo!" Kafu pulled her back with all of his might. As he suspected, the cylinder structures were increasing in speed and number.

Chubei blinked as her foot hit the floor, the world around her resuming to the trial room. She heard the horrible metal of the device in front of her, whirling. It caused her to move away from it. Her head flipped around as she saw herself being sought out by the beetle and Hyobe. Where were her team mates? She breathed hard as she dodged the pincers coming at her head.

Hyobe grabbed the skull that was hanging near his ear. He unclipped it. It started to glow, its eyes turning blue. "You can't avoid both of us," he said laughing as the skull's mouth opened. A large scythe started to come out of nowhere. He grabbed onto it, tossing the skull behind him. Hyobe angled it towards the girl's feet, then struck.

Chubei screamed as she felt something sharp strike her ninja shoes. It cut through the material and into her skin. She fell to the floor hard. The beetle was on top of her in a matter of seconds, its pincers coming down fast.

Banken threw a smoke pellet towards Chubei and her attackers. It erupted purple smoke causing confusion. He went towards her, picking her up and fleeing away from them. "We have to get out of here!"

Chubei looked up at him, her foot was bleeding. "Where's Haruhiro? Banken? Where is he?"

Banken shook his head, his teeth gritted. "He didn't make it." He squeezed her hard, his feet moving fast on the floor. The Mountain team wasn't giving up. In fact, all three of them and the large beetle were chasing him and Chubei. "Dammit, they're not going to let up!"

Chubei didn't have a choice. She twirled one of her maniki chains then sent it straight towards the beetle. The chain wrapped around its leg, causing it to get off balance. It leaned forward, going down landing right on top of Hyobe, the guy with the skulls around his neck.

"Get this thing off of me," Hyobe yelled to his other two team mates.

Kafu signaled Chikyo to back down. "Let them go," he said as he turned his head around to see the body of Haruhiro laying on the floor. "They lost their leader." He didn't regard them as a threat anymore.

Chikyo helped Hyobe get up, her beetle making fussy noises as it tried to go past her. "No, stay," she ordered the insect. "You won't get through that door anyway," she stated. Her eyes looked in the direction Kafu was staring. "What a waste," she said at the young Tea team leader. "He wasn't trained for this exam as he should have been."

"No, each exam is different in each country. Don't hold it against him," Kafu said before he walked towards the body. He knelt low, his hand curiously going to the boy's wrist. His eyes widened. "He's not dead. Hyobe, I need your medicine, now!"

Hyobe went to Kafu as he was directed, opening the pack on the back of his rear. "I don't understand your thoughts. Why are you going to aid him?"

"It's wrong to let him bleed to death," Kafu said with a leader's tone of voice. "His team didn't win, but that's no reason to wish him to not exist." Kafu hastily started to lift the boy's shirt up, checking the deep cuts from the spikes. "We'll carry him out of here and take him back to his team."

Chikyo saw a hidden door open off to her left. Medic-nin were coming out to the area. "I don't think that's necessary."

Kafu looked up to see the medic-nin coming with a stretcher. He would have never imagined that the Mist village would have designed the tower to have hidden monitors to make sure most of the ninja were saved from the trials. He lifted the boy onto the stretcher. As the medic-nin went back through the opening with the injured Tea team leader, he signaled his team to go through the door to the next level.

Yosu Horri led the Wind team up through the thick branch maze. He signaled them to stop, raising his hand up. As he landed on a branch, he began scouting the area. Yosu formed hand seals quickly his mind focusing on the ninjutsu training he had undergone. A large sand snake started to form from the earth around the combined trees. "Boseku, find out if anyone is hiding in the branches," he said giving it a direct command.

Heizo Nakatoni clenched his fists, the spikes in his gloves extracting. Boseku's head moved around, tongue flickering as it tried to catch the scents of the area around it. "If he doesn't find anything, we can rest."

Ochitou Ishihara stood with her shadow birds behind her on another branch. "The sooner we get this over with, the better. We've been suck in this ridiculous maze for hours."

Yosu grinned as the snake's head lunged forward, its tongue flickering constantly. "He's on to something. We start moving," he ordered his frowning team.

Heizo punched his arms aiming one of his hands at Ochitsu's birds. The shadow bird flapped its wings as the blades went straight through it. Ochitsu popped him on the back of the head. She took off after Yosu leaving him behind. Heizo smirked, then followed.

Yae Kakinomoto from the Noodles team breathed slowly, closing her eyes. The team had been resting for an hour until a recent threat showed itself. She kept herself hidden inside the rotted branch, hoping it aided in masking her scent.

She didn't know who the sand snake belong to. She just had to avoid it. It's an impressive jutsu –whoever's doing it. Her eyes focused on it as it moved past.

Kaii Ikina tensed as he remained above the snake, snapping the dragon claw blades to his black leather gloves. He couldn't see Yae anywhere. This was the first exam his team had ever signed up for. The Mist village was one of the most lethal villages he knew of. Their exam was proving to work him to the bone.

Mabara Masoni knew he was in trouble as he remained several branches away. The stump he had created appeared misplaced on the branch. He swore, not having enough time to fix the problem. There didn't appear to be a team leading the snake that was drawing near. He figured it was the other way around. Where are they?

Yae felt uneasy. The size of the snake was making her regret entering the trials. How are we going to get past this thing? Her eyes shook with fear, teeth gritted together. Her heart was leaping out of her chest.

Heizo waited a moment flexing his shoulders. He lifted his arm, aiming it straight at the branch, his fist closing as the blade struck the rotted branch, going straight through it. "Tough luck, whoever you are." He began to thrust each of the blades on his hands into the branch.

Yae moved her body around trying to avoid the blades popping down overhead. She panicked – not knowing what to do. She had been found so easily by the new team. Yae sunk lower and lower in the branch attempting to steer clear of the blades coming through. She covered her head knowing full well she was going to get stuck. Her eyes closed, heart pounding.

Kaii narrowed his eyes as Heizo kept pounding away at the branch Yae was apparently hiding in. He had to do something, or she was going to be killed. Leaping from the branch he was on, Kaii outstretched his arms, the dragon claws blades striking the back of the sand snake as it moved back. The huge snake flung hits head snapping, but Kaii was already out of its reach. He landed right on top of Heizo, his arms coming down with multiple hits to get the guy off of Yae.

Heizo flexed his arms trying his best to get Kaii off of him. He growled extending his back, his legs tensing with all his might to twist his body. Kaii wasn't backing off. That meant that there really was someone in the branch. He started to tilt his body to the left, putting all of his weight into it. Kaii was slammed onto the branch with Heizo elbowing him in the ribs. He panted once the guy's wind was knocked out.

Boseku flickered his tongue. He smelled another person close by. Moving his giant head around he kept flickering his tongue. The scent of mildew and rotted tree bark drifted up to his tongue. Then as his tongue came close to it, catching all of the scents together, his tongue became stuck. He whirled his head around trying to break free. What had him?

Mabara moved backwards, his body hanging off the branch. The girl made out of wood clutched hard to the snakes tongue, dragging its snout into the trunk where she hid. Mabara wasn't sure she could hold onto a snake that large. It was starting to get challenging for her. She's not going to be able to hurt it while using both of her hands to keep him in place.

Ochitsu was amazed Boseku couldn't get away from the stump. "Just what on earth is in that thing," she said as Yosu went after Mabara.

Another figure was crawling out of a branch where her team mate laid catching his breath. Ochitsu smiled. Heizo was already on top of her. Ochitsu knew he could handle that girl alone. She went after Mabara who was busy fighting Yosu. As she leapt from branch to branch darting around, she threw double bladed kunai at the boy.

Mabara moved himself quickly to avoid the double crescent moon weapon that came from another attack over head. His head whirled around as his eyes tried to focus on Yosu. Yosu was in the air coming down on him fast with a long spear. Mabara formed hand seals and poofed to avoid the spear.

Yosu's spear went straight into the branch. He pried it loose, his head moving around slowly. "Go take care of that guy," he said noticing Kaii was getting up rubbing his head. "We can't have him interfering." Yosu turned his head to look at Boseku still trying to free himself. "It's a useless trap," he said forming hand seals. Boseku's sand form started to break apart, falling down towards the ground.

For a moment, Kaii didn't know where he was. The world around him appeared blurry until his eyes focused. Had he blacked out? He was sitting on a branch with a girl from the Wind Team coming straight for him. He rolled off the branch quickly as black birds dove for him. His eyes widened as the birds went through the branch. "Just what the hell are those," he yelled in alarm.

Ochitsu smiled as she landed on the branch, her birds starting to catch the air, gliding down towards Kaii as he fell. "My shadow birds absorb another's chakra. If I were you, I'd run," she said.

Yae moved back placing her leg on the tree, her body coming up and off the bark as she spun upwards to avoid Heizo's dragon claws. She heard them lodge into the branch. Her feet glued to the tree with her chakra as she ran upwards to get away from him.

Ochitsu leapt off going after Yae. She came down on top of the girl with her crescent moon bladed staff swinging. The girl poofed on her to avoid it. "Get out of the way," she yelled to Heizo who was stuck in the tree. She swore as the weapon sliced through the spiked gloves as he freed his hands in time.

"You destroyed them," Heizo yelled at her his anger fuming.

"Fight later! After them," Ochitsu said as her birds suddenly came up chasing Kaii. She regained her balance her arms moving about until she was steady. Kaii was trying to attack them using his dragon claws. "Hey, Heizo," she said as her team mate sulked over his torn armor. "That guy's gloves are nicer than yours," she called.

Heizo shot her a look of hatred. "What?" His eyes honed in on looking at the large steel spikes as they moved around slicing the shadow birds. "Yeah… Yeah they are," he said. He went forward, grabbed Ochitsu's weapon from her grasp and took off.

"You dirty thief," Ochitsu yelled after him. All she had left were regular kunai and shuriken. She hated to rely on those.

Yae breathed hard as she through her double bladed kunai at Yosu. Mabara was also trying to keep him busy for fear of the sand snake coming back. Yae threw a smoke bomb at Yosu as she moved off avoiding shuriken being thrown at her.

Mabara kept fighting Yosu, his kicks and punches hitting the guy's sides as the purple smoke engulfed them. He coughed some, but had to keep Yosu busy. That large snake of his could take the entire team out in one bite. He shifted his feet moving swiftly ducking as an arm came over his head several times.

Yosu balanced himself on one foot as he completed the hand seals to unleash Boseku. He was using a small thin branch to keep Mabara busy with his foot. As the smoke cleared, he shook his head.

Mabara stared dead at the tree. He had been hitting and kicking it the entire time. Damnit, no wonder he felt like he wasn't backing down.

Kaii was hit several times by the shadow birds. He tensed as each one of them flew straight through his body taking some of his chakra. He brought his hand up to hold back the crescent moon staff that Heizo was bearing down on him with. Kaii needed assistance. He was being attacked on both ends.

"I like your dragon claws," Heizo said as his eyes focused, his arms pressing down harder against Kaii's hands. The crescent moon kept inching closer to Kaii's head. Any closer and he'd shave his entire scalp with it.

Ochitsu commanded her shadow birds to go after the injured Yae. Boseku's large head started to tower over the branches once more. The shadow birds circled over head, targeted Yae, and dove for her.

Yae limped along the ground her body starting to limp faster once she realized she was being targeted. Soon she was caught in a large circle of tan sand – the snake's body. "No!" The birds came after her, their mouths open as they went straight through her in multiple shots. Her body flew backwards hitting the ground as the chakra was drained from her. Yae Kakinomoto was out of commission.

Yosu ran up the tree backwards, his chakra in his feet strong as Boseku whirled its head around again. Its tongue flickered out and in, sniffing out its prey. "Boseku, behind you," he said.

Mabara had already summoned his plant jutsu, but this time the trunk was larger. He was putting all of his effort into this one. The plant girl that popped out was bigger, her large head shooting up as her massive arms clapped together as if catching a fly. "We'll see who lasts the longest," he said, his eyes narrowing.

Heizo kept his arms lowering as Kaii's started to buckle. The guy was wearing out from the stress on the muscles in his arms. His feet shifted suddenly forward, the crescent moon staff coming down on top of Kaii sooner than he anticipated. The tip of the crescent went straight through his eye. Heizo pulled the staff out as Kaii screamed.

Mabara grit his teeth as he heard Kaii screaming in agony. He commanded the plant girl to snap the sand snake in half. The plant girl's arms loomed over head as the snake snapped. It was if watching a disobedient toddler play with a toy. The sand snake bit the wooden hands, but the damage was minimal.

Yosu held his hand up. Two of Mabara's team mates were of no use to him, but Yosu had his entire team. "Give up," he said trying to make it easier on the Noodles leader. When Mabara didn't heed his words, he sent Ochitsu and Heizo after him. Yosu had Boseku swirling around the trunk of the stump snapping its jaws on anything that came towards it.

Ochitsu whirled around several times as Mabara threw shuriken at her. The shuriken hit the crescent moon staff she had swiped back from Heizo. Heizo was coming down on Mabara with the dragon claws he had taken off of Kaii. Ochitsu went after him swiping several times, drawing him back towards Heizo. Heizo was kicking his legs out, hitting Mabara in the stomach. Mabara went backwards holding his abdomen as Heizo came back, the dragon claws coming down upon his arm.

Yosu watched as Boseku was hit by the wooden arm of the plant girl. The sand snake went backwards falling over the roots of the stump, its body thrashing about. "That's enough," he said calmly to Mabara and Ochitsu. Their weapons were halted in midair as Mabara's eye showed pure horror. "He's worthless without his team," he said. Kaii's screams of agony were still being emitted on a higher branch. "Fall back," he said.

Mabara watched the Wind team move away. He was at a loss. Kaii was injured. His last jutsu attempt had been completely pointless. Yae was missing – somewhere in the thick brush below. He placed his hands on his head trying to rethink what he did wrong.

Boseku fell apart in sand once again, his form swirling in the air as it went back under Yosu's robes in the containers where it was normally held. Yosu parted the area with the Wind team, his eye moving to glance at the Noodle team. They had fought to the best of their ability. Too bad it wasn't good enough to get past his team.

(Scene Change)

Ichisake Genda from the Honey team stood atop a tier consisted of a large leaf like platform that moved when the balance was off. He steadied his weight his arms going out to keep the platform from moving. Above the structure was a cut out hole leading to the next level. His team had risked everything to make it to the 12th level. "Ah! Don't try to get on here with me," he warned Eikichi Bunya, his team leader. "It'll throw me off!"

Eikichi frowned. "How am I supposed to move ahead if you're taking your sweet time getting there?" He glanced at Nabiku Ozawa who was squealing every time the platform shifted with her weight. "Nabiku, if you keep lagging behind, you'll never get to the top.

Nabiku, a toy maker's daughter in the Honey village, glanced up at Eikichi. "There are musical notes carved on the tier where I'm standing." Eikichi wasn't paying much attention to her, he was trying to get Ichisake to move faster. Nabiku didn't know much about music. She took out a small study scroll from her small back pack and wrote down the symbol. Again, she started to move along the platform, it shifting as her heart dropped.

Ichisake moved to the other platform above, his hands trying to find a means of support. Carefully, he pulled himself up, shifting the platform to where it started to lower, the other half starting to come up. If he didn't hurry and get on, it'd rotate all the way around, flipping him off.

Eikichi moved swiftly as he stood in the middle of the platform. It began to shift as his weight went to the other side. He put his arms up, hands under Ichisake's feet. He pushed hard giving him assistance before he had to move back to the middle where it was well balanced.

Scrambling to the middle, the platform stopped its shifting. Ichisake breathed out a sigh of relief. "This is insane. We're only a fourth of the way up," he said daring to crane his head. It was as if they were trying to climb to the sky.

"What choice do we have? Everyone's had to go this way," Eikichi said as Ichisake looked back at him. "This is the end of the 12th level. There's no other way up."

Nabiku had finally made it where she was standing below Eikichi. Again, she tried to get his attention. "Eikichi, there are music notes etched into the tier," she showed him the scroll. "Perhaps it's to a puzzle?"

"Hey, there's one up here, too," Ichisake said as he inched closer to it, his eyes squinting to see it. The music notes appeared to be a bit worn from previous teams. "Nabiku, write down a half note for B flat," he said.

Further the team climbed until they were almost to the top. Eikichi heard the platforms moving below his team. He moved to the edge of the platform he was on to peer down. "Damn, we've got company," he said.

Saru Obinata from the Wood team ran across the platform, jumped and latched onto the other platform ahead. He stood in the middle as it went back down adjusting to his weight. "I like this challenge," he said throwing his long dark hair back – the metal strips in his hair scratching together as he moved. "It gives you a sense of adrenaline."

Wakaru Shiotani swung her grappling hook over her head aiming for a higher platform to get on. The hook wrapped around the end of it, the sharp edges digging into the wood. She tested the weight of it before pulling herself up, struggling to maintain her grip as she grunted. Moving past Saru, she whistled at him jerking her head upwards.

Saru soon looked upwards seeing another team on their way to the top. "Hey now, it appears we've encountered another team to fight," he said showing his teeth. "Let's give them a warm taste of our hospitality." He began to run again, the platform shifting as it went downward on the space his feet touched. Saru threw himself at the other platform, attempting the same move again as he went around the large tier.

Teijo Sanda sensed the carnage lust vibrating off Saru as he followed him upwards. "I really wish you'd calm down. Something tells me they won't get any farther than they are," he said pushing his glasses back onto his face as he wrote down the musical notes he was encountering.

"And what makes you say that," Saru yelled down to him, his head flipping to register Teijo's idea.

"There are music notes on various spots of the tier," Teijo said rather annoyed at his team mate's lack of observation. "Perhaps if you took the time to overlook your surroundings, you would know that." He flipped the pad he was writing on closed. "You're such a bother," he sighed.

Wakaru flipped over landing on the platform. "What good are these music notes if there is no way to input them," she said with her hands on her hips. She was starting to catch up to the Honey team. Just as one of them managed to get on the last platform, the hole closed as bars came into place. The team was struggling to input the musical notes they had gathered. Wakaru was after them quickly starting to take after Saru's method of advancement.

Eikichi aimed his bow at Wakaru as she started to come into view. "Try to get those notes into that keyboard as fast as you can," he said sending one of his arrows flying. The arrow tacked near her, but did not hit. He quickly reloaded, then released the arrow, his fingers letting the bow go. Another arrow went soaring, but was over her head.

Nabiku tapped her fingers onto the keyboard. "This is harder than it looks. I can read music, but I don't understand the speed I'm supposed to be going at, or the sequence the notes are supposed to be in!"

Ichisake watched as Wakaru swung the grappling hook around in front of her body. She had spliced through one of Eikichi's arrows. "Keep working on it," he told her as he started to move back down the tier.

"Ichisake, get back here," Eikichi yelled after him. Again, he sent more arrows flying towards Wakaru. She was still advancing on them.

Ichisake moved hastily down the platforms unleashing his twin tiger nine teeth hooks. He jumped from the platform he was on attempting to land on top of Wakaru, but she was shoved out of the way by Saru who was ready for him. Ichisake jutted out with one of the hooks lunging at Saru as the man brought up his arm to block. His other arm came around to switch attacks.

Saru kept his arm up, the hook sword hitting his spiked armor as he twisted his body, his eyes narrowing. Ichisake was flipping around, his other arm aimed for him. Saru turned his head sharply, his long hair coming into contact with the man's face. Unbeknownst to Ichisake, Saru's hair was equipped with leather strips that held iron spikes. They grazed the man's face, causing him to wince. Saru had him.

Ichisake's sword was grabbed by Saru as he landed on the platform, their weight causing it to shift. He was going backwards while Saru stayed clearly in the middle, where it was safe. The platform moaned as the weight increased. His feet started to slip, his hand lashing out to grab onto Saru.

Saru brought his leg up kneeing Ichisake in the groin with the leather iron spikes on his leg. He kept inflicting damage to the younger man trying to get him to let go. Soon Ichisake was falling over, his body not only trying to remain on the platform, but trying to recover from the attack.

Wakaru had left Saru alone. She was making her way up the tall tier, her grappling hook swinging over her head. Every now and again, Eikichi sent arrows after her to stall her, but it wasn't working well for him. She moved behind the tier, letting the arrows be caught in the wood.

Teijo smiled as he came up behind her, ducking a slew of arrows being aimed at him. "He's created a lot of broken wood around us," he said forming hand seals. The small wood pieces were drawn to his body, it becoming a magnet for the wood. As the pieces neared closer to him, Teijo blinked his eye, stripping the wood enough to where they resembled small, long needles.

"He's protecting that girl," Wakaru said figuring Nabiku was the weakest member on her team.

"So I've noticed," Teijo said moving his head around the tier, his arm raising. The wooden needles shot out from his body towards Eikichi.

Eikichi swung his bow in front of his body catching some of the needles in the frame. The others went around him, or lodged into his clothing. "Bastard," he yelled in anger sending more arrows at the Wood team. Teijo only smiled before he went back into hiding. "Get out here and face me! Nabiku, hurry up with that combination!"

Nabiku panicked a little her fingers skipping a few of the notes. The keyboard made a horrible noise. She covered her ears, the rose in her hair becoming undone. Her heart leapt as the rose fell from her reach down below them. "No, Kaitei's flower!"

Eikichi grabbed Nabiku by the arm, almost throwing her back. "Get back to that combination!" He kept flinging arrows at the Wood team, his anger starting to escalate.

Saru's hand wrapped around the hook sword forcing it out of his side. His other hand came around, palm open as he slammed the iron spikes into Ichisake's shoulder. The man rotated his wrist, the other hook sword coming into contact with Saru's free hand. It clanged together with the spikes on his glove. He started to twist his arm down with force. He could feel the strain on Ichisake's wrist. Saru forced his arm down with all of his strength. The bones in Ichisake's wrist began to break.

Ichisake had no choice but to refrain from pushing the hook sword into Saru's side. He turned his body, his arm hanging at the pain coming from his broken wrist. He glanced down one time to see Saru's leg coming up to kick him in the chest. Ichisake fell off the platform, landing on one below. His head hit the wooden platform hard, his back slamming into last.

Saru glanced at Ichisake being knocked out before heading farther up the tier to deal with the rest of the Honey team. He leapt from platform to platform until he caught up with Wakaru and Teijo. "What's taking you two so long?"

"Your lack of observation is getting on my nerves," Teijo said as he sent another wave of wooden needles at Eikichi.

Wakaru kept watching Eikichi's movements. They appeared to be robotic. Her head started to flip around, eyes scanning. There was something unnatural about the whole situation. She saw a flash of a form moving below them. It was moving down the tier in a circular motion. "You idiots, we've been deceived. That's not him!" Wakaru took out a small powder that was in her vest. She blew it straight at Eikichi and Wakaru.

Saru growled as the powder revealed the screws on Eikichi's joints. "He's a decoy!" Saru shot past his team mates going straight after Wakaru. The girl seemed alarmed to have been found out so quickly. The arrows pinpointed into his armor, but did not injure him. He grabbed the huge toy by its neck. Saru lifted it up into the air, thrusting it out into the open. The likeness of Eikichi from the Honey team fell hitting several platforms as it rolled until it crashed way below.

Nabiku had finished trying the musical notes when she heard a ding noise. The bars overhead started to retract slowly. She had done it! But her head turned to be faced with a spiked fist going straight at her head. Nabiku let herself go limp as her body hit the other side of the platform. Saru was on top of her trying to hit her. She was rolling around, the platform shifting. Nabiku couldn't go to the next level without her team. She threw a miniature bee at Saru. The bee buzzed around him, its stinger trying to stick into his face. She leapt off the platform to get away.

Saru was busy fighting the bee with both of his gloved hands. Teijo tried to stop Nabiku from going to her team. He formed hand seals concentrating on a stronger wood jutsu. The broken pieces of wood flew to his body, forming into half circular shapes. He punched his arms forward, sending the circular shapes at Nabiku's wrists and ankles.

Nabiku felt something clamp against her skin. She was alarmed to see wooden circles attached to her wrists and ankles – they were forcing her back towards Teijo. She screamed her eyes wide as her body fought the pulling force. Soon she was in Teijo's grasp.

Teijo smiled at the girl before he lifted her over his shoulder. The wood on her wrists and ankles resembled handcuffs. The girl fought him until the circles were strangely drawn to each other. They molded together as if reconnecting like the root of a tree. He lifted her over his shoulder. "Time to go," he said.

Wakaru was already under the hole to the next level, her back pressed against one side of it as her feet pressed against the bars to keep them back. "Hurry up! This is our only chance to get out of here!" She grunted as the bars tried to force her feet back.

Saru was the first to push Wakaru out of the way. The moment Teijo had confined Nabiku, the toy bee had stopped working. It had fallen to the platform useless. He took out a kunai to jam the bars from moving. "Teijo! Drop that girl!"

"Let go of me," Nabiku ordered. She could see Eikichi trying to make it back up the tier, his weight increased with Ichisake on his back. It was causing him to take longer. Nabiku felt herself being lifted up into the hole. What were they doing? The Wood team was taking her with them. She was being separated from her team!

"Just get her through there," Teijo said coming up with his own plan. He was through the hole in a matter of seconds. Saru took his kunai back and the bars went back into place. Teijo picked Nabiku up running away from the hole with her. Once he was down the hall, he set her against the wall, her hands and feet still clasped together.

Wakaru looped the rope around her arm with the grappling hook on her shoulder. "Explain to us the reason of bringing her along. We don't need her."

Saru crossed his arms. They were now on the 13th level. "Release her, Teijo."

"No way. If she's not with her team, they can't get to the top of the tower," Teijo said with a smirk. "And… they'll have to do that little musical composition you mastered all over. They're going to run out of time."

Nabiku started to yell at him, but Teijo soon taped her mouth shut. She kicked her legs out showing her anger. Shaking her head at her disapproval of the idea didn't help her either.

"I wouldn't try to get out of that," Teijo said as he stood. "You'll only injure yourself. You'll be set free when we're long gone." He turned around leaving Nabiku stranded in the hall on the 13th floor.

Nabiku's eyes started to water watching the Wood team disappear on the last level. Not only had she failed to retrieve the Rose her brother had made for her, but now she had to wait to be freed. Nabiku tried to break out of the wooden handcuffs, but it was useless. It was much like trying to snap a tree in half.

(Scene Change)

Utamuro Ki from the Claw team looked up at the cages that were hanging from the high ceiling. They were formed in a circular pattern- much like a stairway. At the utmost top, he could see the doors leading to the end of the Crux tower trials. "We've made it this far," he said to his team.

Arika Jumanji reached up pulling her colorful kimono tighter around her form. They had forgotten how many days had passed since the exams had started. On the roof of the Crux Tower waited their trainers – and the end of the 4th round. The 5th round came a month or two later for the single battles.

Ichiren Royama went up to the first cage. He opened the door, stepping inside. It was only an inch off the floor. As his weight was added, the chain on the cage tightened, causing it to jerk side to side. He held onto the bars. "So, how much fun do you think this will be?"

Utamuro stepped inside of it with Ichiren, squishing the man up against the bars. "It's not like the platform tier on the 12th level," he confirmed. "It's able to hold two people without throwing us out – but no more than that."

Arika crossed her arms. "We better hurry and get moving," she said. "We don't know what time it is, or how many have made it past this area."

"She has a point," Ichiren said as he pushed his back on Utamuro's to keep from getting bars indented into his face. "Uta, open the other door and go!" He pushed his back again, but fell backwards onto his rear as Utamuro leapt for the other cage.

Arika moved inside the cage waiting for Ichiren to go to the next one. "I don't like this," she said. She had been saying it the entire time about the challenges they had faced. Each one had proven to be different and caused the team to give up strategies they had planned when encountering other teams.

Utamuro stopped where he was. He was standing about twenty feet above the floor. He held onto the cage as he shifted his weight in order to check the distances from each cage. "Now I can see why you're uneasy, Arika. The cages get further and further apart as you go up."

"Whoever said the Mist village was an easy one to overtake," Ichiren said. He put his hand up telling Arika to stop. "Wait, baby," he said. She stopped as she blushed at him getting sentimental. Ichiren started to climb onto the first door of the cage. He put his feet in the holes, his form going up until he managed to crawl onto the top of the cage. He stood up slowly, having a death grip on the chain. "The only way we're going to be able to get to some of them is to swing them."

"Ichi, you promised you wouldn't call me that when the trials began," Arika said reminding him of his oath to her. She was worried about other teams finding out her importance to him. It would make her an easy target.

"No one's around," Utamuro said backing Ichiren up. He kept his teeth clamped down on the wooden toothpick in his mouth. "Just keep moving. Our focus is to get through those doors."

Nabiku tensed as the Leaf team looked at her. She was embarrassed and scared at being found against the wall on the 12th floor. A tall guy with long red hair crouched to eye her, his elbows hanging off his knees. "No, go away," she muffled through the tape. "Leave me alone!" She shut her eyes tightly.

"You're scaring her, Idai," Yanagi said with a hand on her hip. She has no reason to trust you." Masaru was coming towards them carrying an injured guy from the Honey team. He seemed to be badly hurt.

Eikichi breathed hard as he signaled Nabiku out. He had wondered what had happened to her. "She's alright," he exhaled wobbling on his feet. All sorts of negative thoughts had gone through his mind when the Wood team had kidnapped her.

"Hey, if you're going to fall over, fall the other way," Masaru said a bit annoyed. He was already carrying someone who was heavier than him. "This guy needs medical help. His wounds are bad."

Nabiku gasped as the tape was removed from her mouth. She looked at Idai, her eyes starting to stare. "Why is your team helping ours," she finally spat out.

Idai raised a brow. "It isn't my nature, as a leader, to leave anyone injured, or trapped in the state I find them in," he said plain and simple. Nabiku didn't seem to know what to say. She was at a loss for words.

Yanagi bent over to examine the handcuffs Nabiku had herself in. "Those are strange. They appear to be some type of an earth related jutsu." She tapped her hand on them. "I wonder how a jutsu lasts without the team around," she said standing back up to look at the long hall in front of them.

"Probably because," Idai said as he took a kunai out, "They aren't that far away. A person's jutsu lasts based on how strong his, or her chakra is." He started to jam the kunai into the handcuffs cracking the wood.

Nabiku was relieved that her team was with her now – and the fact she was being freed, but her mind went back to the Rose Kaitei had given her last year. She lowered her eyes, her eyes starting to water. I lost Kaitei's flower. I lost it!

"Idai, you're being too rough," Yanagi scolded. Nabiku shook her head. "Then what is it?" She was dumbfounded to why the girl was crying.

"I lost Kaitei's flower," Nabiku said in sobs. As one of her hands was freed, she wiped her eyes.

Eikichi slumped to the floor. "Nabiku, I told you not to wear it for the exams. I knew you'd lose it."

Idai gave the boy a hard glance. He turned back to Nabiku working on freeing her legs now. "Who is Kaitei," he asked softly.

"My brother," Nabiku said. "He was killed last year on a mission." She covered her eyes embarrassed at crying in front of the older Genin. "Kaitei was my older brother. It was a rose he carved and made into a hair pin for me."

Idai freed her legs with a snap. "Well, it was easier on the ankles than the wrists," he said as he moved his hand to reach inside his kimono. He took out the carved rose he had found laying on the platform of the tier. Idai put it in front of Nabiku's face. "I'd put this in your pack. Kaitei doesn't have to see where you are, to know where you are."

Nabiku took the rose carefully. She leapt for Idai, hugging him hard around the neck. "Thank you," she said her voice cracking. "Thank you for bringing Kaitei back to me."

Udo Karubo from the Swamp team formed hand seals as he ducked inside the cage. He swore as the cage rocked from side to side, his feet grinding into the floor to keep steady as the shuriken hit. In the middle of the room a green, slimy pod started to form. It wasn't that big yet, but as it absorbed the attacks, it would something big and nasty.

Arika's body began to mold with her kimono as Zen Abe came at her with two tonfas. She slipped inside of it, becoming part of the lustrous designs. The tonfas went straight through the kimono into the floor of the cage. She changed her form immediately to resemble one of the demons on the kimono that were moving around.

Zen moved his head left and right trying to figure out where she had gone. Suddenly he was kicked in the groin by a foot that had emerged out of the kimono. Zen's hand lashed out at her trying to grab onto it, but it was pulled back into the clothing. "I don't know what you're pulling! But you can't stay in there forever!"

Ran Tagawa swung the cage by using her body to shift forward and back. The distance from each cage was increasing. As the cage she was on neared the other one, she leapt across going for it. Her hands slid on the top of the cage as it shifted with her weight. Her body went over the edge, her hands grabbing onto the cage as it swung back and forth. Her legs came up trying to get her feet into the holes so she could climb back up.

Ichiren leapt for the chain, his body slamming into it as he grabbed a hold of it. He wrapped his legs around it, going back down to help Arika. She wasn't able to incase herself in the kimono much longer. It was taking a lot of chakra for her to use that special jutsu of hers. He landed on top of the cage, his anger starting to fume. Zen was still attacking the kimono, now hitting the illustrations upon it. If he found the right one, he'd injure Arika.

Ichiren swung over the side, his legs out as he came in contact with Zen's face. The man was thrown back and out of the cage. Ichiren landed on top of the kimono, his feet moving quickly so he could check the damage to it. The swords had struck through the material, but hadn't ripped it. "Arika!"

Arika's form started to lift the kimono as if she were breathing life back into it. Her arms, legs, and head formed back in their proper places. She looked up at Ichiren as he beheld a worried look on his face. "I'm alright," she said reassuring him. "Where's Uta?"

Utamuro was throwing shuriken at the slimy green pod that was in the middle of the floor. It didn't seem to be doing it any harm. Instead, the shuriken were lodging into it as green ooze slid out of the pod. He didn't understand it at all. Udo was on his tail trying to get his team to the doors. Utamuro poofed as a tonfa went straight for him lead by Zen. Instead, it struck open space.

Utamuro narrowed his eyes as he retreated to a lower cage. His eyes darted quickly to see Ichiren and Arika coming back up. They were being followed by Ran. The woman from the Swamp team was emitting electrical currents. "Watch out you two! She's a lightening user!"

Arika whirled around seeing Ran jump at them, the short range swords aimed at them as the electricity shot down her arm, and onto the weapon. Her heart leapt. With gut instinct, she forced herself to shove Ichiren out of the way. He hit the top of the cage hard his body rolling as she was struck by Ran's lightening jutsu.

Ichiren fell below yelling, "Arika!" until he hit the roof of another cage. It started to swing with the sudden movement. His body rolled his back slamming into the chain. Ichiren got up, his feet moving to catch up. He didn't know if she was alright, or worse.

Ran passed the girl now passed out on the top of the cage. She saw Udo and Zen going after Utamuro. As the pod below took the hits from the teams it started to grow more. A form began to emerge from it – a demon with four arms standing seven feet tall holding battle axes in each of its hands. It started to make its way up the cages. Now they're in for it!

Ichiren turned around hearing loud thuds coming from behind him. When he saw the demon, his eyes widened, his feet starting to lose balance. "What the hell is that?" He finally made it to Arika. Picking her up, he leapt for another cage as the demon caught up to him. "You touch her and I'll kill you!"

Udo landed on a cage starting to focus on his demon now being lose. He had to control it, or it'd end up getting his team, also. "Take care of the Claw team," he ordered pointing to Ichiren carrying Arika. "Finish them!"

Utamuro threw several kunai in an arch formation at Ran to discourage her from getting any closer. As she began to charge to strike him from her position, he formed hand seals to protect his team mates. As a leader, it was his duty to give others a fighting chance. A large cat like creature bearing a Claw hitate poked its massive head out of his back, then separated from its body as if falling backwards.

Osuji leapt forward away from Utamuro, its claws out lunging for Ran. The woman brought her swords up to shield herself from its attacks. Lifting its huge paws it batted a sword out of her hands, his mouth opening issuing a threat. Ran started to charge again, trying to deter the creature, but Osuji wasn't threatened by her. He clamped down onto her arm stopping the charge.

Ran pushed her body against Osuji's trying to break free. The beast shook her around like a rag doll until he tossed her out into the open air. She screamed as she fell straight for the slimy pod in the middle of the room. Her body cracked its folds, half way going inside. Her legs twitched as she gagged trying to get air.

Zen's tonfas clanged together with Ichiren's t-handle knives. He started to press harder on the man, his body moving forward as the cage began to shift. It was an unsteady structure to be standing on.

Ichiren had laid Arika in the safety of the cage. She wasn't a target as long as she was unconscious. The demon was also trying to slice at his head with the axes in its hands. He was in a predicament. Swinging his body around, an axe hit the chain clanging against the metal. Ichiren let himself fall down, the tonfas hitting the demon in the legs as he slid off the cage. His hands grasped onto the cage bars. "Fancy a ride?"

Ichiren started to swing the cage violently causing Zen and the demon's balance to be thrown off. Zen tried to use his tonfas to lodge into the chain holding the cage, but the more Ichiren swung, the harder it was for Zen to maintain his grip. Soon he saw the man fall over the edge into the large pod. Now all that was left was the demon.

Udo took out a slip of paper with caricatures on it. "I doubt you'll be able to dodge this," he said throwing the slip of paper straight at Ichiren. He knew the man wouldn't move from his position with the girl locked inside the cage. It was a deathtrap.

The demon moved out of the way locking arms with Osuji. It snarled as the beast snarled. Two of its arms went back with the battle axes coming forward to sink into the cat's sides. The other two arms were in a death lock with the cat.

Osuji growled loudly, its mouth opening as it was injured by the axes. Its long fangs inched closer and closer to the demon, its eyes showing no mercy. Again the demon moved its two arms back attempting to strike again at the cat, but Osuji struck. Its head went forward turning at an angle as it sunk its teeth into the demon's throat. The demon howled with rage as it was attacked.

Utamuro threw a kunai at the paper bomb causing it to detonate halfway on its journey to the cage Ichiren was hanging on to. The bomb exploded as he went after Udo. Udo seemed to be confused at how his bomb could not have gone off as planned. He whirled a kunai in his hand twirling it to focus Udo's attention on it. His hand moved forward in a total bluff, Udo brought up his own kunai to block it – that's when Utamuro punched him dead in the face.

Udo was thrown backwards hitting the cage with such force that the kunai in his hand were dislodged. They fell below to the stone floor. He turned his head in time to see another fist coming at him. Utamuro was on top of him punching as if he were a boxer to take him out. Udo couldn't get the man off.

Utamuro gave the man one final punch in his stomach to knock his wind out. He lifted Udo high over his head, throwing him down onto the pod at the same time Osuji dropped the demon. He breathed hard. His cat made a noise at him. Utamuro went to him finding he was injured from the attacks by the demon. "Ichiren, let's move before they recover!"

Ichiren snapped the lock on the cage grabbing Arika. She was now waking up with a confused look on her face. "Hi, baby," he said kissing her beside the mouth. "Time to go through the doors," he said helping her rise. She followed him out.

Utamuro molded back with Osuji, taking on the creature's pain and wounds. He grimaced as it hit him. He tottered on his feet, one hand wrapped around the chain to steady himself.

"Are you going to be alright," Ichiren said catching up to him. The Swamp team was having a bit of difficulty getting down from the pod. Not only that, but they were starting to shout anger up to the Claw team. "We'd better get going. If they catch us, they'll want a rematch."

"Agreed," Utamuro said issuing his team to keep moving. They swung the cages landing on each one until they made it to the top where the twin doors waited. The Swamp team only had two members chasing them. He had put Udo out of commission. Utamuro opened the doors going through first. He and his team walked out into the late afternoon sunset, amongst the other teams who had made it to the top of the Crux Tower.

(Scene Change)

As twilight happened around the Crux Tower, the Jounin from the neighboring countries congratulated their teams on passing the trial. They had all watched from the monitors located at the top. The teams that hadn't made it were being recovered in the tower – injured members were going straight to the hospital in the Mist Village.

Rock Lee gave a thumb's up to his team as they stood against the railing of the tower. "You three have no idea how proud I am of you! Good work!"

Takeru didn't seem to hear the praise coming from his trainer. He was too busy searching for his brother amongst the others on the tower. Daiya was standing near the doors, his body leaning against the structure. He didn't know what had transpired in the Crux Tower for him, but Takeru was glad he wasn't injured.

Onari tackled Eiyu in front of everyone, rubbing her cheek against his. "Eiyu is the best team leader," she said closing her eyes. The mask she wore was now on the side of her head.

Eiyu tensed as everyone started to watch them. "Onari, this isn't appropriate! Onari!" He blushed as she kept holding him close to her. "Takeru is right there!" He pointed at the Uchiha boy, but Takeru didn't seem to mind Onari's antics.

Idai felt someone jump onto his back. He turned his head to see Saori from Team 2 smiling at him. "Hi, Saori. How did you like the challenges in there?"

Saori frowned. "Idai, you're too serious when competing," she said poking his cheek. "I'm so glad you all made it!" She hugged him around his neck.

Masaru saw Ryu walking over to them. "You look terrible," he said bluntly. Ryu appeared to be thinking heavily about something.

"I do not want to do that again," Ryu said as his shoulders slumped. "That training is worse than Sasuke's." Once the words were emitted, Sasuke bopped him on top of the head. As tired as he was, Ryu didn't even feel it.

"Well, we'll be able to rest for the night," Yanagi said. She had learned the information from Kiba a little while ago. "That's as far as the Mist village's hospitatlity goes though." She smiled at him. Her eyes moved to see Daiya looking through the crowd for someone. "Hey, who's Daiya looking for?"

"Huh? Oh, he made a friend while we were in there," Saori said jumping off Idai's back. "I guess he's curious to see if Ano's team made it." Yanagi tilted her head at her not understanding.

Hashano snuck up behind Daiya placing his hand on the boy's head. Daiya jumped slightly, but turned to look up at him. "Hey, kid, I see you survived the Crux Tower. Guess what the name means! The Puzzle Tower."

Daiya was glad to see him. He smiled at him softly. "Ryu still doesn't like you," he said.

"Bah, he's no worse than Dayu," Ano said jerking his thumb behind him at a guy with blond Mohawk hair carrying a large hammer with spikes on it. "Guys like that only get heated up when they don't want to be seen as failures. If it's in their own comfort zones, they appreciate being seen that way."

Daiya started to laugh.

"What were you mouthing off about now," Dayu and Ryu said at the same time.

Ano ducked as the two tried to swing at him. He moved back making faces at them. Ano jumped up backwards to crouch on the railing with his arms crossed. "Now, now, the trials are over for the time being. But if you wish to go up against me during the single battles, I'll make you both fall on your rears."

"Keep talking trash, Ano," Dayu said slamming his fist into his hand. "You've got me to deal with." He only saw Ano wink at the kid with the ponytail.

Ryu shoved Dayu in the shoulder. "What makes you think you get first dibs on shutting him up? He's had it coming since I met him!"

Dayu turned his head to acknowledge Ryu speaking out of turn. "And he's had it coming straight at him since he was put on my team! Back off!"

Wazuka chewed on her cheek as she watched Dayu battle it out verbally with Ryu. She stood near Ano and Daiya. "You'd think you'd give it a rest after what we went through in there.

The teams atop the Crux Tower waited until one of the Mist Village Jounin walked to the front of the large group. "All of the teams that have made it to the top of the tower by this time have been considered for competing in the Single battles in one month's time. Those that did not, are either missing a team member, or did not meet here by the deadline.

The remaining teams will be able to rest tonight in the village, but must leave in the morning – no exceptions. The following Jounin at the table," he jerked a thumb to his right, "Have information about each of you and who you will fight in the first battle. As always, there are no rules. You will not be allowed to withdraw." He moved away.

"Um, Kiba sensei, how are we supposed to get down from here," Yanagi asked. She watched him smile at her as he moved his head signaling a rope. "What? Are you kidding me? We have to get down that way?"

"You better believe it," Kiba said. "Oh, don't give me that expression Masaru. It'll be fun."

"Fun, he says," Masaru noticed how some of the teams who had already gotten their papers were sliding down the rope using cloth acquired from a woman standing near it.

"Thirteen stories up," Eiyu said as Onari clung to his back. "It's the only way down, too. Onari, as much as you've flown with Akaihi around Konoha, you shouldn't be afraid of this."

"Yeah, but she trusts him," Takeru said petting Onari's head. "I wonder if she can just hold onto one of us?" The Jounin handed each of them their clothes. She shook her head. "Suppose not, Ri, sorry."

Onari hopped on one foot to the other not knowing if she wanted to take this sort of route to the ground. "Onari will use Akaihi to get down," she pleaded, but Eiyu shook his head at her too. "Eiyu," she whined.

"No, Onari. Someone will find out about it," Eiyu said as he put his cloth over the rope. He wrapped it around his wrists, holding on tightly. Moving up to the ledge he looked down at the water below and the bridge. Five days had passed since they had run along the bridge to enter the Crux Tower. "Just think of it as flying." He took off, kicking his legs forward.

Takeru moved her in front placing his hands on her shoulders. He lowered his head looking her straight in the eyes. "I won't let you fall, Ri. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and I'll be right behind you with Uso," he said.

Onari's eyes wavered down then up. "Takeru promise?" She wasn't afraid of falling per say. It was the speed of the drop that frightened her.

Takeru kissed her forehead. "I promise," he said. Onari did as Takeru said. She actually stood on top of the edge, her eyes closed and leapt forward. But as Onari went soaring down the rope towards the ground, she screamed a high pitched cry of terror.

"Hey, whose team is she on," some guy yelled from behind Takeru. Takeru closed his eyes, his shoulders slumping as his head hung. "She's on mine," he said a bit disappointed. Takeru shook his head then went over the side after her.

Saori laughed a bit as the screams died away the farther Onari got from the tower. "Poor Onari," she said. Daiya was slapping his forehead, also embarrassed by her actions. "I know what you'll be teaching her until the exams start."

"I don't know if I want to tackle that," Daiya said as Ryu and Sasuke stood behind him. "It hasn't been that long since she got over her fear of water." They moved forward to wait their turn to touch the ground.

Down below, Onari came off the rope in a hurl landing straight on Eiyu. He went backwards onto the ground. She clung to him for dear life, hoping to never go on that ride again. But as Takeru had promised, he was right behind her. He came off the rope too, tripping over her feet sandwiching her between himself and Eiyu.

Eiyu yelled, "Get off of me! You two are already on the ground! There are more people coming down! Get off!" Eiyu pushed on Takeru first to move. "You're so bothersome!"


	82. Chapter 82

**V 9 ch 1**

**The Truth Prevails**

Izumi Uchiha opened the door slowly to her son's room. They were both sleeping hard, bodies entangled in the bed sheets, faces downcast. She tip toed into the room as to not disturb either of them. Takeru was laying close to the edge of his bed, arm hanging off. Daiya was in a fetal position with his pillow fallen to the floor. Izumi retrieved it, her hands moving over it admiringly. Her head turned to glance at Daiya. Regardless of his situation, they had had to honor his decision. Izumi found herself afraid for her sons – afraid for the outcome of the Chuunin exam in one month's time.

"Takeru, it's getting late. You've had enough time to rest," Sasuke said rubbing his shoulder. His son stirred, but relaxed back into slumber. Sasuke sighed. Takeru's endurance should be greater than this with all of the training he's had. He picked Takeru up out of the bed preceding out of the room. His son merely laid his head on his shoulder, body hanging limply.

Onari yawned hard rubbing her eyes. She stood in the hall watching Sasuke carry Takeru towards the large tube. "Sahskey," she said in her usual pet name for him, "Daiya's sick." Onari had woken to go to the small bathroom only to see Daiya pass her running for it. He had slammed the door loudly. That's when she had to get Izumi.

Sasuke hurried carrying Takeru as if he were a small child. He could hear Izumi talking softly to Daiya through the door. He leaned against the wall, his head tilted as he listened in trying to not make his appearance known. Surviving the Crux Tower had been his team's biggest challenge. Next, was the single battles at the Mist village. His brows furrowed trying to understand what was going on in there.

Izumi rubbed his back comfortingly trying to reassure him. Daiya's body remained tense, twitching a few times, but nothing came back up. "I'm right here," she said softly. Her eyes watched him intently, motherly instincts on high alert. His breathing was calming down. "Is your throat burning?" He nodded slowly. "Sasuke, can you bring a glass of water," she asked. Her training allowed her to hone in on others approaching without warning.

Sasuke glanced at Onari out of the corner of his eye. "Firebird, take Takeru and put him in the large tub in the bathroom." She perked, hopping towards him at the chance to be naughty. He came back with the glass of water by the time Takeru was rudely awakened. Tapping on the door, he stood still as Izumi opened it to get the water from him. Daiya was sitting on the floor with his arm around the toilet, face lowered. He exhaled. "I don't want you competing next month."

Izumi looked at him with a serious gaze. "Sasuke, you know as well as I do that he cannot forfeit. He's been overworked for a straight week. The single battles are one-on-one. He needs a month of rest before he can go back," she said in denial that Daiya's body was merely stressed out.

"Izumi, everyone has their limits. This is his. No one can protect him the moment he enters to fight. I cannot stop it. Ryu won't be able to shield him," Sasuke said trying to make her understand. They had depended on Ryu to overlook Daiya throughout his training since he was diagnosed. Ryu was the only one who could calm Daiya into reason when his temper boiled over.

Daiya spit the water into the toilet. "Stop fighting," he said hoarsely. "Ryu's protected me long enough. I have to know how far I can go. I won't let this defeat me! And I won't let anyone stand in my way," he said angrily as he slammed his fist onto the rim of the toilet. His parents only stood there silently watching him with concern and worry. Daiya put his hand to his forehead, moving his bangs aside. "Can I be left alone now," he said, hating the words that escaped his mouth. Izumi rose to give him time to himself. The door was shut.

Saori laid her head on Ryu's leg as they relaxed against a tree. The autumn breeze was blowing softly through Konoha as she and Ryu took a much needed break for themselves. "I'm glad Sensei gave us a week off," she said, her finger playing with his pants. She yawned. It felt good to be home.

Ryu rubbed the back of her head with his hand. His mind was elsewhere. They had survived the Mist village exams – yet, he felt his time as their leader was coming to an end. Ryu didn't hear Saori asking him a question. She turned her head calling him several times. He finally snapped out of it. "Huh?"

"I asked who you were fighting when we go back to the Mist Village," she said.

"Akinori Kase from the Demon Team," he answered mildly.

Saori sat up. She crossed her legs, her hands going behind her body so she could lean back. She lifted her leg to where her toes were moving against his abdomen. "You're awfully distant. Are you worried about something?"

"I'm getting too old to be on a team," Ryu said. Everyone his age was already moving on to higher ranking missions with the Jounin. "After the Chuunin Exams, I want to advance."

The news shocked Saori. She was so used to taking direction from him. "You've always been our leader. Daiya won't regard another's authority. No one else has the patience with me that you have."

Ryu put his finger on her lips. "I can't protect either of you anymore. You don't need my orders on how to react to a situation. It's time to put everything I've taught you into action on your own." He lifted his hand moving her bangs aside. "I'm tired of being held back."

Saori's expression changed, her eyes dropping. "I'm sorry you feel that way," she said softly. Why hadn't she noticed it before? Sasuke gave them their morning agenda, but Ryu had always been the one teaching them – unless it was material he wasn't familiar with. He didn't need Saori and Daiya tagging along after him.

"Saori, that's not what I mean," he said lifting her chin. "Neither of you need me to baby you any further. You're both able to stand on your own feet."

"I don't want to leave your side," Saori said disappointedly.

"No one said you had to," Ryu said as he leaned closer to her. "Sasuke showed me an old picture of my father when we got back to the village. He used to be an ANBU – a high ranking Jounin. I want him to be proud of me," he said his eyes softening. "If he had known about me, I'm sure he would have-"

Saori kissed him through his mask. She remained close to him her eyes looking up at his. "I'm sure he would have enjoyed your antics," she said finalizing his train of thought with her own. "Speaking of which, my dad laughed pretty hard at you when you got Sasuke sensei last."

"I thought your father disapproved of me," Ryu said pulling back. He usually felt the man's eyes on him whenever he was in close proximity of Saori. "He acts as if I'm going to do something harmful to you."

Saori giggled. "No, quite the contrary. He knows how serious I am about you." She decided to change the subject. "Ryu, how come you don't have Kakashi sensei's surname?"

Ryu wasn't used to his father's name being verbally expressed. "My parents weren't married, for one. And, he died not knowing about me. I guess she thought I would be in a worse situation," he said speaking of Kurenai.

"I don't know," Saori said pondering. "Ryu Hatake. It sounds powerful to me."

"It's not possible to change my name. There's no one from his clan left," Ryu admitted. There had to be some way to honor his father. Ryu took the hitate off his arm. He tied it around his forehead then crooked it over an eye.

"Um, what'd you change it for," Saori asked a bit confused.

"Sasuke said Kakashi wore it this way," Ryu said. He turned his head a few times to see the world as his father had once seen it. "His depth perception was probably nonexistent," he said with a laugh as he took it off. It was hard to distinguish how far anything was.

"Ryu," Saori started to scold," Leave your dad alone. He's not exactly here to defend himself."

Onari jumped on Eiyu's back as he walked down the road. She placed her hands on the top of his head steadying herself as others passed them. "Eiyu, let's go see what that is," she said pointing at the banner hanging over the shops.

Eiyu caught a few adults staring at them. He became utterly embarrassed at Onari's child like behavior. "I don't mind, but we're not kids anymore, Onari," he said raising his arms to lift her off. "What would Takeru say if he saw us like that? I have respect for his relationship with you."

"Onari still likes Eiyu," she said softly as she touched the ground. She wasn't in love with him, but Onari did love him. Eiyu was a loner type who had let her into his secluded world. She clasped her hand against his tightly.

"Onari, don't," he said trying to get her to stop. She threw herself at him hugging him hard. Eiyu's heart ached. His hand came up to the back of her head. "Please don't make me do something I'll regret. I want nothing more than to be with you." He pushed her away. "If you don't understand the boundaries of friendship, perhaps we shouldn't hang out anymore. It's wrong for us to be together. You're supposed to be with Takeru."

"Eiyu and Takeru are Onari's favorite people," she said with sadness.

"And we are both overprotective of you and in love with you! I wouldn't approve of him being around my girl – as he wouldn't approve of me," Eiyu said blandly. "Dammit, I hate this feeling. The mere sight of you confuses me." He placed his hand against his face. "I need to go." Eiyu left her in the road as he walked on ahead. He had let his frustrations get to him.

************************************************** ********  
"Hey, what's gotten into you? I only asked if you wanted to go to the Fall Festival! Ri," Takeru shouted at her. He saw Onari bunch up her shoulders. "Every time you go out with Eiyu, you come back angry and take it out on me!"

Onari turned around angrily. The mere mention of Eiyu's name set her sights on the culprit who dared to utter such a word around her. "Takeru can go with Eiyu!" She ran into her room, slamming the door behind her.

Takeru had had enough. Marching straight to her door, he started pounding on it with his fist. "Onari, I'm not putting up with your temper! I don't deserve to be your punching bag! Get your butt out here right now! Onari!"

Izumi popped her head around the corner. "Wow, he's starting to man up," she said as Sasuke stood behind her – also looking. "Should we stop him?"

Sasuke watched Takeru continue to yell at Onari through the door. "No, he'll get enough of it when his testosterone backfires on him." The door to Onari's room opened suddenly. A small dresser came through landing on Takeru, causing him to fall backwards onto the floor.

Onari stuck her head out of the room only to yell," Stupid Takeru!" before slamming the door once again.

Takeru forced the dresser off his body. It crashed to the floor leaving him on his back, groaning. "I should only be pursuing ninjutsu," he said as a much needed afterthought.

************************************************** ***  
"Daiya, you don't look ridiculous. There's nothing with what you're wearing," Sasuke said through the door. "Everyone's wearing traditional clothing to the festival. Takeru and I have ours on."

The door opened slowly. Daiya came out to make sure he wasn't being told a lie. Sasuke stood wearing a gray yukata with black stripes. Takeru was wearing a black yukata with white cranes for the design. "I look silly," he complained about having to wear the clothes.

"No, you don't," Sasuke said. He sighed once he saw Daiya's appearance. Daiya had the yukata crossed the wrong way – and it was obvious he had thrown it on. "Daiya," he mildly addressed," It's a mess."

Daiya blushed as the yukata was fixed by his adopted father.

Takeru saw how embarrassed he was. He snorted. "He did the same thing to me," he said as Daiya's face turned red.

Izumi coaxed Onari to come out of her room. "Onari, no one's going to make fun of you. You look very pretty." Izumi was wearing a light blue kimono with white flowers in her hair. The kimono was etched in beautiful gold, pink, and green patterns.

"Everyone's having self-confidence issues this morning," Sasuke said parting from the boys. He walked into Onari's room to see what the trouble was. His eyes widened a little. It was one of the rare times he had seen her dressed with feminine grace and beauty.

Onari stood staring at herself in the mirror, her eyes fixated on her face. Izumi had put her hair into a ponytail littered with ribbons and flowers adorning her hair. She wore a red kimono harvested in multicolor birds. Around her waist was a yellow obi. Upon her lips she wore makeup. Onari turned around to look at Sasuke. Did all of the girls her age dress this way?

"Are you ready to go?" Onari turned around hiding her face on his yukata. She's embarrassed. Sasuke rubbed the top of her head gently. "Onari, you're growing up. And you look very beautiful," he said sincerely.

"Sahskey," Onari said trying to hide herself even more with her arm against her face to mask it. She was flushing badly. Her heart thumped nervously in her chest.

"What's taking so long? I've got a bet against Ryu that I can catch more goldfish than he can," Daiya said. He burst into the room to summarize the situation. "Onari, you look fine. Takeru won't care what you look like. He's only interested in games and eating." Onari lowered her arm. She stepped away from Sasuke, the fire lit under her feet. She began to run towards him. Daiya turned around hastily shouting, "Time to go!" His feet skidded on the floor as he rounded the corner to avoid his sister.

Sasuke put his hand through his hair. "I still wouldn't have said that to her." Even if it is true.

Ryu smiled as he caught his sixth fish in a minute. Daiya was shouting at the goldfish to stay on the rice paper. "Pay up, Uchiha. You lost," he said holding out his hand.

Daiya hated the goldfish game. He slapped five ryo into Ryu's hand. "This is a baby game," he said throwing the handle down.

Ryu stood up smirking. "If you knew you weren't good at it, why'd you take the bet?" He pocketed the ryo.

"Uchiha don't back down from a challenge," Daiya said picking up on Sasuke's fair attitude about his clan. "No matter how stupid," he muttered. He heard Ryu laugh. Daiya was hit on the back several times hard and meaningful. He frowned as Ryu led him away.

************************************************** *****  
Onari tilted her head as she looked up at eight long ropes tied to the top of a thirty foot beam. She tugged under Takeru's arm, pointing. "What kind of game is it?"

"I think you race to the top and win a prize," Takeru said. "Onari, that game is mainly for the guys. Besides, you're wearing a kimono." Onari lifted her kimono as Takeru stepped back to cover his eyes, appalled. She was wearing her ninja pants underneath it. He pinched the space between his eyes. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"Onari wants that," she said tugging Takeru along to the prize table. There were three prizes up for grabs: a wooden bento, shuriken and kunai in a small box, and a tanto. Her finger pointed to the tanto. It was a short sword with a wooden handle.

"You don't know how to use it," Takeru said watching her trying to touch it, until the man behind the table told her to leave it alone. "It's a close combat weapon. You normally have no problems stopping a person from far away."

Idai threw his arms over Takeru and Onari his head poking between them. "Hey, do you two ever stop fighting," he said with a smile. "Onari can compete if she wants, Takeru. It's more fun when she's around."

Takeru threw Idai's arm off his shoulder. "No one asked your opinion," he said crossing his arms. "Why are you here anyway?"

Idai turned his full gaze on Takeru, his posture straightening as he took his arm off Onari. "Same as you. I'm here for the festival. Who's got a bug up your butt, Takeru? You're so unhappy," he said making a face.

"Takeru is jealous of Eiyu," Onari said bluntly as Takeru whirled around to give her one hell of a look. She turned her head, not looking at him. She thought it was far fetched to be concerned over Eiyu. After everything they had been through together, Takeru still didn't fully trust her.

"You've got to be kidding me," Idai said as he regarded Takeru with a brief look of stupidity. "Onari can be with who she wants. Your jealousy isn't going to help matters. It's only going to persuade her," he said. Takeru was now staring at the ground. Onari had turned on her heels to walk away from the rope competition. "I thought you wanted to participate," he yelled after her. She only shook her head. Idai landed his fist on the top of Takeru's head. Takeru crouched to the ground holding his skull in pain. "You're such an idiot!"

Kandai blinked his eyes. He had unknowingly picked the wrong time to approach them. Idai stood up, focusing on him as he stood motionless for a moment. "I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something?" Kandai sensed the uncertainty in the air.

"Takeru is jealous of Eiyu," Idai said taking the right attitude with Onari. He crossed his arms annoyed as if he was Takeru's older, more responsible brother. "She's with you, moron. I don't know why you have to be so bossy!"

"It's probably because he knows Eiyu's still in love with Onari," Kandai said gently. Idai turned to him a bit surprised. "Onari was my brother's first love. When that happens, a person tends to not forget the other person – no matter how things ended, or what transpired."

Takeru grit his teeth, his hands turning into fists. "Why is he still in love with her," he shouted angrily. "Dad brought her home for me," he said his voice cracking. He turned his head quickly to avoid catching Kandai's gaze.

Kandai's eyes softened. "So that's what it is," he said in a caring concerned voice. "I don't think Eiyu has the intention of taking Onari from you. He knows what she means to you – he feels the same about her, but… as a Hyuuga his respect and pride are keeping him at a distance. He knows that if he let his heart overrule his head, it would make him look bad."

"Takeru," Idai said placing his hand upon the boy's shoulder. "You really think Onari doesn't love you? She puts up with you – which is more than I can say for anyone. Most of the time, that girl has the patience of a monk. You need to stop putting obstacles in front of her. Her training is enough for her to handle."

Takeru raised his head, a frown on his face. "I've been alone all of my life until she came," he said quietly. Now he was embarrassed how he had brought attention to himself.

"Yes, I know. All of us have experienced that," Kandai said confirming it. "I admit that I don't have a lot of friends. Saori's about the only one besides Gin whose spent time with me outside of training."

"And you know I didn't have anyone until Masaru and Daiya stopped blaming me for where I came from," Idai said. "Now you're making me feel bad." He punched Takeru on the head again with Kandai watching them with wide eyes. "Idiot!"

Takeru crouched again holding his head in tears.

Yanagi Lee threw the ball as hard as she could at the tower of bottles. It bounced right off them, ricocheting around the stand. The man behind it ducked for cover, yelling. She smiled a bit nervously. "Sorry," she said.

Ryu pushed her aside nudging his hip on hers. "Your method is a tad manly," Ryu said just enough to make her mad. Yanagi punched him square in the arm. He laughed as he bounced the ball in his hand. "And you hit like one, too."

Saori slammed her foot on Ryu's as she snickered. He flinched, his eye twitching. "It's not nice to boast before you succeed. Throw the damn ball," she said forcefully.

Gin smiled. She was enjoying hanging out at the festival with her friends. Idai had gone off to see if he could round up anyone else they knew. Gin watched Ryu lazily throw the ball. Instead of going straight at the bottles, it soared through the air slowly, until it fell about two feet from Ryu's outstretched hand. Gin busted out laughing.

Saori shook her head in disappointment. "How in the hell can you throw a kunai and not throw a ball?" The man behind the counter was also making comments about Ryu's lack of motor planning.

Ryu put his finger in the air to gain silence from the three girls watching his disastrous accomplishment. "A kunai is a straightforward weapon that cuts through the air, dicing the molecules around it. A ball, on the other hand, barrels through the air, parting the air molecules from it."

Yanagi pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead – a reaction she had picked up from Daiya when encountering Ryu. "Ryu, that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. That doesn't explain why it fell straight down as hard as you threw it. It should have hit the bottles!" Yanagi tilted her head. Ryu was stuck in the same pose, not moving. "Uh," she started, her finger going to poke his shoulder. Her finger went straight through him. As he poofed, she and Gin moved back with a squeal.

Saori turned around quickly, her eyes catching sight of him. She pointed out in the crowd as her spiky haired boyfriend ran from them. "There he goes! After him!"

Onari sat by herself on the wall overlooking the festival. People where happily moving past her with their families. Her yellow eyes stared ahead, trying to not focus on the parents instructing their children how to play the games. A couple purchased a sticky bun for their young daughter. Onari looked over the girl's features. She was a cute little girl having her first taste of a sweet treat. What she wouldn't have given to be at a festival with her parents – to feel that sort of happiness with them. As her eyes started to well up, a candy apple came into her view, along with a hand offering it.

Onari looked up and over to see Ryu watching her with his red eyes. He appeared to have been there for a little while. His hand shook at her a bit with the candy apple trying to get her to take it. Onari took it from him slowly, her fingers wrapping around it. She licked it a few times trying to figure out what the coating was on the apple. Then she bit into it, her teeth coming into contact with the red coating. It was defiantly sweet.

Ryu felt sorry for her. Onari was alone during a joyous time of celebration and fun. I wonder why Takeru's mouth keeps getting him in trouble. He rested his arm on his raised knee as his other foot dangled over the wall's edge. Ryu glanced back at her. Onari was merely eating the apple, her eyes staring ahead. "Are you thinking about them," he asked.

Onari stopped eating. She recoiled holding the apple against her kimono. Onari lowered her head looking at the ground. Her fingers loosened around the handle of the candy apple. Ryu's hand shot forward to catch it before it hit the ground. Onari clutched her knees, eyes closing. The memories of her parents were starting to fade. Their smiles – their touch- all of it was escaping from her.

Ryu lifted his hand putting it on her other shoulder. He leaned towards her, pressing her side to him. Ryu breathed in and out, his exhalation fluttering the top of Onari's head causing the hairs to react. "I'm sorry you lost them," he said sincerely. "But we don't stay lost forever. All of us eventually find each other again."

Areku slid on the dirt with Ichigo running after him as he turned around the small wooden pole in the ground. Takeru had caught up to him, turning at the same time. Areku grinned showing his fangs as he shot forward sprinting. "See you later, Takeru!"

Takeru narrowed his eyes, focused on catching Areku in the race. "I'm not going to be looking at your back much longer!" He lowered his body, putting his arms out next to his sides. I can't let Areku win! If I can win this race, I get the prize!

Lee shouted at the top of his voice, "Keep going Takeru! You're gaining on him!" He put his arm into the air so Takeru could see him through the crowd cheering the two racers on.

Temari Nara stood next to her son cheering the boys on. It was the first race and they had been paired together. "Move it, Areku, he's gaining on you!" She clapped her hands encouraging her daughter's friend to step on it.

Hinata Uzumaki stood behind the prize table. "My, they are really trying to beat each other," she said with a smile. Takeru and Areku were now neck in neck. Both of the boys were eagerly trying to push their legs to keep moving despite the fatigue now hitting them.

Sasuke leaned against the table as Takeru closed his eyes sprinting with all he had in order to finally pass Areku. "Well all be damn," he said. Hinata turned to focus on where he was looking. Takeru threw himself at the white line, going across it before Areku. "He actually beat him."

Takeru rolled over panting. He didn't hear the announcer say who won as he tried to catch his breath. "Who… Who won..?" He sat up, his head swimming. Stars cascaded in his vision.

Lee pat Takeru on the back hard. "Good work, Takeru! You beat Areku," he said with a thumbs up, smiling at his student. "This calls for a celebration!"

Areku coughed as Ichigo barked at him angrily. "I did not let him win, Ich!" Ichigo complained outright how Areku had gotten soft over the past year. She demanded he leave the festival and go train.

Takeru was helped up by Lee, who escorted him to the prize table. "He did a great job, didn't he, Sasuke," Lee said a bit too excitedly. Hinata had her hand over her mouth to hide a smile – and also a laugh. Sasuke wasn't looking at his son yet. Lee sensed the silence emitting from Sasuke, so he patted Takeru hard one firm time on the back before going elsewhere.

Sasuke looked at his son as the next race started between two competitors. "Takeru, where is Onari?" He had watched them leave from he and Izumi earlier that morning. The only time Onari left his side was if they had fought, or if Eiyu was around. She didn't trust too many of the kids on the teams.

Takeru averted his eyes. "I hate how observant you are," he said quietly. He had to come clean. His father knew everything anyway. "She got mad at me and walked off."

Sasuke looked up at his son, his hands behind him on the prize table. "And what did you do to get to her this time?" It was becoming a pigheaded habit of his son's lately. Takeru's mouth was starting to run off constantly; Which was a huge change because normally he didn't voice anything – he just let it happen.

"I didn't want her competing in the rope contest. She kind of told me I was jealous of Eiyu, too," Takeru said as Hinata went to sign up a few more people for the race. He closed his eyes before the hit came. It was the third fist coming into contact with his head. Takeru's hands didn't even make it to comfort his poor skull. The pain was intense. He grit his teeth, his fingers turning into claws. Sasuke was too fast for him.

"We've had this discussion before about how you treat her," Sasuke said looking down at his now crouched son. "Your mother went after you the very first time it happened. Remember when that was? It was back when Onari ran away from the village. It was a problem for those of us who had to go scout for her. Your mouth is getting to be too dangerous for your own good."

Takeru sweatdropped. "I'll go find Onari to set things right," he said fearing his father's gaze upon him. Takeru stood up, but not before Sasuke landed a hard hit upon his head. His fingers twitched, teeth grit in pain. I deserved that. He whimpered slightly as he turned away from his father, not even making an attempt to rub his head.

Sakura stood amongst the crowd of people overlooking the cooking contest. She closed her eyes inhaling the savoring scents. Rock Lee was standing next to her – also enjoying the competition. "I believe they're selling the dishes and we're supposed to vote on which one's the best over there," she said pointing to a table in the middle of the booths. There was a woman standing behind it with a voting box in front.

"What should we get? There are eight booths to choose from," Lee said scanning the patrons. A lot of people and their families were being drawn to the area by the scents drifting through the air. He heard his name being called by Yanagi. He turned slightly to lift his hand waving at her so she could see him amongst the crowd. His daughter had been hanging out with Saori Nara, her best friend, all morning.

Yanagi and Saori pushed through the crowd to get to her parents. "I thought you'd be here. You like food," she said with an adoring smile.

"Yanagi, how come you're not hanging out with Daiya," Sakura asked in a concerned tone. Her daughter was glued to him as much as Saori. Not that she minded, of course.

Yanagi had been enjoying herself so much she had forgotten that Daiya was at the festival with his family. "I don't know where he is. Didn't he hang out with Ryu earlier," she asked Saori.

"That was early this morning," Saori confirmed. "They played the goldfish game. It seems Ryu beat him rather easily at it," she said expressing disappointment.

"Daiya doesn't have patience to play that," Yanagi said matter-of-fact.

"Well, why don't you find him and your friends? We'll treat you all to the taste testing from the booths," Lee said giving her a big smile. Yanagi became so excited, she hugged him around his mid-section.

Takeru put his arm around Onari's shoulder as he leaned in to her. "Ryu gave you a candy apple earlier, huh," he said attempting to draw her attention elsewhere. Onari nodded. "Ri, I'm sorry I was a jerk before." She turned to look at him. "I'd rather you ask Mom or Dad to train you in weapons before you go buying them."

Onari extended her wrist, closing her fingers. A quick shank noise and the ninja blades Eiyu had designed came out. She wondered why Takeru was doubting her understanding of combat.

Takeru stared at the ninja blade. "Ri… you actually wore those under your kimono?" With her hair done in a twist and makeup on, Onari looked more like a lethal doll. Takeru busted out laughing. Onari turned to him completely in surprise. He kept laughing as he held onto his stomach. "I love you, Onari. You're cute," he said.

Onari blushed at how expressive Takeru was being in public. "Takeru thinks Onari is cute with her weapons?" Takeru was still laughing, but it was lighter now.

He reached up as he leaned towards her placing his hands on her cheeks. "You're cute regardless," he said landing a soft kiss on her nose. "I love your personality. Every day with you is an adventure."

In that moment, she forgot about her parents – and Eiyu. This was what attracted her to Takeru. He openly drew her in without trying – or deciding the consequences. Onari suddenly hugged him, her cheek pressing hard on his collarbone.

Takeru almost fell off the wall he and Onari were sitting on. "Onari?" He lifted his hand to place it on the top of her head, careful not to mess up her hair. His eyes softened as he relaxed, enjoying the attachment for the moment.

Hinata handed out the last prize to the last contestant. The rope climbing race had met with a success. She lifted the wooden box off the table shaking it gently. Coins jingled inside. Naruto will be so happy when I hand this over to him. There's enough to help put it to good use.

Hinata bowed thanking the other ninja who had manned the event. "Thank you for all your hard work," she said. "There's enough to help the students at the Academy."

Goro chewed on a piece of a twig, his eyes staring at the Hokage's wife. He wore a dark green hooded outfit. The hood sheltered his face, covering his head. Scratching his goatee, he glanced at the container. There was a piece of parchment seals on it to prevent anyone but the Hokage from opening it. "How much is in there," he asked in an uncaring attitude.

Hinata smiled nervously. Goro was a strange sort of person. He was fifteen-years-old and refused to work on a team. He had left the team he was on years ago to pursue higher ranking missions to benefit he and his sister, Nijina. They were twins who lived on their own in a house on the far east side of Konoha. Their parents were long gone – having been killed returning to the village. Grandparents had raised them, but they died three years ago. "A little less than what you assume and a bit more than not enough," she said teasing him.

Goro rolled his eyes, his mouth opening. That is not what I meant. The twin hung on his lip, dangling towards the ground.

Montaro slapped him on the back several times with a loud smirk. "Haven't you ever been told it's impolite to ask a lady how much money she has?" He winked at Hinata.

Goro pulled his hood down more to where his eyes couldn't be seen. Only his chin and goatee were visible. "Forget it," he said turning around to shuffle off. Weirdos.

Neji Hyuuga approached Gai who was eying the various dumplings at the booth. He waited patiently to answer the questions his old trainer had about the choices. "If you're unsure, you could get one of each for him," he said speaking of Idai.

"That's true! You always know what to do in a predicament! I'll take one of each!" Gai handed over the ryo as Neji gathered the dumplings into a basket. "Ten-Ten has the best dumplings in Konoha!"

"I know. She had to return home to make more this afternoon," Neji explained why he was managing the stand alone. He gave Gai the basket. "Just have Idai return the basket to Kandai or Eiyu."

"So no one's seen him since this morning," Sasuke gathered as he sat on a bench eating.

"I have Yanagi searching for him," Lee said setting his bowl into a trash bin. "No idea where he could be. He stays glued to her or Ryu, usually."

"I could scout for him," Areku offered leaning against a building. "Ichigo and I don't mind." It didn't take a keen eye to determine Daiya was acting out of character.

"It's alright, Areku. He'll turn up. Yanagi knows all of his hiding spots," Sasuke said. He furrowed his brows remembering the morning Daiya fell ill. Could it be possible he's sick again and is trying to hide it? He looked up to see Ryu walking angrily towards him. "What now," he said to no one in particular.

Ryu clenched his fists growling. "How paranoid are you and Ms. Izumi?" Ryu narrowed his eyes, steam fixing to pour out of his ears as if he were making coal.

"Did Suiren bite you," Sasuke asked mildly. His mind wasn't on Ryu's welfare, but it would be troublesome if she had. The snake was poisonous.

"Whose Suiren," Areku asked in turn.

"She's Izumi's water moccasin," Lee answered in a teacherly tone.

"She tried!" Ryu wanted to land his fist right on top of Sasuke's head with nothing minimal of blunt force. "Who in the heck is going to be foolish enough to step inside the Uchiha compound?"

Areku and Lee both pointed at Ryu straight faced. "You were foolish enough to step inside the compound," they said in unison.

Ryu whirled around yelling at both of them. "No one asked you!" He went after Areku hitting him on the back. It was wasted effort ton Lee. He'd never catch him. Ichigo bit his pant leg, holding on with a snarl.

Sasuke watched Areku get put into a head lock. "Ryu, why did you go to my house?" Areku was loosened and dropped to the ground instantly. The motive soon returned in his student's eyes.

"Huh? Oh. Daiya was asleep. I found him there," Ryu said as he pulled Ichigo away from his pants. Sasuke rubbed his temples. "What?"

"I bet after you left him he went straight home," Sasuke said. "He's getting fatigued sooner." He crossed his arms leaning back. Sasuke closed his eyes.

"What can be done for him," Lee asked wanting to take charge. His daughter's happiness was at stake. Lee saw Sasuke shake his head.

"Sakura has checked him numerous times since we found out about his heart. It has something to do with his kekkegenkai. That's all we know," Sasuke said. Truth was, he was unsure about what to do. They couldn't stop the electrical currents flowing through Daiya's body. They were part of him. To stop them, was to stop his chakra.

Idai shot his fist into the air excitedly. "I got it! I got it!" He jumped around like a little kid congragulating his success on hitting the targets. The kunai were lodged firmly into the middle of three targets standing fifty feet away.

Diaya wasn't fully embarrassed at Idai's exploits – not yet. However, when the man handed his best friend the large stuffed elephant, Idai kept rubbing his cheek on it. "Idai, isn't that… for Gin?"

Idai moved the elephant away from Daiya as if he were trying to snatch it. He gave him a dirty look. "No, it's mine! I won it. My elephant!" Idai pressed it to himself like a baby guarding its only toy.

Daiya put his hand over his mouth covering the large smile that was spreading across his face. He wanted to laugh until tears came out of his eyes, but it wasn't like him to display emotions around others. I wouldn't change you for anything.

I finally found him! Yanagi ran to Daiya practically jumping him. "I've been looking for you all morning. We haven't played any games together," she said running two fingers down his jaw line.

Daiya turned his head quickly to kiss her fingers. "I'm sorry, 'Nagi," he said using her pet name out loud. "I didn't feel well." He was hoping to avoid her concerns. The one thing he hated was to cause Yanagi to be sad.

Yanagi looked over Daiya's shoulder distracted for the moment. "I though Idai was with you?" She looked around the area until she saw Idai peering at them from behind a tree. He was watching them skeptically – like they were plotting against him.

"Idai, no one's going to take that stupid elephant," Daiya yelled.

Yanagi laughed as soon as Idai stepped out from behind the tree guarding a stuffed animal. She bent over placing her hands on her legs, head hanging. "I love him," she said still laughing at her team mate.

"And if you give it a name, I'm ripping the stuffing out," Daiya shouted. He watched Idai's eyes widen. Idai put his arms around the elephant and fled the scene in a hurry.

Yanagi laughed even harder, closing her legs. "He probably named it while watching us," she said. "My sides are hurting," she giggled.

"He's such an idiot," Daiya said with a frown.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have him any other way," she said finally calming down.

Naruto held up his hand greeting Neji as he approached the dumpling booth. Ten-Ten moved around hastily putting dumplings into baskets for orders. "You two have everyone talking about these," he said with a smile.

"Ten-Ten's the one who makes them. The boys help, but I don't have influence in their design or contents," Neji said rather straightforward. He took ryo from another customer quickly putting it with the rest in a pouch.

He's always so serious. Naruto put his hand to the back of his head. Oh, well, Neji's never going to change. He noticed Eiyu showing up with more dumplings on a wooden cart he pulled. Hm. I wonder why he's not out with his friends for the festival?

Eiyu set the cart down carefully. He peered over the edge of the booth at his busy parents. "Mother, I have the extras," he said quietly. Eiyu knew she hadn't heard him when she bolted to get more baskets from the other side of the booth. I know she's busy, but she didn't even notice me.

Instead of wasting his time, Eiyu began to unload the cart. He tried to keep himself busy – not thinking about his loneliness. As he moved around his parents, they didn't seem to know he was there. Eiyu went back to the cart placing his hands on the poles. He glanced at his parents. Eiyu's eyes went straight back to this path, head lowered. He carried the cart back to the compound amongst the bustling crowd.

"Hey, what are you guys doing," Yanagi asked Masaru and Kandai.

"He's trying to win a fish for Niru," Kandai said turning around halfway in his crouched position next to Masaru. "He's not having any luck though." Kandai glanced at Masaru yelling in frustration. "He's impatient," he whispered to Yanagi.

Masaru punched Kandai hard in the shoulder. "Shut up. I can get it. I will get one!" Kandai just stared at him.

"Well, we were going to write autumn wishes and tie them to the tree at the Academy," Yanagi said. "Would you like to come? Kurenai sensei put up a table to tell fortunes."

"Sure," Kandai said eagerly. Masaru wasn't too much fun to hang out with. It gave him a chance to get away.

"No, thanks. Fortune telling is pure nonsense. I make my own path. I don't rely on wishes," Masaru said waving them off. He went back to the goldfish game.

"Suit yourself," Kandai said shrugging. He walked off with Yanagi. "What are you going to write for your autumn wish, Yanagi?" He watched her blush badly.

Yanagi bit her bottom lip. "You would ask me, Kandai. It's embarrassing," she said trying to deter him away.

"No one's around but you and I," Kandai said with a smile. "It's not in my nature to tell on others." Kandai sensed Yanagi's powerful gaze on him. His smile twitched.

"You have to swear," she said jumping in front of him, her hands up in prayer. "I don't know what anyone would say. Besides, it's foolish," she said looking away having doubts.

"Oh. So it's Daiya related," Kandai said seriously. Yanagi hopped around her head moving to see if anyone had heard. He laughed. "Yanagi, you're overreacting. I promise not to tell anyone on pain of death."

That seemed good enough for her. She had never known Kandai to betray anyone. "I want to marry Daiya and have his children."

Kandai's face turned red. "Wow, you've decided that already? How do you know you want to be with him for the rest of your life? People change when they get older."

Yanagi shook her head. "I know Daiya despite every obstacle he's ever thrown, or put in my way. It's been a challenge figuring him out. He's not the reserved guy that everybody thinks detests others. He's afraid of others hurting him – that's why he remains a wall that no one can burrow through."

"Yeah, Eiyu's the same way," Kandai stated. "He's heavily in love with Onari, but he won't fight Takeru for her. He let her go; already deciding she had more of a life with him."

Yanagi didn't know Eiyu very well. She figured no one but Onari did. Still, as she and Kandai continued to walk, she realized Eiyu had separated himself from everyone. In a way, he was much like Daiya.

Onari tied her scroll upon the tree's thin limb, her fingers carefully going over it. She stood back to admire the paper that was fixed with the rest. Yanagi was on the other side tying hers near Takeru's. They were being awfully secretive to what theirs was. Onari's wasn't exactly a secret. It was more of an understanding she wanted to happen. She had written that she wanted Takeru and Eiyu to one day be at peace with each other. Whether that happened, or not, determined on the both of them. Yet, she figured they were still rivals in love and war.

Onari felt someone place his hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Daiya smiling at her gently. "Where did Daiya put his," she asked. He pointed high over her head to a particular branch. It was farther up in the tree than anyone else's. "Why all of the way up there?"

"Because bigger wishes need to be closer to the sky," Daiya said hugging her with one arm.

"Daiya, Onari knows what 'Chuunin' stands for now," she said. But before he could ask, or anyone could correct her, she began to explain her own understanding of Japanese language. "Nin is short for 'ninja'. 'Chuu' means to 'kiss'," she said putting her finger in the air as a language teacher.

"O-On-ari," Daiya said trying to get her attention with his hands raised.

Ryu had stopped talking to Idai when he heard Onari's master of language degree come into focus. He tilted back on his heels, his head turned. Onari's understanding of anything usually led to something one hundred and eighty degrees away from the actual truth.

"Once the exams are over, we'll all be Kiss Ninja," Onari said with a smile, her eyes closed. "Although, Onari does not understand why we would want to be Kiss Ninja. Is that a level we're supposed to reach for something important?"

Takeru's mouth just opened, stunned. Where does she come up with all of these solutions? His eye twitched.

Ryu couldn't help himself. "Yes, it's called a 'honeymoon'. It happens when you get married," he put his leg out in front then stepped quickly to avoid Daiya nailing him.

"A honeymoon?" Onari tilted her head. "What does a Kiss Ninja do on a honeymoon? The moon is way up there," she said pointing in the sky.

"I thought Mom had a talk with her," Daiya said as he shook Ryu with his fingers tightened around his throat.

"Sh-She did," Takeru said softly. "But… Onari's still a child in that department," he said embarrassed at how Yanagi was asking him personal things in his other ear. "No, we haven't!" He looked at Yanagi quite bewildered.

"Well, I'll explain it to her," Idai volunteered. He didn't seem to get what the big deal was. "It's only going to be problematic if no one tells her." As Daiya fought with Ryu, he walked right up to Onari and whispered what one does on a honeymoon right in Onari's ear.

Takeru whirled around, but he was too late to stop anything. "Idai! Don't tell her!"

Onari's eyes became so wide, she stood stiffly staring at the scrolls tied to the tree limbs. That's what happened on a honeymoon? It didn't have anything to do with being a Chuunin. Her mouth felt dry, face flushing as her heart raced a little. When Takeru came into the picture trying to tell her not to listen to Idai, her body twitched. She pushed Takeru back so suddenly, screamed, "Onari does not want Takeru to touch her!" and ran away from the group down the road.

Takeru laid on the ground with his arms out, near his head. Ryu, Yanagi, Daiya, and Idai just stared at him. "Why don't I just focus on Ninjutsu?"

Saori and Kandai returned with an unusual expression on their faces. "Hey, what is this about being a 'Kiss Ninja'? Onari's yelling it all the way down the road," she said. The others just looked up at her, not answering.

"I take it, it's another one of Onari's misunderstandings," Kandai said to sum it up. No one moved. It must be a big one, because no one's bothering to explain it just yet.

Takeru stood up with a grim look on his face. "I'm going to the training grounds. I need a new focus on my life," he said as he walked off.

"Is he alright," Saori asked.

"He'll be fine," Ryu said with a salute. "Onari's a bit confused over Japanese."

"Don't say it so lightly," Daiya yelled at him.

"But… it wouldn't have been so bad if Idai hadn't of told her," Yanagi said. She watched Takeru stop in his tracks. Now Idai was getting harshly glared at by Takeru and Daiya. "Did I say something wrong?"

Idai turned around the moment he was being chased. "Thanks, Yanagi! I'll get you back later!"

"You get back here," Takeru and Daiya yelled after him, but Idai was flapping his arms trying his best to become a bird in order to get away.


	83. Chapter 83

**V9 ch 2**

**Onari's Fear**

"Get away from her," Takeru said with his eyes narrowed at the man in front of him. He stood his ground, his body tense, eyes focused. The man in front of him was a fair distance away watching his reaction to his presence. Takeru was guarding her. "What do you want with her," he demanded.

The man with brown hair and hard gray eyes stared at the raven haired boy. He held no emotion in his face. He was tall, muscular well toned arms, and wore an unusual type of battle attire for a ninja down his arms and legs. Takeru thought the man looked familiar, but he had never seen him before. There was no insignia to what village the man belonged to upon his form. "Who are you? Answer me!"

"I am of no concern to a ninja from the Hidden Leaf village. Step aside boy. You are no match for me. I will kill you if you hinder me from completing my assignment," he said lowly.

"You will not touch her! I'm not about to let you," Takeru said aggressively. He blinked his eyes. Takeru's eyes became red with Sharingan. Onari was not moving. He had seen this man throw her against the tree. Takeru was furious. "Ri, get up." No movement. "Ri, get up!"

"I do not have time for you boy," the man said blatantly. He started to move threatening towards the dark haired youth who intended on guarding the girl. "You will remember this only if you survive. It is custom in my country to give my name to the pre-deceased. I am Kakumei Eimino and I will slaughter anyone who keeps me from completing my task." The man unsheathed the tiger fork from his back. "If you manage to avoid this, then I will end your life slowly and painfully."

Takeru's eyes widened. His breathing increased. Kakumei Eimino. Eimino? My… brother's surname. The man was moving towards him slowly and menancingly. His eyes were stern. Is this Daiya's father? He knew what the man before him was capable of, before it even happened. The kekkegenkai in his brother came from this man. I have to get out of here with Onari. Daiya's capable of frying someone alive and he's only fifteen. This guy's a lot older –which means his strength is greater. That alone told Takeru that he was in grave danger.

Kakumei smiled wickedly as he saw the fear and realization hit the boy in front of him. He started to run at the youth, his tiger fork in his hand. His other hand slipped behind his back at the casing upon it. Unsheathing a metal rod, Kakumei threw it at the boy as he turned away to make a run for it. "You're not getting away from me!"

The metal rod came soaring past his face missing him by an inch. Takeru turned around quickly to see the man bearing down on him. He threw two shuriken at the man to slow down his advances. The shuriken were sent away as Kakumei brought the tiger fork up to block his chest and abdomen. He was defiantly skilled.

Takeru formed hand seals in front of his body. He took a deep breath and held it. The man was almost on top of Takeru. This is for Onari! "Fire jutsu!" Takeru sent the large fireball at the man. He kept it going as the man used a substitution jutsu. Kakumei was sent flying backwards by the strength and force of the blaze as he was knocked out of the tree he had retreated to.

Kakumei landed hard on his side as his body came in contact with a low branch. He grimaced as he raised his torso. That brat has strength in him. It won't last. He's only a boy. He got to his feet brushing his metal attire off. "I will keep my promise. You will die slowly." He ran again at the boy his chakra building inside his body.

Takeru tried to keep a hold on Sharingan, but his charka was running low after the fireball offense. He could see Kakumei's movements as the man came at him again. The man was going to punch at him with the electrical currents that flowed through his body. Takeru dropped hard onto his back as a stream of electricity soared over his form. He rolled off the branch, his hands grabbing onto it at the last moment. He flipped his body around and pulled his weight up. Takeru came up on the other side of the branch, his legs out in an attempt to use the mule kick that Idai had taught him.

Kakumei was sure the boy had fled leaving the girl behind. He moved toward the girl his mind focused on snatching her. He had wasted enough time on this. Gekido wasn't going to be pleased – as he often wasn't. Kakumei swooped his arms down, body bent just as a pair of legs came from his left. He was thrown off balance immediately as the boy's feet pushed him off the branch. Kakumei fell away from his target.

Takeru sunk a kunai into the branch as his weight went over the edge. He grabbed a hold of the kunai to stop himself from going over. Takeru looked down into the abyss where Daiya's father had fallen. He breathed hard his anxiety getting the better of him. Oh, no. Sharingan is draining me. That guy will be back. He had no choice but to cut it off.

Takeru crawled back onto the branch. He went over to Onari checking her. "Ri?" Her body was limp and nonresponsive to his touch, or voice. She was breathing – just unconscious. Takeru put his arms around her, lifting her up. Onari's head went back. "Onari?" He shook her shoulder. "Come on, Onari, wake up!"

The tiger fork shot toward Takeru and Onari. He leaned forward quickly to avoid it. "Something tells me that guy's going to be hard to get rid of," he said raising to his feet. A stream of electricity came out of nowhere straight at the rod he had forgotten about. Takeru dropped Onari to prevent her from getting electrocuted with him.

Takeru screamed in horrific pain as the lightening struck him. The rod that was behind him was intensifying the electrical charge and holding it to him. He felt his legs go out from under him. Takeru fell to the branch. He breathed shallow, his eyes half lidded. Onari had been spared the same fate. Takeru rose his hand weakily to try and touch her.

Kakumei grabbed the tiger fork out of the tree. He aimed it above the boy's back right above his stomach. "You've cost me precious time. In that regard, your death with be agonizing." Kakumei stopped. He felt a large sharp pain in his side. He looked down to see a kunai pressed hard into his vest. The point of the kunai had made a hole through the material and was pressing into his flesh. Blood escaped through the fresh wound.

"Drop the weapon and I'll punch a nice deep hole in your side for the maggots to feast on," Ryu said lowly, his red eyes serious and aggressive. "Get off of my friend, or you're dead."

Takeru thought he heard a familiar voice. His body was in shock as he laid on the branch. His dark eyes kept their gaze on Onari's face. All he worried about was whether Kakumei got his hands on her. Takeru wondered where Kakumei was from and what his intentions with her, was.

Kakumei moved his left hand slightly to this back. His palm faced the ninja behind him. His body charged again. "It's not wise to sneak up on adults, boy," he said aggressively.

Ryu saw the man's hair spike out on all ends. His eyes widened as he recognized the pattern. Shit! Ryu quickly performed a substitution jutsu. The electricity missed him by a few seconds. Ryu reappeared above the man, his arm stretched out as he sent a flying claw at the unknown ninja. The claw grabbed onto the man's leg. Ryu pulled with all his strength. The man fell backwards onto his back. Ryu touched down, his eyes narrowed. "You might want to watch your footing, old man."

Kakumei had had enough of these children who assumed they were on his level. He got up, running at the spiky haired boy who had stuck the kunai in his side. The electrical charges in his body intensified with his anger. As he ran at the boy, he threw the tiger fork trying to lodge the boy against the tree.

Ryu moved back his feet sliding on the branch trying to escape the advances of the ninja. The man before him threw his weapon at Ryu with a preciseness that was well-skilled. The tiger fork's sharp point went through his shoulder. It sent his body flying backwards, his feet lifting off the branch. Ryu was slammed against the tree. He was lodged into the bark of the tree. He brought his hand up to pull the weapon out of his flesh. The man's hair was spiking out again. Ryu had to free himself or he was going to be roasted.

Kakumei tensed his thick arms as he brought them out to his sides. The electrical currents were starting to pop around him. The metal on his arms and legs were plated. They allowed him to harness his kekkegenkai and be more precise at where he was directing the currents. The boy in front of him could not free himself. Kakumei gritted his teeth as the lightening jutsu he used flashed violently around them. He air punched a stream straight at the Genin. The tall, lanky pale boy screamed in pain as the electricity claimed him.

Kakumei watched as the boy's head went forward, his body dropping. The tiger fork held him in place on the tree. Kakumei didn't have any remorse for the ninja that had interfered. "All of this for a runt." He turned around to retrieve the girl. He stopped, now faced with another problem. "Don't you leaf-nin ever give up?"

Saori Nara stood her ground. She was not afraid of the man. He had the same abilities as Daiya – which was to her advantage. She trained with Daiya and knew his abilities well. Saori wanted to look at Ryu, but she didn't dare check on him when being faced with her opponent. "You have no idea who my trainer is," she said threatening the man outright.

Kakumei crossed his arms. "It doesn't matter whose guidance you follow, girl. You're merely a child and lack experience. Allow me to grant you some." Kakumei's body was still highly charged. He moved his arm in a sweeping motion letting her see the electricity he controlled. The girl in front of him had taken out a scroll. She was forming hand seal to unlock a weapon. He sent his wave of lightening at her.

Saori held Rose in front of her as the lightening hit. She closed her eyes, the light from it as intense as it was horrible to her ears. Rose's body jerked violently as the wooden puppet absorbed the lightening. Saori opened her eyes breathing hard. She sent Rose at the man as she flung backwards to control the puppet. Ryu was down. Takeru was slightly moving, but he was no help at the moment.

Kakumei spun on his heel to avoid the spikes on the puppet's arms. The girl with blond hair was spinning the puppet clockwise and counterclockwise trying hard to snare the spikes in his body. He kicked at the puppet's face, tilting his form. It was sent backwards but redoubled.

Saori had Rose throw several poisonous smoke pellets at her opponent. As the purple smoke came into effect, Rose dove into it twirling her spikes. Saori figured the man was disoriented and she had the upper hand.

Kakumei knew what the girl was up to. She was playing with a toy. He brought up a metal rod, holding it in front of his body as he spun at the same time. He was going to find out where the puppet was and keep its long spikey arms from hitting him. The puppet soon passed the rod, jerking the metal. Kakumei ducked bringing his leg up to kick the puppet out of the poisonous cloud. The puppet made contact with his foot. Pushing with all his force, Rose was sent backwards out of the cloud.

Saori swore as Rose started to fall off the branch. The puppet was off balance. As Rose went over the side of the branch, the weight of the puppet caused Saori to be lurched forward with the sheer force of Kakumei's kick. She started to drop below the ninja. Just when she thought Kakumei was going to use this opportunity to finish her off, she felt someone latch onto her ankle. She dangled upside-down trying to keep a hold of Rose.

"Hang on, Saori, I've got you," Takeru said as he started to pull with all of his might. He gritted his teeth, his feet implanted into the wood. Saori was heavier due to the puppet being attached to her. "I can't pull you up! You're too heavy," he said groaning. He was still recovering from the electrocution.

Kakumei formed hand seals in front of his body. He was fed up with the brats who were delaying his mission. The raven haired boy in front of him was not paying attention to what he was doing. He was preoccupied with saving the other ninja. Kakumei made a sweeping motion with his arm again as the electrical currents intensified. The currents were flowing around his arm in a spiral. "Lightening twister," he shouted as his arm went out. The electrical currents came off his arm, going straight at the boy in a corkscrew formation.

Saori screamed, "Takeru!", as she kicked herself free from his grasp. She went falling into the abyss as she saw the lightening hit the space where Takeru had been moments before. If it hadn't been for Saori getting his attention, Takeru wouldn't have had to neglect his attention. She fought to get Rose to hook her arms onto another branch as she fell. Rose managed to catch onto a small branch on the way down. Saori fell until her chakra strings snagged. She ughed. "Now what am I going to do?" She was hanging around like a discarded doll. "If I sever the chakra strings, I'll fall. Way to go, Saori," she said disgusted with herself. She kicked her legs, grunting.

Takeru eyed Kakumei harshly. The man had no emotion on his face as he matched his hard gaze. Takeru threw two kunai at the man. The man deflected the kunai with his own. He balled up his fists. "You're not taking her," he said lowly. The man began to move towards him again. "You won't take Onari!" Takeru's eyes widened as he saw the tiger fork piercing out of Kakumei's right shoulder. All three points were protruding. Blood escaped the wounds causing the man's attire to darken.

"I told you not to touch him," Ryu said. He was bleeding badly from his shoulder. The blood ran down his arm, dripping onto the branch. "Never count an opponent finished unless he is dead." Ryu forced the tiger fork into the man's flesh more. He was mad as hell.

Kakumei was not about to be defeated by a bunch of kids- even if he was outnumbered. He walked forward with ease, his body and flesh coming away from the smooth sharp pointed weapon. Blood started to flow down his back as well as his chest. "Mere children will not deploy me." He flicked his wrist as a long cord came into his hand. He yanked the razor sharp cord free of its hiding place. Kakumei cracked the whip against the branch, splintering off chunks of wood from the tree. He turned his head to regard the spiky haired ninja behind him.

Ryu didn't cower. "You forget I have your tiger fork." He held it in front of himself to block the whip. "And I'm not afraid of an idiot who can't count how many he's up against. What do you want with Onari?"

Kakumei figured it was pointless to say much. "The girl is essential for my Lord's needs and wants. I am to deliver her to him." He shot his gaze to the dark haired boy who was trying to move away.

"How do you know Onari? Why are you after her? We're the only ones that know her," Takeru said angrily. Who the hell was Kakumei's Lord? Onari was being targeted. Was it because of the phoenix?

"My Lord is Gekido of the Hidden Cloud Village. He is the rightful heir and master of his clan. The girl you call 'Onari' has defiled his clan by accessing a creature she had no right to. My Lord wishes to reclaim his inheritance. Move aside, boy. This whip is not the only weapon I posses," Kakumei said as he went straight for Takeru again.

Takeru had already started forming hand seals once Kakumei had spoke. "Ice fortress," he said. Ice started to shoot around him and Onari in a circular pattern. It formed into a massive one foot thick ice ball. It was a jutsu he had learned from his mother.

Kakumei swore. He had to devise a plan to get the girl. A kunai went soaring past his head. He turned. "You're stubborn," he said to Ryu.

Ryu glared at Kakumei. "Your opponent is me. Accept it and deal with it." He kept his red eyes upon the man. Ryu started to form hand seals as he went for Kakumei. Kakumei moved back quickly twirling a metal rod as he emitted his electrical currents. Ryu wondered when this guy's chakra was going to weaken. His genjutsu started to change the landscape around them. The ice ball was gone – as well as the tree they had stood on. Ryu's own form changed. "Intense delusion!" It was a technique that he rarely used due to the immense chakra it required. I have to stop this bastard from getting his hands on Onari. I'm pretty sure Takeru has figured out what he's really after.

Takeru crawled over to Onari. He caressed her face gently as he looked down at her. He had to try and get her to wake up. He looked up for a moment. The world outside had changed. Ryu was using his genjutsu to confuse and take down his opponent. Takeru could not tell where either of the ninja was. His attention went back to Onari. "Onari, I need you to wake up." He bent down. Takeru closed his eyes and kissed her. Any sort of physical contact usually jarred her awake. He felt her body twitch. Takeru kissed her again.

Onari's eyes opened slowly. She felt groggy. Where was she? She felt someone kissing her brow. Onari lifted her hand to feel Takeru's long sleek black hair brush her fingertips. He had been kissing her a lot lately. She wasn't sure what it meant. He leaned over her watching her recall where she was. "Ta-keru? Where is that..bad man?"

Onari did remember what had happened. He leaned over to help her up. She was shaking her head. "Ryu is trapping that Kakumei guy with a genjutsu technique. Soari fell some time ago and I don't know where she is. We're in a predicament where we can't leave to go find her. That man won't let us escape him. He's already put a hole in Ryu. I got his with that stupid electrical charge of his. He is after you to gain Akaihi, Ri. He told us his Lord is Gekido."

Onari was full aware she was being sought after for Akaihi. The time had finally come when her uncle would come to claim the inheritance she had gotten from Sashizo. "I know fully who Gekido is," she said much to Takeru's surprise. "He is my father's brother. He wants Akaihi to control all four of the celestials – to destroy everyone and anything in his path, Takeru."

Takeru was checking on the ice ball they were in. "This ice fortress won't last. It's melting. Soon we'll be trapped in Ryu's genjutsu. I won't know where he or that bastard is, Ri." He hugged her unexpectedly. "I won't let him take you. Your home is with me."

Kakumei looked around his eyes showing signs of annoyance. "This ridiculous trick of yours won't stop me, boy. I don't know where you are, but you know where I am. You'll approach me sooner or later and will get you!" The sky overhead was black mixed with a red hue. The foundation he stood upon was solid dirt. The landscape was the perfect battlefield. He spun a few times with the razor sharp whip held out. It's long metal form sliced through the air. If the boy was anywhere near him, he'd hear him scream as the whip sliced through his skin.

Ryu was a fair distance away. He hadn't forgotten about the whip Kakumei had in his hand. Everyone must think I have poor memory. He was very aware of the weapons Kakumei was harnassing. Ryu had to attack. The man was very persisstant with getting his hands on Onari. He also had a lot of strength for an old guy. Ryu admitted Kakumei was a strong enemy to have. Man, what I wouldn't give for Sasuke to be here. He closed his eyes to gain some confidence. Kakumei has to be from the same clan as Daiya. They look just alike in the face and build. Ryu was glad the circumstances were not different. His teammate could have been his enemy if things had turned out differently.

Kakumei was tired of t his child's play. His whip had failed to snag the boy. He threw several small rods in a circular pattern, several feet from his body. That leaf-nin was fixing to learn how far his currents could reach. Kakumei charged again. His body sparked all over. "Lightening ring!"

Ryu tried to get away from the lightening but he had metal on his person. Kakumei's electrical currents were targeting the earrings he wore and the ninja tools. He was hit instantly. Ryu yelled to the top of his lungs as he came caught by two of the currents. He fell unconsciously to the branch he was on.

Takeru flipped his head around constantly the moment he heard Ryu yell. The genjutsu was disappearing around them. Ryu had been defeated. The ice ball was also depleting rapidly. He stood up. Onari was next to him in a heart beat. I meant what I swore. I'm going to protect her. Onari has been training hard with Lee sensei, Dad, Mom, and Mr. Hyuuga. He glanced at her. She was anticipating an attack. "Onari, this is a game. We're playing 'Keep Away'. If Kakumei touches you, you're out of the game with a fifty point loss. The longer you keep away from him, the more points you receive and he loses. Understand?"

Onari tilted her head a few times. "We're playing 'Keep Away' with the ninja. I won't lose," she said in her usual fast broken dialect of syllables. A terrible slicing noise came to her ears. She and Takeru turned their heads to see a metal whip slicing the ice away.

Takeru pushed Onari out of the way as the whip came through the ice. He brought both of his hands up to guard. The whip wrapped around his wrists, trying him. The razor sharp edges of the metal started to cut into his skin. It felt like he was being stabbed repeatedly. Takeru couldn't scream in front of her. He had to be a man and take it. "Run, Onari! Find Saori! She fell below where we are!" Onari hesitated trying to get the whip off him. Takeru kicked her legs out from under her. She looked up at him in bewilderment. "Go!"

Kakumei pulled as his whip wrapped around something in the ice ball. He smiled devilishly. A form came hurdling towards him. It was the young boy from before. "I told you your death would be slow and agonizing. You have cost me my rank!" Kakumei moved the rest of the whip around the boy's throat and chest. It snaked its way around Takeru, cutting into his clothing. "Because of you, my clan will be defiled!"

Takeru couldn't breathe. The whip around his neck was slowly tightening like a constrictor. He couldn't scream or move his body. The man in front of him outmatched his skills and experience. Onari… At least you got away. Takeru opened his mouth to gasp for air. Blood was flowing out of the corners of his mouth. He was bleeding everywhere the whip was cutting.

Kakumei was seeking revenge for their interference. He snarled as the boy gasped for air. "Your time is at hand," he said as the electricity flowed down his arm. "Give my regards to Sashizo and Urea." He erupted his force and power onto the boy one last time. Takeru's body shook with electricity as he jolted. His eyes closed. Kakumei withdrew the whip once the boy's legs started to go out from under him. The blood flowing out of the boy's wounds was enough. He would soon bleed to death with the deep cuts. Kakumei had to report back to Gekido. He tensed as he tried to determine his fate over Onari getting away.

Ryu woke to darkened clouds. He turned his head. There was no movement around him. Had Kakumei succeeded in getting his hands on Onari? Ryu stood up weakily. His mind was trying to pinpoint where they had gone wrong. He groaned. Lightening jutsus were deadly in themselves.

"Ryu," he heard a voice screaming. Ryu's red eyes looked around the forest. "Saori?" He leapt from branch to branch. Saori's voice was echoing. "RYU," the voice was excited with panic. He hurried in the direction he deciphered the voice was coming from.

Saori Nara unraveled the bandages around her arms. "Onari, take the bandages off your arms! Hurry!" She began to wrap her bandages tightly around Takeru's neck, but not enough to restrict his breathing. He was already pale, blood soaking his clothes. "Ryu," she screamed again.

Onari did as Saori requested. "Saori, Takeru's wounded," she said not understanding how drastic he was bleeding. Saori wouldn't let her see anything but Takeru's face. She tried to get past her, but the blond headed girl turned around quickly to block her.

"Onari, now is not the time! Hand me the bandages!" Saori snatched them. She lifted Takeru's shirt. The cuts were awful. "Takeru, please, hang on for us," she said. He was the youngest out of everyone on the teams. She felt herself get emotional. Quickly, she wrapped his torso and arms. Takeru had already lost a lot of blood. The blood from his body was dripping over the sides of the branch, dripping into the abyss below. If Saori had planned her attack better, he might not have suffered Kakumei's anger.

Ryu touched base behind Onari. "What is going on? I heard you screaming my name." Saori wasn't looking at him.

Onari turned around. "Takeru's injured," she said pointing at the boy she lived with. She looked back at Saori. Saori had tears coming out of her eyes.

"N-No, Ryu, Takeru's dying," she said. Ran ran forth dropping to his knees. He moved her out of the way. Saori had to let him administer whatever treatment he could to help Takeru. Onari's eyes widened. She grabbed Onari, moving her back as the girl lunged forward. "We have to let Ryu help him," she heard her voice crack. "He's older and more experienced." Onari's eyes showed fear. "No, Onari," Saori shouted as the girl tried to fight her. "You have to trust him! Ryu isn't going to hurt him!"

Ryu felt for a pulse. Takeru was as pale as a death's kiss. He had to remain calm. The Uchiha boy was his adopted little brother and best friend. Saori had done the right thing by bandaging the wounds tightly. "His pulse is very weak. Saori, take Onari back to the village. You have to get her out of here. I don't know if that bastard is still trying to find her, or if he's going to come back with more of his kind," Ryu said. He turned around to look at Saori crying. Onari was standing in shock. "Go! I won't lose both of you to that bastard!"

Saori snapped to as Ryu's anger jarred her out of her emotional spiral. She grabbed Onari under the arm, pulling the girl with her as she started to run. Saori leapt off with Onari to leave Ryu behind with Takeru.

Ryu turned his attention back to Takeru. He lifted his best friend's limp form. Takeru's head went back, the boy's long black hair hanging loosely behind his head. Ryu choked. He grabbed Takeru hard. He pressed his friend to him protectively. "You were trying to protect her, weren't you?" His eyes couldn't look away from the boy's pale face. He placed his hand on Takeru's head, moving his hair out of his eyes. Ryu closed his eyes in frustration, despair, and grief. He had to get back. There was no time to delay. "I'll get you there even if they come after me," he said as he lifted Takeru onto his back. He was sure Kakumei would be back to retrieve Onari if not finish them off.

"We're being followed. I don't know who or how many," Saori said as they went through the trees. She looked at Onari. The girl's head went forward as her eyes unfocused, staring off into nothing. Saori gasped. She grabbed onto Onari as the girl's body fell from the height they were at. "Onari!"

Onari's eyes shot up through the trees where she soared high above the tops as a hawk. She had an aerial projection of the surrounding area. Onari's vision did a complete three hundred and sixty degree revolution as she checked for figures darting through the trees. She saw three unknown ninja some distance behind she and Saori. Another figure was ahead off to the right near some rather large boulders in the forest. Onari's eyes came shooting back to her body through the trees. She came back. Saori had caught her. Onari was on a branch with Saori staring at her. "Saori, I see three men that I do not know," she said pointing behind them. "They're coming up fast. They will catch us soon."

Saori nodded as she struggled to understand Onari's fast syllable dialect. "Alright, there are three ninjas behind us. One of them has to be Kakumei. He hasn't lost sight of his goal. He must have gone back to get re-enforcements. We have to hide, Onari. We're still a good distance from the village. Ryu would have taken a different route to ensure that he gets there with Takeru. I just hope it's not too late for him," she said the last part under her breath.

"Daiya is near a few boulders out in the forest," Onari said as she grabbed the girl's wrist. She took off running, hopping branch to branch towards her brother's location.

"What technique did you use to pinpoint the ninja and Daiya," Saori asked as she followed Onari. She could feel the atmosphere around them changing. The danger they were in was heavy in the air. Three full Jounin against three Genin were terrible odds to be up against.

"I used the technique my father used to avoid capture when I was a child. It's called Bird's Eye View. It lets me see everything around me as if I'm, well, a bird," she said. "I can see the tree tops all around in a circle."  
"And why have you never told anyone about this jutsu of yours? You're hiding something about yourself all of the time. Speed up! I have a bad feeling these guys will be on us sooner than we think," Saori said as she pushed herself to go faster. They had to get to Daiya. He was a force to be reckoned with if threatened.

Takeru opened his eyes to see a vast amount of twinkling stars in his view. The sky was a purplish color, multicolored clouds moving around as if being blown by a large face. "Where am I?" He felt the cold sensation of scales brush past his arm. Takeru turned his head to see Uso's tail flickering about. It was reached high into the sky, the tip swirling the clouds to paint pictures as she lay next to him, her long white scout angled high. Her red eyes glanced at his form. "Uso? Why am I here?" It had been a long time since Takeru had met the celestial dragon on her terms.

Uso moved the tip of her tail about, the clouds dripping down and off her tail like wet paint. "The heavens are falling tonight, son of Sasuke," she said, her voice echoing in high and low pitches. Her head turned fully upon him, smoke lightly flowing out of her nostrils. "The path that has bonded us together is being broken."

Takeru found himself rising to sit a lot easier than he expected. It was almost as if he were gliding. "Broken? How?" His eyes drifted to see the landscape for what it was. He and Uso were on a small patch of grass floating into the dark abyss that was around them. "Why aren't we were you dwell?" He looked to Uso for an explanation.

"Your spirit is weak. I cannot take you there," Uso said turning her gaze away. "Your shell is injured. To move you away from it is to take you completely with me."

"You're saying if I'm with you, I'm going to die?" Takeru tried to think what had caused him to be here, in the first place. He touched his hand to his forehead, teeth clenched, eyes closed. It was hard to remember when his brain was planes below. "Why can't I remember what happened?"

"Would it make a difference to know what has happened, that you cannot recall," Uso said in her usual way of speaking in riddles. "The answer lays back in a place where memories and longing are forgotten for those of the past."

Takeru stood, his body moving as if he were in water. Steadying himself in this world was a bit harder. Flapping his arms, he managed to touch down upon the ground. "It's hard to move here."

"Your legs are not what you need here. It is your soul that moves in this place," Uso said as her body lifted off the grass, her form moving away to appear around the hovering island of grass. "You were taken down by the same man that severed my contract with Urea."

Takeru stared hard at the abyss, his mind racing as he tried to remember. "Urea. Onari's mother. You were taken away from her in battle. Without the dragon's protection, the phoenix is just as vulnerable as any other creature." Takeru furrowed his brows. "The person who did this to me…" He clenched his fists. His brother's face appeared in his thoughts. That same emotionless face. Why is Daiya coming into my head? "What does this have to do with Daiya? Is there some connection between him and the one who did this to me? You said it was the same person!"

Uso gave him time to think as he figured it out. Her form circled tightly around the mound of grass and dirt that hovered in the blackness. Her main concern now was to keep Takeru's world from slipping away. If the mound broke apart, then he would have no choice but to drift to her realm. Uso's claws latched firmly into the earth holding it together.

Takeru sighed heavily, his body falling to the ground. "It has something to do with him. But what? Daiya was found wandering the lightening country by Kurenai sensei," he said trying to regroup his thoughts. "I don't know anything about-" Takeru's mind flashed back to his brother's face. The way his hair looked, the build of his face structure, the eyes, the emotionless face, deep voice. Another face came into his mind. One of a man with the same expression, but older, more threatening. "Daiya's real father," he breathed out the words like a death sentence. "Daiya's father is the one leading the army after the phoenix."

"He is a great threat," Uso said as she moved the tip of her tail towards Takeru. Her tail wrapped around him lifting him off the ground only to lay him on the grass once more. "Your spirit is weary. Now is not the time to worry about facts that may, or may not come to pass. There is another who is trying to save you."

"Save me?" Takeru stared into the stars once more, their brilliance fading from his eyes. His body was gravely injured in the fight against Kakumei – this he knew, for his spirit was trying to part from this plane to another. Uso's tail was wrapped around him protectively to keep him from drifting away.

Ryu Yuhi, leader of Sasuke Uchiha's team, ran swiftly through the trees, his feet moving with haste as he tried with great effort to get back to the village. On his back, hunkered over, hanging loosely, was Takeru, Sasuke's only biological son. He was Ryu's best friend, also. He was the humble kid who stood on the sidelines figuring out the world around him and the people in it. Two years ago, he had befriended Ryu when he was hiding from his old team mates. It was fate for them to be friends, wasn't it?

His father had trained Sasuke and now he was under Sasuke's guidance for the second time due to his own faults. Becoming friends with the man's son must have been determined by a higher power, in Ryu's mind. He didn't like talking too much to anyone. Ryu was the sort who had never made friends easily; so why had this boy, of all in the village, approached him wanting to get to know him? At first, Ryu humored himself with Takeru's interest in himself. There wasn't much to be interested in. Ryu thought little of his existence, but Takeru thought he was fascinating.

It wasn't until a lot later did Ryu find out Takeru was an only child. He was looking for someone older to confide in, get along with, and above all else, look up to. Without realizing his intentions, Ryu had been the brother Takeru had needed in other areas that couldn't be satisfied by Daiya. Ryu swallowed hard, his emotions starting to get to him. Takeru was a person he adored. The boy had rescued him from a horrible time in his life without noticing it – or maybe he did.

As the trees moved past, Ryu opened the scroll pouch on his vest. Taking out a particular scroll with markings upon it, he slapped it on the nearest tree that came within range. If anyone was following him, he'd know – it would explode with sheer force. He wasn't taking any chances. Ryu's main concern was to get Takeru to the hospital before he completely faded from this world.

Soon the entrance to the village came within sight, Ryu slowed down as the two guards stopped him. His eyes were frantic. "Get out of my way! I don't have time for you! He's injured," he said in a panic.

One of the guards overlooked Ryu's face, his attire, and the boy upon his back. It was clear the boy was in great need of medical assistance. "Aren't you on Sasuke Uchiha's team?"

The other man walked around Ryu as he tried to figure out what was going on. It was his position to keep unfamiliar people out of the village. His eyes stopped on the black haired boy upon Ryu's back. The kid had blood stains all over his clothing. "Hey, he's Sasuke's kid," the man said in a deep voice. He flipped his head to look at the other guard. "Let him pass, Miroku!"

Ryu flew past Miroku, almost tripping over his own feet. He could feel Takeru's body starting to slip more to the left. No, Takeru! I'm getting you there! Don't pass! TAKERU!

Ryu sat near the river, his eyes overlooking the water as the fishing pole shook a little. The fish had already made away with the bait on the hook. He sighed heavily. "I don't know why I bothered to come out here. I'm not good at fishing," he said disappointed in the simple task.

Takeru latched onto the wooden pole flicking his wrist back. The line came out of the water with a pluck, the fish on the end dangling. Once it was out in the open, it started to flip around to try and get free. "How do you know if you don't try, Ryu? You're giving up too easily. The fish in this spot aren't stupid. They learn by watching the others get caught. It's more of a challenge to catch these," he said showing the fish to his friend. Ryu watched Takeru unhook the fish, popping it into the basket next to where they sat. He turned his eyes away. "Why'd you befriend me, anyway?"

Takeru reached up grabbing a hold of Ryu's spiky hair. He tugged Ryu, forcing him down to his level, his body tilted towards him. "I've told you before, I like who you are," he said with an adult's tone. "I don't have a problem with you. Stop questioning why we hang out," he said with a frown on his face.

Ryu sat back up once he was let go, rubbing the spot where he had been forcefully grabbed. Even in the hot afternoon, he still wore the face mask to conceal his identity. Very few had seen his actual face. "You're just a brat. What do you know," Ryu said in a hurt tone.

Takeru glanced at him, the words not phasing him. He had struck a cord. It wasn't hard if you knew Ryu's shy past. The guy was a total loner, even now, when he was surrounded by others. Takeru moved his hand quickly to pull Ryu's mask down. "Get up." Takeru saw him try to pull it back up, but his hand quickly slapped Ryu's hard. "Get up, Ryu."

Ryu was pulled as he struggled to get away from Takeru. "Let go of me, brat. I don't have time for your childishness." He yanked hard, managing to get a wrist free. Takeru, however, was narrowing his eyes at him. Ryu didn't want to go near the river with his mask down.

"Leave it down, or I'm not talking to you ever again," Takeru said with Ryu's hand stopped in mid-motion. "Stop acting like a baby and get over here. Now." He stood stiffly, his grip still tightened around Ryu's wrist. He could feel how insecure the guy was about his face. His muscles were tensed with anxiety. "I've never hurt you, Ryu. Stop assuming I'm trying to trick you, or harm you."

Ryu was yanked a few feet, stumbling on his feet. Takeru grabbed the collar of his vest, pulling him down to where he could see his reflection in the water. "Cut it out! I don't want to look at myself!"

"You're yourself," Takeru said simply as Ryu looked at him with an afraid look in his eyes. "You're not anybody else. There's nothing wrong with your face. Yes, you resemble your dad. I do, too. But we also resemble our moms, Ryu. Look," he said coaxing him. "You have Kurenai sensei's eyes and her color of hair. And when you get angry, your attitude is kind of like hers. But… when you're silly, you're like your dad. You're cool collected, smarter than you think you are, and you're always the one who looks out for the rookies."

"That's your father talking," Ryu said about the last part, his eyes staring at his features. His face shape was defiantly like Kakashi's. He was tall, slender, but his personality was a bit different. He was half like his mother and half like his father.

"Yeah, the last part was my Dad's opinion – not mine," Takeru said. "However, you shouldn't look down on yourself because you can't match your father's skills. Maybe one day you will – maybe you won't. I like you no matter who you are. To me, you're simply a dork," Takeru said turning around with the biggest smile on his face.

Ryu's eyes softened as he looked at Sasuke Uchiha's son. He's nothing like Sasuke. He's more of an adult in a kid's body – just the opposite of what his brother is like personality wise. I don't understand him. Ryu didn't like the sentimental moment that was occurring between the two of them. He was embarrassed, more than anything. Wanting to get over the moment, he punched Takeru hard in the shoulder, running away from him. Ryu scooped up the basket of fish. "Now who's the dork!"

Takeru stood for a moment before he started to chase after his best friend. "Ryu, get back here! I know you're going to tell everybody you caught those! All you did was sit and feel sorry for yourself!"

Ryu put the basket on top of his head, as he ran swiftly from the river back to the village. "My fish! I caught tons of fish! Takeru didn't catch any," he sang, taunting the boy.

Ryu entered the hospital sliding on his heels, shouting, "Help! Help him!" He hurried to find a nurse down the hall. The entire hospital came alive as people poked their heads out of doors wondering what was going on. "Please," Ryu panted trying to get their attention. "I need a doctor!"

A woman came running down the hall when a nurse around the corner pointed. "What's the matter? You're causing the entire hospital to be alarmed." Her eyes befell the boy upon the older boy's back. She lifted the boy's arm checking his pulse. Her eyes widened. "Medic! We need a stretcher stat!"

A medic-nin came running as he pushed the stretcher. "Put him on the stretcher," the doctor ordered Ryu. She signaled the medic-nin to get the boy into a room. "Hurry! This boy's lost a lot of blood!"

Ryu stood in another reality as he watched Takeru drift from his sight.

"Hey, why don't you spend the night," Takeru suggested as they sat on the bed overlooking the genjutsu scrolls. He was trying to learn a new technique from Ryu. Ryu ignored the question, going back to his work as he wrote kanji on the scroll. "We can stay up late, play tricks on Daiya, and have a fire in the garden."

Ryu glanced at him, lifting his ink brush. "Aren't you a little too old for a sleepover?" Truth was, Ryu had never been to one in his life.

"No, we have Idai over all the time," Takeru said. "He's a bit goofy though. What else do you have to do? You've been working on those the entire day," he griped. He wanted to get up and have some fun. It was boring staying indoors all of the time. "Ryu, your mom won't care. Just stay over. You can wear dad's clothes."

Ryu's eye twitched. "You want me to wear Sasuke sensei's clothes?" A horrible image entered his mind. "No, thanks!" He rolled the scroll, tying a string around it. "I'd rather die."

"You can wear Onari's," Daiya said as he entered the room. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Girl pajamas ought to appear very dashing on you since you have the body shape for it."

Ryu thrust his fist into the bed. "What the hell are you implying? I do NOT have a woman's body!"

"You're tall and skinny. Almost the same size as a dainty mistress," Daiya said pushing him further. "All we'd have to do is get your hair to cooperate, put some makeup on, and a kimono. I'm sure you could fool anybody."

Takeru shook his head at Daiya, Ryu lowered his face, his body tensing. "Daiya, you're insulting his manhood. I don't think that's going to make him stay over."

Ryu looked at both of them with stars in his eyes, his arm in that kind of pumped motion one often sees in comics. "Yeah, maybe that could work! Let's do it! We'll fool your parents!"

Daiya didn't think he'd actually go for it. "You're going to get us in trouble," he said bluntly. "The last thing I want you to do is cause me to miss dinner," he said flopping onto the bed. He heard Takeru leave the room for a minute.

Takeru came back brandishing one of his mother's kimonos. "How about this one? Mom only wears it for special occasions," he said with a smile. "It'd be fun to fool somebody." He was game for it. Anything was more exciting than sitting around staring at each other.

It didn't take Ryu an hour to get dressed up. Onari had been on it, too, once Takeru told her how much fun it'd be. She had put the makeup on his face while Takeru straightened his hair out. Ryu turned around making poses in the mirror. He put his hands up to his face, wiggling his hips. "Oh, my, I'm so embarrassed," he said like a girl.

Daiya turned his head to see Ryu sitting on the floor with a fan covering his face. The moment Ryu winked at Daiya, he fell over the other side of the bed. Daiya popped up swearing at him. "Take that off, you idiot!"

Izumi walked into her sons' room. She wondered what they were up to. "Dinner will be ready in a short while," she said with a chime. Her eyes looked over the tall female sitting on the floor with the fan in front of her face. Her kimono. "Ryu, if you want to stay over for dinner, you can, but you won't be coming to the table dressed in that." She walked out the room as silence fell upon the boys.

"Izumi knew it was Ryu," Onari said.

"Yeah, I thought she'd be fooled," Takeru said.

"He's wearing HER kimono," Daiya said pointing at his brother as if he were blind and stupid. "If you're going to fool her, dress him in some- No! Don't dress Ryu up! Take that stuff off!"

"You should walk around Konoha like that," Takeru said giving him the thumb's up. "We could really prank Shikamaru sensei."

Ryu fooled around with his hair trying to get it to stay up. "Hey, Onari, would you come help me put it up? Let's see if we really can trick Shikamaru," Ryu said with a sinister hint in his eye.

"We are so dead," Daiya said watching Ryu walk down the hall in his mother's kimono. Ryu was now sporting a nice womanly hairdo with a flower accent. "You're going to get us in trouble," he said aggressively and quietly. "Mom told you not to come to the table like that!"

Ryu couldn't help himself. It was good to get Takeru laughing. He enjoyed the boy's heartful boyish laugh. He sat down near Sasuke his back turned slightly as he dipped his chopsticks into the bowl. Daiya and Takeru just stared. Sasuke was busy reading the newspaper, his eyes skimming it.

Takeru couldn't believe his father hadn't noticed Ryu yet. He watched his father reach over with a hand to grab his cup, sipping it gently, his eyes closed. It's impossible for Dad to not know it's Ryu, right? I mean, he's a Sannin level ninja.

Ryu ate slowly pretending he was a dainty girl who enjoyed the meal. He even said, "Thanks for that meal," in a high pitched girl's voice as Daiya slapped his forehead. Onari was sitting beside Takeru stealing all of his vegetables off his plate. However, Sasuke had ignored him for the past thirty minutes. Ryu's nerve finally blew.

He turned around staring hard at the newspaper with his hands on the floor. "You can't honestly tell me you didn't know it was me the entire time!" Ryu saw Sasuke glance at him. "Don't act coy!"

Sasuke winked at him as he lifted a camera. He took one picture of Ryu has a girl in a dress. The flash went off and Ryu's eyes got wide. "It's a shame Saori is dating the wrong type of person. She's interested in guys," he said as Ryu started to go after him. Sasuke was on his feet in no time exiting the room with the camera.

"You give me that picture," Ryu yelled down the hall chasing Sasuke around the corner. "You ass!" He couldn't let Saori see that picture! He'd be the laughing stock of the village.

Takeru erupted in laughter with Daiya and Onari. He laughed so hard he had tears coming out of his eyes. "He's such a dork," he said slapping his hand on the table causing the dishes to rattle.

Izumi crawled out from inside the cabinet near the sink. She had managed to wedge herself in there just to videotape Ryu in all his glory. "This ought to be good for the next party we have," she said showing them the stunning video camera. That sent out an even bigger laugh as they heard Ryu swearing and yelling at Sasuke throughout the house.

Ryu sunk to the floor in the hall his head hanging forward. All he could think about was Takeru's smile and his boyish laugh. He was his best friend, and now his life was in turmoil. As he sunk into the hole of his darkest thoughts with regret and despair, he had forgotten that he had left Saori and Onari outside of the village to defend themselves against the lightening ninja, otherwise known as Kakumei Eimino.


	84. Chapter 84

**V 9 ch 3**

**Treason**

Daiya Uchiha stood upon one of the large boulders as he checked the landscape. This was one of his and Idai's favorite spots outside of Konoha. Two years ago, he and Idai came here to explore and talk about the world. It was one of the few times in his life where he had talked Idai's ear off. It was also a great place to see the stars at night. Daiya looked over to Idai who was laying flat out on another boulder, his arms behind his head, eyes closed. I'm relieved he was able to come back.

Idai was enjoying the peacefulness of the forest around them as he thought carelessly about random trinkets moving around in his head. Tilting his head to the left, he craned his ear upwards. "Daiya, there's noise upon the wind." He sat up with his arms behind his back, head turned in the direction of where he had heard the light steps upon the trees.

Daiya tensed, unlike Idai. He didn't like being sought out when he was outside the village. He opened the rod case on his back. Taking out a metal rod, he twirled it with his hand. Daiya was prepared for an attack. He glanced at Idai. "Don't just sit there. How can anyone know where we are out here?"

Idai stood with a groan. He had been relaxing so well that his body was achy from laying flat upon the rock. Moving his hand near his ear, Idai curled his fingers around his ear to intensify his hearing. "Quiet as a mouse jutsu," he said with his hand in front of his body, finger poise raised to help him concentrate. The world around him came alive with sounds that weren't noticeable to the human ear. He ciphered through the sounds, trying to pick through them to get a better idea of who was coming their way. "Mom, feed those chicks, they're noisy!"

Daiya walked over slowly with his arm raised to land it straight on Idai's head. Sometimes that ridiculous jutsu of his was more trouble than it was worth. Case in point, Idai eavesdropping on a romantic conversation with Yanagi. The mere thought of it, turned his face red. He stopped in motion.

"Huh. It's Saori and Onari. They're fleeing from someone," Idai said as he opened his eyes to see Daiya's red face staring at him with his fist raised. "You were going to nail me, weren't you?" He narrowed his eyes. "Good thing I have blackmail on you," he said with a quick smile.

"Idai!" Daiya snapped back to himself, his face blushing so hard it felt hot. He was sure steam was coming out of his vest, rising into the air.

Saori and Onari both spotted Daiya standing on top of a large boulder next to Idai. He was holding his rod out anticipating an attack. Saori touched down seconds before Onari, her face showing a mixture of fright and sadness. "We're being followed by unknown ninja!"

Daiya extended his arm holding the metal rod out. "Ninja? Why are they after you," he asked as Idai closed his eyes, listening for noises upon the wind.

"They're after Onari," Saori said. "Some tough looking guy attacked all of us. Ryu has taken Takeru back to the village to get help. He's been severely injured," she said rather fast.

"they won't get past Idai and I. we can handle a Jounin, or two while you both escape," Daiya said. He saw Saori shake her head against the very idea.

"One of those guys defeated all four of us! You two aren't any match for three of them. Especially since your condition is worse," Saori said latching onto Daiya's wrist turning him around. "We have to hide!"

Idai went straight for Onari. He lifted her up against the kicking and fighting to oppose him handling her. The anger of being attacked earlier was causing her anger to burn full throttle. "Follow me! There's a cave under these boulders. They won't find us in there," he said despite Daiya's uneasiness of enclosed spaces. Idai made his way down the boulders, his eyes searching for the entrance. Soon he found it. "Get in," h esaid pushing Onari to slide her body between the rocks.

Onari wedged herself between the boulders, her legs dangling. She had no choice but to let herself fall, her eyes not able to see in the darkness. She descended, her feet scrapping upon the flooring of the cave. Onari lifted her head to see Saori struggling to wedge herself through. There was no time to delay. Onari jumped up grabbing onto the other girl's ankles, forcing her body through.

Saori yelped as she fell on top of Onari. Idai was right behind them, landing straight next to her. "It's not my fault I couldn't fit through." Onari pointed at her chest. "They are not that big!"

Daiya landed almost on top of her, his balance corrected as Idai pulled him upwards. "If you had simply flattened those, we could have pushed you in," he said turning his head towards Saori. Idai put his hands over both of their mouths. "Shh!" He strained his neck, ears listening. He was sure they were out there scouting the area.

Kakumei moved over the boulders his eyes narrowing as two of his men searched the area. "Either those brats are faster than I thought, or they're hiding." He jumped down, crouched like a demon stalking his prey. "If they're here, find them!"

Idai stopped Daiya's hand from opening the case upon his back. Instead, he unsheathed a sword from his own back. Idai kept his eyes focused on the light coming into the save. He signaled everyone to get into the darkness. The entrance wasn't too noticeable, but if they were found out, he'd be the first to attack.

"Why are they after her," Daiya asked in a whisper.

Saori turned her gaze to see Onari's shoulders shaking. Her head was lowered. "I'm not sure, but Takeru knew. He must have known. He gave her the chance to get away."

"They want Akaihi," Onari said with closed eyes, her voice showing pain and regret. "He's the leader of Gekido's army. He killed my mother," she said softly her memory resurfacing a miserable part of her life. She could still see Urea departing from her and Sashizo, her body moving swiftly to encounter the lightening army.

Daiya remembered the talk he and Onari had had a long time ago on the roof of the Uchiha house. She had feared someone finding her the moment she had come to live in the village. Her personality, thoughts, loneliness – everything about her had been so safely guarded over the years. But Onari had mastered in ninjutsu as well as her bonds to those around her. "We have to tell Sasuke," he said with a deep understanding of her situation. Onari closed her eyes.

Diaya drew her to him, pressing her against his collarbone. It was rare for to her cry, as she was now. Onari was a strong girl who dealt with everything around her, on her own. Now wasn't the time to handle things recklessly. They were Genin, up against three Jounin. Daiya tried to take his mind off being trapped in the cave. "How badly is Takeru hurt," he asked Saori knowing his brother's feelings for Onari.

Saori looked at him sadly, her eyes showing in the light creeping down from the hidden entrance. "If Ryu hasn't succeeded in getting him back to the village, Takeru's probably dead," she said bringing her hand over her mouth to quiet her tears. "He was trying to guard Onari – to keep that guy from taking her."

Daiya wanted to react so badly. He was eager to take out the person who had dared lay his filthy hands on his brother. He felt Idai touch his shoulder to calm him. Idai was right. He had to keep focused. There were two girls that needed him right now. Daiya reached forward pulling Saori closer to him. "We don't have a choice but to wait this out," he whispered.

Onari's body began to lightly shake when she caught sight of a man standing in front of the cave entrance. He was scoping the area looking for their whereabouts – or any trace of a clue. Her eyes were wide. She clung to her brother trying to her best to keep quiet.

Daiya's mood became highly aggressive. His eyes were full of pure hatred as the man above them turned his head to regard a noise. If they were found out, he'd electrocute the ninja with all the force he had. Realizing the sight of the man was causing Onari more distress, he moved his hand to shield her view. It was better for him to be in control at the moment.

Saori didn't dare speak or move her body in any way. For the moment, they had been undiscovered. That was, until a tiger fork came straight through the cave entrance with speed and accuracy.

Idai was already reacting, his sword up, catching the weapon between its long metal spears. The man with the weapon started to also react, pushing back at Idai. It was hard from his position to properly defend. Idai was having to stand off-balance on his toes to keep his sword at an angle.

Daiya let Onari go, getting between Idai and the tiger fork. He brought his hand up toward Idai's wrist making him release his sword. Instead, Daiya brought up his rod to keep the man at the entrance in the fight. However, he was charging.

"Ah, hell," Idai yelled as he staggered to get away. He unsheathed the other sword from his back. As Daiya let loose, he rotated the blades at the weakest part of the cave structure.

Kakumei and Moshiro turned around quickly to see Ugo getting electrocuted. As they ran towards the man, rocks and boulders exploded off to their left. They stopped in their tracks as four figures flew out of the opening. A boulder crash landed near Moshiro causing him to give chase immediately. Kakumei glanced at Ugo's smoking form sprawled back on the boulders, his mouth open in pain. "So they have a lightening user amongst them. Not for long," he said retrieving the tiger fork from the dead man.

They flew through the branches with accelerated speed, only pausing half a heart beat go touch down. Idai gritted his teeth. "There's two after us," he said glancing at Daiya. "I take it you killed the other one."

"No, I convinced him to stay behind," Daiya said with complete sarcasm followed by a low groan. The high intensity of the charge he had used, had hurt. Daiya's body became lighter, his eyes closing – the three before him seemed farther away.

"Daiya!" Idai suddenly placed his foot on a branch, twisting his body to where he grabbed Daiya's wrist. The two of them fell together from the trees. Idai pulled his best friend towards him in a rush of adrenaline, shielding his head as he prepared for an impact.

"Oh, no, we've lost Daiya and Idai," Saori confirmed as she and Onari were still on the move. "They're not going to expect us to stick around, so we'll have to do just that. We can't show fear, Onari. They're older and stronger than we are, but we're a bit more cunning!"

Onari felt numb all over as she and Saori did the chakra run up a tree. They both rotated their bodies back around, their arms outstretched. Timing was everything at this point. Both of them shot back down towards Moshiro as he came into view. They were performing a surprised aerial attack.

Moshiro was hot on the trail, his rage at full capacity. The sounds of something falling caused him to crane his head upwards as he flew. Charging his body, he sent a stream of lightening at the two girls as they came towards him.

Saori had already anticipated his move as she shielded herself and Onari with Rose. As they fell towards him, Onari poofed behind the man bringing her arms up to grab him. The lightening he emitted was forced down and away from Saori.

Mashiro struggled against the girl holding his arms down. The lightening soon subsided. The girl changed her position letting go of one of his arms to bring the other around his throat. He gasped as his air supply was cut off. The blond haired girl had his arm held out kicking the spaces between his ribs. He tried to yell, but wasn't able to. Mashiro saw the eyes of the black haired girl. His eyes widened as the pain increased. She was crushing his windpipe. This kind of strength…

Onari felt the bones snap under her arm. She let him fall from her grasp onto the branch. Saori was breathing hard. "We must go now," she said without emotion.

Saori turned watching Onari's slow movements. "He recognized you," she said. "It was more of shock, than anything. What is it about you that he was fearful of?"

"We must leave," Onari said looking at Saori with an expressionless face. "The leader of the lightening army is coming. I cannot defeat him," she said urging Saori to follow her, with her hand brought up.

"Onari, I'm not moving until you are straight with me," Soari said knowing full well they had to get a move on. She crossed her arms, her eyes staring at the black haired girl with a hard gaze. "You aren't open with anyone – much like Daiya."

Onari did not want to get Saori Nara involved as she had already gotten Daiya and Takeru to agree to follow her in her decisions. She sighed, her eyes drifting down to the fallen man on the branch. "My eyes were recognized," she said. Saori wasn't understanding. "The eyes that I have are the indication that my father was Sashizo, a daimyo of the Lightening Country. He was gifted with the phoenix by his father, for he was the first born. Sashizo was not like his father in the ways that he dictated. I will tell you more on the way," she said trying to give Saori enough information to entice her to move.

Saori nodded her head as they took off. It really wasn't wise to stand around when they had just eliminated a threat. She wasn't sure what was going on, but Onari's past was complex. Saori figured Onari had been secretly plotting what was going to happen, and trying to handle it outside of the village to not get anyone else involved. But they were involved. All of them who had celestials were in danger – even Daiya for he was from the same country. "Continue," she said. "I cannot make a decision to aid you if I don't know anything."

Onari glanced at her, her mind heavily focused on Takeru. She had not wanted this to happen to him. The pain in her chest tightened. "My father was a kind man, not adhering to the ways of the council. The council determines if my father is to stay a ruler, or not. He was treating others with dignity and that was a problem for a daimyo. Often he was supposed to do what was good for the family, or clan – not for the others surrounding it. It's a selfish attitude one must take. I suppose that's why there are superiors and inferiors in a clan.

My father fell in love with my mother. She was an assassin and below the ranks qualified to be with someone in his position. He ignored the rules of etiquette and pursued her behind closed doors, and in corners where eyes could not follow, or ears to listen. They courted for some time, his love for her faltering his decision making as a daimyo. Soon, my mother was carrying his child – me, and they realized that I was in danger."

"You're saying to clean the bloodline, his relatives, or the clan would have slain you," Saori asked, her attitude showing complete disgust.

"Yes," Onari said her voice showing she was wiser than what she had been letting on for the past two years. "By my birth, I had every right to inherit the phoenix, before my uncle could claim it. My parents fled, and he sought us from the time of my birth until I was a child – following us everywhere we went, just to get his hands on the phoenix."

"But your parents' luck ran out," Saori said understanding all too well.

"Gekido sent his army after my mother. Her duty was to protect my father and I by using her life. We got away, but it wasn't long before Gekido found us in the snow village where I had been found by your father and the others," she said with remorse. "Before he died – at the moment he knew Gekido was going to obstruct him- my father passed the phoenix to me. I was next, but as he tried to drown me, something happened. I blacked out. When I awoke, Akaihi was standing over me, protecting me and Gekido was not to be found," she concluded.

"So you knew as you got older, that he would come back to claim it," Saori said understanding now why Onari had been training so hard. "What does this have to do with us? Especially Takeru," she said noticing the mention of his name caused a painful reaction to Onari.

"The dragon and the phoenix must work together, or there is war," Onari recited from the Buddhist and Tibetan layout of the myth. "I must make sure that Takeru keeps Uso, or there will be a war greater than any that has come to pass. Without him, I cannot survive," she said softly.

"And without you, he cannot," Saori said with a sense of lost hope. They continued to flee from their surroundings, their movements now quicker that they were closing in on the village. It was dire that they get inside, or succumb to the same fate Takeru had experienced.

Onari leaned against the building of the hospital covering her eyes with her arm. Everyone was in danger because of her. She couldn't help Takeru. He was beyond her reach, lost to her. The more her mind searched for a form of her training that could surpass Gekido, the more her confidence slipped. Her own father couldn't defeat her uncle years ago when they had fought. Gekido was stronger than she was. Onari pressed her fingers to her forehead, forcing herself to think.

Daiya walked slowly to his sister, his body sluggish from the attack he had undergone. "It's not your fault for being targeted," he said trying to take the stress off of her. He moved her hand away, putting his fingers under her chin, lifting her gaze to match his. Her eyes were streaked with red. "He would have done anything to protect you," he said gently, brushing her bangs out of her face. "It's not just about what you have," he said laying his hands on her shoulders. "It's about family, Onari. We're a family together. That's something none of us had before."

Onari frowned, her mouth opening slightly as her eyes closed. She was trying to suppress her emotions, but they were starting to leak out. More than anything, she wanted to be strong like her mother. Urea had been a quiet, graceful, strong woman who feared nothing – not even death – not even being separated from the ones she was destined to protect. Onari felt she was weak in that area, alone. She didn't have the same attitude about it, as her mother had had. She had been seeing it more as a worse case scenario.

Onari felt Daiya grab her face, his brotherly tenderness stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I don't want to be alone again," she said remembering how she had been hated in the snow village. Every day had been a struggle to survive for her. Those people lived in fear of her, fear of ridicule for helping her. She had only been a child – innocent and defenseless against them. "I'm not strong enough to protect Takeru, or you," she said so softly it was barely heard.

"No," Daiya agreed in his strong brother like tone, "You're not. You need us. You've needed us from the very beginning. I may not have what they have," he said referring to the celestial contract the others carried, "But I do know my feelings for you." He kissed Onari gently by the temple, using his height and body to comfort her.

Onari let herself be swallowed by her brother, her eyes closing as she fully leaned into him, her hands latching onto his sides.

The sad thing is, if I had been left in the lightening country, who's to have say I wasn't going to be her enemy? My anger at my life back then was as bad or worse as Idai's. He had let himself be taken over by the demon inside of him. It was just, he knew how to play off his outward emotions – as I did not. Without her, I wouldn't have adjusted to living at the compound, or being accepted by the others. Onari's shown me more kindness and understanding despite my attitude towards her. I can't abandon her.

Ryu sat outside on a bench, his mind away from his form. He was thinking immensely about Takeru. The boy was in bad shape. He felt distanced from everything around him, as if he were watching a different world through a window. Ryu's shoulder had been taken care of by the medic-nin once they had taken Takeru away. The medic-nin had to hold him back to keep him from re-attaching to the Uchiha boy. He was overprotective and fond of Sasuke's son. It was now night and Ryu had no inclining about Takeru's outcome. He couldn't look up as a figure moved in front of him under the lamp light.

Izumi Uchiha had been watching Ryu for some time to make sure he was alright. The Genin was in shock. She approached him more, softly, her face only showing concern. "Ryu," she said softly. He didn't look at her. She sat beside him on the bench. Izumi knew he could hear her. "They're still trying to stabilize Takeru. He's lost a lot of blood from the cuts on his body," she said accessing the fact. Ryu twitched. "Sasuke is trying his best to help him. We don't blame you, Ryu. You've done what you can for our son by bringing him home."

Ryu closed his eyes. Was Takeru as good as dead? He gasped, the tears coming faster than he had expected. He felt Izumi put her hand on his shoulder. "It was my responsibility to protect him. He's my best friend! That bastard electrocuted me until I was unconscious. I didn't know he had gotten a hold of Takeru, again. H-he was pale, not moving when I found him with Saori and Onari. If they hadn't of bandaged him, he would have died sooner before I got there. I'm an awful friend!"

Izumi turned Ryu to face her. "Ryu, look at me. Ryu Yuhi," she demanded in her strict motherly tone. He looked at her with quivering eyes. "You have done what a friend is supposed to do. You protected everyone around you against a strong opponent. Everyone learns by doing. It's the only way in tough situations. Do not keep beating yourself up for a decision that Takeru had made to protect another. I would expect all of you to do the same for someone else on a mission.

My son is in there fighting for his life because of someone trying to attack the one he cares for. Who was the man that put his filthy hands on my son, Ryu," Izumi asked harshly her voice full of aggression. Her lavender eyes held a hint of maliciousness that made Ryu move back. "I want his name. NOW."

"The one that attacked us had the same abilities as Daiya. He had given his name to Takeru before he tried to kill him. He had only spoken it to him, but Onari was fully conscious when the man gave it. Kakumei Eimino," he said as he watched Izumi's face resort to denial and uncertainty. "His face appeared like a hardened version of Daiya's – yet older and sterner."

Izumi kept her hands on Ryu's shoulders. "Kakumei Eimino," she repeated as if the name was part of an evil spell. "Could he be related to Daiya? Is he his father? An uncle?" She wasn't sure. "I'm afraid what will happen if Daiya learns Takeru was attacked by someone from his clan. We can't let him know." Izumi's eyes shot to glance at Ryu who was covering his face with his hand. She leaned forward to embrace the spiky haired boy. "Thank you for bringing Takeru home. If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't have a chance – no matter how small it is." Ryu's body shook as the muffled sobs came out of his mouth. She hugged him tightly. Izumi soon found herself crying too.

Daiya walked down the hall with Onari clinging to his arm. Saori came back with them, her eyes downcast. They were afraid to see Takeru and learn of his condition. Izumi was waiting for them in one of the waiting areas. She stood up the moment she saw them coming towards her.

"Daiya and Onari," Izumi said. She want to them, her arms open to embrace them together. "Are you two okay? Neither of you are hurt," she asked checking them, not waiting for them to answer. Onari gasped as Izumi found a huge knot on the back of her head. "Onari, you have an injury. I'm not sure if I want any of you to see Takeru." Sasuke was walking their way, his face showing sadness. "I need the three of you to hear it straight from Sasuke before a decision is made."

Sasuke felt a bit out of sorts. His son was in bad shape, that he knew. His hard cold eyes looked up to see three kids watching him. Saori Nara, Onari, and his adopted son Daiya. They all feared the worst. They had every right to. He stopped where he was to take in each of their faces; their presence. "Hi. I'm glad to see you guys are alright. We need to talk. All of you might want to sit down." Daiya stood stiffly. Saori sat. Onari wouldn't move. "I would feel better if you both sat," he said to Daiya and Onari. They sat down next to Saori without a word between them.

Sasuke sat down with his legs open, elbows on his knees, hands hanging. His head was lowered. He breathed in deeply, then exhaled, gathering his thoughts. Sasuke raised his head, opening his eyes. "Takeru has lost a lot of blood. I've given him what I can to help sustain his body. However, the cuts on him are taking a lot of time to mend. The medic-nin are doing what they can for him." Sasuke sighed. He continued.

"The cuts on his form are deep, his skin mangled by whatever weapon was used against him. Since the wounds are the main problem, the blood going to his brain has lessened, causing our son to be in a coma."

Saori covered her mouth. Takeru's fate was as ghastly as they had determined it to be. She looked at Daiya. He was in shock, trying to maintain his grasp on reality. Onari was not showing any emotion. She wondered if the girl understood fully what Sasuke was telling them.

"It also appears that he was electrocuted a few times. There are burns on his body where the electricity hit. How he survived those attempts by the unknown ninja that attacked all of you, I do not know. At the present time, his heart is beating faintly. I think it would be good if all of you go see him. He's been in his room for a few minutes." As the others stood slowly, Sasuke added, "We are unsure of our son's fate. Whatever you have to say to him, I suggest saying it," he said. He looked away, closing his eyes.

Saori walked over to Daiya. She took his hand pulling him along with her and Onari. Daiya, reached for Onari's hand. They walked past Sasuke slowly, not able to look at the man that had taken them in. Saori was the only one who dared to look back to see Izumi comforting her husband. Their friend and brother was dying regardless of the efforts to protect him.

The hospital room where Takeru lay was lit with soft light. They walked in as if they were in a foreign country, not knowing the customs ore the language, unsure of the world now they had entered. Takeru was pale, his arms hooked to an IV pole, fluids running its course to his body, trying to keep him nourished. The one thing that stopped Onari's heart was the machine helping him breathe. She felt the room closing in on her.

"T-Ta-keru," Daiya said softly half expecting his brother to open his eyes, to gaze at him weakly. The boy who had accepted him without cause or reason, who had called him his brother without hesitation, who tried to make him smile, was lying in the hospital bed helpless. Daiya grit his teeth as he focused on Takeru's face. He felt Saori hug him around the shoulder as she leaned against him. She was stricken with grief, also.

Onari remembered death vaguely. She had seen it with her parents when it had claimed them. The only one she had seen fall was her father as she had been grabbed by Gekido, her uncle with cold eyes and long dark hair. Onari's breathing became irratic. Her pulse increased. Takeru is dying. Her mind flashed to his smiling face as he laughed at her and her antics. The boy who kisses me is going to leave. Onari raised her hand as if she could grasp him to keep him with her.

Saori wondered why Onari wasn't standing with them near the bed. She turned around to see the dark haired girl hyperventilating. "Onari?" Saori's eyes drifted to her outstretched hand. "Don't you want to say 'goodbye' with us?"

Onari clamped her jaws tightly together. She lowered her arm. Her anger was now starting to show how ticked off she really was about being attacked. Her shoulders shook in hatred. "I'm not letting him go," she screamed in rage. Daiya and Saori came at her to stop her from lashing out. Onari pushed her brother away, trying to get towards Takeru. Her hands moved quickly to twist Saori's wrist behind her back. As she erupted, the sounds of running came towards them. She turned around ready to fight anyone who dared mess with her. Onari shoved Saori out of the way by pushing her towards Daiya. He toppled over.

A large medic-nin burst into the room, his eyes signaling her out. He formed hand seals quicker than Onari had ever seen. As he attempted to subdue her, Onari formed hand seals of her own trying to revolt against being held. A large symbol formed under her feet. She wasn't able to move as the symbol glowed. Whatever jutsu was on her prevented her from reacting to it. The only body part she could move was her eyes. Her eyes looked back to see Saori in a crouched position, her hands in front of her body. Saori was the one holding her firmly in place with the shadow possession jutsu.

As her eyes shifted back to the front of her form, she was soon faced with a bigger problem. Sasuke was watching her from the doorway of Takeru's hospital room. His eyes were stern, cold and out of her reach. The medic-nin didn't move as Sasuke came into the room. He was already plagued by his son's fate. It only took one look from him to make Oanri's bottom lip quiver. All of this was because of her. If he hadn't of taken her in, none of this would have happened. Sasuke's son wouldn't be in danger. Onari ran out of the room past him.

Sasuke had meant to stop her, but right now, he couldn't move. His eyes fell on his son's flaccid body. Sasuke's world stopped. He didn't regard anyone around him for a few moments. Nor did he feel Izumi put her arms around his neck to hug him from behind.

"Sasuke, please don't lock up," Izumi said sadly. She looked up at her husband to see his eyes become hollow. She walked in front of him, reaching her hands up to bring his face down towards hers. "Please, don't give up. Nothing is over until it's over." She kissed his lips softly without any reaction from him.

Sasuke came back from where his mind had been rooted. Izumi was watching him. He lifted his gloved hand to caress her pale cheek. "Izumi, our son is dying," he whispered the words barely able to escape his lips.

Izumi pressed her forehead to his as she closed her eyes. "I know, Sasuke," she said even softer. Her soft tears flowed painfully down her cheek.

Daiya and Saori had chosen to chase Onari until the girl had stopped at one of the training grounds. They caught up to her when she sunk to her knees crying her eyes out. Onari didn't look at them. Daiya walked closer to his sister as Saori stood back. He kneeled behind her to wrap his arms around her gently. Onari was tense. "Onari, I love you as deeply as if you were my real sister. I will continue to protect you. That will not change."

"I will, too," Saori said. "We're going to protect each other from here on out. It's not to show weakness, but strength. Do you understand? We'll fight as a team and win as a team."

Onari shook her head. "I won't let Takeru go," she said seriously. She looked at the markings on her arms. They had brought her nothing but trouble. "Ever since I was bestowed with the Heaven's Scroll, it has brought me nothing but pain," she said starting to claw at her arms, her nails raking down them.

Daiya forced Onari to stop, his hands firmly on her wrists. "Stop. This is not what Takeru would have wanted. You know that. No one can change his, or her past, Onari. Not you. Not I. The only thing we can change is if Gekido destroys the village to get to you."

"I'd say he has to be a real threatening person if he can command that bastard that attacked us," Ryu said from behind them. He had been on his way home, his mood still below average. He shifted his feet, his thumbs in his pockets. Ryu sighed heavily. "But I can understand her reasoning for what she's saying. Without Takeru, we're nothing more than a bunch of adolescents with pets."

Onari nodded slowly as Daiya let her wrists go. "Without him, without Takeru, we'll be overtaken by Gekido and his army." She hugged her knees staring off at the dark trees surrounding them.

Saori put her hand onto her forehead, her mouth puckered out as she tried to figure out just what tied the celestials together. "Each of the celestials form a supernatural bond to each other, but also stand for different elements – different strengths." She moved her hand up in the air, her head turned as she thought. "Josei is the tiger for the West gate." Saori drew the symbol for tiger upon the ground. "It also signifies autumn and the element metal."

"You're getting ahead of yourself," Ryu said kneeling in front of her with a stick. "Go in order. The turtle," he said drawing the symbol upon the ground," stands for black, night, water, and winter." Ryu moved to the cardinal direction for east. "Takeru's dragon stands for green and spring – kind of like the beginning or ending of creation, depending on which way you want to go. Onari's phoenix is for the color red, fire, and summer."

"Yes, I know this, Ryu, but I don't understand the divine connection between Onari and him," Saori said picking at his brain. "It's all so confusing. Technically, this is all a myth and shouldn't exist. None of it should. It's only a legend."

"Legends start somewhere," Daiya said looking at his two team mates. "Either from a wild imagination, or based on exaggerated truth. We've seen each of the celestials. So they are true beings. They have chosen to help whoever they are attached to."

"Alright, I'm going to take this a step further. What does Sasuke sensei have to do with all of this. He has Manda, right? Isn't there a Tibetan version of the legend that states the snake aids the turtle? If Ryu has Shogai, how is it that Onari knew Sasuke commanded the King of the snakes?"

Onari glanced at them for a brief moment. "I didn't. I was found by mistake," she said much to their surprise. "I was only trying to get out of the snow village, to escape from my tormenters."

"Fate," Ryu said seriously. "Sometimes we believe in it, sometimes we don't. You can't call it chance. It's too complicated how everything is falling into place. Back to what I was saying earlier, without Takeru, there is no place for the dragon to be next to the phoenix. Thus, the path of creation and harmony cannot exist. It means alone, the phoenix stands for destruction."

"Now I understand! If Gekido manages to get his hands on Akaihi, he can destroy everything around him – also controlling the other celestials," Saori said punching her hand into her fist with a wide grin. She was proud of herself.

"Um, if celestials are gods, why would there be a need for a leader," Daiya asked.

"Creation and Destruction," Ryu said again putting his finger into the air. "Fire is the start of both paths of life. The dragon stands for the earth. Once there is fire, the earth is formed. Only then can metal form below the earth. It cannot form into the fire, or it melts. It's the same for water and wood."

Daiya blinked. "Ryu, you've been thinking about this a lot haven't you?" He watched Ryu raise a brow.

"Not until today. Today I had a very good reason to dwell more heavily into it," he said trying not to cause any more sorrow between everyone. "Takeru's part in this is greater than he would have imagined. It's probably something he isn't fully aware of. Onari is the start, yes, but Takeru is the beginning…"

"Or the end," Onari finished for him.

"You all want to know what I think. Onari could have bonded the dragon to anyone – anyone in the village. It didn't just have to be Takeru. It just ended up that way because he's in love with her. He always has been, from what I've seen," Saori commented.

"Yeah, it could have been anyone," Ryu repeated, "but Takeru wasn't going to let that happen. He didn't know about Uso; he only knew enough about Onari to get hooked to her. I asked him a long time ago what the most attractive attribute about her was, and do you know what he answered? Eyes. He's attracted to your eyes, Onari, despite some being afraid of them."

Onari looked at Ryu with a softened gaze. "He said that? He…said that about me…?"

"Yeah, he did," Ryu admitted as he stood.

"Guys we still need to confront Sasuke sensei about all of this," Saori said breaking up the atmosphere in the air being emitted. "You have to trust him, Onari," she stressed seeing the expression coming from the girl. "He's never hurt you, or treated you unfairly."

"I wouldn't hold her at fault for that," Ryu said in her defense. "She's never had an adult to trust fully. In fact, you don't really trust the Uchihas, do you?"

Onari shook her head.

"For if you did, you would have told him about all of this from the very beginning," Ryu obliged to say, his hands moving to his lower back so he could stretch.

"Would it be easier to tell mom than to tell dad," Daiya asked Onari, his head leaned in, watching her. It took her a moment to weigh out the consequences of confronting either of the Uchiha who had taken her in. Onari didn't seem to like the idea of confiding in either of them about herself. "Onari, you have to be able to give a little. They've done so much for you."

"You can't do everything yourself," Saori said crossing her arms. "The whole point of a team is to let others aid you and work together to accomplish a goal. I don't know why you insist on solving it by yourself."

Onari stood, her eyes stern and serious, hands balled into fists. "Because it's my problem! Gekido is only after me!"

"And Takeru," Ryu said stepping between her and Saori. "I know you don't want anyone to be involved, but we are. Takeru's my best friend. I won't hand him over to anyone."

Kiba Inuzuka leaned against the pillar of the house, his eyes staring at the floor. He had been sought down by Saori, Shikamaru's daughter, for a special meeting. The harvest moon was high over the house, its orange light cascading on the village. It's an awful night. I'm sure Sasuke is monitoring Takeru's condition. He turned his head to hear the soft tack of the sliding shoji screen moving aside. Izumi stepped out, her eyes not showing any surprise to him being there. She only walked towards him, her feet padding softly on the cold wood. "How is he," Kiba asked in a soft gruff voice.

"We won't know until the morning," Izumi said quietly. "They just gave Takeru the second bag of blood when I left. Sasuke is staying with him. I suppose you knew that. Why are you here so late, Kiba?"

"Saori came all of the way to the house to ask me to talk to Onari. All I know is there is a secret she's kept from us," Kiba announced with his hand out, not sure what it was. He glanced at the shoji screen in front of him being opened. Daiya stood in he and Takeru's bedroom. He had overhead some of what they both had said. "Onari's not the only one who has being keeping a secret. I've known for a while about her fears."

"Well, whatever it is, you two might as well explain," Izumi said, her heart weary. "If it's this urgent, it can't wait until later. What is going on," she asked as Onari peered out from being Daiya.

Onari was kind of afraid of being thrown out of the house. She had nowhere else to go. Her eyes lifted. "The man that attacked us was the leader of Gekido's army. He was trying to get a hold of Akaihi," she said.

"Who is Gekido," Kiba asked.

"Onari's uncle," Daiya answered. "He's the same one that killed her mother to disconnect the dragon from her father. She's known that one day he'd seek to find her again."

"Alright, hold on," Izumi stopped them, her hand in front of her body," This entire time, you've been in our home, eluding us. You've known those markings on your body were connected to something far greater than we could have imagined. Now our son is lying in a hospital bed in a coma because you failed to trust us – to ensure the safety of him, and yourself. I'm disappointed in you, Onari. We've done a lot for you and this is how you repay us."

Onari looked away, turning her head slightly to avoid Izumi's hard gaze. "I haven't shown Akaihi to anyone, or taken him outside of the compound. I don't know how I was found."

"Do they know Takeru has the dragon," Izumi said in a hard voice. Onari shook her head. Takeru rarely activated his contract with Uso. A bird was one thing to see, but a dragon was an entirely rare creature to come upon. "I thought you were more responsible. You're older than he is."

Kiba sighed gruffly. "He's the baby out of the rookies, Sprout. That's why Izumi and Sasuke are overprotective of him. They have entrusted you – and Daiya- to look out for him. Withholding information from your family is sort of like treason against them."

"Until I speak to Sasuke about this, it's best if you leave," Izumi said her voice becoming hard, aggressive. The words stung Onari. The girl turned around without a word to retrieve her shoes. "Not a word, Daiya," she said focusing her eyes on him. He wanted to object to the very thought of Onari being on her own. "We can't let her out of our sight. Kiba, do you mind if she stays with you?"

Kiba didn't have a problem with it. "What do you suppose Sasuke will do," he asked once Daiya left to go check on Onari.

"I'm not sure. If Takeru doesn't pull through, he may not let her return," Izumi said realistically. "She's taken the most precious thing from us – whether she realizes it or not."

Onari packed extra kunai and shuriken in the case on her leg and bag on her hip. The mask Sasuke had carved for her to hide her face, was left in its place against the wall. She glanced at it, the object becoming foreign to her. Standing, she walked out of the room. Daiya was on his way to her room, but there was no need. She passed him, not taking anything with her except the kimono she wore.

"Onari," Daiya said turning to watch her walk away. She didn't turn around. Onari was already putting her shoes on to head out.

Tapping her feet securely in the ninja sandals, she stepped off the wooden floor to the lower entrance level. A hand upon her shoulder stopped her from bailing from the house. Onari stared at the rough looking fingers. Her gaze lifted to see Kiba watching her.

"You're not leaving the village. She's asked that I take you with me," he said trying to comfort her. Onari only looked away. Kiba expected Onari's view was upon punishment from the Hokage. He wondered if she feared Sasuke's or Izumi's disappointment more. "Come on, Sprout," he urged, nudging her arm a little.

Onari didn't look back as she headed out of the Uchiha compound. The night was cold, stars shining above the house in their silent veil. She followed Kiba way, leaving Daiya behind – and her life as it had been. The road she walked to the Inuzuka compound was lonely, despite Kiba being next to her. She couldn't help but feel as if she had betrayed them for their kindness. Onari should have told them once her language was understandable.

Sasuke sat next to his son watching him sleep. Takeru's head was turned away towards the window, his breathing now normal. What are you dreaming about, Takeru? Where are you in there? He lifted his hand placing it atop his son's head, caressing fondly. Was all of this a mistake to bring her back to the village? Sasuke leaned closer to him, his dark eyes watching for any signs of movement. "You've got to help me understand, Takeru. Why is this correlation to her so important for you?"

Takeru's chest moved up and down slowly. He didn't respond to his father's question. His body lay still in the bed, one arm sticking out due to the IV fluid, the rest of his form covered by the sheets. Underneath the sheets – underneath his shirt and the bandages wrapped around his wounds, the tattoo of the dragon and phoenix on his chest shone brilliantly. He was in Uso's protection.

Takeru crouched on the ground, his eyes looking out at the stars as Uso craned her head over his. She had loosened her hold on him a while ago – now that his body was stable. "There has to be a way to protect you," he said deep in thought, his mind really brainstorming to come up with a solution. "Despite giving you a name, he's found you," Takeru said of Onari. "Uso, exactly how are they going to try and control her?"

Uso lowered her head to the ground, her slit eyes turning to look at the man-boy whom she had grown fond of. "They wish to rid her of the Heaven's Scroll. Take it by force," she said in her multi-voices echoing throughout the space between time and space.

"The scroll was tattooed on her by her parents, wasn't it," Takeru asked trying to gather his thoughts. "Do you suppose Kakumei wishes to skin Onari like an animal?" He saw the sadness in her eyes. "How were you taken from her mother?"

Uso didn't like to reveal how Onari's mother, Urei, had perished under Kakumei Eimino's authority. "I wasn't taken simply because Urei had been defeated, Takeru," she said in a sad, sorrowful voice. "Even if defeated, I am still attached to that person – to that clan. Urei was rid of my contract, when Kakumei Eimino discarded it from her form. I was in mid-plane when she had been trying to send me back – to save me."

Takeru's eyes showed anger and pain. "Her mother suffered to the very end. She was only trying to protect her daughter," he said with more respect for the woman. "I won't let that happen. I'll be prepared better the next time I meet that man," he said of Kakumei. "And when we do, he'll get one hell of a payback from me for Onari and Daiya."

Uso heard the truthfulness flourishing in his voice. She smiled a dragon's wise smile. "I believe you will," she said swishing her tail into the blackness of stars. "However, if you wish to defeat your enemies, you will require more training."

"That's kind of impossible since I'm stuck here," Takeru said unsure of when he was going to be back in the mortal world. His body was not fully healed.

"It isn't just your body that must become strong to defeat an opponent," she said tilting her head in an odd way to look at him. "I cannot train your physical form here, but I can train your spirit – teach you things that cannot be gained on another level."

Takeru smiled in a smirk that was similar to his father's. "Well,… what are you waiting for?" His eyes met the dragon's, holding the gaze, as her body began to evaporate, lifting into the air. Suddenly, before he could figure out what was occurring, Uso's form slammed into his, molding her scales into his skin.

"The only way to learn how to master a dragon, is to be one with it," she said as Takeru's eyes changed to her own. "Now that we are one, I can understand you – as you understand me." Uso lifted Takeru's hand so he could focus on his fingers. They were changed to a more lengthy appearance, nails thick and long.

Takeru felt his mouth as he smiled at the new body he had. The corners of his mouth were thin, the muscles pulled to his cheekbones. His fingers moved up, the nails tapping the long teeth. His body felt lighter, more agile and flexible. Takeru tested the theory out by bending his spine backwards. He found himself stretching to new heights, his back longer. He laid his chest on the ground, his head moved well past the tips of his toes, arms out in front.

"Now that you are familiar with yourself, let's try flying," Uso said. "You won't be able to get to the clouds as I can in my regular form, but you should be able to move swiftly from areas of interest in bounds." She started to direct him to crouch low. "That space over there towards the edge of this mound. Go to it, doubling back as quickly as you can."

Takeru leapt in a canine position as if he were attacking Kakumei himself. His body touched down thirty feet away from where he had been previously. He doubled back, letting his body be guided by another force, his stomach and legs flowing above the grass. Touching down on his hands, he craned his head to look back at where he had been.

"Hmm. It's as I have tried to figure for a long time. Males do let their hormones lead them," Uso said inside Takeru's head. He laughed. He could picture her mighty sophisticated form frowning at such a conclusion. "I'll be sure to not let mine overrule my decisions." Uso waved his left hand as her own, dismissing it. "That would be best," Uso said again inside of his head. "Now, farther, and quicker," she instructed.


	85. Chapter 85

**V 9 ch 4**

**Chuunin Exam Finals Part I**

Onari sat outside upon a fallen tree, her eyes staring off at the woods, her ears keen to the sense that Kiba was watching her. The past few weeks involved with the Inuzuka clan had been an ordeal for her. She was ordered to remain inside their territory considering what had befallen. The hope she had in her heart that it was only a trail matter, had gradually faded each time the rains came. Izumi would not answer her when Kiba had returned several times after meeting with the Uchiha. She knew he was disappointed in her, too.

Without Takeru,… Onari's mind flashed to him standing on the back walkway, straightening his posture as he turned to smile at her. His eyes were always so kind to her. It was a dream then, but now it's turned into a nightmare. Her brows furrowed, trying to understand where her path lay now.

Kiba felt bad for her as he walked up behind her. Onari had remained by herself the entire time, not wishing to talk, or look at anyone who came near her. She rarely touched the food Kashira prepared for her, or glanced at Areku. The Chuunin exams were upon the teams now. Everyone was preparing to fight their opponents for the matches coming up. Team 9 was still less one person. "Onari, Areku is going to train for a little while. He wants to know if you want to go with him."

Onari turned her head slightly, only to regard Kiba. He was still her brother, as she had claimed him the first time she had met him. "He doesn't need a sparring partner," she said quietly, dismissing the matter. "Or are you forgetting I'm not allowed to leave?"

Kiba sighed as he watched her turn back around. "Sprout, I know things right now don't seem fair," he said crouching behind her with one knee on the ground, his hand out. "I'm allowing you to go with Areku."

"It is fair for what I have done, Kiba," Onari said quietly and seriously. "I betrayed the people who have given me a home. Takeru is not coming back. He's gone. I've lost to Gekido and the Uchiha."

"You've only lost to yourself," Kiba told her, his voice now fatherly. "You cannot change the past, but you can let it control you." Salt drifted to his nostrils. "Onari," he said softer, his hand lifting to fall onto the top of her head. She shunned away from him, her mind made up.

Kiba stood leaving her where she was, walking towards the woods. He stopped knowing the other person was there. Kiba ran his fingers through his hair, trying to brush off the uneasy feeling he had. "She cries every day for him," he said into the open air. "Are you blaming her for everything?"

"I'm having a hard time with all of this, Kiba. Despite how she feels, I have to look at this from a different perspective now. Not choosing to confide in us about her concerns, or past, is no better than lying to us," Izumi said with her back leaned against the tree. "It was a tough decision to make regarding our family. It's become rather interesting since Onari and Daiya have come into our lives." Lowering her head, Izumi sighed sadly. "I'd like her to come home for her brother – to know that we could be a family again, but the change I've seen in my husband when her name is mentioned-"

"I understand," Kiba said reflecting on how Sasuke could honestly feel now that his only biological son was still hospitalized. "What about the exams? They continue in a few days. Will she compete?"

"Lee advised me that she was still part of his team. She'll go to the exams, if she so chooses. Just keep her separated from Sasuke," Izumi said. "He has to focus on his team succeeding. I'd rather his mind be distracted."

Onari stepped slowly into the Mist village, her eyes looking past everyone around her. Eiyu was standing away from her, his mind also on other things. It felt strange for her to be in the foreign village without Takeru. She wasn't sure competing in the exams was what she wanted. In order for her to win, she'd have to display everything she had learned. Was that wise?

Rock Lee sensed the sadness radiating from his team. They had lost a member. He had to refocus his group on their objective. Turning around, he stopped in the middle of the road as other teams moved around them. "Team 9, we need to gather our strength. If you're not focused going into the exams, you're not going to win. That's what we're here for."

Eiyu glanced at Onari. "It was a waste of our time to come here. Onari's not going to properly give it her all, so why should we continue?" At that point, she looked at him. "Get your mind off of him. There's nothing we can do about it. It was a poor decision you made. Man up."

"Eiyu, we fight as a team. Holding Onari responsible for what went wrong on a mission is not going to bring us together, or encourage each other to participate," Rock Lee said. He stared hard at Neji's son. "Nor is it going to change what is front of us. You two must be prepared. Your opponents are strong. Neither of you should forget what may occur in there."

"I'm ready for anything they throw at me," Eiyu said confidently, closing his eyes with his head turned away from Onari. He was ashamed to be in the same team as her. It was going around that she had betrayed the Uchiha – the very ones she owed her life to. "I won't deceive my team. It's my second family," he said stressing the latter word.

Onari tensed at the mention of the words 'deceive' and 'family'. So Eiyu knows, too. I suppose it's going around the village about what I've done. They all know. She closed her eyes, the images of the rookies on the other teams showing in her head. They're all going to be against me when we wait our turns to compete.

Ryu leaned against the opening to the balcony outside of the room he and his team were staying in for the exam. His hands hung from his pockets by his thumbs, head lowered. He waited until he was a hundred percent sure Sasuke was gone before he opened his mouth. "Have you heard from her," he asked Daiya softly, his eye focused on the door.

Daiya leaned forward, his hands remaining in the back pack. "No, she hasn't tried to contact me," he said speaking of his sister. Was it true that Team 9 was avoiding Team 2?

Saori tinkered with Rose, popping the puppet's cavity open. The puppet's head tilted to the side as if it had just been taken out. "She's not trying to avoid you," Saori said speaking to Daiya as she cleaned Rose's inner workings. "It's because of sensei."

"She didn't know Takeru was going to get hurt," Daiya said in Onari's defense. "Why is everyone treating her as if she had planned everything out? That's not the way she operates. Onari is sly, yes, but she's not malicious!"

Ryu nudged Daiya's arm with his foot. "Keep your voice down. It's going around amongst the teams that Onari has been thrown out of the Uchiha compound. No one knows really what happened to Takeru, or why. All they know is he got injured on a mission. I haven't told – nor has Saori. We were the ones involved, too." Ryu saw how Daiya started to second guess his friendship with him. "I wouldn't hurt you by blabbing," he said seriously narrowing his eyes back. "It's not my place to speak to one person about another."

Daiya looked away. "I'm sorry, Ryu. I want my family back together. My sister is exiled from the house. She's all that I have besides Takeru. His status hasn't changed for weeks."

Rose fell over with a thud, the sound of it causing Ryu and Daiya to jump. "Sorry," Saori said looking at them apologetically. "I didn't expect that to be stuck. It's hard for me to pull it out from that angle."

"What are you trying to pull out of it," Daiya asked with a brow raised.

"Usually when I'm going up for a spar, or a scheduled match, I take everything out of Rose to clean it. Which means her gears and weapons," Saori said grunting as she tried to pull on a fixed gear. "They have to be replaced, or they stick like this one," she said pulling until she fell backwards. Rose flew back slamming onto the floor.

Daiya stood up, walking over to retrieve the large puppet. He dragged it over to Saori. "Ryu, hold it while we pull," he ordered. Ryu walked over sitting down to wrap his arms fully around Rose. Daiya and Saori grabbed a hold of the gear. They started to pull hard. Soon Daiya was digging his heels into the floor, his back arched as he yanked hard. "Dammit, Saori, replace these more often!"

"They're expensive," Saori argued as she pulled just as hard. They were dragging Ryu across the floor grunting.

Sasuke opened the door to the room. He stopped to see his team struggling with Rose. "This is when I need a camera," he said seeing Ryu being dragged by his two team mates. Suddenly the gear came lose. Saori was sent flying backwards in a roll, the gear in her hand grazing Daiya's cheek. The girl hit the wall so hard her elbow went through it to the other room.

Saori pulled her elbow free as padding feet was heard from the other room. "Sorry, sensei," she said the moment knocking came from their door. Saori held her hurt elbow, extending it gently. The pain hit her, causing her to close her eyes for a split second.

Sasuke opened the door to see a rookie from the Rice team eying him. He stared at the boy with black hair and red eyes. There was an escrimer stick on the youth's back, being held by a leather strap. "Yes?"

"You punched a hole into our room," Achira Baisotei said stating the obvious. He waited expecting the man to apologize, but it appeared to not be on the man's conscious. "Repair it now, or we'll report you to the inn keeper," he threatened by withdrawing his escrimer.

Sasuke moved slightly towards the boy, his movements slow, mood changing to lethal. "I don't take orders from a rookie," he said smearing the last word as if it were disgraceful. His arm started to move, hand clasping down on the hilt of his grass cutter sword. A hand latched onto his wrist. Sasuke remained still, the fingers lightly touching his skin.

"It was an accident," Ryu said from behind his trainer. "Challenging a Jounin won't get you any points of passing. He's a lot more skilled than you."

"Stand down," Mai Noyoki said walking down the hall of the inn on the second floor. "You're supposed to be training." She put her hand on her hip, body leaning to the side, her long blue hair hanging off her left shoulder.

"They distracted me," Achira said keeping his eyes on the Leaf-nin. "There's now a nice hole in the wall between the rooms. He said it was an accident, but I don't buy that. They're eavesdropping."

Daiya stuck his head out of the door hearing the conversation starting to escalate. "Eavesdropping? So we could sit around hearing you talk to yourself, or fart in your room when your team mates are gone?" His mouth was silenced by Sasuke placing the palm of his hand upon it.

"If you were distracted by a noise, then you need to train harder," Mai stressed pointing her finger to the room. "Go, or I'll make the Chuunin exams look like a Rank D mission." Her eyes followed his movements, up until he stopped to glare at the trainer from the Hidden leaf village. Mai moved her leg, kicking his legs out from underneath him. Achira fell to the floor with a thud – right on his face. "You're embarrassing me."

Sasuke started to back into the room. He turned around to let his eyes fall onto Ryu. "You're just like your father," he said causing Ryu to blush slightly at the compliment. "Saori, how is your arm?"

"It's fine," she lied. Saori tensed when Sasuke knelt to look at it. He took her arm, bending it fully out. When she flinched hard, he tilted his head at her.

"Fine, huh? Daiya, hand me the bandages," he ordered. Sasuke wrapped Saori's elbow, his eyes focusing on the work that had to be done. "Go ask the innkeeper for some ice, Ryu."

Ryu nodded.

"Getting injured before a challenge, is not wise," Sasuke said, his dark eyes looking into Saori's. "Try to be more careful," he offered as late advice. Sasuke went to the window to look out at the Mist village. Down below he could see teams moving about exploring, or trying to find their rooms. For a brief moment, he wondered where Onari was in all of this.

Onari leaned against the tree, her eyes staring at the people in the village. She wasn't supposed to be alone out in the open. Lee had warned her that the rookies were on edge with the other teams. The way she felt about her life now, was the only thing on her mind. It wasn't the same without the Uchiha. Being in their care had given her life meaning and purpose. She hadn't felt like an outcast as she had grown up to be. Her abilities were impressive for a girl who hadn't known anything about ninjutsu two years ago.

He stood watching her for a moment from a distance, his eyes showing sympathy. What he had been hearing around the village had nerved him to approach her. After all, he knew how things could be falsely carried from one person to another. Idai slowly walked towards her, waiting for Onari's eyes to lift – to notice him. Her stance was slack, showing her guard was down, mind overtaken by her thoughts.

Idai not only saw the hurt in the girl's face, but also felt it in the air. She had loved Takeru beyond anything anyone could understand. He was hoping that Onari would let him be a messenger for her and Daiya. Regardless of the situation built up around them, they were still family. Idai lifted his fingers to gently touch her cheek, moving them upwards in a light stroke. The sensation of it caused Onari's eyes to lift quickly, her body tensing as her back slammed against the tree. "Sorry, I didn't know of any other way to get your attention," he said.

Onari noticed Idai wasn't looking at her with distrust as some of the other rookies. "What do you want," she said softly, her yellow eyes staying upon him. "Are you here to see how much of a liar I am?"

"I know it's hard for you to believe that I'm here for other reasons, Onari. Wouldn't you like to hear from Daiya," Idai asked watching her. The thought of it shocked her. "He knows you haven't been able to contact him because of Sasuke sensei. I can talk to him easier than you can right now."

Onari shook her head, averting her gaze. "I don't have anything to say to anyone. Go away," she said refusing his help. Her trust with others had diminished. In fact, Onari was becoming angry at everyone around her.

Idai turned around slowly, he walked off, but before he got too far, he stopped. "Ninja have to look at everything around them for the truth, Onari. What happened to Takeru was not your doing, nor your fault. If it had been, you wouldn't have bothered to stay in the village." He went back to his team.

Crowds of people cheered in the stands, their voices echoing throughout the area as the rookies were unmasked. Each of the students from the teams found themselves standing on a stone platform with nothing more than iron railing to prevent anyone from slipping down to the dark waters below. Leading from the platform was a series of steps that stopped at another small platform until it continued with more steps. Out in the middle of the large lake was constructed a circular stone foundation three feet high from the surface of the water and four thousand feet in diameter. By the looks of it, there was no cause for error. One slip off the platform led you into the water. There was nowhere to hide. They were going to be out in the open with everyone watching.

"This event is going to be tougher on them," Rock Lee said his eyes looking at the circular stone.

"If they so much as fall off of it, they're disqualified," Kiba said with his hands on his hips. "It's a bit unfair for a sparring match." He stood on his tip toes above the other Jounin standing in a separate stand as he tried to see his team. They were too far out for him to even make them out.

"Fair for who? It's adequate for the Mist village. The water element is flowing around the structure as an advantage to those with that ability," Sasuke said. Takeru wouldn't have a problem with this. He could of dismissed it as a hindrance. Sasuke's mind flashed to the past for a brief moment. He remembered how young Takeru had been when he was learning to manipulate water. Izumi's heritage flows strong in him as my own. His eyes flashed to the announcer approaching the stone in the middle of the lake. I can't think about that now!

The announcer stood with his hands behind his back, his dark eyes looking out amongst the water towards the stands where the trainers and the people from the mist village sat. His rough appearance played well into the atmosphere of the final battles for the Chuunin exams. Disregarding the platform behind him, he spoke only to the stands. "This is the final battle for those participating to pass from the rank of Genin to Chuunin. If the student fails to remain on the platform, he loses. If the student is injured to where he can no longer fight, or death occurs, he loses. As always, there will be medics on hand," he said moving his hand out to the boats waiting far away. "For the medics safety, they must remain where they are when a battle is in progress." He walked off the platform towards the steps that zigzagged. Instead of going up towards the platform where the students awaited with the Exam Coordinators, he exited off the steps into a boat through a wooden door.

Ryu stood in the second row away from Saori and Daiya. There were eighty-eight students waiting on the platform with him. He didn't know the names of those he stood next to, or what part of the villages they were from. Everything around him seemed so omniscient. They were all going to fight one another for the respect of their village and their families. For a moment, there was silence amongst the Genin as the boat with the announcer made it's way far enough away from the battle area.

Is this what you went through when you trained for the respect of the Leaf Village? Ryu's mind saw the picture of his father who smiled in the old photo Sasuke had shown him. Was anyone proud of you when you passed? What did you think seeing your friends fight someone stronger, or weaker? Ryu's brows furrowed. Did you wish you could stop them from making a terrible mistake? He dared to glance into the other students to see Daiya waiting his turn. This is wrong. It doesn't feel right. Ryu's skin felt as if it were crawling with worms. He was uneasy.

One of the field coordinators read off the clipboard in his hand. "Doya Jukdo from the River Country versus Yakume Shiomi from the Sea Country." He opened the cage they stood in, the door swinging open. There was no remorse, or concern as the students walked past him down the steps leading to the other platform. The rookies in the cage watched in horror as the first pair of opponents walked to their victory, or their defeat.

Yanagi's gray eyes watched the battle with awe at the skills of the two opponents, and also sadness when one was injured. She had more heart than some of the rookies who were commenting lowly regarding the techniques being performed. There was a boy standing next to her with brown hair and blue eyes. He appeared to have the Sky emblem around his neck. His mouth tensed every time a technique was issued. She turned her head slowly. Soon his eyes met hers. "Are you nervous," she asked trying to make conversation.

Enshi Goto looked over the girl with the odd raven cut hairstyle. "Of course. We know nothing about the person we're fighting against," he said. Soon he eased up seeing the top of her hitate headband. She was from the Leaf Village. "Hey, where's that guy that I met at the last exam? The Uchiha kid?"

Yanagi looked at him a bit surprised by the question. "Which one?" Standing on her tip toes, she tried to see over the other students to where Daiya was. Was her referring to her boyfriend? No, by the looks of it, he wasn't. "You're talking about Takeru…?"

"Yeah, that was his name. Young kid with black hair. Did something happen to him?" Enshi had hoped to meet the boy again at the exams. They had really hit it off the last time.

Yanagi looked down missing some of the action as the crowd across the way cheered, clapping their hands. To her, it was like being at a bloodbath. The more violence there was between the two opponents, the more cheers and comments came from the students and across the lake. "He was injured on a mission," she told the boy.

"Oh, I didn't know that. We kind of made friends at the last exam. He seemed like a cool person," Enshi said. "Well, I'm sorry he couldn't be here to watch any of us get our rears kicked," he said with a soft laugh. "Tell him Enshi Goto said 'hi'. He'll know my name."

Yanagi's heart sank. Would she even be able to hold onto that sort of promise? "I-I'll tell him," she said honestly with a kind smile. Enshi Goto.

Yakume Shiomi lifted her leg slamming it onto the top of Doya Jukudo's head as her fighting fans of steel caught his three-sectional-staff. She countered the move, dropping her weight to the ground as he tried to re-counter getting his staff out of the fix. Once she dropped, her back arched, her leg lifting up straight between his legs.

Doya Jukudo grimaced as he was kicked hard in his groin doubling over. Yakume was already tilting her body, her leg coming up. He was hit quickly and with accuracy in the side of the head. His body went flying towards the other side of the round platform. She was running at him with her fans drawn, his three-sectional-staff lying far out of reach. Getting up his transferred his chakra to his hands pushing himself back as shuriken came flying at his form. They hit the platform digging into the cement. Doya slid on his heels his hand reaching for smoke pellets out of his pack. He threw them at her.

Yakume moved her arms in a circular pattern, her fans open as the purple smoke came towards her. She sent the smoke away from her face. As it moved around her, Yakume formed hand signs stopping once she found completed the sequence. A gush of water flew out of the lake over her head towards the smoke. Her eyes focused ahead suspecting Doya was hiding in the smoke with a premeditated attack. Sure enough, she heard him yell as the water hit him. He went soaring backwards, tumbling straight off the platform into the lake. The crowd around her went wild.

"Winner of the first battle, Yakume Shiomi," the announcer said from far behind them. She turned her head to see a boat going to retrieve Doya from the water. An exam coordinator waved her back into the cage. Yakume returned to her position amongst the other rookies waiting their turn to spar. As she passed one of her teammates, she received a high-five congratulations.

"Battle two is Meiji Kamon from the Grass Country versus Kamo Nagase from the Vegetable Country," the Exam coordinator announced from his clipboard. He opened the door to the cage waiting for them to pass through. "Get a move on. There are a ton of others behind you," he said as Meiji started to take his time hoisting his bazooka over his shoulder.

Masaru Uzumaki narrowed his eyes at Meiji Kamon as he watched the older boy walk down the steps to each platform stop before he reached the fighting area. That guy looks like he fights dirty. The other one doesn't appear as if he could overtake that bazooka. I wonder what he fires with it. It has to take time to set up right?

Eiyu Hyuuga studied the fight as his eyes moved from one opponent to the next. He had learned in a lot of his missions and sparring matches over the years that you never took your eyes off the other. Kamo Nagase was becoming distracted by the large weapon his opponent carried. Meiji Kamon had put the weapon down away from them as they fought. He's trying to prove his dominance over Nagase. Eiyu watched Meiji fight Kamo fist to fist, Taijutsu to Taijutsu issuing his strength time and time again. He crossed his arms his long hair remaining still on his back. Onari could take both of them out. He glanced at her standing far back to the left of where he stood in the crowd. She's sort of built up her skills adhering to animal nature more than human nature. Take him out quick.

Kamo Nagase sliced Meiji Kamon's arm with his karambit knives he held in his hands. He thrust the boy back, his head lowering to where his strength could be diverted to his arms. Meiji was a tough opponent for him. Kamo ran at him trying to catch him off guard as his body doubled. He circled the boy with his clone aiming straight at Meiji's abdomen. He wanted this match to be over and done with.

Meiji Kamon smiled as he opened the pockets on his heavily padded vest. Hundreds of man eating ants started to crawl down his body onto the platform. Even if some of them were squished by Kamo, there were still more to crawl onto his body. He grinned evilly as he darted backwards to retrieve the bazooka that was lying on its side.

Kamo's feet landed on the large ants, their squishing bodies causing the platform to become slippery. He was losing his footing as he started to slide. He took out a kunai forcing it into the cement trying to regain his balance. An ant crawled up the kunai onto his hand biting him fiercely. Kamo yelled as the pain hit. It was unlike any he had ever felt before. It was similar to getting bitten by twenty fire ants at one time. His eyes became wide. Doubling back, he tried to make space between him and the ants.

Meiji saw the fear in Kamo's face appear as a nice reward for his efforts. In the time it took the boy to send his clone through the ants towards Meiji, the bazooka had already been loaded. The clone bore down on him weapons being thrown. Meiji didn't change position. He remained where he was firing the bazooka's large spiked balls towards the clone. It hit the clone causing it to poof on contact. The ball went rolling to the other side. "Excellent target practice," he said before turning his bazooka towards Kamo.

Kamo moved his feet as the bazooka was fired again. The ants were all over the platform trying their best to crawl onto him. The spiked ball that had gotten rid of his clone, was now busting open with a loud sound. He turned in horror to see it, too, was filled with large ants. Forming hand seals, he unleashed a large wind towards the ants. The ants started to move backwards, but their feet started to suction cup to the platform, the wind passing them overhead. "Dammit, you have got to be kidding me!"

Meiji cackled as he angled his body his feet bearing into the concrete. He used kunai to keep his body in position moving towards Kamo. "You can't keep this up forever. All I have to do is wait for you to get exhausted, or your chakra to run out," he threatened.

Saori Nara knew a thing or two about wind jutsus. Her mother was a pro at them. They were used as offensive and defensive measures in one simple attack. Normally, a ninja could knock down anything in her path. However, these ants were proving to be unique in their own form. Kamo was keeping the jutsu active in hopes there was a slip up by Meiji that he could counterattack upon, but right now, Meiji had the strong advantage. He was using Kamo's wind attack against him. She also noticed the ants were moving slowly into a long ladder on the ground. They're using teamwork to bypass the wind Kamo is sending at them. Even if he keeps it going, Meji is going to nail him, or the ants.

Sasuke Uchiha chewed hard on the toothpick in his mouth. Watching the outcome of the sparring was causing him to anticipate when his team was going to fight. The kid from the Grass country was overtaking the other from the Vegetable country. It was an excellent way to learn where one's faults were, but at the exams, one could lose his life. He studied the angle of the wind being projected. The ants who were hunkered down towards the ground were remaining there to get his attention. They're distracting him so the ones off to the side can move more freely!

Kamo Nagase's wind jutsu ended as he was bitten by several ants now crawling up his pants leg. He shook his leg trying to get them off, his foot hopping as he batted at them with his hands. Meiji was already coming at him with two spiked balls in his gloved hands. Kamo turned around trying to sprint to a safe place.

Meiji threw the balls at the boy, his short sword coming out to slice through the open air. The balls opened, discarding man eating ants. They fell from the open air onto Kamo who screamed in terror as he was bitten. Meiji watched his body slide on the platform. Now that the wind jutsu had ended, the other ants were on top of him in a matter of seconds, their fast legs overtaking him.

Arawasu Ryusaki laid her hand upon her hip as she watched Meiji's attack win him a future spot in the exams. "They always try to run," she commented out in the open air as if it were a stupid move. Her eyes flashed catching the attention of Tadayuki Ekiguchi, the leader of the Vegetable Team. "Hope the rest of you do better," she said sarcastically.

Tadayuki shifted into attack mode, his anger seething at the rude comment coming from Arawasu. One of the field coordinators was on top of him restraining him. "You witch!"

"Save it for the battle grounds," the field coordinator said pushing Tadayuki hard up against the cage.

"Winner, Meiji Kamon from the Grass Country," the announcer said. He sent forth his medic team to clean up the mess leftover by the fire ants. The medic team were hesitant about setting foot on the platform until Meiji concealed them back into his vest.

Meiji returned to the cage slowly, threateningly, his bazooka hoisted over his shoulder. As the cage door opened, the rookies moved away from him huddling to one side of the cage. All but one girl stood staring him down, her yellow eyes matching his with intensity. "You're either very brave, or very stupid," he said as his team stood together watching her.

Onari didn't blink as she stared him down, her ears alert for any sound of motion. "I'll crush your throat before you gasp," she said without missing a beat. Her posture remained still as the field coordinators stood at the ready for a fight between the two of them.

"You're from the Fire Country," Aku Endoso said from behind the sheet that covered most of his face. "We don't like the Fire Country," he said his devilish eyes moving to single out each one of them in the crowd. "Whether its here, or out in the field, we'll take you all down."

"People who talk a lot aren't really saying much of anything," Onari shot back. That got their attention. They started to move towards her, but the field coordinators approached bearing weapons of their own. One of them had a long heavy sword with snake fangs on the end. The other man pulled out a club with thin razor sharp metal bore into the middle of it like a cheese grater.

"There seems to be something going on in the rookie cage," Rock Lee said craning his head.

Kiba's sharp eyes focused on the figure standing facing another team. The grass team made a move towards her going around the field coordinators. Kiba tensed as two of them came upon both sides of Onari. The girl moved her hands up issuing a Chakra Push on the two team mates so severe, that they flew backwards hitting the cage. She turned her body in a circle with her arms out in a defensive pose glaring down at Meiji Kamon. Kiba punched the air. "That's my girl!"

Sasuke's eyes moved slowly from Kiba to the cage standing above the open water. Onari. It had to be her. She was the only one daring enough to fighting anybody and everybody when in an enclosed space. His heart sank. She was one of the few who had no fear in battle. There is one thing you do fear. It isn't Gekido. It's losing Takeru to him. Sasuke closed his eyes, his heart and mind coming to terms.

Meiji Kamon snorted. He went after the girl himself throwing a spike man eating ant ball at her. It soared over the field coordinators. One wrong move from them, and it would be unleashed either way. He froze when Onari didn't budge. She's an idiot!

Onari caught the spiked ball with ease, her chakra rotating the ball as if it were a spinning top. "Reverse." The ball began to rotate the other way. "Back!" The spiked ball shot towards Meiji Kamon. He ducked as it hit the fence ricocheting off one side of the cage towards the rookies.

Idai unsheathed his swords rotating them to send the ball away. It went soaring again in the opposite direction. This time, Meiji was ready for it. He caught it with is gloved hands. Apparently, the ball was worth more in a whole unit than to be simply destroyed.

The field coordinator with the club landed his huge fist on top of Meiji's head. "You're delaying the match! Get back in line!" The rookies moved slowly back into place.

"Next match: Gidai Ebina from the Bird Country versus Indo Otani from Hidden Hot Springs," the field coordinator with the snake sword announced. He opened the door hard, it clanging against the cage. "Get moving," he shouted losing his patience.

Ogai Maikoka put his hands together in prayer as he and Masafumi Okasawa watching their team leader sway her hips all the way down the steps. "Please Buddha don't let Indo embarrass us, or the Village. Please Buddha don't let Indo embarrass us, or the village," he repeated.

Masafumi put his hand on Ogai's head to cause him to stop his prayers. "Buddha can only help so much. Pray she doesn't use flash photography to gain herself fame amongst the males around us."

Ogai looked at Masafumi with tears going down his eyes. "Sensei," he said realizing how intelligent Masafumi was on the outcome of the exams. He hugged him hard against the waist.

Masafumi pushed his glasses back onto his nose. "Ogai, you're causing a scene," he said mildly putting his attention back to the battle ground. He, too, found himself praying to Buddha in his mind. Please Buddha don't let Indo embarrass our team, or the village.

Indo stood playing with her long blond hair for a moment, her cleavage moving around as she did so. Flicking her hair behind her, she reached behind her head, her fingers going through her hair. They latched onto the kunai she had tied there. "Such boring weather," she commented her eyes drifting up into the sky. The clouds were moving slowly past the battle grounds.

Once the signal was given for them to start, Gidai Ebina didn't use any hesitation in throwing shuriken mixed with kunai at the girl. She stood motionless still staring off into space. Her form poofed within seconds of the weapons hitting the spot where she had been standing. Indo appeared behind Gidai. His head turned quickly moving a defensive move on her. She grabbed his arm, thrusting his body to change position with a swift move on her own. Gidai flipped his body up, bringing his legs up, wrapping around her neck. He started to spin causing her body to twirl in the air like a rag doll.

Indo poofed again, her form turning into a dummy. Gidai threw the dummy off the platform straight into the water. "Aw, I really liked that one. It took me a whole two days to make," she said rather depressed. "Oh, well. A starving craftsman I tend to be."

Gidai's eyes flashed angrily at her. He had been tricked. This girl wasn't even using the normal substitution hand signs to change her position. Which meant she was advanced in her training. He ran at her punching, but every time he tried to strike her, he ended up punching air. She was gliding on the platform, her head moving around simply avoiding him. What the hell?

Ogai frowned. "You know if she's not going to take this seriously, I'm going to forfeit," he said. Indo was toying with her opponent. "At least fight back or something." As if she had heard him from such a distance, Indo's hand lifted with a thumbs up. Ogai looked around with a strange expression on his face.

Indo threw the kunai from behind her head at the boy, twirled away on her tip toes as he avoided it, repositioning herself. She danced with her hands in the air, her foot neatly on her other leg as she stood. "Here he comes again," she said not able to enjoy a moment to herself. Gidai threw kunai at her as he opened the pocket on his vest taking out a small scroll. Indo back flipped as the kunai hit the platform.

Gidai bit his thumb. He was going to take her out in one swoop. He started to summon Nagare. The large black bird stood over the scroll, the light from the summoning fading. Its head tilted left and right aiming straight for the only one it saw besides its master. Nagasre started to send its beak hammering at Indo.

Indo rolled on the platform, the bird's beak aiming straight for her body. She didn't have time to concentrate to poof out of the way. Gidai was a bit smarter than she had anticipated. She heard him command Nagare to continue getting her to the edge of the platform. Coward! Indo started to count in her head how many seconds it took the bird to lift its head to come crashing down near her. If only she could time it just right!

Ryu saw a lot of mistakes being issued with the summoning technique. He grumbled. The bird's abilities were being wasted as if it were a large chicken fetching a worm. He rolled his eyes. "Pathetic," he said under his breath. He raised his shoulders, feeling something disturbing occurring near him. Masaru Uzumaki stood with his hands on his cheeks, eyes focused on Indo. Oh don't tell me he's interested in that girl.

Sure enough, as Indo grabbed the bird's beak she hooked her arms around it, bringing her body upwards. Masaru was on his feet cheering as he watched her holding on. The bird was trying to buck her off, but Indo had a strong hold on it.

Gidai was dumbstruck for a moment on how to approach what he was seeing. He stood with his mouth open until Indo started to clench her arms around Nagare's neck. Gidai couldn't throw anything at Indo for he'd strike his partner. The bird's wings went out as it began to stumble trying to keep its balance. Gidai saw his chance. He ran up the wings his fingers twirling a kunai. With precise precision, he threw the blade at Indo's back.

Indo snickered. She knew Gidai was just like any other boy with a pet. Shifting her body quickly, she stopped closing the bird's neck. Now she hung from it as the kunai was thrown. The blade struck the back of the bird's neck causing it to fling its head violently around in pain. She let go rolling away from the black bird as it squawked its complaints.

Nagare moved its large leg up towards its neck trying to rake the kunai out of its skin. Gidai tried to crawl up its back holding onto the feathers. "Nagare, calm down!" His eyes widened as he realized his bird wasn't paying attention to where he was going. Then his head flipped around to see Indo standing behind them. She flicked her hair, then smiled. "Nagare, go back! You stupid bird! Go back!"

Indo was tired of wasting her skills on this battle. She tugged on the wire she had managed to snare around the birds feet as it tottered closer to the edge of the platform. Both man and creature went falling into the water with a huge splash. "Such a disappointment," she said.

"Winner, Indo Otani from Hidden Hot Springs," the announcer said from his position in the boat. The crowd cheered wildly. Indo lifted her hair tying it into a long ponytail as she walked back to the cage. She pushed the door open without a care. Her eyes lifted to see a young boy with silver eyes watching her. Indo raised a brow not sure what had caught his attention. "Can I…help you?"

Masaru almost jumped out of his skin when she spoke to him. "You were fantastic," he said with amazement at how she handled the overgrown bird. "I'm Masaru Uzumaki," he said pointing his thumb towards himself.

Indo raised a brow then glanced at her team. Masafumi turned himself to the side dismissing the encounter. Ogai's mouth was hanging wide open. Indo was sure flies could next in his teeth. She turned her attention towards Masaru batting her eyelashes at him. "Why thank you," she said flinging her long bangs out of her eyes. "Hope I'm not up against you in the next battle," she said with a giggle.

Masafumi shook his head. She's laying it on thick. What is she planning to do? Use that kid as an insider to the abilities of the others on his team. He turned his eyes to see Indo scanning the rookies for the other students from the fire country. That's exactly what she's doing. I'm embarrassed. He closed his eyes letting out a sigh of exasperation.

The remaining two battles were full of surprises as the Chuunin exams continued in the mist village. After battling all day, the announcer dismissed the rookies until the next day. The students walked down the steps to each platform until they were issued into the boats waiting. Onari sat amongst the random students watching the water flow pass the boat as it moved. She could only think of one thing as twilight surrounded the outskirts of the mist village. Takeru.

Exiting the boats, the students were ordered to stand in line again. Once again, they were led back to the village. Onari shuffled her feet not paying too much attention to the trees around the lake as they departed. She didn't care where Eiyu was in line, or even if he came back to the room where they stayed. Onari felt alone in the forest with the others surrounding her.

Rock Lee escorted Onari to a quiet part of the village where the trees swayed with the night wind. The street lamps were glowing with fireflies surrounding them. Leaning against one of the lamp poles was Sasuke Uchiha. He had approached Lee as soon as the exams were over about talking to Onari. Lee had had to express to the girl that avoiding Sasuke wasn't going to bring the man any peace. They needed to touch base in order to find out where their allegiance lay. One look at her told him that Onari was already executing herself the closer she came to Sasuke.

Sasuke didn't say a word to Onari until Lee left them alone. He stared at the ground, his mind and heart confused to what had happened weeks ago. Soon he found his voice, pushing back the anger, sadness, and twisted turmoil he was battling inside. "Give me the full details of how your mission went wrong," he said.

Onari was afraid he was going to ask her. She hated to express what she knew, much less, the images that were replaying constantly at waking hours. "We were on a simple mission outside of the village to bring back firewood." She stopped briefly the memory of her, Ryu, Takeru, and Saori moving swiftly through the trees. "We weren't out there just to complete our mission… but also to speak where no ears could hear us."

"Speak about what," Sasuke demanded, his harsh eyes not leaving her face. He wanted the truth. She had already chosen to not confide in him or Izumi about her past.

Onari closed her eyes. "We were planning ahead regarding the four celestials," she admitted. "Stupidly, we spoke like children in a fantasy world where trees didn't have ears. We let our guards down, not realizing we were being watched by the worst possible enemy." Onari saw him masking himself high in the treetops looking down on the waiting youths, his aggression already steaming. "The decision was to never unleash any of them unless we had no other choice." She paused. "I didn't want Gekido to find out that all four of them were contracted to another."

"And being in the same village makes them easy targets," Sasuke yelled losing his temper. "You gave Shogai to Ryu to save his life. What were the reasons behind the other two? Are you trying to build up your own army? Is that what this is all about, Onari? Revenge?" Sasuke's eyes saw her angry ones. "If you've got something to say, say it!"

"I didn't give Saori Josei! He chose her on his own! Takeru agreed to face Uso alone!"

"You offered it to him," Sasuke said standing in front of her. "He wouldn't have known about it if you hadn't of said anything! What did you say to him, Onari?"

The moment of her and Takeru meeting in the forest alone reared its ugly head at her. The words that escaped her mouth felt like lingering acid. Her eyes lowered, lips turning into a frown. "Eiyu wasn't meant for the dragon. It takes more than ninja skills to harness its power. Takeru was the only one..," she started to choke on her words. "The only one… who saw me as something important. He didn't care what I possessed. Only he was right for Uso," she said expressing the last sentence with quiet remorse.

Sasuke turned away from her disgusted. He crossed his arms starting to fume. "Takeru is in a coma because of you!" Without thinking, Sasuke turned around yelling the words at her.

Onari's eyes widened.

"Do you have any idea how you've betrayed Izumi and I? We took you in, Onari! We gave you a home! You've taken him away from us," Sasuke yelled with intensity in his eyes. "He's not waking up, Onari! He won't come running down the halls to chase you!"

The words hit her hard. Onari found the world around her stopping. She could no longer hear Sasuke yelling at her. She didn't notice Rock Lee and Kiba come out of the darkness to keep Sasuke from slapping her. The images of Takeru rubbing her head, or kissing her cheek while laughing at her, were fading. She had no ties to the Leaf Village now.

"This isn't going to help anything, Sasuke," Kiba shouted struggling to keep a hold on him. "It won't bring Takeru back!" Grunting he dug his heels into the ground. Rock Lee was preventing Sasuke from moving forward by using his own strength to push back equally.

"Let go of me," Sasuke yelled at them in outrage.

"I won't get anyone else involved," Onari said. The simple statement had Kiba and Rock Lee looking at her sadly. "I'll leave once Daiya has gone through his match. I won't say anything to him, I'll just…go."

Rock Lee kept his grip on Sasuke, making sure the man didn't try to get past him. "Onari, deserting your post means you are going to be targeted by the village. You have an ability that is too great. Others will be seeking your attachment to the Heaven Scroll."

"It has brought me nothing, Lee," Onari said looking up at him sadly. "The Heaven Scroll took away my parents. It made them a target and they were killed for it. Now Takeru has befallen under its spell. I won't let Ryu and Saori succumb to the same fate. Akaihi won't be seen again. There won't be a use for him."

"Sprout," Kiba started.

Onari shook her head. "It's not up for discussion, Kiba! I've betrayed those around me. I'm no better than Gekido at this point!" She moved swiftly punching the light pole behind Kiba, Sasuke, and Rock Lee. Her fist bent the metal to where it fell over as if it were nothing more than a toothpick. The light shattered on the ground. Onari turned around, her fists clenched in anger and defeat. "It was never my intent to hurt you, Sasuke. You were starting to become the replacement –" Onari took off at high speed running away from them.

Kiba pushed Sasuke away from his form, his teeth clenched. "I don't like any of this!" He ran off after Onari. With the state she was in, she could very take her feelings out on an unsuspecting person. He had to make sure the other rookies didn't find out about her abilities before it was too late. After all, the team from the Lightening Country was here competing.

In the shadows, Unkei Eimino crouched far above the building his eyes having watched the scene play out in front of him. So, it's just as I thought. You're an unusual person with that kind of strength. Too bad I couldn't hear everything that was said between you and the Jounin, but I understood enough. He stood slowly, his eyes looking around to make sure he hadn't been discovered. Taking off, Unkei smiled as he flew over the rafters. The moon shone upon the buildings as Unkei darted from each dark spot. Without the dragon to aid you, you're as helpless as you can get.


	86. Chapter 86

**V 9 ch 5**

**The path that led me to you**

"I tried to talk to her shortly after we arrived, but she wouldn't listen to anything I had to say. I'm sorry," Idai said expressing his concern. He watched the people walk down the street preparing for the second part of the Chuunin Exam. "I don't know what she's thinking. You're one of the few who isn't against her, you know?"

Daiya shuffled his feet, sighing. "She's trying to protect me." Idai gave him an unbelieving expression. He stood up facing his best friend, his facial features bland. "She's been my sister for a few years, Idai. I know her a lot differently than anyone in the Uchiha house. Right now, Onari doesn't trust anyone. It's been that way since she was exiled to the Inuzukas. There's also something else that's going on. Ever since she stood up to that guy yesterday, others have been taking an unkindly interest in her."

"Do you have a specific target in mind, or is this going to get lengthy," Idai asked.

"Certain ones were watching her intently, but it could be simply because they've never seen anyone with her talents before," Daiya said crossing his arms, trying to make a decision. "We kind of don't have the time to be playing cat and mouse." He let his back fall against the building. "The exams are in two hours. Not much information can be learned in that kind of time."

"Oh, I don't know, Daiya," Idai said thinking about it. "How many are you willing to know about this information?" He smiled a bit having a plan.

Yanagi zipped through the streets trying her best to avoid the gazes of the villagers. She had Masaru scouting on the roof tops for the places where the foreign teams were staying. Normally it would be information hard to receive, but he had seemed to befriend Indo Otani from the Hidden Hot Springs team. Then again, Yanagi figured they were both trading off for information to benefit each other. Indo had agreed to tell Masaru where her team was staying. In return, he had agreed to confide in her what abilities Yanagi and Idai had on his team.

I just hope Kiba sensei doesn't find out what we did. And besides, Masaru didn't tell her our real techniques. We had to make up stuff for him to blab. A ninja never revels her skills until she is forced to. Yanagi caught sight of a particular team she had been scouting. They were starting to move away from the main streets. Quietly, she kept low, following them.

Remaining far enough away not to be noticed, Yanagi opened her rear pouch. She took out a small wooden container with holes in it. As she opened it, she fished for a long wooden tube. A caterpillar crawled out of the container onto her hand. She whispered to it, "Find out what you can. Report back when the coast is clear." Yanagi held the tube out for the caterpillar. It crawled inside of it willingly, hunkering down, as it prepared to be airborne. Yanagi placed the tube to her mouth, took a big puff of air, and blew hard. The caterpillar went soaring through the air landing straight into a basket of apples. Perfect!

Chuichi Noro from the Stone Team examined a pear as he picked it up. "Those battles from yesterday were a joke," he said before putting the fruit down. "I don't understand how any of them managed to last this far into it."

"Simple. They were probably the weakest on their teams," Satoru Okawa said catching a mango that Chuichi tried to drop into the basket. He paid the old man for it. Biting into it, he walked with his team down the street. "Who knows what happened in the other trials regarding the ones who've already fought. They were poorly prepared. Hope you're prepared more than them," he said with a laugh towards Chuichi.

"I wouldn't partake in mocking the exams," Fubuki Kamoika said turning her head to look over her shoulder. "We're up against a lot of good challenges here. To just be invited to the Mist Village, is a rarity in itself. However, to survive them, even if it means in defeat, is a great honor."

"I get what you're saying, Fubuki, but still watch yourself. Getting killed like that poor guy with those man eating ants, was horrible," Chuichi said.

"It was a poor waste of talent," Satoru said with a disgusted sound. "He should have been better prepared. You have to hold your ground at these types of things."

"Coming from the expert who has been involved in five Chuunin exams, but never gotten this far," Chuichi said with a laugh at his team mate. "Speaking of which. What about that girl that stood up to the weird guy with the ants? She was an odd sort of girl, but in an exotic way, she was quite the looker."

"Don't start with that," Fubuki said continuing to walk down the street. "You may be up against her. We won't know who she's fighting until it happens. And I'm sure that will be the most interesting match out there."

"She certainly didn't have any fear," Satoru commented groping his chin. "Heh. She had a neat little way of using her chakra. Oh? You two didn't see that move she performed? She rotated the ball. Once she caught it, it changed direction as if she were building up chakra to shoot it."

"Regardless of what you saw, keep your eye on your own opponent. Especially if that's a peek at what she's able to do, " Fubuki said trying to get her team back on track. "There are other rookies for you both to be concerned about," she said scolding with her finger in the air.

"Yeah, but she was the most intriguing," Satoru said with a dashing smile. "I think I may have a new favorite," he said singing the last part. Chuichi rolled his eyes. "You disgust me. You're the worst womanizer I've ever seen in my life!"

Yanagi casually strolled near the fruit stand dropping her hand to scoop the caterpillar out of the apple basket. It had followed the Stone Team successfully. She kept walking on, the caterpillar crawling into her sleeve. She hoped Masaru and Idai were having some luck.

"Why are we doing this," Ogai protested as he crouched high in the tree near the mist village. "I could be training for the match. This is ridiculous."

"Stupid as it is, she is our team leader," Masafumi said cleaning his glasses before placing them back on his face. "Her idea of manipulation always gets her in trouble." He glanced down below to where Indo sat with Masaru talking about whimsical things.

"You know not everyone is as dumb as she thinks," Ogai said watching Masaru smile at Indo. "I doubt he really told us the true abilities of his team mates. Who would be that idiotic?"

"You'd be surprised," Masafumi said. "I agree we should be training right now. Who's to say that we aren't next? It's a random order they put down to keep us from gaining knowledge of a person's techniques."

Indo giggled like a silly schoolgirl, her hand going to her mouth as her eyes twinkled at Masaru. "Really? I can't say that my father does anything too important where I'm from. He's a ninja same as I am. My whole family is one of the older clans. What does your father do," she asked leaning back on the bench, her legs crossed out in front. She moved her chest just the right way for the sunlight to catch onto her breasts.

Masaru's blushed badly, his silver eyes blinking before he shook his head waving his hands in front of his face. "M-My father? He's the Hokage," he answered truthfully, averting his eyes as he turned his head away from Indo. Man, she must think I'm a total jerk for looking at her!

Indo tensed as her eyes widened a little. She had to regain her composure the moment she frowned. Damn. This won't be as easy as I thought. If he's related to the Leader of the Leaf Village, I can't try to gain any information out of him!

"Well, she's screwed," Ogai said with a told-you-so grin as he looked at Masafumi.

Indo had another idea. Since Masaru wasn't going to give up anything about his team, maybe he could blab a bit about someone else of interest. "Say Masaru, are all of the clans in your village threatening," she said laying on the scared voice as she looked at him. "My clan only attacks someone who tries to hurt us. We're not outright malicious."

"Huh? Clans in Konoha aren't that way. At least, I don't know of any," he said confused to what she was asking him. "Who told you the Leaf Village was full of people like that," he said with a nervous smile.

"Well, I was just thinking that that girl from yesterday – the one who bears the mark of the Leaf Village was from an unsophisticated clan," Indo started to say with a disapproving voice. "You can't go about making demands, or starting wars at the exams. They can be seen as a clan's intent to harm another in a village."

"Girl from yesterday?" It took Masaru a moment to figure out who Indo was referring to. "You're talking about Onari? The girl with the long black hair, a huge scar on one side of her face?"

"Yes, that's her," Indo said clapping her hands together. He finally got it. I thought I was going to have to draw him a picture, and then just go find her myself.

"Onari's rather aggressive from what I've seen of her. She's not liked at all by the adults, or most of the students." Masaru's opinion of what he knew was based entirely on what he heard and saw within his own home. His father had been consoling Sasuke about Onari long after a mission went terribly wrong. The word was spreading around the village like wildfire.

"And why isn't she liked? Is it because of that insane bullish strength of hers," Indo said hoping she had hit the nail on the head. Masaru's facial expression told her otherwise. She couldn't be far from the truth.

"No, someone I know was injured pretty badly on a mission that she was a part of. I don't really know the full details of what happened, but he's in a coma. Onari's kind of being blamed for that by one of the Jounin," Masaru admitted.

Indo was now more interested in this alarming mystery. "And why is a Jounin blaming her? Was he on the mission with her? Did she do something purposely to one of her team mates?"

Masaru shook his head. "No, it wasn't like that. His son was the one that was injured. He has every right to be upset about it. Takeru was only trying to protect Onari, I think, and her living in the same house as them doesn't help matters." Indo's eyes got so wide that Masaru waved his hand at her trying to dismiss whatever was joggling around in her head. "It's not like that, I swear! The Jounin I'm speaking of took her in when he recovered her from a mission he was on. He brought her back to the village to give her a home, and I suppose train her to be a ninja. They thought of her as their daughter, until all of this happened."

Indo found this to be a wonderful dramatic piece of gossip she had to engorge herself in. She stood up twirling as her eyes sparkled. The life of a ninja is full of chaos, turmoil, sadness, love, hope, warm, and above all else, the bonding of one's skills to her very ninja way! She sat down with her long hair flopping behind her with her legs now crossed hands neatly placed upon her knees. "Tell me more, Masaru. And don't miss any details!"

"Uh, well," Masaru said scratching his head. "Onari is from the Lightening Country, originally. She was found in a snow village fending for herself when Uncle Sasuke found her. No one in the village wanted her because of her strange eyes."

"Strange eyes," Indo asked leaning forward.

"Yeah, her eyes are yellow with an unusual ring around them. It's not like any kekkegenkai I've never seen," he admitted thinking about it. "We learned about them at the Academy, but only ones concerning the clans in our village. I don't know what her eyes mean, or what kind of abilities she has. Kiba sensei said Onari holds back a lot of the time to keep from hurting us when we do sparring matches."

And to think I thought he knew more. Indo frowned with her mouth open. I suppose being the son of the Hokage is not all it's cracked up to be.

Idai stood off to the side of the road, his eyes following the Waterfall team as they departed out of the village. He figured they were already headed to the lake where the Chuunin exams were going to take place. So far, no one around him had spoken of Onari – so there wasn't going to be much to tell Daiya. Maybe it's just him worrying because he's her brother. He picked up the pace following the team as he made sure to keep his distance from them.

Akizumi Uno moved his hand out in front of his from, turning it into a fist as he rotated his wrist left and right signaling his team to move. He shot forward with a huge speed increase as Zure and Okura went off to the sides. They were being followed. Placing his hand around the blow gun on his back he withdrew it.

Zure Fukuda snaked her way through the bushes until she had sight of the target. He was a tall youth, shoulder length red hair standing in a blue kimono. Her eyes narrowed. Having one's guard down even at the exams was foolish. She formed hand seals the water droplets in the air coming together to form a large ball of water. Zure sent the water bomb at the boy. Once it was straight overhead, she changed the last hand seal. The water bomb exploded with an outward impact, zenbon needles spraying everywhere.

Okura Terada withdrew his collapsible tai chi sword making a dash towards the lone ninja. Zure had already struck, her zenbon needles all over the boy's body. Just to be safe, he sliced his sword straight through the kimono. The form in front of him poofed into a log. "Dammit," he said whirling around as a large gust of wind caught him off guard. Okura was thrown back into the hedges.

Idai walked out from where he was hiding, his sword dragging the ground. His other hand was lifting out the second sword upon his back. "Sorry, I'm not as dumb as you think." His orange eyes flashed, his sensitive hearing picking up the shuffle occurring from a distance. With an uneasy defense, Idai rotated his blades dually in order to deflect a dart aimed at his throat. The dart pinged off the metal of the blade. He glanced at it. Idai was sure it was poison tipped.

Akizumi walked back down the path. He stood a fair amount of distance away, his blow gun lying on his shoulders, his fingers casually wrapped around it. "Most can't even deflect those since they're hard to detect due to their size. Exactly what village are you from," he said slightly interested.

Okura came out of the bushes from the other side of the path covered in brush. He picked the twigs and leaves off, annoyed. "I'll slice your skin off!" He started to make his way towards the red headed boy, his anger overcoming him.

Idai held his sword out making a gesture to send Okura back into the brush. He stared hard, his face blank. "Actions speak louder than words," he said with the tone of voice Daiya often used against others when a confrontation arose.

Zure kept one hand on the branch as her feet rested against the bark. She craned her neck, a kunai out as she hung like a monkey from the tree. "What ninja approaches a team without his own? You must think your techniques are better than ours," she said with sarcasm thick in her voice.

Idai saw Akizumi hold up his hand to his team mate. Okura stopped a few feet short, his sword withdrawing only inches from his real intent. He kept his eyes firmly upon Okura, his ears listening for Akizumi or Zure to make any sort of sudden move towards him. "To answer your question, I'm from the Leaf Village," he said mildly.

Akizumi started to laugh at the village hidden in the leaves. "So you're from the fire country, are you? Your trainer must have taught you well if you think you're a match for the Waterfall team."

Idai gave Akizumi one hell of a defiant look. "I won't have you bad mouthing Kiba," he said with a sense of loyalty that shocked the Waterfall team. All three of them redoubled, their stance becoming aggressive.

A Jounin from holding a clipboard walked along the path, coming across the team standing their ground with another student. He snapped his fingers, three other Jounin poofing near him as he stood with his arms crossed, annoyed at having to deal with such an issue this early in the day. "What do you think you're doing," he said signaling the other Jounin to surround the four rookies. "Fighting is not permitted unless it is at the exams. Move suddenly and you'll be disqualified," he warned watching one of the Waterfall students try to out maneuver the request.

Okura put his tai chi sword back into the casing. He scoffed at the Mist Jounin, his eyes watching them intently. "Stupid adults ruining our fun," he said to where it was heard amongst those standing there. Akizumi signaled his team to fall back to where he was. Okura took one last look at Idai from over his shoulder. "I hope you survive," he said sarcastically.

Idai only stared after them, not trusting the situation.

"Sorry, Daiya, we weren't able to find out anything regarding Onari," Idai said under his breath to his best friend. "No one's really after her, that I know of. Yeah, they're curious about her, but that's as far as it goes. Heck, I'm curious about her real intent here."

Daiya looked at Yanagi and Masaru who had helped to try to uncover any plot that was in the works. "I shouldn't have asked any of you to do it," he finally reasoned. "There wasn't enough time to execute the plan fully. Not to mention, I could have gotten you all in worse trouble by the Exam Coordinators finding out."

"You really think someone is going to try and take her out, or recruit her, or something," Masaru asked with his arms crossed, his large shuriken on his back. "That would be foolish even at this place." He didn't know if Daiya's worry had any grounds to it. "After all, even if something were to happen here, we're adapting to our training. The Jounin are here – also my father. It wouldn't go over well."

"No, it wouldn't, but Onari is sort of like a hidden secret," Daiya told him. Masaru only raised his brow. "She's been holding back her strength while under the careful eye of the other students – and trainers. The only ones who have seen her true abilities are me, Takeru, mom, and dad. Sorry, but we weren't sure how any of you would take it," he said seeing the frown cross Idai's face.

Yanagi held her hand up wanting a turn to add her opinion. "Onari's been on my father's team for two years, Daiya. He's seen her performance in the field and in private training. So has Eiyu Hyuuga. You're saying that even then, she's completely leading everyone astray to what she's really capable of?"

Daiya glanced at Onari who stood far away from everyone else. She was isolating herself from the others due to the confrontation by Sasuke the previous night. "Yes," he said softly feeling sorry for his adopted sister. "No one trusts her, Nagi," he said using Yanagi's pet name. The girl he adored blushed hard. "Ever since dad fought with her over Takeru, she's been keeping away from everyone. Including her team."

Masaru tilted his head slightly. This was news to him. No one ever told him anything. "How come I didn't know about this?" He looked at the small group.

"Because it wasn't supposed to be leaked," Idai said waving his hand trying to dismiss the accusation. "What happens in a family – stays in that family. It was an outside matter. All I know is they fought. What exactly transpired, or are we better off not knowing?"

Daiya shook his head slightly, his eyes shifting to the ground. "Dad blamed her for Takeru's condition. She's not objecting, or confirming what he's saying either. Onari is the type that will let a person thinks what they want. She's not going to try to change a stubborn person's mind."

"That explains why she always looked at me and Ryu like idiots when we tried to get you to do something we wanted," Idai said with a soft chuckle. "She has the right frame of mind. It's pointless to argue when no one's going to believe you anyway."

"Yes, but it isn't her fault," Yanagi said. "They were working together. Onari wouldn't let anyone get hurt if she was there. I've seen her react when we spar as teams, Idai. She's overprotective of those around her."

"But right now, she has no one to protect. Eiyu isn't having anything to do with her. She feels isolated," Idai said looking at her with a soft gaze. "You don't know that feeling. No offense, but unless you've experienced it for years like I have, or Daiya has you don't know what it feels like."

Daiya leaned against the cage the teams stood in, each waiting their turn to compete. Right now, Idai was out there fighting in combat. He watched his best friend move aside avoiding an attack from Yo Jippensha, from the Moon team. Where are you in all of this, Takeru? Can you see us? Are you here, or elsewhere? Onari's suffering from being blamed by Dad. He leaned back looking up at the blue sky, his gray eye focusing on parts he could see. I haven't told anyone, but my right eye is completely gone, Takeru. I can't see out of it anymore.

Izumi Uchiha walked into the hospital room slowly, setting her basket of home made food on the small table. She sat down in the chair, her lavender eyes looking over her son. He was still in a coma, his breathing soft, shallow, as if he was only in a deep slumber. Lifting her hand she moved his dark hair out of his face, leaning down to admire him. "I brought your favorite food, Takeru. Don't you want to wake up now?" Her eyes softened, her teeth biting her lower lip.

She wondered what was going on inside of his head. Was he dreaming, or out of his body? Izumi had seen death in many forms before Takeru had come into her life. She used to be a secret assassin for a clan, but she abandoned her post, and everything she had known to gain freedom. (flashback)

Izumi stood at the edge of the cliff overlooking the valley as the wind whipped through her long whit hair, the braid beside her head swaying gently. The blood on her hands, on her sleeves and clothing, was forgotten as she closed her eyes, smelling the wind for the first time. Eighteen-years-old and had never felt what it was like to run of her own free Will. She didn't want to open her eyes, wanting the moment to last forever. It felt different to not to have to answer to a superior, or have to bow so low, her forehead was pressed into the soil of the ground.

In that moment, Izumi was enjoying her first few minutes of freedom. Her eyes opened gently to see the sky in a whole new light. The clouds overhead were shifting, flowing along without a care in the world. In order to be free, she had had to slaughter the clan that was controlling her. After all, if a secret backfires, no one knows about the secret but you. She never existed to the clan, despite being in contract with them. Izumi had been a shadow since she was born, living separately from normal people. She felt like an animal who had managed to get out of its cage.

Looking down at her hands, she overturned them trying to figure out if there would have been another way out for her. She couldn't think of any. Live and kill was the only things she had known. Her name was only used as a light formality to give her face an identity so she could be summoned. Standing upon the cliff, she wondered what it was like to be around people who didn't control you. A sound caught her attention as she turned around, her eyes flipping left and right. Had she been followed?

Sasuke Uchiha stretched grunting as he leaned against the bark of the tree. He was sitting high in a branch, yawning when he had noticed the girl down below. "Odd place for a ninja to be by herself," he commented dryly, his dark eyes staring at her. She was afraid of him, going immediately into an attack stance. "I wouldn't, if I were you. I have no intention of bothering you," he admitted, his legs hanging over the branch carelessly.

Izumi tilted her head. The boy wasn't making a move towards her. He was only watching her. Why was he up there? Had he been chased by someone? "Are.. you running also," she found herself asking.

Sasuke raised a brow placing his hands on the branch, his back revealing the grass cutter sword he had had for years. "What makes you think I'm running from anything," he said a bit angrily, the subject quite touchy with him. "You're the one who happened upon where I am. State your business and affairs."

Izumi was so used to being ordered that she took to the ground, bowing her head low to the soil, her eyes closing. "I do not have any business here, or any affairs, Master." She waited for the boy to instruct her to go fetch him some food, or plot a bargain with her to get rid of anyone that was on his nerves.

"You're kidding right?" Sasuke jumped from the branch walking towards the girl casually. "I'm not your Master," he said disgusted. "Nor are you to take orders from me," he stated. He prodded her with his foot. "Get up. You don't owe anyone anything."

Izumi thought it was a trick for a while, until she slowly started to lift her head off the ground. She raised her eyes afraid to be rude to him. His feet were right in front of her. She noticed the soles of his shoes were worn out and dirty. He must be constantly moving. That sword on his back says he isn't a farmer.

"Well? Get up, or kiss my feet," Sasuke said blandly. The girl got up, her eyes remaining downcast from his. He looked her over. Hmm. Blood all over her hands and clothes. Appears she's gotten out of a bad ordeal. That expression on her face is the same prisoners get when they break out. "I don't know what kind of mess you're in – I don't really care, but you're not causing me any trouble."

Sasuke walked past her to look out at the valley. It was a beautiful green where farming had not occurred yet. "How do you like your first taste of freedom," he asked. He heard her gasp, jumping slightly to his question. "Sorry, I'm more alert than you realize," he said overlooking his shoulder. She was staring straight at him. Her face reminded him of an animal who had noticed a threat approaching, but the threat had not happened to notice the animal yet.

"Look, I don't know what kind of trouble you're in, but it isn't my concern. Whatever you've done, it's best to leave the area. News travels fast," Sasuke warned. He started to walk away from her down the cliff, the wind moving through his black outfit.

Izumi brought her hands to her clothes, looking hard at the blood staining them. She couldn't go near anyone. They would be suspicious of her. She looked around trying to figure out what to do with her life. Standing at the edge of the cliff, she contemplated her chances of survival alone.

Sasuke whistled to the girl. She turned to look at him with the same innocent, blank stare he often saw in small children who didn't know any better. "Come on," he waved at her. "You can't go out in public like that. I'll see what I can do about getting you a change of clothes."

"Wh-Why are you helping me," Izumi asked being unfamiliar with questioning an authority figure.

Sasuke looked back at her with a bit of shock on his face. He held his hands out. "Who knows. But you've been the only one I've seen for days out here. Something must have led you in my direction." He saw how she started to walk behind him, far enough to where if he turned on her, she could run and avoid his moves. Down the cliff they walked passing dark trees. The sunlight managed to find its way through a few branches, shining light down on the vegetation.

Izumi had never paid attention to the forest before. It was dark, peaceful, and yet full of life. A small butterfly fluttered in front of her path, moving from one side to the other. She followed it with her eyes, stopping to watch it.

Sasuke stopped also once he realized she wasn't following him. He turned halfway around to see her child like curiosity over a butterfly moving its wings on a bush. "Do you have a name," he asked wanting to call her something if they were going to travel together for a while.

"Yoru," she answered giving him her assassin name.

Sasuke closed his eyes, placing his hand on his hip. "That name isn't any good for you," he said as the butterfly moved on. Izumi stood up, confused. "Whoever gave you that name wasn't doing you any justice. It's not something you can live up to. I'll think of a better one. Come on," he said again.

(flashback)

Izumi followed Sasuke for several days until they came upon a fairly large village near the sea. She had never seen such a large expansion of water before. Without thinking, Izumi ran to it, shooting past Sasuke. She ran through the crowds buying fish, vegetables, and selling goods. Her feet sloshed through the water until she was knee dip in sea water. Bending down, Izumi scooped it up tasting it. She cringed, shaking her head. It was salty.

Sasuke followed after her slowly. By the time he had caught up to her, she was standing watching a ship far out fish for food. "You're going to catch your death, Izumi. The water's freezing," he said with his hand on his hip. The sea water touched the tips of his toes. It was spring.

Izumi turned around to look at him, her hair moving as a gust of wind blew towards her. It was stronger on the beach than anywhere she had ever been. "Izumi?"

"I thought it fit you. You have an unnatural obsession with water," he said. "Anyway, we should get your clothes changed. And get you a bath. You're starting to smell," he admitted.

Despite the arrogance in his voice, Izumi found him to be humorous. She started to laugh lightly at first, but then it became loud and uncontrollable. Sasuke was her first taste of freedom, a partner, and an unknown acquaintance at the time. "I smell? You smell like dog fodder," she shot back, a smirk appearing on the corners of her mouth. He had been out in the forest a lot longer than her by the looks of it.

Sasuke touched the side of his head with his finger, closing his eyes. "You know, if you're going to start that, you can stay out here by yourself." That made her laugh even more. However, he wasn't playing. Turning around, he started to walk off, but got ended up getting hit with a massive wave of water out of nowhere. Sasuke was knocked on his side into the freezing water. He came up coughing and whirling around with a glare. Izumi was standing with her hands stopped in motion, her legs out, in a pose.

"Would you like another bath," she asked her hands forming hand seals. The water molecules from the sea shot forth in a large stream towards Sasuke. He was on his feet in no time, poofing at the last moment to appear behind her. She blinked before noticing he had moved, his hands grabbing her wrists. Izumi turned and looked up, his eyes red. It was the first time she had seen Sharingan.

Izumi stayed with Sasuke for several years after they had met, having the normal arguments partners had. But when they both fell prey to the Kirinuki Gang in the Grass country, she and Sasuke found themselves in an unbeatable battle. Being beaten wasn't playing on either of their conscious's well. Sasuke was still trying to get up, dragging his sword with blood escaping from a wound on his side. He was in the last stage of getting revenge, when blackness hit him. His body fell back down, going slack. The five members of the Kirinuki Gang singled out Izumi as she stood near Sasuke protecting him with Suiren, her water moccasin snake. Manda was already vanishing the moment Sasuke had fallen. Her eyes narrowed, head lowered as she dared any of them to come any closer.

Izumi, herself, was injured, but not to the point where she couldn't stand. Her eyes shifted the moment she thought one of them was trying to move against her. The Kirinuki Gang was ruthless in its own right in this section of the Grass Country. They thrived on contributing to society in the ways of murder, theft, blackmail, and everything else that started a small mob organization. Sasuke's attitude on those around him was to work as an Avenger to assist those who had been wronged. A lot of it came from his childhood when his entire clan had been murdered.

The five members before her were equipped with large destructive weapons constructed from a well-known forger in the area. Each of them trained heavily in taijutsu and ninjutsu skills. Izumi didn't know their real names, for they referred to each other as a particular metal to avoid being sought after. The leader of the group had his face covered with a mask that he could see out of. He rarely spoke, but when he did, it was in a monotone voice that issued the four members to react on instruction.

It had been five against two from the start, and even with all of their training, Izumi and Sasuke were outmatched. The fight had lasted late into the afternoon until the sun was showing barley over the tree tops. Izumi had waited until the hard rain had subsided an hour ago, before she attempted to use her top ninjutsu skill. As the five members made their way slowly to her, she stood tall, her hands making hand seals with lightening speed and precision. They taunted her with smirks at her last effort to save herself and Sasuke from their wrath. As her fingers came together in the final sign, her eyes lifted to stare not at them, but through them. The water molecules in the air were gathering by her sides into two horizontal lines. "Tsunami," she said with a deafening yell, the water streams lifted forty feet over her head until it came raining down on the five members of the Kirinuki Gang. They were caught off guard by her true power, their bodies being smothered by the weight of the water, if not washed away out of sight.

Now was her chance. She quickly ran to Sasuke, dipping down to hoist him over her shoulders now that they were distracted. Izumi was back on her feet moving against the wet landscape, her feet sliding as she turned to leave the area. A row of kunai mixed with shuriken fire went at the space where she had been just a few seconds ago. Izumi didn't look back as she fled the scene, her main concern getting away from them.

They had found refuge at a small farm that they thought was abandoned. The farm itself had seen better days. The crops were withered, dry, and not being taken care of. She didn't know who had bothered to plant the crops if they weren't going to see to them. Staying in the small shed near the house, Izumi bandaged Sasuke's wounds as his pride healed. "I didn't bother to stay to see how many of them were left," she answered as he lay in the hay, the bandages fresh around his abdomen.

Sasuke sighed; he wasn't very pleased at having been taken down by others just as skilled as he was. "Stupid egocentric adults and their manipulating ways," he answered as he looked away, his eyes staring through the window at the sky. "How did you take them out by yourself…?" It was more curiosity than anything. Izumi displayed a standoffish behavior when she was surrounded by people, and when they were in combat, she waited to reveal any ninjutsu, taijutsu, or genjutsu skills she possessed.

Izumi glanced at him before she rolled the bandages up, her fingers moving over the material. "A special skill that I was sworn to use only when there was no other way out," she said mildly trying to deter his attention to it. "There were too many of them."

"And what is it," Sasuke said pushing her cheek with his finger. "You know about Sharingan and me being the last of the Uchiha. Spill it, Izumi."

Izumi grumbled. He had a point. She often hated how his points made sense after the fact of her avoidance behavior not being recognized fully. "It's a ninjutsu skill I call 'Tsunami'. It's sort of like the real thing, if enough water is around the user to execute the technique. It cannot be performed in dry areas, or where rain, ponds, lakes cease to exist."

Sasuke's eyes drifted to the sounds of shuffling footsteps. "Someone's approaching," he warned, his hand grasping the hilt of the grass cutter sword in an instant. Izumi was beside the door hiding with a kunai out. An old man wearing a farmer's hat, his hand upon a wooden cane, opened the door with difficulty, his breath getting the best of him. His old eyes befell upon Sasuke lying in the hay.

"My walking is a bit to be desired, but my ears and eyes aren't that bad off yet, young lady. I mean neither of you any harm," he said moving his head towards Izumi. "What are two sprouts like yourselves doing in here? Could have just knocked on the door if you needed assistance," he said jerking his thumb at Sasuke's injured status.

(end flashback)

That was when Izumi and Sasuke had met Karashi and Fude Michitari, the old couple who ran the farm. They were Takeru's grandparents, adopted by Izumi since she had never had any parents of her own. Sasuke didn't mind the idea after they had graciously helped him recover. And down the line, as years passed, Izumi became more than a partner to Sasuke. She was head over heels for him and he, her. They had been through all sorts of obstacles and confrontations in their early twenties. Through thick and thin they pulled each other out of slumps and troubling situations.

Izumi moved her knuckles in a loving fashion over her son's sleeping face. He was the one thing that signified their bond to each other. She couldn't lose him. Izumi laid her head next to his on the pillow, her lips kissing his temple in a motherly fashion. "I want to teach you my final technique, Takeru. It's one that will aid you when nothing else can," she vowed.

Idai grabbed his head, his body leaning forward on his feet as Yo Jippensha kept his hands towards his face, concentrating. Ah, what the hell is this? The platform Idai stood upon was disappearing to where he was standing on a wooden plank near hot boiling lava. The sky turned dark into cave walls, as a deep bellow came to his ears. Idai's head turned towards the lava to see a huge demon with horns as long as his body, wide as a tree's trunk rose above the melted liquid. Idai's eyes widened.

Yo kept the genjutsu going as Idai shot backwards towards the edge of the platform. He smiled with satisfaction as the boy fell pretty to his illusion technique. The world that Idai was witnessing was switched. He could choose to simply have Idai go into the water to disqualify him, but this was so much more fun. Instead, he wanted to torment the boy for making him fatigued. The illusion was going to be useless due to his exhaustion, but right now, he could cause the boy some pain before he ended the match. "I'll eat your brains," he said.

Idai watched the demon lean forward, its talons raking the wooden plank he stood upon. There was no where for him to run. "I'll eat your brains," the demon said its white hair moving as its hollow yellow eyes blazed with anger and rage. Idai was reminded instantly of the demon that had overtaken him for years. He panicked, moving farther back, his heels tottering on the edge of the platform to where the cave floor was. There was no exit.

Masaru watched his team mate making a fatal mistake as Yo continued to use Genjutsu to ellude Idai's attacks. His fingers curled around the bars of the cage. "IDAI! HE'S TRICKING YOU!" Masaru turned to see one of the Exam Coordinator's come straight after him punching him on top of his head. Masaru fell to the ground in a fetal position holding his head.

"You're not allowed to interfere with the match," the Field Coordinator yelled at the boy with blond hair.

Daiya's anger started to seethe the lightening charges beginning to spark around his arms. "Back off," he said lowly. The Field Coordinator flicked his thumb to the other man in the cage. "Back off of him," he shouted in anger at seeing Masaru struck.

Yanagi looked from Daiya to both of the field coordinators. She started to move towards him to stop him, but one of the field coordinators got in her way. "Dai-," she began to say only to be met with a fist coming straight at her stomach. Yanagi let the air out of lungs quickly by exhaling as the fist hit her. She doubled over.

That did it. Daiya erupted inside the cage with the other students fleeing as the charges struck the metal of the cage. A few of the students immediately took to the ground, covering their bodies with their arms as they yelled. He went straight at the field coordinator who had struck Yanagi. Taking out the metal rod from the casing he swung it like a baseball bat, hitting the man square in the jaw. The man went flying to the other side with Daiya after him.

"Uh oh. There appears to be something going on out there," Rock Lee said as he strained to see. He was at the edge of the stands his hands upon the railing as he leaned over. "A fight is occurring with the coordinators," he stated watching the distant forms move around the cage. The students were scrambling everywhere.

Sasuke put his fingers to his temple. Don't let it be Ryu. That's all I ask. There won't be a way to get out of this if it's him.

"Hey, one of the students looks like he's using the stone platform to guard the others from the-," Kiba stopped. He swallowed. Oh, brother.

"From the what," Sasuke asked. "Kiba, I know you can see better than any of us. What are they being guarded from?"

"From Daiya's lightening attacks," Kiba said with a huge frown on his face. The match below in the middle of the lake was still going in. The two opponents were not stopping their match to pay attention to the chaos in the cage.

Chuichi Noro from the Stone Team kept his mind focused to keep the stone of the platform raised to where the students could hunker down. They were covering their ears with a few of them yelling. "This is ridiculous," he shouted as the student from the fire country went crazy.

Ryu laid on top of Saori covering her entire body with his own as he lifted his head to watch Daiya take on both of the Jounins. "Daiya, knock it off! You're going to fry everybody!" Ryu yelped as a flash of electricity shot over his head. He grabbed onto Saori hard not wishing to look back up.

Onari saw that Yanagi was still on the other side of the raised stone, coughing. Her quick eyes told her that Daiya was reacting to something that had happened to his girlfriend. She scurried on all fours to retrieve Yanagi. Daiya ran around them shouting insults to the Jounin, also managing to lay a few good kicks and punches on them. She lifted Yanagi's arm over her shoulder, rose, then dragged the girl to safety.

"You son of a dog's rear, I'll kill you for laying a finger on her," Daiya said as his final threat.

The Jounin farthest away from the boy had to end the battle. People in the stands were yelling in cheers at the extra chaotic event that was occurring. He formed hand seals, his height starting to grow, muscles increasing in size and proportion. With a menacing expression on his face, he swung his mighty arm at the boy. "Get back in line," he ordered.

Daiya turned his head to see a huge hand trying to latch onto him. The Jounin he was fighting had backed off in hopes that he was going to recoil his actions. However, his teeth clenched as the stress on his heart gave him a warning. Daiya leaned forward his hand upon his knee trying to catch himself before he fell. He heard the sliding of feet in front of him. Looking up, he saw that Onari was in the middle of the fight before anyone could stop her. She was holding the man's large hands at bay with her own. "O-nari," he said the stars in his eyes starting to show.

Onari was being pushed back slowly, but she was matching the Jounin's increased strength with her own. "Pick on someone your own size," she said turning her body all of the way to the right. Her hands clenched on the man's fingers lifting him off the ground, only to throw him towards the now scrambling students. His body hit the bars of the cage, bending the metal. Her head turned to regard the other Jounin whose mouth was hanging open. "Get away from my brother! You had no right to touch Yanagi," she said to the man. The wind whipped through her hair, her yellow eyes displaying anger as traces of fire sparked off the tips of her hair.

Daiya shook his head trying to recover. He was met with Saori helping him stand. Soon he looked up to what Saori was staring at. The tips of Onari's hair were on fire, flames licking off and being swept away with the wind. "Her…Her hair," he said not understanding.

Ryu stood on the other side of Daiya as the Jounin redoubled to retrieve the field coordinator who had met with Onari's strength. "That's her true power," he said figuring it out as he watched Onari stand like a wall to guard her brother. "She hasn't accessed it fully until now." His red eyes looked down at his team mate. "She's protecting you, Daiya."

"Protection or not, the boats are coming towards the platform," Saori warned. She turned to see Onari looking at them. "They're going to try to arrest you for interfering. You're seen as a threat," she explained with her hands out.

Idai stood with Yo Jippensha on the battlefield, his swords out. As soon as Yo was exhausted from using his Genjutsu illusions on Idai, he was attacked with the full blunt force of Sound Knife. The crowds in the stands were now quiet. Idai turned to look back up at the cage where the students waited for their turns to compete. Something was happening. "What's going on?"

Onari realized at that moment that there was no way out for her. Sasuke didn't want her to return to his home, and she was exiled in Konoha for what had happened to Takeru Uchiha. Now she had protected her brother and was being met with more Jounin coming in the boats to stop her. She started to uncover her arms, exposing the tattoos etched into her skin.

Eiyu Hyuuga walked towards her. "What are you doing? Have you lost your mind? They're going to try to take you out! You can't go starting trouble everywhere you go, Onari! This is serious!"

Yanagi put her hand on Eiyu's shoulder. "I think she knows that, Eiyu. She was trying to stop them from hurting Daiya and I. This isn't about countries, or ninja villages. Not to her. It's something greater. We just can't see it."

Onari bit her thumbs, then proceeded to smear the blood on her arms, activating the contract she held with the phoenix. The symbols around her body appeared on the stone platform, light shinning blindly at the others in the cage. She turned her head to look at Daiya her eyes softened, her voice sweet and kind. "I love you, Daiya. Don't forget that," she said.

Daiya's eyes widened. Onari was choosing to run. "Onari," he yelled before he went back, the pain in his chest tightening. Ryu grabbed him to steady him.

The light around her grew shinning out everyone's forms in the cage. "Summoning jutsu! The celestial God of the South gate, Akaihi!" The pitching cry of the phoenix came through the air, the bird's form so large, the cage was bursting apart. Akaihi spread his wings, fire in pure flames upon his wings as he stood as a threatening appearance, towering over the Field Coordinators and students. One of his legs moved forward to get the point across. The Field Coordinators pointed to the phoenix as other ninja started to exit the boats.

Onari ran then jumped grabbing onto the fire licking feathers, pulling herself up. She crawled all of the way up the bird's back before she sat lowering her body. "Akaihi, fly!"

Akaihi opened its mouth sending a fire stream warning to the Jounin trying to come towards the platform he was standing on. His main concern was to protect Onari at all costs. Large wings began to flap, its body lifting off the stone, feet curling underneath. His yellow eyes searched the surprised students for Takeru, the boy bound to Uso, but he could not find him. The Jounin started to react by sending shreds of kunai, shuriken, and zenbon at its form, only to be stopped by Akaihi's swift maneuver to avoid the weapons. He dipped low in an arch like a hawk, before pulling up, soaring over the water past the stands of onlookers.

"It's a phoenix," the crowd shouted standing up in their seats. They went to the edge of the railing, the fire trailing behind the bird as it soared over the water. Its wings flapped to gain altitude.

Sasuke leaned over the railing catching sight of Onari as she glanced back at the platform. "Onari," he shouted after her, but it was too late. The girl could not hear him. She was fleeing the Jounin and also her life at the Hidden Leaf Village. His fingers curled around the railing, his knuckles turning white.

Sprout. Where are you going? Kiba watched the phoenix gain altitude until it was high over the tree tops, its body beginning to disappear with the atmosphere around it.

Idai stood on the platform as Yo Jippensha swam back, his arms throwing over the sides. "She really did it. She really left," he said quietly as he watched her become nothing more than a dot in the horizon.

Naruto Uzumaki stood out of his seat, his Hokage hat thrown to the side. His eyes followed the girl until she could no longer be seen. The other leaders from the various countries were standing accusing him of harvesting a creature to come after their own villages. He ignored them for the time being. They could be retracted and dealt with. This was a more problematic matter. Despite knowing what had occurred at the Uchiha compound, Naruto could not stand by and let Onari abandon her post. I hate to do this. She's stronger than any of us would have assumed at this point. I'm not sure what happened out there, but Onari's code of conduct has to be handled. His eyes turned to see Kiba enter the stand where he and the other leaders were. The ANBU were awaiting his command as they guarded him.

Kiba stood with his keen eyes watching the expression appear on his friend's face. "Sir, what are you going to do about her," he asked with the utmost respect. He hated to see Onari become sought after by the ANBU.

"I'm unsure, Kiba. Abandoning her post like this doesn't go over well with the village. Also, she's now demonstrated her behavior and actions to every one of the leaders from the surrounding villages. It isn't just about retrieving her now." Naruto looked down afraid to call it as it was. "Onari, herself, from what I've witnessed acts on defensive measures. Once we know what happened out there, the more I can focus on how to approach this. I don't want to send the ANBU after her. It could get ugly."

Sasuke stood speechless as his eyes focused on the water moving in the lake. This entire time, I was always afraid Takeru would follow in my path. Without meaning to, I've drove Onari straight into it. He brought his hand to his forehead, closing his eyes. I've failed you, Takeru. I've failed you in so many ways.

Daiya's breathing became sharp, the pain in his chest intensifying. Sweat encased on his forehead as it hit him. A current of electricity started to spark down his arm, but it subsided as his hand reached up. He fell backwards, his eyes closing onto Ryu.

Saori turned her head to see her team mate go through the last attack he was going to ever have. Ryu lowered him to the ground. She whirled around touching Daiya's pale face. "Daiya? Daiya!" There was no response from him, nor was he breathing. She opened his vest, her fingers racing to pry apart the zipper. Ryu was trying to call his name over and over, but there was no acknowledgement. She placed her ear over his chest, listening, her eyes frantic to try and find the beat. But there was none.

Yanagi stood motionless, her eyes staring as she watched Daiya lying on the stone platform. She didn't notice Idai move beside her, also watching. Medic-nin were being called by Ryu who was shouting at them at full force from the cage, his fingers wrapped around the steel. He was swearing at them for not hurrying. "He's not getting up," she said so softly it didn't sound like her own voice. "He's dead," the words escaped her mouth as her hands shook with anxiety.


	87. Chapter 87

**V9 Ch 6**

Daiya's Death

Daiya's mind fell into a dark world where his spirit was moving through mist and colors. He didn't know where he was, or what was going on. Last thing he knew, he was watching his sister fly away on the back of Akaihi. Had he lost the fight against the Field Coordinators? Daiya's spirit soared high into an unknown realm. His head turned to search the area for any signs of familiarity. Where am I? What is this place?

The clouds around him started to move. He saw a dirt path leading into the mountains. Daiya heard a wind chime off into the distance. His eyes noticed there weren't any signs of life here. There was no wind, despite the clouds flowing around the area. Daiya began to move his feet forward. He stopped to turn around to look at the area where he had unexpectedly shown up. The clouds parted some more to reveal a wide open area of sea among the clouds. His mouth fell open. "Where… Where am I? This isn't the Mist Village."

A gust of unexplained air moved down the path and hit Daiya on the back. He shrunk to shield himself. Once it stopped he lifted his body again, to turn around. There was a person standing with his head downcast, wearing a bamboo hat, with long navy and yellow robes. Daiya went to a defensive stance. "Who are you?" There was no answer. He tried to emit an electrical charge to prove his point, but nothing came. He looked down at his hands, trying to figure out what was wrong. Daiya's hair didn't spark as it usually did. Soon he started to hear a flute playing in the area along with the chime.

The individual turned around. He waited until the boy soon got the notion to follow him. As he made his way up the path, he could sense Daiya looking around the area. The grass and plants were dark in this area. It wasn't until they were halfway to the top of the summit, did colors start to appear in the plant life. The man with the hidden face finally decided to speak to the boy. "Are you afraid of where you are?"

Daiya tensed, not knowing what to think of the man finally choosing to speak. "No..," he answered softly. He felt strange – as if the place he was in was a mystery to him and familiar all the same. The closer they became, the more a Japanese style house started to appear. Daiya looked up to see statues of various animals along the path. One of them resembled a phoenix carved out of stone. "Onari," he said softly as he passed it.

The man stopped in front of the house. "What was it you spoke when we were near the phoenix statue?" He turned around to lift his head slowly so Daiya could see his mouth and chin. His long black hair cascaded down his shoulders.

Daiya shrunk back. For some reason, he felt as if he were a child in front of the oldest person in the known universe. "Onari is my sister. She summons a phoenix she uses when fighting. Why is that important?" He saw the man smile under the hat. "Who are you?"

The man with long back hair took off his bamboo hat to look at the boy in front of him. His yellow eyes saw many things. "The phoenix is a symbol that my clan has protected and fought over for generations. Once a long time ago, a man died willingly to protect his daughter. In doing so, she gained the phoenix sooner than anticipated. By doing this, he had saved her life, but also made her a target."

"Then what he did had consequences with it," Daiya said to-the-point. He wondered why he was being told a story such as this. Daiya saw the man nod slowly as if he were fatigued with that very same thought. "What importance does this have?"

The man sat down on the edge of a statue that resembled his father. "Might I ask what you think of the man who had done such a thing?" He rested his hands on his legs, his eyes looking down for a moment while the boy figured out his answer.

"The father wanted to protect his child. In that moment, there is not going to be a rational solution if someone's life is in danger. Despite the consequences it had, the daughter survived. She gains courage and strength the father gave her for his decision," Daiya said once he had looked up. The man was smiling at him softly, his eyes kind and understanding.

"I am glad to hear you say that, Daiya. It's nice to know that what I did wasn't perceived as an ill omen upon Onari," he said. Daiya's eyes were going wide. "I'm sorry to have tricked you from the beginning. I needed to know that detail first, before I decide the fate you hold."

"Fate?" Daiya didn't like where this was going. "What are you talking about? What is this place," he started to shout amongst the silence.

"This is the home I made for my family once they left the living world. It is small as of yet, but I had hoped to make it larger before anyone else arrived. I am Sashizo, Onari's father. You have left the world of the living to arrive here: Land of the Dead." Sashizo watched Daiya turn around several times, his head moving frantically to see if what he was saying was true. "You have died at the Chunin Exams, Daiya. It seems your heart wasn't able to bear the hardships put on it. Onari has prayed and guaranteed that you would return to Urea and I, and not to the Eimino clan."

Daiya's bottom lip quivered. "Why… Why did she do that for me," he said covering his face with his hand. He was dead. There was no turning back. Faces started to sift through his mind. "I want to go back to my family. I want to be back with…," his words stopped.

Sashizo saw what the transition was doing to the boy. He rose to walk towards the child adopted by his daughter. Sashizo placed his hands upon the boy's shoulders. "Your fate rests with those whose care you are under. In our world, time is not the same as yours. Whereas you are here for what may seem a long time, in their world it is a fraction of that. Right now, they are fighting to get you back. What happens, is going to be your decision as much as, theirs."

Daiya was led inside the house by Sashizo. He took off his ninja sandals to step onto the wooden flooring of the hall. As his last foot stepped down, there was a large echo in the house. He wondered why that had happened. "Why did it echo like that?"

Sashizo turned around slightly to smile. "It means that your spirit has made its print upon my home. Your spirit will not be allowed to be taken to another part of the spirit world."

"You mean that if I go back to the mortal world, and I die again, for good, that I can only return here. I cannot return to the Eimino clan, or to anyone affiliated with them," Daiya connected.

"That is correct. Your spirit wouldn't be safe with the Eimino clan. If you think you had it bad living with the woman who gave birth to you, try angry spirits. You're seen as an abomination to them," Sashizo said. "I wouldn't worry about what they think of you, anyway. It only matters what Urea and I think. You're welcome to stay here with us, when you choose," he said as he led Daiya down the hall.

Daiya noticed the pictures on the walls moved as if he were looking through windows to another world. He stopped to see a woman sitting on the floor of a small hut playing with a child. The child was chasing birds made out of light and watching them soar into the rafters. "They're real. The birds of light Onari spoke of, are real."

"Yes, Urea used to entertain our daughter with them when the weather was bad outside. It was hard travelling with her. Onari, as you call her, was scared of the thunderstorms due to the fact we managed to catch them outside every time," Sashizo said. He pressed on.

Daiya was soon led to the end of the long hall to a set of double Shoji screens. The doors opened automatically. Sashizo stepped through them to the other side. Daiya took a deep breath. He soon stepped through them, too. He whirled around to look back at the doors. They were still there, but the area they were in, was different. They weren't inside. Instead, Daiya and Sashizo were standing in a circular garden with a bamboo fence around it. He walked to the fence. Daiya gasped. Over the edge of the fence was a world of stars.

Sashizo touched a tall stone formation that was in the center of the garden. The entire garden started to move through the stars. "Urea would like to meet you. She's always adding to Onari's room. You can call it a hobby of hers."

Daiya only stared at the man as the garden continued to move through the open space.

*****************  
Yanagi sat on the bench outside of the operating room with her head clasped by her hands. Her eyes were wide, breathing unstable. Her boyfriend was in there. Everything she wanted, was falling apart. Daiya had lost against his opponent- his heart. Yanagi's tears fell hard onto the floor. The Medic-nin from the Mist Village were trying to save his life. "Please, please hurry," she said in the open air. "Please," Yanagi begged.

She folded her arms on her legs as her body bent to cover her sorrows. Genin were not supposed to cry, but Yanagi was weak in that area. She loved Daiya to the extent of her entire being. He was everything to her. Her soul was wrapped around his so tightly that when something happened to him, it hit her the same ways. Yanagi had wanted Daiya to stay back in Konoha – to not participate in the exams, but he was determined to let his team go through. Ryu hadn't been able to go to the Chunin exams in the past due to his team working problems. Saori had also never been. She supposed Daiya didn't want to seem as the weakest link in his team, but now was proving to be just that.

Yanagi felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to gasp slightly with tears in her eyes as a guy with messy black hair and yellow eyes crouched in front of her. Who was this person? Yanagi tensed a little until he smiled at her. Tear streaks were flowing down her face until he spoke.

"I met Daiya in the first trial. I'm Hashano, Ano for short. As hard as it is, don't focus on what's going on in there. If you do, it's going to stress you out more," Ano said as he kept his yellow eyes on her. "If he's going to survive this, he's going to need someone to bring him back." The girl was looking at him quizzically. "Call him."

Yanagi opened her mouth, but Ano quickly put his finger to her lips. She blushed at the touch. Yanagi saw him shake his head at her gently.

"Not with your voice. Call him a different way," Ano said. "If you're the woman he loves and you love him in return, your soul can call him." Ano reached for the girl's hand to place it over her heart. "Isn't this what ties you to him?"

Yanagi looked down at where Ano had placed her hand. She turned her head to look up at him. Ano rose slowly. He left without another word, headed back to the Chunin exams. Call Daiya with my heart? Is… that possible? Yanagi closed her eyes. She didn't know where Daiya was in there. I want you to come back, Daiya. Wherever you are, hear me. Please, hear me.

Daiya saw another shoji screen appearing out of the stars. This door wasn't an ordinary rice paper door. He saw detailed paintings upon it. It depicted the legend of the four celestial gods. As the garden came near it, the doors opened. Sashizo directed him to step through.

Daiya entered the room slowly, his body tense and not knowing what to expect. His head looked up to see a massive ceiling, unlike any he had ever seen.

Birds of light were fluttering high into the rafters, their wings beating softly as they dipped in space. Off to the sides of the room were various large trees. He saw a cherry tree with a swing hanging from it. Another tree resembled a maple with a small pond under it. The room was brightly colored and displayed silks hanging from rods that were suspended in air. Daiya moved gently through the silks, trying not to disturb them. His fingertips brushed past a few of them.

In the middle of the silk curtains sat a woman with long brown hair. She was humming softly to herself, while sewing a doll. Daiya stopped behind the woman not knowing if he should speak or not. He turned his eyes to notice Sashizo was not with him.

Urea stitched the red kimono onto the doll with grace, not missing a target as she sat on her knees. She sensed the boy had arrived in her daughter's room. "Sit, Daiya. I wish to speak with you," Urea said in a gentle motherly tone.

Daiya walked around the woman, his eyes never leaving her form. The woman had dark eyes, unlike her daughter. Urea wore her bangs long just like Sashizo and Onari. Her face was small, resembling a baby face. Urea's lips were adequate and plump with red paint. She was mysterious and intriguing. He sat quietly until he was given further instructions.

Urea finished stitching the kimono until she knew Daiya had eased some. She lifted her dark eyes to look over his form. "My daughter has taken a liking to you," she said as the boy blushed. "It's strange that she would seek refuge in you – the boy who is seen as a threat to the Eimino clan."

Daiya tilted his head. "A threat?" He didn't understand. He watched Urea lift a cup onto a table that wasn't there a moment ago. She poured tea into the cup, rotated it a few times, then handed it to him. Daiya looked into the cup to see his sister tackling him onto his bed. His eyes softened. Onari was running out of his room with him chasing her down the hall. She was squealing as she turned a corner to run straight into Sasuke. The man went flying backwards as Onari scurried over him to get past before Daiya grabbed her. Daiya couldn't help but smile. His finger stroked the side of the cup.

Urea leaned slightly forward. She saw how fond he was of his life back in the mortal world. "It is strange that you are the son of our enemy and our daughter is she who he seeks," Urea said interrupting his thoughts. "The one who sired you was not able to have children with his clan, as his father had hoped. Instead, he took with a woman who was not of his clan – of his superiority in the lightening country. To do such a thing, to have a child by that woman, condemns your existence to his clan. Regardless, he could not claim you if his mindset had been different."

Daiya lifted his eyes. "I don't care who that man is. I have a father now. He wanted me when no one else was willing to give me a chance," he said as the cup showed Sasuke sitting on a bench somewhere with his chin rested against his hands. "Is this showing me what is happening now?"

"The cup prefers to show happy times when hope is lost, or uncertain. However, it is showing you the present to help you make a decision. Your father is worried about you, as well as, others that you know." Urea lifted her hand as if she were massaging something in the air. The tea flowed out of the cup to move above the table. It started to form a girl with a bob hair cut. The girl was sitting somewhere with her eyes closed and her hand over her chest.

Daiya almost threw himself at the image, as if he could grab it. "Yanagi!" He looked at Urea sadly, his emotions starting to show.

Urea moved her eyes to see a breeze of wind trickle through the window in the room. With the wind came a sweet scent. The scent lingered in the room for a moment before she heard a small faint voice calling. Urea closed her eyes. "Someone is calling for you," she said softly.

Daiya got up to run to the window. He looked out amongst the stars – there was nothing there. However, he could hear Yanagi's voice on the wind. "Yanagi! Yanagi where are you?"

Urea stood behind the boy who was now frantically trying to escape the room. "In order to go back, you have to become the leaf that flows with the breeze." Daiya turned around to stare at her strangely. "How do you suppose you are able to hear her where you are?"

Daiya's eyes drifted down to the floor. "I can't… This is the land of the dead. Yanagi's back in the mortal world. It's… not her voice that I'm hearing," he said as it dawned on him. Daiya ran past Urea through the silk curtains to the front of the room. He moved aside the shoji screen to stare into the abyss of stars. "Yanagi!" Daiya looked behind him wildly before he heard Yanagi's voice in front of him again. He closed his eyes and leapt for the wind calling his name.

*****************

The medic-nin kept concentrating as his assistant focused her chakra on the boy's lungs. "It's almost in place," he said as the heart of another was moved into position. The other medic-nin in the room were trying to keep the boy's organs functioning. "How is he doing so far," he asked his assistant who was monitoring the shallow breathing.

"His brain isn't getting enough oxygen," she answered. "That fight took a lot of his resources. I'm afraid he's nonresponsive. We'll know enough details once his body reacts to the heart."

"What if his body rejects the heart he's given," another medic-nin asked. "What then? This is starting to take its toll on his body. You can see it in the pale color of his skin."

The woman placed the heart inside the cavity of the boy's chest. She started to move her hands over each artery and vein to connect it. After some time of quiet deliberation, the heart was connected to the boy. "It's in place. What are your orders, Doctor?"

The head medic-nin walked over. His eyes looked over the boy's body. The man moved his large hand down to the boy's chest. "A medic helps those in need, whether they are from his own village, or not. This child's life has been cut short. We will help him as much as we can." The man thumped his fingers on the heart to get the blood flow started. The heart didn't respond. He thumped the heart harder, his breath holding. Everyone waited. Within what seemed to be minutes, the heart started to pump. "Close him up. We'll know soon enough if his body rejects it."

Shikamaru Nara stood on the outskirts of the Leaf Village waiting. His dark eyes scanned the horizon as a lone woman with long white hair came walking up the path wearing a hat to conceal her face. He knew why she was here, but the sight of her presence would cause an uproar with the village. "You know better than to be out here, Izumi. There's still a price on your head for deserting your village."

Izumi lifted her head to look at the Jounin with her lavender eyes. "My son is in a coma, Shikamaru Nara," she said his surname with stress upon the syllables. "I won't stand down. I'll fight everyone in that village or another if I have to in order to get medicine," she said to the utmost seriousness of her voice. "Let me pass. I have to go to him."

Shikamaru stood his ground. He knew as any husband did, that a wife was there strictly for the sake of the children. Her mind was clouded by the thoughts that had brought her there. "I can't let you go in just yet. An ANBU has returned to the village with news of those in the Chuunin exam. Onari has fled the exam on Akaihi after fighting the field coordinators to protect her brother." He watched her eyes close trying to regain her thoughts. Also, Daiya is in the operating room at this moment. An unfortunate boy's heart is going to be placed inside of his body."

Izumi tried to run past Shiakmaru but as always, he had already activated his Shadow possession jutsu against her. She swore as his form moved quickly to stop her. Izumi's legs were forced to remain where they were. Only her mouth and eyes were able to move. "Let go of me right this instant," she said angrily, her voice displaying a mother's worry and fear. "I'm not going to lose both of them!" She tried to push herself to break the jutsu, but it was near impossible for her hands to meet. The basket of plant leaves she had gathered dangled on her wrist.

Shikamaru kept his voice low, "Izumi," he waited until she looked up at him. "He died the moment he tried to emit an electrical charge. His body just fell to the ground. The medic-nin were upon him and he was determined dead on sight."

Izumi's eyes widened. She practically screamed as she tried to fight the Jounin. Soon her body was let go by the jutsu. She slumped to the ground. Shikamaru crouched in front of her. "He's dead… There's nothing left for him," she said in disbelief. "Everything we have done, wasn't enough to save him," she said in a whisper.

Shikamaru reached up to place his hand on her shoulder. "Hope isn't lost yet. They were quick to revive him for a short amount of time. We can only hope that his body doesn't reject the heart he's given," he said seriously. "If it's rejected, he won't have a chance. Those closest to him are grieving for him. Please don't add to that pile, Izumi."

Izumi shook her head. "I'm sorry, Shikamaru. I adopted the boy as his mother. He and I are bonded to each other. Daiya's no different than Takeru." Izumi opened her mouth as tears escaped her eyes. "I won't go to the village. I'll stay here, waiting for you to tell me what's going on. I promise I won't go to the village," she said again until Shikamaru stood.

Shikamaru closed his eyes as he flicked his cigarette. "It wouldn't do Takeru any favors to see his mother slaughtered by Mist-nin," he told her. "I know it's difficult to accept everything that has happened. First Takeru, now Daiya. Try to be strong for them."

Idai stood over his best friend watching his lungs breathe slowly. There were bandages all around his chest where his ribs had been forced open. Idai lifted his hand slowly to caress Daiya's face. "Are you still in there?" His eyes were sad as he saw the breath fog the mask his best friend was wearing. Sasuke was not back yet. Idai wondered where he could have gone in a time like this. He saw the door to the room open slowly. Visitors were being limited to a few at a time to decrease infection. "He came out of the operating room a little while ago, Saori."

Saori walked over to the bed slowly. Her blue eyes drifted from Daiya's face to his chest. She leaned towards him to make sure he was really in front of her. "Is… is he going to be alright?"

Idai looked at her sadly. "They don't know. The doctor wants to speak to Sasuke-sensei. He wouldn't tell me anything when they came in. I don't know where Daiya is in there. His body seems to be stuck," Idai said for a latter lack of words.

Saori signaled to Idai with her finger over her mouth. She opened her back pocket to take out a scroll. "I snuck Ryu in," she said as she opened the scroll on the floor. "You're not aware how good Ryu is at Genjutsu and scroll sealing."

Idai watched as Saori formed hand seals over the scroll. The marks in the scroll were in a strange fashion. Instead of being written right to left, up and down, the scroll markings were in a circle with Ryu's name in the middle. "How the heck is Ryu going to come out of that? It's impossible to seal a person. It's only for tools."

Saori winked at Idai as she bit her thumb. She closed her eyes concentrating. In her mind, she saw the stars moving in the heavens with shooting stars falling. The clouds parted to reveal a shadowed form of Ryu standing in the middle. Saori called upon Shogai to send Ryu back to their plane.

Idai watched as the markings in the scroll started to glow in light. The symbols swirled until they caused him to hold his head to keep from getting dizzy. A mass of a black shadow formed out of the scroll until it started to shape into Ryu's form. Ryu's color came back, but he appeared to be translucent, despite the way the older boy was looking around the room. "He's not really here," Idai said in disbelief.

"Not entirely, no," Ryu said. "I'm actually still at the Chunin exams, in a secluded area with Shogai next to me. He's helping me sort of 'see' the room and what's going on without physically being here. There are a lot of worried students who want to know about Daiya's progress," he said as he looked over the boy.

"So you're saying you're not worried about him at all," Idai said as he caught onto how Ryu's eyes were softening at certain parts overlooking his friend.

"I am worried. I'll admit I'm more worried than you want to know, Idai. I'm fond of his bullish behavior. It gives a spark to my boring training days," Ryu said as he met Idai's eyes. "I can't stay long. It's using a lot of my chakra to do this. Is Daiya going to be alright?"

Idai glanced back at his friend lying in the bed. "We don't know. The doctor won't talk to me. He wants to relate everything to Sasuke sensei when he comes back. I have no idea where he went. He doesn't know Daiya's out of surgery."

Ryu sensed that if the doctor wasn't going to confide in Idai, then matters were only going to be discussed with next of kin. From the looks of it, Daiya was suspended in existence. "I'll see if I can't find him. I have to go. The exams are still continuing. You and Saori need to come back," he said as his form burst into blue pieces of light.

Saori rolled the scroll up. She looked at Idai. "Well you heard him. We have to continue with the exam. Daiya will still be here when we get back," she said as she reached across to touch his arm.

"How do we know that, Saori? He could go under again while we're out there. The moment he was pronounced dead, I-," Idai shut his eyes. He gritted his teeth to stop his mouth from expelling his emotions.

Saori moved around the bed to turn Idai's face towards her. "Yanagi knows you love Daiya. Daiya knows it, too. He has to fight for himself as much as we fight for him. Yanagi is grieving enough for everyone right now. We need to go comfort her. She's not strong enough to come see him right now."

Idai suddenly grabbed Saori hard to hide his vocal sadness on her shoulder. He shut his eyes tightly, his fingers digging into her skin. When they had left the village, he had wanted to give Daiya a sense of hope that he could accomplish anything. He hadn't meant for it to be the last moments they would spend together. However, that's what had happened. Takeru

Saori was a bit shaken with how emotional Idai was, but she supposed his feelings for his friend were true. Idai loved him as a brother – as Takeru, or Ryu did. She let his emotions flow before the nurse came in to tell them their time was up. They walked out together trying their best not to glance back.

The heavens moved past them as the sky showed its endless veil. Onari's black hair swayed behind her, tips of flame flickering off. She didn't know what had possessed her to get involved in Daiya's fight, but the sheer turmoil of seeing her brother hurt, caused a reaction from her that she could not take back. Akaihi glanced up at her as she stood with the wind blowing past her. They were free from the chains that had bonded them to the leaf village. But now where was she to go?

Akaihi opened his mouth making noises at Onari. He wondered what she was thinking. Even if, for the moment, they were free to do what they wanted how would she live her life? Was Onari giving up on everything that had happened to her? He wanted badly to express his concerns of her actions, but right now, he chose to remain quiet. It wasn't the right time to divulge anything to her. Focusing his eyes back to the sky, he let himself enjoy the time he had with her.

Onari closed her eyes holding her arms out a little to her sides palms open as if she were letting the wind claim her. "It's wrong to cage a bird," she said out of nowhere, her voice showing the same calm, humble attitude Takeru once displayed in his reasoning. Her head turned to see smaller birds flying as high as they were. The clouds parted to reveal the sea. They had left the mist village and water country faster than anticipated. "Akaihi, you can slow down. There's no rush." She walked around the phoenix's back, her ninja sandals digging in.

Onari lifted each of her legs taking the sandals off. For what had seemed to be ages, she felt the softness of the phoenix feathers between her toes. Turning around, she faced forward again, her eyes looking at all of the white clouds around her. In her heart, was sadness, happiness, and uncertainty. Memories with Takeru and Daiya went through her mind. "If the wind allows, we'll meet them again, right," she asked the phoenix.

Akaihi lifted his feathers, his answer to her question. Right now, Daiya was battling his body. He didn't have the heart to tell her what had happened. The less Onari knew right now, the more she could focus on harnessing her abilities. One day, you will see them again. I'm sure of it.

Onari looked out at the open air with fondness, her fingers playing with the wind as it went past them. She started to sing a sweet song to her brother and the love of her life that she had left. "With the wind, I dance around you~ like small children's voices harvested in play~. No more can I be tamed. For I am the fire that burns night and day~. Keep me there for us to see~ Where we cross and where we flow~ Your smile – to me- is more than you know~. A fight I'll wane till you can run~ together with me~ laughing and playing in the summer's sun~. Free as a bird with wings of radiating red~ I'll be there to kiss you sweetly on your forehead. A lover's kiss for all to see~"

Onari was satisfied with letting her true self show. She hadn't the heart to show Daiya or Takeru what they had really meant to her. When she had spoken to Daiya for the last time, she had tried to convey that she cared about him. Onari frowned at her seriousness. "I have a terrible way with words," she said sighing, letting her head slump forward.

Akaihi couldn't agree more. Now that…you probably get from your mother. He frowned at the corners of his mouth. We need to focus on that with other training that you need to endure, my daughter. For now, I'll allow you to remember what's holding you together. He soared even higher, his form getting closer to the sky.

"Hey, I think he's coming around," Ryu said as he leaned over the bed. Sasuke pushed him out of the way roughly. Ryu topped over the side of the bed hitting the hospital floor hard. "Ow, you jerk!"

Sasuke bent down watching as Daiya's eyes started to lift slowly. His son was unsure where he was. Placing his head gently on the boy's head, Sasuke rubbed his hair warmheartedly. "Hey Lightening Bug," he said with a soft voice. "It looks like your spark is still strong."

Daiya focused on his father's eyes. His fingers curled a little trying to grasp onto the reality that was in front of him. The dream he had had seemed so real. He had met two people whose faces he could barely remember. The room with colorful tapestries and silks….The woman sitting sewing a doll for a child. Who was the little girl? He tried to remember what had happened. The Field Coordinators chasing him around the cage. He had dodged and fought back. Right before the pain in his chest increased, he had seen a face. The yellow eyes drew his attention once more. "I love you, Daiya. Don't forget that," she had said. He tried to sit up abruptly. "On-ari," he said hoarsely.

Sasuke forced him back down into the bed.

"He doesn't remember what happened," Ryu said watching Sasuke place his hand on Daiya's forehead.

"Calm down, Dai. Calm down," Sasuke emphasized again. "We can't have you passing out after you just woke up."

"On-ari," Daiya tried to tell them. He had to tell his sister that her life wasn't what she had thought all these years. The people he had met were so loving and kind to him. They wanted her to have everything they couldn't give her when they were alive.

"Daiya, don't you remember? She fled the Chuunin exams after the Jounin were trying to stop her from going rogue," Ryu said leaning over the side rail so he could be seen better. "Didn't work very well, did it," he said with a smile his eyes closing. "That 'Firebird' nickname stuck."

"Ryu, I'm only going to say this once: It's not the time," Sasuke said his dark eyes becoming so threatening that Ryu poofed beside him only to appear near the doorway. All he saw was the door being swung open in a rush before a tall form of colors went ducking and rolling out of the door. "He always expects an attack," Sasuke said blandly.

Daiya weakly laughed. "I miss-ed him," he admitted. The afterlife wasn't much fun without a tall turkey to keep you company. He wondered if what he remembered was true. And if it was, was Ryu allowed to visit?

Sasuke turned back to his oldest adopted son. "You need to rest. I'll still be in the room, but your body needs to heal," he said as he walked over to lower the screen over the window. "Rest, Daiya," he said again until the boy closed his eyes. Sasuke exhaled. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but once he found out Daiya's condition when he was being taken away, it had pulled at his heart strings. I can only imagine what your mother is doing right now. I just hope Shikamaru managed to stop her from acting rashly.

Gin Akimichi ran down the road, her long brown hair shifting as she rounded the corner. She was headed straight to the Hyuuga compound, her panting showed she wasn't used to running all over Konoha trying to find her team members. It can't be true! It can't be, but Shikamaru sensei said he found out everything from an ANBU that was sent back.

Gin ran into the Hyuuga compound, her exhaustion getting the best of her. She tripped over her feet landing straight in the grass, her hands out in front. Gin panted, sweat dripping from her forehead. Her fingers clenched the blades of grass, ripping them out of the soil. She lifted her body, sitting back on her legs. Her eyes stared at the ground. Shaking her head, Gin refused to believe what she had been told.

Kandai walked out on the porch with Areku, Ichigo running around the outside of the house happily. Neji wouldn't permit Ichigo to come inside the house. The puppy wagged her tail once she saw Areku. Kandai turned his head, stopping his conversation with Areku as Ichigo barked running off. He followed his eyes to see Ichigo going straight to Gin. "Hey, what are you doing sitting in the grass, Gin? You could have come in," he said walking to the other end of the porch.

"Shikamaru sensei came to my house to tell me about the Chuunin exams," she said her hands going over each other. She watched as Areku Inuzuka walked off the porch to pet Ichigo. Kandai was overlooking her trying to figure out why her anxiety was arising. "It's bad you guys. Onari has fled the exams on the back of Akaihi." Areku looked up, his body bent forward with his hand outstretched as Ichigo licked his fingers from the food he had had as a snack. "And Daiya Uchiha died. He was admitted to the hospital shortly after they brought him back. I don't know anything else."

Kandai looked at Gin sadly. "Onari fled the exam? Where has she gone? What reason did she have to leave?"

Areku stood up, Ichigo now sitting wagging her tail next to his feet. "It's worse than that. She'll be hunted down and brought back against her will. A ninja cannot evade the village." He turned to look at Kandai. Onari was one of his friends. He had trained with her when she had first come to the village. "I'm sorry, Kandai," he said sincerely.

"I'm not sure. Shikamaru sensei said that the ANBU was limited on what he could tell us. I hope Onari isn't in some kind of trouble," Gin said before she was silenced by Neji Hyuuga making his presence known. "Good afternoon, Mr. Hyuuga," she said quietly.

Neji stood with his arms by his side, his authority silencing the youth around him. "Who's in trouble?" Neji had heard the last part of the conversation as he was walking towards the entrance to his house. Ten Ten was happily humming to herself moving about behind him as she cleaned up the snack tray she had left out for Areku and Kandai.

Gin was afraid to answer Neji. He was quite a serious man, his silver eyes overlooking the kids as they stood near each other. Her fingers clenched her kimono, her eyes gently rising to see if Kandai was going to tell him.

"Onari," Areku said as he picked Ichigo up. The puppy wagged her tail barking at him for his attention. Areku silenced her by putting his finger on her nose to calm down. "Not now, Ich." Ichigo play growled at him, not agreeing. "She's left the Mist Village," he continued waiting for anyone else to add anything.

Neji turned his head looking out at the sky as if he could squint or use Byakugan to find her whereabouts. He sighed. There was a lot of aggression planted in that girl. "Are you sure she isn't returning by her own methods," he asked fearing the decision Onari had made.

"Shikamaru sensei said that it might be because she was avoiding being taken in for interfering with the field coordinators," Gin said softly. "Daiya was fighting them for hitting Masaru. Masaru tried to warn Idai while he was having his battle. I don't know anything else," she said abruptly looking away as Neji's eyes fixated on her.

"There's more to it than that. There has to be more to it than that," Kandai said breaking the silence that was lingering outside the Hyuuga house. "Onari had other reasons on her mind," he said looking at each of them.

Kiba knocked on the door, the pile of students waiting outside the hospital room. He was told to enter by Sasuke. Opening the door, he stuck his head through to make sure Daiya was awake. "Hey, how's it going? You've got a ton of people out here wanting to see you," he said with a toothy grin. "Question is, would it be alright with your old man," he said giving Sasuke a new name.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "Old man? Kiba, if that's your idea of a joke, I'll knock the hell out of you." He heard Daiya laugh. It was the same scenario over and over with Kiba. The man thought he was funny at time. Sasuke had to prove otherwise. "It's Daiya's choice who he wants to see."

Kiba opened the door a little more, but stood in the entrance way so no one could look, or get past. The students were announcing who should enter first. Kiba turned around. "You guys quit it. If you're going to be this rowdy, no one's going in!" He turned back around to look at Daiya. "Let's see, there's my team, Sasuke's, and some guy named Ano from one of the competing teams that wants to see you."

Daiya was surprised Ano from the Fang Country was outside. "Ano," he said questioningly. He remembered who he was in great detail. If it hadn't of been for the older boy, Daiya would still be stuck in that box.

Kiba waved Hashano 'Ano' Maeno through the crowd of students. "Ryu, get out of his way. Daiya called for him first," he said from the doorway.

Ryu narrowed his eyes at the boy who was close to his age. "Why the hell does he get to go first? He's not on his team, or anything," he said angrily. Saori pulled his arm, then violently tugged him backwards to where he was forced to sit down.

"Because he's who Daiya asked for," Kiba said. "You're acting like a child," he commented as he moved aside for Ano to go through. Kiba closed the door. The kids started complaining about the order of students to go in next. "I'll decide who goes in next. The calmest person is allowed to enter. And right now, that's none of you!"

Ano bowed low as he greeted the Jounin in the room with Daiya. He had learned in the hall from listening to the students that this man was Daiya's father. He stood back up before he walked over to the bed. Daiya was looking up at him, his breathing soft and deep. He appeared to be better now that he had gotten out of surgery. "You scared a lot of us back there," he said about the fighting between Daiya and the Jounin. "I was expecting to get a pretty good electrical show, but you blacked out on us." Ano was trying to keep the soft smile, but truth was, he had been worried when he had seen Daiya unconscious.

Daiya lifted hand up trying to grab onto Ano's clothing. His arm hovered halfway, his fingers outstretched. In a sense, Ano reminded him of Takeru. The boy was sincere and had a bit of quirky humor to him like Ryu. "Thank you," he said gently.

Ano grabbed Daiya's hand, interlacing his fingers as he pulled the boy's arm up in a strong grip. "We're friends now, so I'm allowed to worry. Just keep resting and I'll see you again before you leave alright? I've got to go back to the exams. I'm getting close to beating the pants off the finalists," he said with a huge grin. "And it's pissing Dayu, our team leader, off."

"I can't imagine why," Sasuke said much to the boy's confession.

Ano laughed heartedly. He had forgotten Sasuke was sitting in the chair near the window. The man was so quiet, it was eerie. Ano reached his other hand up ruffling Daiya's hair. He bent down, letting Daiya see the yellows of his eyes. "Behave yourself, Daiya. Don't cause too much trouble. I'd hate for your dad to have to come after you." Ano stood back up holding his hand up.

"You're coming back," Daiya asked afraid that Ano was going to not keep his promise.

"Yeah, I'll come back. No one's going to stop me. Not even that temperamental guy out there with the face mask," Ano said as he turned around. He opened the door with a click and was gone.

"Seems Ryu got a little jealous of him coming in," Sasuke commented.

The door opened again. Daiya turned his gaze back to the entrance to see Idai walk through. Idai had to duck under Kiba's arm. Daiya could hear Ryu mouthing off about why he wasn't next. "He is jealous," he said quietly. Before he could greet Idai, Idai practically threw himself at him. Daiya tensed a little at his best friend hugging him so hard, but he relaxed in time. "Idai, I'm okay," he reassured, his hand lifting to his back.

Idai closed his eyes just holding onto Daiya. "Don't you ever do that again," he said with such sternness and authority that it made Sasuke turn his head. "I'm not playing, Daiya. NEVER." He met Daiya's gaze with his orange eyes.

Soon Idai left once he was reassured that Daiya was going to be alright. Ryu, Saori, and Yanagi managed to get past Kiba with a trick of their own. He watched them burst into the room with Kiba trying to tackle them as he whirled around. Ryu shut the door quickly locking it. Daiya tilted his head. Yanagi came rushing at him in a whirl of pink hair and sobs.

Saori put her arms around her team mate's neck, kissing the side of his head. "Aw, you're blushing," she giggled as Yanagi gave him affection from the other side. "It's our payback for what you put us through. No more scaring us, Daiya," she said as she pinched his cheek.

Ryu clenched his fists at the girls hogging his friend all to themselves. He jumped on the bed, crawled over Daiya much to the surprise of everyone and hugged him so hard that Daiya struggled to breathe. Saori told him to let go because he was trying to kill him. Ryu loosened his hold, but remained on the bed with Sasuke warning him about his actions.

"Ryu,…?" Daiya lifted his hand touching his friend's arm. He didn't mind the attention, but he didn't understand why Ryu was acting this way. Normally he was carefree, laid back, and nothing bothered him. He saw Saori smile at him gently. She knew what was going on, he supposed. "Saori, why is he..?"

Ryu let go of Daiya abruptly, jumping off the bed. He was out of the room in an instant, moving quickly away from Kiba, Masaru, and Idai. Ryu walked down the hall leaving the hospital with his head downcast.

"Dad, why did he-," Daiya started.

Sasuke stood from the chair, his hands on his knees. "You two keep him company for me. I'll be right back." He opened the door softly, then left.

Saori hugged Daiya again happily to see him awake. "Daiya, when we get back to the village, let's train even harder! We'll climb cliffs, explore the river, run up the trees and see who can get the highest," she gleamed.

Yanagi opened her mouth laughing. "Saori, why don't we just have a party?" She kissed her boyfriend's cheek tenderly. "I missed you so much, Lightening Bug," she said rubbing her nose on his skin.

Sasuke found Ryu hiding with his back leaning against a tree near the hospital. Ryu's arm was over his eyes, shielding anyone from viewing them. He inhaled deeply closing his eyes before he walked carefully to Kakashi's son. "Ryu," he said in a quiet voice. Ryu didn't look up, or acknowledge him in any way. Sasuke leaned back, his hands in his pockets. The sky was moving overhead, the clouds hanging above the Mist Village as if a lady passing the floor with her kimono. "It's alright to show you care," he finally said, his thoughts dwindling on his other son back home. "If not now, then when is another opportunity going to present itself," he said closing his eyes.

Izumi Uchiha waited for any further news regarding her oldest son. She sat quietly in the room, her head lifted to stare at the ceiling. She had asked the hospital staff to remove Takeru from the room, so that he could be within her sight at all times, at home. He was lying in her bed, his form still. The shoji screen was open to the backyard, the sounds of birds coming through the room.

Izumi started to doubt her parenting abilities since both of her sons had been injured in a short amount of time. It was unlike any other experience she had had in her life. "It's funny, isn't it, Sasuke," she asked out loud. "We're both assassins by trade, but the one thing that injures us isn't a kunai, a shuriken, or any brand of weapon." She swallowed, her head moving to stare out at the garden. "Our family being destroyed is what hurts the most," she said closing her eyes. "I want so much right now, that I'm being selfish. I want both of them to run down the halls. I want… I want Onari to steal food off our plates, and-," Izumi laughed at a fond memory. "Try to force Takeru to take a bath with her."

Izumi's fingers held tightly to the stuffed bear Onari had given Takeru on a trip. The bear's head went back, its black eyes blankly shifted upwards. Its back was curved, arms dangling at its sides. The cat Onari had left behind had taken refuge upon Takeru's bed, its form curled up, tail twitching as it slept soundly. Soon the exams would be over. It felt lonely in the house without the rowdy behavior coming from the two boys chasing Onari. "It's too quiet, isn't it, Takeru? I bet you're not used to this sort of atmosphere anymore."

Upon the bed, the wind coming through the shoji screen entrance moved Takeru's bangs gently over his face. As the wind caressed his skin, the sheets upon the bed moved like a white sea. It was ending July, the birds welcoming the lesser hotter days of August when the winds would be cooler. As the wind blew again, the wind chime dinged outside, its gentle sound coming to his ears. Ever so softly, with the second ding of the chime moving with the wind, Takeru's fingers moved.


	88. Chapter 88

**V9 ch 7**

Returning

"No, Sasuke," Onari said as he picked her up, putting his arms around her to prevent her from leaving the Uchiha compound. "I've got to help Takeru!" She was attempting to fight him for all that it was worth. However, he was not easing up in his grasp or his strength. In fact, Sasuke had sent Daiya to get Lee to help him. Rock Lee was one of the few people who could contain her. The man was faster than she was. Onari tried to break free before Lee came.

"You can't go, Onari! Takeru is injured! If you leave the compound and go to the hospital, I won't forgive you," Sasuke said with anger. Onari didn't understand that she wasn't able to help his son. However, it didn't stop her from defying him. Izumi had remained at the hospital to watch over Takeru. Sasuke had to keep an eye on Onari. She was bent on returning to aid Takeru. "Why can't you understand that my son is dying? I don't want you to upset Izumi more than she already is!"

"I'm supposed to protect Takeru! He's mine," she screamed as she kicked her legs trying to get Sasuke to loosen his hold on her. He simply didn't get it. She knew that. At that moment, Onari didn't know how she was going to help Takeru.

"Onari, stop fighting Sasuke," Rock Lee said as he showed up. He grabbed a hold of the girl's legs. Onari was defiantly trying her best to kick him aside. He was glad he arrived when he did. Sasuke was worn out, his face stricken with grief. "You will mind him! There is no need for you to throw a tantrum!"

Daiya was watching his sister sadly. He knew she was upset with what had happened to Takeru. Yet, he wasn't acting the way she was over it. Onari had pushed Sasuke all of the way up against the wall with her back. Daiya grit his teeth. "Stop it, Onari! Have some respect for Takeru! He's dying and I can't babysit you all of the time like you're a child!"

Lee turned to see around to glance at Daiya. Daiya ran off, his emotions getting the better of him. He was out the door in a matter of seconds, slamming the screen with a loud clack.

"I will handle Onari. You go after him," Lee said. He held Onari firmly against his body. "You need to calm down. Sasuke and Izumi do not need you lashing out."

Onari shook her head at Lee. "I'm not trying to go against them, Lee! I need to help Takeru. Sasuke doesn't understand my connection to him," she said emphasizing a type of plea bargain.

"How are you going to assist him? He has had the medic-nin tending to him since Ryu brought him back. They are not able to wake Takeru. The wounds on his body are worse than they thought. Sasuke and Izumi are having to face the death of their son," Lee said sternly. "You need to have more respect for them at this difficult time."

Onari grunted as she tried to wiggle out of Lee's grip. It was no wonder Sasuke had wanted him to be her trainer. "Let me go! I love Takeru!"

Rock Lee looked down at Onari. "Is that why you wish to defy Sasuke and risk his wrath?" He watched her shy away when questioned.

"I know what love is. I see him smile at me despite how I look or the way I am. He stays with me no matter what crosses his path," she said. "Eiyu is jealous of him – even after this."

Rock Lee set Onari down, not realizing he had her lifted off the floor. She didn't run when he let go of her. Putting his hands firmly on her shoulders, he looked her straight in the eyes. "Sasuke does not want you to go to the hospital, Onari. If you upset him, he won't allow you to come back to this place. Are you willing to risk that?"

Onari looked at Lee seriously. "I will risk my life for his son. I will risk my home. There are no risks when Takeru is involved." She narrowed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Lee sensei. I'm not as obedient as you think I am." She raised her hand quickly, her palm out as she did a fierce chakra push at Lee's abdomen. He went flying backwards, slamming into the wall so hard that he was knocked out. She was determined to save Takeru. The boy had been protecting her. Did no one realize that? She walked past her trainer. His head was slumped to the side. "I'm sorry," she said again as she walked away.

Where could he have gone? Sasuke walked the area around the compound slowly. His mind was on Takeru. His son was suffering badly and he couldn't stop it. It was a father's worst nightmare. Sasuke put his hand on the wall surround the area. He lifted his hand to his forehead. Sasuke leaned against the wall, his feet feeling as if they were going to give out. "Daiya, where are you," he shouted. Sasuke closed his eyes gasping as his emotions got to him. He let his body sink against the wall. My son is dying. He couldn't take it. His whole family – entire clan- had been slaughtered by Itachi many years ago. The most important thing him, was his son. Takeru was the reason Sasuke and Izumi had a life.

Takeru came running down the hallway happily to his parents room. He started to beat on the door. "Mama! Daddy! I got accepted to the Ninja Academy! Mama! Daddy! Wake up!" Takeru jumped at the door eagerly. He grabbed onto the knob and tugged. It wouldn't open.

The door finally clicked open. The boy jumped at his mother. "Mama! I got accepted to the Ninja Academy!" Takeru looked at his father who was yawning and scratching his head. Takeru went for his father, tugging on his shirt. "Daddy, look!" He waved the acceptance scroll at his dad.

Sasuke crouched down to his son. He smiled at him. "What did you get? An acceptance scroll?" Sasuke teased his son a little. He closed his eyes and fell backwards as if he couldn't wake up entirely. He pretended to be asleep as Takeru crawled over him. His son was tugging hard on his shirt, straddling his abdomen. "I can't hear you, Takeru. I'm asleep."

"Daddy, get up. They don't accept everybody," Takeru said pouting. He crossed his arms as he saw his father open his eyes.

Sasuke reached his hand up to rub his son's cheek. "I know they don't. I'm very proud of you, Takeru. Are you excited to start training and making friends?"

"Daddy, what if the other kids don't like me," Takeru asked. He lowered his head. He only has Masaru, the Hokage's son, to talk to. And even so, he didn't see much of the boy.

Sasuke sat up. "You have to think positive, Takeru. You need to be yourself. Others will respect you for who you are. Not what you can give them. You'll make friends."

Sasuke walked out into the garden. His son was sitting on the bridge crying. Walking over, concerned, Sasuke stopped a few feet trying not to be too overbearing. "What's wrong, Takeru?" Takeru turned away. Sasuke new the boy didn't want to show emotions around him since he had began his training at the Academy.

Sasuke sat down beside him. It was terrible to see his child upset. Takeru was trying to avoid his father's gaze. He lifted his hand and tried to coax Takeru into looking at him. "You only come out here when you're upset. What happened at the Academy?"

Takeru wiped his eyes. "I don't have any friends. No one likes to talk to me. They all avoid me." He started to cry again, not able to help himself. "Masaru made friends with the other kids. He also trains with his cousins. I don't have any family."

Sasuke grabbed his son and held him hard. Takeru was lonely. He had hoped that his admittance to the Academy would keep his son focused on other things besides how alone he was. Sasuke had wanted Takeru to make friends, but he was having trouble. "Takeru, you need to detach from Masaru. Both of you are growing up. Each of you have a different path to follow. Stop concerning yourself with what you don't have. You need to look at life as it is. I cannot change the future for you. You have to change it yourself." Sasuke had been on his own since he was nine-years-old. He had had to grow up at the same age his son was now. He wanted Takeru to be more independent. It was time he stopped wanting to follow someone else and learn to lead.

Takeru looked up at his father. "But-," he lowered his head the moment his father's stern gaze held onto his. He swallowed hard.

"You must learn to protect yourself, Takeru. Your mother won't always be around. You have to lead from here on out. Your future is in your hands – and in yours only. I had to grow up at your age. You need to do it, too," he said seriously.

Sasuke covered his face. Had he pushed Takeru too soon? His son was only thirteen-years-old and he was mortally wounded. The medic-nin were keeping blood in his son's system, but it was difficult to maintain the flow to the brain. There were always medical advances over the years in Konoha. Where Takeru had been wounded was a huge factor in his outcome. His body did not have regeneration capability like Tsunade had had.

Sasuke clenched his teeth. He threw a kunai out of anger. It was his duty to protect others. His son had been injured when he was on a mission with three others. "Damn it," he said lowly. Everything was out of his control.

"Dad?" Daiya walked up to Sasuke slowly, his head slightly lowered. The man was his trainer and his adopted father. Daiya knew Sasuke was upset. Takeru was his real son – unlike Daiya. He crouched to put his arms around his father's neck. He laid his head on the man's shoulder.

Sasuke looked down to see Daiya grabbing onto him. He put his hand on the back of the boy's head. "Daiya, don't run off like that. I can't handle something happening to you," he said softly. He put his other hand around his son and held him closer. Sasuke worried about Takeru more when he thought of his household – and his students. Right now, he was supposed to be preparing those kids for the Chuunin Exams.

"What will happen to me and Onari," Daiya asked. He figured if anything went drastically wrong, that his place would be pointless at the Uchiha compound. He and Onari had been accepted by the Uchiha for the sole purpose of bonding with Takeru. Daiya had figured that out a long time ago. If the purpose was gone, then he had no existence.

Sasuke kept his dark eyes on Daiya. He knew what the boy was thinking. "You two will remain with Izumi and I. You are our son, Daiya," he stressed.

"Onari isn't your daughter though. She wasn't adopted like I was. I think of her as my sister, but she isn't. What is she to you..?"

He was taken off guard by the question. What was Onari to him? He thought of her as a daughter, but didn't feel the need to giver her his surname. "I think a lot of Onari. You're right that she isn't my daughter. I don't want to change her name by giving her mine. I've noticed Takeru's-," he paused. It was starting to get difficult to mention his son. "I've noticed his feelings regarding her. She's been something else to him the entire time."

Daiya reached up moving his father's long bangs out of his face. "Neither of them are very good at communicating," he said in his monotone voice. "What's the point of being with someone if you can't talk openly?"

Sasuke tilted his head. He laid his cheek on the top of Daiya's head for a moment. Both of his sons were attached to the other like glue. Daiya reminded him so strongly of himself. He had Sasuke's defiance down pat, anti-social behavior, emotionless expression, smart alike comments, protective issues, and the need to know where he belonged. Yet, Daiya also had strong feelings that he showed. All of those attributes were what attracted Takeru to him. Takeru was a fairly quiet kid that directed others with their problems by instructing or giving advice. His son had a playful nature that reminded him of Naruto, in a sense. Takeru and Daiya get along because they are opposites. They are very different from each other, but they also cherish each other for who they are. I know Takeru loves and respects Daiya greatly. He gets loud and obnoxious when Daiya is injured. And Daiya tries to put on his best 'tough guy' routine when someone has verbally or physically tried to show superiority to Takeru.

"Dad, shouldn't we go check on Lee sensei? Onari drives him crazy during regular training. She was trying awfully hard to get away from him. If Onari is that determined to defy you, she'll do it," he said seriously as he broke his father's train of thought.

"I don't know why she is insisting on going to the hospital. Izumi won't tolerate her behavior. If she touched Takeru with the state he's in, I'm going to be extremely mad with her," Sasuke said as he rose to his feet. He urged Daiya to hurry along.

Rock Lee awoke to someone shaking him. He looked up to see Sasuke's face watching him. "Sasuke?" It took him a moment to register what had happened. Lee grimaced as he felt the pain on his abdomen. "Where is Onari?"

"Lee, she attacked you, didn't she?" Sasuke holstered Lee's arm over his shoulder. He lifted the man up. Daiya came back from checking the compound. "Is there any sign of her?" The boy shook his head. "Onari is going to have to face Izumi. It's fixing to get ugly. We've got to get to the hospital."

Onari walked into the hospital in the late eve with a serious gaze. A medic-nin from behind the counter told her the hospital was closed for the night. She disregarded the woman's voice passing her without a glance. The woman called to her again, then signaled another medic-nin down the hall. The man stood in the hall issuing for her to turn around. Onari saw a stretcher in the hall waiting in case another patient arrived. She put her hand upon it and without another care, she pushed it towards the man sending him flying. Onari opened the casing on her leg. Withdrawing two kunai she turned to face the woman who had came from behind the counter.

Sakura Lee came running down the hall when she heard the commotion. She was on night duty watching over the injured and sick. Normally, she would have been at home only working day shifts, but due to Sasuke's son getting hurt, she obliged her time to tend to the boy along with the other medic-nin.

Sakura stopped in her tracks. One of her co-workers was lying on the floor in the hall getting up with his hand on his head. A stretcher was turned on its side, its wheels spinning. There was a girl with ebony hair walking down the hall holding two kunai. She attacked him. Who is that girl? Sakura approached the young girl without fear. "Who are you? You are not allowed to be here," she said as she kept approaching. The girl did not back down.

Onari sent one of the kunai at the pink haired woman standing in her way. The woman stopped. "I'm not going to let you stop me. I must help Takeru," she said lowly. She sent the other kunai at the woman who had moved from behind the counter, but it was deflected by her clipboard.

"You are the girl Sasuke took in. I've heard about you from Yanagi." Onari was tilting her head. "Yanagi Lee is my daughter. You have no business here. You must leave!"

"I must protect Takeru. I promised, Yanagi's mother," she said as she walked at Sakura. Onari ran at the woman in a blurred motion. The woman before her didn't anticipate how fast she really was. Onari's speed was close to Rock Lee's, but was not quite there yet.

Sakura Lee put up her arms to block the attack. As Onari came straight at her, another figure appeared beside her. Izumi Uchiha stood as a threatening figure her eyes focused as water coming from under the hospital doors shot out. They formed together to become a stream blasting straight at the girl. Sakura watched as Izumi knocked Onari off of her feet. She used the water in the patients' rooms!

Izumi was starting to fume internally at how Onari had managed to disobey her orders to remain at home. "Thank you for refilling the pitchers," Izumi said to Sakura who was watching her with wide green eyes. "But I must ask you to fill them again for I've used them all." She saw Onari stand in disbelief that she had reacted so quickly. "You're not getting any further. I won't allow you to disrupt this place."

Onari hated water to the very essence of her being. She stood dripping wet wringing out her kimono. Growling, Onari started forming hand seals, but before she executed one of her techniques, she was grabbed roughly around the wrists. Onari's arms were forced behind her back as a foot was pressed between her shoulder blades to keep her lowered. She turned her head to see a Rat Mask looking straight at her from an ANBU.

Engi, Captain of the ANBU B squad recognized Onari immediately from the time she had saved Jigen from certain death. For caution, he took out his short sword aiming it at her throat. "You've no business here," he said trying to keep his voice hollow and without feeling. "I wouldn't try it," he said watching the gleam in her eyes. "We follow no orders but those from the Hokage. We're sworn to protect Konoha from harm – and that means you."

Sasuke breathed hard as he entered the hospital afraid for the worse. When he rounded the corner with Rock Lee they skidded in their shoes. Onari was being held at bay by an ANBU. He narrowed his eyes furiously at the girl. "Onari!"

Onari turned her head more to see Sasuke Uchiha's angry face showing no contempt or remorse for her situation. She was in a lot of trouble. Even Rock Lee was frowning at her. Engi loosened his hold on her, but only because he knew Sasuke could take it from there. Engi poofed on contact, his form vanishing from the scene. Not only was Sasuke angry at her, but a lot of medic-nin were watching her wondering what was going on.

From then on, the outcome of Onari's time with the Uchiha had been met with demise. She couldn't be trusted. Not regarding authority and choosing to act on her own accord, she had been banished from the compound. Kiba Inuzuka understood what she had done, but also being her 'brother', he had vowed to watch over her – to make sure she didn't leave his home.

The memories of that fateful night played over in a sort of nightmare for Izumi as she lay resting on the bed. Her body was tense despite slumber. If she had not been there, who knew what could have happened. Onari was determined to get to Takeru regardless of being approached by hospital staff. It took everything she and Sasuke had to reconcile with the Hokage on how to handle the matter.

Izumi opened her eyes looking around at the dark room. It was strange not having activity in the house even though it was only 10 p.m. Daiya liked to stay up as late as he could to star gaze with Onari and Takeru on the roof. It was a fond hobby of his to point out which ones he knew. She rolled over laying flat with her head turned to glance at her son. His eyes were closed, body stiff. She rubbed her knuckles down his cheek.

Turning over, Izumi propped her head up with her hand as she played with Takeru's soft black hair. "I wonder what your father is doing. Think he's chasing Ryu, Takeru?" Izumi smiled. It was better to pretend Takeru was listening to her than to know he couldn't hear a word she was saying. "I hate to tell you this, but your brother has had an accident. I'm not sure if he's alright. There's been no word from Sasuke since the exams started." Izumi looked out the window at the stars. "What I wouldn't give to have you see what I see," she said softly.

Where…am I..? Takeru's eyes opened to see a ceiling in his view. He tried to open his mouth to yell, but his voice wouldn't come out. My body… It won't move. It's so heavy. Takeru closed his eye trying hard to lift his arm off the bed. He turned his eyes to see white hair out of his peripheral vision. He was lying next to a person.

Am…I in the hospital? Takeru opened his mouth emitting a low grunt. I can't get up. Where is… everyone? Why was I left here? Takeru tried to remember what had happened. Last he recalled, he had been pulled out of the Ice Fortress he had created to protect Onari. The feel of the razor whip around his wrists binding him brought back a terrible sensation he could still feel upon his skin. The pain of it was forever etched in his mind. Kakumei had attacked him for letting Onari get away. Ri… Her eyes had shown fear as she remained with him in the Ice Fortress Takeru had wielded. How long have I been here? All he wanted to do was get up and find out where he was. He wasn't even sure if she had gotten away. "R-R-i-I," he groaned. Takeru moved his head slightly trying to see the room. The way the bed was positioned in the room, the furniture, and the layout of it seemed familiar to him.

Takeru moved his fingers slightly his head turning a bit to his right. The more he focused his attention to the person next to him, the more he realized who it was. "Mo-m," he said trying to make his voice louder. Sadly his speech was coming out in a low call. I can't get her attention. "Da-ad," he tried but there was no sight of his father. Sasuke was highly alert for a ninja – even when at home. He thought his mother would have at least stirred. "Dai-ya," he called. Takeru wanted to slap himself but he was too weak to lift his arms. Daiya was the hardest sleeper in the house. Man, where are they? Is Dad on a mission or out training his team this late? He took another glance at his mother. Well, I'm not going back to sleep. He sighed. There was no choice but to wait until morning.

Saori Nara picked up her back pack. Rose was attached between her back and the pack smothering her. "I wish we were staying to find out who wins," she said.

Ryu hated himself for losing to another but Sasuke said it was a learning experience. He shoved his clothes in his own pack adding more. The last battle was between Hashano Maeno from the Fang country and Akikazu Okakura from the Marsh Country. "We can't because of Daiya," he said then added, "We've all lost our battles. What's the point?" Ryu stood with his head slightly tilted, his arm holding onto one of the backpack straps.

There was a knock at their door. Ryu reached forward turning the handle. Yanagi suddenly hugged him around his neck throwing him off guard. He almost fell on her. "What is this for," he asked a bit blandly not showing any other kind of reaction.

Yanagi had never been this close to Ryu. He felt stronger and firmer than he appeared. His hair wasn't rough, but soft despite the spiky appearance. Ryu also smelled like the wind and water. He had a clean scent that was pleasing. "For being a wonderful person," she answered before she let go.

Ryu raised a brow. "Who've you been talking to?" He turned around muttering 'Wonderful person' as Yanagi entered the room. "There's too many people in here," he continued to mutter as he looked out the window.

"Did you come to wait for Daiya," Saori asked figuring that was the reason for Yanagi's arrival.

"No, I just wanted to see Ryu and wish you guys a safe journey back to the village," Yanagi said. She saw Ryu putting forth his best effort to ignore them. "Really though, Saori, he's a good guy despite his attitude," she said with a smile. Yanagi walked up to Ryu's side put her hands on her hips and said in a serious, authoritive voice, "Hey, Turkey!" As Ryu turned his head she placed her left foot on the wall gluing her chakra. Yanagi ran bent her form, tilted her head and kissed Ryu right on the cheek. She jumped down waving, "Thanks, Ryu," she said before leaving.

Ryu stood a little wide-eyed. "What… just happened..?" He heard Saori laugh from behind him. "No, what just happened? Woman, answer me!"

"I think she's thanking you for what you did out there." The expression on his face showed he didn't think much of what had transpired at the Chuunin exams. "You have no idea what you mean to others. You saved Daiya's life, Ryu."

"No, I didn't," he said crossing his arms. "All I did was yell for the medics. Besides, he was pronounced dead after they got to him."

Saori touched his face gently. "Ryu, look at me. Please. You lost your head for a minute until they got there, but when they gave up… you didn't. you were the only one out there who tried his damn hardest to bring someone back. Everyone else froze. You didn't care that anyone saw your face, either. It was forgotten."

Saori pulled his face mask down her blue eyes admiring his features. "I wish you'd get rid of this," she said rolling it all the way down his neck. "You're not undeserving. You deserve more than you realize," she said kissing him very softly several times. Saori's fingers trailed down his neck, tickling his skin.

The hair on the back of his neck lifted as Saori kissed him. Ryu moved his hands up to her sides kissing her back. He leaned closer to her pushing back with a bit of force. Saori didn't object to him at all. In the back of his mind, Ryu secretly wanted to be older. He parted the kiss before things became too heated between them. "Ask Shikamaru sensei when you're allowed to have a permanent suitor," he breathed into her ear as he leaned over.

Saori turned her head towards him. "I thought you were my suitor," she said kissing his lips tenderly. Her gaze softened. Saori knew her father disapproved of Ryu because he was goofy. He wasn't a serious person. She figured her father thought of him as an immature kid who hung around his daughter.

"You know what he thinks of me," Ryu said breaking her thoughts. "And I'd like to stay with you." His eyes searched her face.

"I don't have any intention of going anywhere," she said. "Are you worried that I might ditch you?" The moment Ryu's facial expression changed, she understood why he wore the face mask. It was easy to tell what he was thinking with the facial display of emotions. She lifted her hand to touch him, but he lifted his face mask, avoiding the caress of her fingers. Saori's hand froze in midair. She didn't understand why he was acting this way.

Ryu moved away not wanting to explain himself to her. It was normal for him to bury his feelings deep down into the recesses of his being. It was unwise to let anyone too close for fear of losing that person. Saori was the first person he had let get this close to him. She liked him for being goofy, laid back, and a smart alike. He didn't want to change her view of him.

Sasuke pushed the door open to the room with his foot as he carried Daiya on his back. The atmosphere in the room was unpleasant. "Did I interrupt something?" Saori lowered her head shaking it. "Okay. I'll ask later. Are you two ready to leave?" Ryu walked past him out of the room without a word.

Daiya watched him walk down the hall and finally made his way down the steps. "Hi to you, too," he muttered. Suddenly Sasuke leaned over to retrieve the two back packs surprising him. He gripped tighter around his dad's neck. Sasuke rose again and coughed. Daiya loosened his hold. "That's your fault. You should have warned me."

"Sensei, why are you carrying him," Saori asked forgetting her own sadness for the moment.

Sasuke handed the backpacks to Daiya telling him to attach them both to his back. "Hmm? Oh. Precaution. It's only been a week since surgery."

"Oh," she said looking away as her thoughts returned.

"Strap it tighter to the first one. No, try the other hole. Now pull. There. I don't want our stuff falling off. It's a long way back," Sasuke said. He moved his gaze back to Saori. "Not to be nosey, but what's gotten into Ryu?"

Saori looked up. "I'm not sure," she said softly. "It always has to do with the way my father views him. It bothers him a lot. And I want to know Ryu fully, but when we get on certain subjects he pulls away-"

"And hides," Sasuke completed for her. "It may not be my place to say, Saori. He's sensitive to the reactions of others regarding himself. Even though you two accept him and the team he's on as improved, Ryu deep down fears betrayal. He doesn't trust anyone a hundred percent. I'm not sure if he'll ever be at that point in his life. He's spent a lot of years alone," he told her.

"I understand that most about him. I do," she said back. "But if you want something, you have to fight for it. Shying away doesn't show me I'm as valuable to you as you are me."

"Ignore him," Daiya said out of the blue. "Tough love is what he needs. If he wants to think he's not good enough for you, then he isn't. Maybe your dad is right about him. Maybe it's you who wants to hold onto him because you don't want to hurt him. That's pity and no one deserves it."

Sasuke placed his hand on Daiya's head. "How she handles it is her decision. All I can say is this: Whatever you decide is one that you have to withhold. The team will remain as it is."

Saori nodded. Was it really only her that wanted things to remain the same? Ryu's insecurities were pushing her away. Saori loved him, she did, but in the back of her mind Ryu wasn't going to change. "I'll wait until we get back to the village before I decide anything."

"Alright, well, we're ready to go," Sasuke said going out of the door before her.

"She's really weighing out the pros and cons," Daiya said noting the expression on her face as Saori let the thoughts run through her head. "I can't blame her for anything she does."

"Nor can I," Sasuke answered. "It's something they'll have to work through. Just don't say anything else about it around them."

Kiba led his team away from the Mist village as they shot through the trees. Their goal was to catch the next ship leaving the island. They were placed in a diamond squad formation with him at the front and Idai at the back. After all, he had the Hokage's son on his team. Masaru had unwittingly blabbed about the position he held to a girl from the Hidden Hot springs team. Idai had decked Masaru for his stupidity. Kiba frowned. He defiantly has Naruto's arrogance at times.

"Hey, you think Indo will write me like she said," Masaru asked as he smiled rather big. The girl had been flaunting herself all around him before he had left with his team. Masaru couldn't help but admire her features much to the disgust of his team mates.

Idai started to reach upwards to take out one of his swords. "You're an idiot that I can't deal with anymore," he said wanting to go ahead and take Masaru out right then and there. Kiba glanced at him from over his shoulder. "We'd be better off without him."

"Put it away, Idai. Masaru, telling another ninja who you are isn't wise," Kiba said in his gruff voice. "That girl may be falsely acting like she's interested in you. We have no idea of knowing her true intentions since the Hidden Hot Springs is not a country we are in alliance with."

Masaru frowned puffing out his chest as they flew through the trees. "Aw, you guys are just being over cautious. She was all over me during the exams. I went and saw her several times. All we did was talk," he said in defense.

"And in these talks, did she seem really interested in anyone on the team? Or other rookies," Yanagi asked. The moment the words escaped her mouth, Masaru's eyes got wide. "I agree with Idai. We take him out now."

"Hey! The only one she seemed really interested in was Onari. Onari did it to herself to show what force she had behind that brutal strength of hers," Masaru snapped with his head turned.

"What did you tell her about Onari," Idai said his tone getting very strict. "You're not supposed to say a word about anyone's techniques or who they are! Indo was interested in Onari because she was snooping. You have a loose mouth! You were an easy target for her!"

"For your information, I didn't say anything about Onari that would have led Indo to believe she had to be worried! I only told her that Onari was always rash like that. She's more like a rhino than she is anything on her team!"

Yanagi looked at Masaru out of the corner of her eyes. "That just suggests that Onari's instructed by someone of higher power to obstruct anything that stands in her way. You shouldn't have said anything! That makes her appear like she has a concealed intent."

"They're both right, Masaru. It's Ninja Academy learning that needed to be enforced. You're not to breathe a word about anyone on any of the teams, or what goes on in the village," Kiba said. "You have no idea who Indo is going to tell that information to. Or who was listening to the conversation."

"A lot of favor you did everyone," Idai said staring hard at Masaru's back. "It's bad enough Onari fled. Do you have any idea what your father is dealing with right now? All of the village leaders witnessed her actions. She's seen as a threat!"

Naruto Uzumaki folded his hands together his mouth and nose pressed against them as he sat at the table. All of the teams from the Hidden Leaf village had been ordered to depart that day. He was left behind, guarded by the ANBU in his quarters. After the stunt Onari had pulled, he had to have met with the village leaders to ensure Konoha's safety with the alliances that it held.

"What do you take us for Leader of the Hidden Leaf village," Ido Sanda from the Haze country said as he sat at the table his arms crossed. The arrogance at the Chuunin exams amongst the leaders was surely a brilliant display. "Are you insinuating that we ignore the power your village has built up against us? What do you take us for," he said as he slammed his open palms on the table.

Naruto, Hokage of the Hidden Leaf village, remained still as the other leaders from the foreign countries stared in his direction. If he tried to calm Ido Sanda down, it would only escalate further. Instead, he chose to soften his view of the situation. A hard gaze would only put the leaders on guard against the leaf village. "I cannot say the display that you all witnessed was not intended or intended to alert any of you of the capabilities that we have."

Uku Hagiwara of the Sea Country glanced around the long table that all of the leaders were sitting at. He lifted his head to where his face could be seen by the other members. "So you're telling us, Lord Hokage, that this girl that is from your village acted without your prior knowledge of her abilities?" He waited giving the man time to answer. He wasn't in any hurry.

"She acted due to the threat arising around her from the Field Coordinators of the Mist Village," Naruto said.

Roka Hirayama, leader of the Mist village, coughed as his eyes narrowed to turn their gaze upon Naruto Uzumaki. "My men are dispatched during the exams to prevent renegade behavior from students at all costs. The final matches between the rookies and those to be Chuunin will continue regardless of what occurs in the holding cell. There was already interference from two others from the Hidden Leaf – one of them, I believe, is your own son," he said in a gruff voice.

Naruto Uzumaki had only managed to question a few of the students who had witnessed what had shown to be an embarrassment for the village. He tried hard not to rub his temples, to show that he was getting agitated. Yanagi Lee had confessed she had stepped in the way of Daiya Uchiha to prevent a Field Coordinator from charging at the boy. Daiya had reacted due to the attack on Masaru, his son. Right now, Naruto was in a tough spot. If he got angry, it would only show that he, as a leader, could do no wrong.

Okata Jouda, leader of the Bear Country, flexed his large biceps under his cloak. He didn't like the tension rising in the area amongst the leaders. Understanding the situation from both sides might put an end to this mess. The last thing he wanted was a breakout of War occurring between everyone. "Perhaps, all of you need to examine the angles of each involved in the instance that happened."

"Yes, that would be most logical," Gaara of the Sand Village said. It was known to few that he had been one of Naruto's good friends over the years. He also knew that Naruto didn't attack others without probable cause. He had heard some about Onari, the girl in question, from his niece, Saori Nara.

"And whose views do you expect to be taken into account," Iden Arima said from the Claw Country. "It's nothing more than hearsay from those that saw, or were involved. That kind of information can be tangled to benefit the village in question. I don't approve of it."

"Nor do I," Hame Mayeda rule of the Sound Village exclaimed in a flabbergasted tone.

"So you all wish to condemn a man before hearing him out, or giving him a basis of a trial," Kiaria Shimizu said from the Lightening Country. She folded her hands together on top of the table, her eyes looking at each of the leaders. "It's no wonder that we're sitting here like this not able to solve the problem. Perhaps Kumakage is correct on the way to perceive things. And perhaps, maybe the rookies who are involved were acting upon the incident in question on loyalty to those around them."

"How can you be so sure of that," Tetsu Nakama from the Rice Country asked his eyes befalling upon the woman.

"No offense, Komekage, but most men cannot view another's footprints unless it is pointed out," Kiaria Shimizu said. The man stiffened a little, his mouth turning into a frown. "Tunnel vision is the main problem of this meeting. All of you are worried about what the Hokage has in store for your villages – whether he plans to attack, or not. But has any of you given thought that the girl who committed the act is now missing? She is a threat to each of you and the village she came from."

The men started chattering to each other in a kind of hush-hush voice as Kiaria locked her eyes with Naruto. He didn't know what the woman had up her sleeve. Was she trying to help him out of this mess, or elude the leaders to another pressing matter? Onari was in fact, capable of doing harm to anyone that came across her. She was not adhering to follow previous orders given to her by Rock Lee.

"This meeting is a profound mess," Bukimi Kokawa from the Swamp Country said breaking the discussions occurring around him. "It's common for fights to occur when a competition is at hand. And even thought it is frowned upon, missing-nin happen for reasons that we cannot all understand. I hope, Lord Hokage, that your men find the girl who disrupted the matches. If not, we will be forced to act out of alarm. Her power has been clearly demonstrated."

Naruto had no choice but to surrender for the time being. He bowed his head low. "I appreciate your concern over this unfortunate event. When found, the village will decide what actions to partake." He stood dismissing the matter. Each of the leaders also stood bowing low to respect one another. Quietly, he remained standing as each of them left. Naruto's blue eyes moved to see Kiara Shimizu from the Lightening Country still in the room. His ANBU stood behind him at different posts.

Remaining where she was, Kiara Shimizu also stood with her guards, her red eyes locking again on the Hokage's. She lifted her hat eager to take the annoying contraption off her head. Reaching up, Kiara rubbed her head. "It's nice to finally have met you, Lord Hokage," she said letting her long brown hair fall from the four buns on the back of her cranium. "As Leader of the Lightening Country, I have been waiting patiently to have a discussion with you - If that is alright with you."

Naruto nodded raising his hand to issue for his men to stand down. Naruto held his hand out for Kiara to sit. They lowered to the table again. "What would you prefer to discuss?"

Kiara Shimizu looked at the table gathering her thoughts before she spoke. "The girl at the Chuunin exams – the one who took off on the phoenix… she isn't originally from your village, is she?"

Naruto didn't know if he could trust this woman. It was his pride as a leader to protect those in his village. "Why is your interest upon her?"

"I suppose I ought to have known better than to ask you outright such a question. The loyalty between our villages hasn't been established. When I was younger, there was a young woman who worked for a particular clan as an assassin. This might not be of interest to you, or it may be my own curiosity getting the better of me, but that girl reminded me of the young woman I often saw."

"Why is that," Naruto asked relaxing a bit at the woman's openness towards him.

"The girl that I saw had the same woman's attitude of defiance, yet her ability to protect those kept resurfacing in my head. Also, her features looked so much like the clan leader that we used to serve. Surrounding the clan leader I knew as a child, was a previous artifact guarded by that clan – The Heaven's Scroll." Kiara saw the change in the Hokage's eyes. "So you have heard of it, or seen it," she said pushing a little further. "The phoenix that was conjured is the gateway to unleashing the other three celestials."

Naruto had to play it safe regarding what the woman knew about Onari. She could have heard the information down the line, or was speculating to get him to reveal what he knew. "The Heaven's Scroll is a myth," he said trying to dismiss the atmosphere happening around him. But the woman only smiled in return nodding her head.

"Yes, it is a myth, but all myths have to start somewhere," Kiara said in return to the Lord's dismissal of her choice of topic. "The assassin that I knew was named Urei. She was not able to speak due to her tongue being taken out." She could tell that the action was not a favorable one upon the Lord. "Each clan has rules and other forms of pride that we cannot understand as Leaders. It was this clan's jurist diction that her tongue be removed as a child to prevent her from speaking about what she heard.

I often felt sorry for her, but despite my age, Urei was kind enough to me. She often helped me carry food that I was unable to lift due to my age. Oh, I'm sorry. I was only ten-years-old. My responsibility was to help my parents cook for the Lords of the Lightening Village. We were seen as inferior – except..," she started to say with fondness, "Lord Sashizu was a kind man. If I made a mistake, he would sneak away from his normal duties to help me correct them. One morning I heard a lot of commotion coming from the main house. His brother, Lord Gekido, was furious. My mother took me aside and hid me under the plank flooring of our small house. We were not allowed to eavesdrop on the conversations of the Main House. It was forbidden. Upon seeing my mother hastily trying to evacuate his sight, Lord Gekido had his men kill her."

Naruto furrowed his brows at the openness of Kiara's past story. He knew she was building up to what her interests were of Onari. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said with sincere kindness.

"That's very thoughtful of you," Kiara returned bowing her head. "As horrified as I was at witnessing my mother's death, I remained where I was – probably out of fear. What I heard from Lord Gekido was that Lord Sashizu had vacated the Main House with the assassin, Urea. He was speaking to a guard of his, Kakumei Eimino, of the Lightening Users, telling the man that it was against the Main House's decree for anyone of superiority to partake with someone of inferior status. At that moment, I had wanted to run to Lady Urei and Lord Sashizu with what I had heard. He had declared an announcement of their death upon capture. They were never found to my knowledge."

Naruto thought it to be a dream of Kiara's that she had found a link to her own past. "What I must ask is why you are chasing a myth. The girl that you witnessed at the exams was taken in when she was found in a snow village far from this location. It cannot be the same as you may think."

"Maybe," Kiara said looking away with memories plaguing her. "But the only reason I know of the Heaven's Scroll is because Urei was entrusted with that knowledge from the Main House. She wasn't able to discuss it by words. She had told me by drawing in the sand, Lord Hokage," Kiara said turning her gaze back to him. "The only way to use the Heaven's Scroll was to undergo a horrible procedure where the user was etched with the symbols upon his or her form. A phoenix is not common – in any myth. It is not a creature one can conjure with a regular summons."

Naruto crossed his arms upon the table trying to concede with himself what he should tell Kiara. What he decided that this woman's facial expressions, her body language, and tone of voice showed she was concerned for Onari, and not against her. The woman before him had already given up valuable knowledge to him. She could have very well sold the knowledge to the other leaders, had her views about what she had witnessed been any different. "You have shown me your loyalty, Lady Inazumakage," Naruto said lifting his head once his thoughts were clear. "That girl was given the name, Onari. She resides in our village having been found struggling to survive in a land of snow. From what was found out about the mission, the girl had been bullied and kept in that village under the authority of a Captain. He was dealt with by my ninja and also the girl. She had summoned a phoenix to attack and defend my men at all costs of her life."

Kiara was watching the Hokage intently. Was this girl connected to Lord Sashizu and Lady Urei? Had they perished and been found out by Lord Gekido? She had to know what had become of the woman who had befriended her as a child. "Is Onari her original name..?"

"No," Naruto answered. "It was given to her by a friend of mine. Her real name has never been spoken by those who she was around. The ones that know of her past are…incapacitated. My apologies."

"Incapacitated?" Kiara looked at him with sadness that her search had come to a halt. "You mean they are dead," she asked with a greater grief at hearing the words. She lowered her head.

Naruto held up his hands trying to calm the woman. "No, not that I am aware of. One of the boys is headed back to the village. He had to undergo heart surgery during the exams. The Jounin responsible for him made the call to return once he was well enough to make the journey."

"But there is another," Kiara said her hope rising a little.

"Yes, but he is on the verge of life and death," Naruto said. "The boys in question are Daiya Eimino and Takeru Uchiha." The first name caused a huge reaction of shock in Kiara as she sat trying to remain posed in front of him and his men. "The only reasons I have divulged this information to you is because you spoke of a man whose name I have heard. Kakumei Eimino is the one responsible for attacking my best friend's son."

Naruto had subjected himself to answer a few more of Kiara's curiosity over Onari. He wasn't afraid of what he told the young woman. Kiara seemed lost in memories at what she had learned; as if her heart had been healed over the loss of the assassin she had known as a child. I'm not sure if we can find Onari. There's no way of knowing where she has gone, or why. He sipped his tea before placing it back on the tray. An ANBU entered the room. Naruto turned his blue eyes to the woman.

Boton bowed with her arm across her chest. She stood back up the sheep mask on her face hiding who she truly was. "Lord Hokage, the plans are in motion. We are ready to assist you back to the village," she said.

"Alright, thank you," Naruto said putting his Hokage hat back on. He rose from the table slowly. Turning his head he took one last look at the Mist village from the window as Boton waited by the door. What an adventure we're having, Sasuke. That girl that you brought back has stirred the blood in my veins. He smiled tipping his hat forward a little. Naruto Uzumaki walked through the door with the ANBU surrounding him as he left his quarters behind.

Izumi woke later in the morning than she had originally planned. Ever since she had brought Takeru home, she had been taking care of him as if he were feisty toddler. For her, it was a way to keep her mind off of the Chuunin exams. Izumi rubbed her face with her hand. "I just hope you're both okay," she said to herself. As always, she lifted her body slightly off the bed, halfway turning to check on Takeru lying next to her.

"Morning," Takeru said as his mother looked at him. Her head was slightly turned, sleepy gaze staring at him. It didn't seem to be registering in her brain that he was speaking to her. "Mom..?"

Her lavender eyes became wide the moment she saw Takeru's mouth move. The reaction caused her to scream, losing her balance as she fell backwards off the bed. Izumi regained herself, popping her head back up over the side. "Takeru?" She sprung back into action like a cat onto the bed hurrying to crawl towards her son. Grabbing his face with her hands, Izumi checked him over several times like she'd never seen him before, or didn't believe what she was seeing.

"Mom, stop. Mom," Takeru said as she dote over him. He grunted as she unexpectedly lifted him off the bed, holding him in her arms. Takeru looked up at her with his dark half lidded eyes. "Where is everyone? Is Onari okay? I left her-," he tried to say before his mother put her finger on his lips to silence him.

"Shh," Izumi said rocking her son comfortingly on the bed. "When your father returns from the exams, everything will be alright. You'll all be home again where I can watch over you."

"From the-. How long have I been asleep," Takeru asked. He felt himself being picked up off the surface of the bed. His mother was holding him as she used to do when he was younger. Izumi was leaving the room with him, his limbs hanging heavily off her.

"You've been in a coma for an entire month, my handsome, adorable son," Izumi said walking down the hall to the main bathing area. "I think it's about time you had a regular bath." Izumi kept her arms firmly around her son. It was rather difficult to be carrying him as dead weight.

Takeru tried to move his body as he was carried to object to his mother ignoring his questions. "Mom, where are they," he asked again. He heard the clack of the shoji screen as they entered the front part of the bath.

Izumi proceeded to take delight in stripping Takeru of his clothes. "It's sort of fun to be able to bathe you when you can't fight me," she said much to her son's disgusted facial expression. "I'm hoping your father is returning from the exams, Takeru. I really don't know anything about what's happened since the last message I was told by Shikamaru."

"What..message," Takeru asked as his mother started to turn on the running water to the tub. The tub felt cold to his back as he was pressed against it. His mother was holding him up until the water inside of the tub filled.

Izumi looked him over trying to figure out what she should say. Upsetting him in his current state wasn't going to help him heal. She chose to only tell him about his brother, and to avoid any subject matter on Onari. "Daiya had an accident at the exams." She saw the look on his face. "He's alright, Takeru. He underwent surgery, so he should be coming home with your father," Izumi said not knowing in what condition Daiya was coming home.

Takeru relaxed, but the one person he was worried about was Onari. "Mom, where is she," he pleaded as he felt himself being scrubbed with a sponge. "Why won't you tell me where Ri is," he said using his pet name for the girl he adored and was in love with.

"I won't explain anything until your father is here," Izumi said strictly her eyes turning cold and hard. "Once he sets foot in the door, you'll be better off. Now be still, Takeru. I want to wash your hair," she said reaching for the shampoo.

Why won't she tell me where Onari is? Did she get taken by Kakumei? What happened that day? Tell me! Takeru closed his eyes his teeth clenched as his heart raced. His mother saw the frustration he was dealing with, but chose to ignore him. Onari, where are you? Please tell me you're not in the hands of Kakumei!


	89. Chapter 89

**V9 ch 8**

Akaihi's past revealed

Gin Akimichi carried the bowl of water carefully down the hall her feet gently placing on the boards, her footing precise. Her eyes stayed glued to the water as it swished daring to come close to the top. Each time it flowed upwards, she stopped with a gasp, her focus drawn to the substance. Oh, no. It's getting so close to the top. It's going to spill onto the floor. I shouldn't have filled it so high. I'm coming. I'm coming, Mrs. Uchiha. Gin heard Izumi Uchiha and TenTen Hyuuga talk amongst themselves in the bedroom. They were discussing how to go about getting Takeru back up walking.  
Careful. Careful… AH! Gin stopped abruptly as she felt a cat move between her legs. It was Onari's cat that she had left behind. The feline purred endlessly continuing to twist its body around her limbs. Gin kept her toes firmly planted onto the floor. "I don't have anything you would want. It's only water. Please, I have to take this to Mrs. Uchiha," she said afraid to disturb the cat.  
Areku Inuzuka opened the door to the Uchiha house, "Pardon our intrusion," he said aloud as he and Kandai entered. They had gone to the store for TenTen to get food since Mrs. Uchiha couldn't leave the house. He took off his ninja shoes, leaving them behind. Areku saw Gin moving down the hall at a snail's pace holding a bowl of water. A cat was moving around her startling her efforts. He pinched his nose trying his best not to laugh. Ichigo was waiting patiently outside the house. "Why don't you just shoo it away, Gin," he said as Kandai trailed behind him.  
"I don't want to be mean to it," Gin confessed. It wasn't in her nature to harm another living creature. "It's Onari's," she said looking down watching the cat. The feline let its tail twitch back and forth as it regarded Areku and Kandai.  
Kandai moved past Areku to take the bags into the kitchen. Areku clenched his teeth lowering his form as he growled at the cat showing his fangs. The cat turned its head quickly in alarm. He growled even louder then dashed forward a few feet to where the cat darted down the hall. "See, no harm done," he said as Gin stood shaking, her eyes wide and arms locked to keep the water still.  
"You're horrible," Kandai said with a smile as he set foot outside the kitchen. "Take the rest in. You can start washing the fruit and vegetables," he told Areku as he made his way to the bedroom. He had never been in the unknown quarters before. Knocking gently, he waited despite the door being slightly open. Until he was told to enter, he'd wait for them to finish talking.  
"You can come in, Kandai," TenTen said as she lifted Takeru's arm holding his elbow firmly in her hand. She began to move his arm back on the joint slowly then back to neutral position before starting again with another rep. "Can you squeeze my hand?"  
Takeru moved his fingers down closing them to where he could feel TenTen's warm fingers. "It's…hard," he said still trying to squeeze firmly. Takeru wanted to be up so badly. Lying in bed for the past several days was aggravating him.  
"It's alright, you can stop," TenTen said noticing how quickly he became fatigued. "This will take time, Izumi - Nothing short of it. The fact he's awake after such a long period of a comatose state is miraculous," she said with a smile. "His progress will get better."  
Kandai stood silently by the wall watching his mother help Takeru's muscles. Both of his parents were adept in learning how the body works. They were proud ninja who thrived on competing and knowledge. Once his mother had finished, she moved around the bed to Takeru's other side. She glanced at Kandai before continuing with the other arm. "We brought the groceries back," he said quietly.  
"Where is Gin," Izumi asked out of the blue looking at him. As the question was asked, she heard a frantic girl start to step quicker to get to the door. Without another word, Gin pushed the door open swinging her arms out with the water sloshing over the side. Izumi concentrated on the water forming hand seals. The water soared through the air aiming straight for TenTen and Takeru. Izumi's mind locked on the water molecules mixing with the air molecules. She began to separate them gaining her control upon them. The water pulled back in a zipper fashion returning to the bowl. "Be more careful," she told the girl.  
Gin stood with a horrified expression on her face. Her over caution had given way to her tardiness. She stood with the bowl of water lip quivering. It wasn't until Kandai took the bowl from her did she release the tension in her body sinking to the floor.  
"Kandai, you can set the water down on the table beside the bed," TenTen ordered. She kept working on Takeru's right arm until her son turned around for further instructions. "I want you to help his chakra flow using Byakugan," she said as her son walked over. "Start at the top and work your way down."  
Takeru looked up to see Kandai watching him with kind eyes. "I don't understand. How is this going to help?"  
"You were electrocuted weren't you? Electricity is what drives your heart and all of the muscles in your body to function. If the current is thrown off, it can cause your muscles to be spastic, or flaccid. Right now, you are flaccid. I'm going to try and divert the chakra flow to certain muscles to help them sort of 'charge'," Kandai explained. "Of course, I won't be using your chakra to do so. I'll be using a bit of mine. Does that ease you?"  
"Don't worry, Takeru. Kandai's not going to hurt you," TenTen said as she started to massage his right leg.  
Kandai began to activate Byakugan pinpointing the chakra flow and the points on Takeru's body. He placed his fingers on four points of Takeru's arm using both hands concentrating. Maintaining his focus, the chakra flow became more powerful as he added his own to the mix.  
Areku entered the room slowly right when Kandai started working on Takeru. He kept his voice low as Gin stood leaning against the wall. He was still trying to get used to the idea of Kandai becoming a medic. He wondered if it had anything to do with Eiyu being more adapt at ninjutsu and leadership. "Do you think his decision to do this was brought on by requests of his family?"  
Gin smiled proudly of Kandai and his efforts. "It might be, but I'd like to think it is still Kandai's choice. He's been studying very hard to learn with his parents about anatomy and physiology. Eiyu has his passion for training while Kandai's is this." She turned her blue eyes to look at Areku. "When he heard Takeru was awake, Kandai rushed to get his books and materials. He wanted to help him, Areku."  
Areku sniffed the air his nose twitching. "I smell your dad and Lord Hokage's wife," he said kind of aloof to why they were there. TenTen stopped what she was doing to leave the room. Areku's head turned following her motions. His gaze drifted back to Mrs. Uchiha who was standing next to Kandai, protective of her son.  
Hinata Hyuuga, Naruto Uzumaki's wife, bowed her respects to Izumi. "We heard Kandai was coming to help Takeru get better," she said about the reason she and Neji were there. "Also, it uses a lot of chakra to perform the technique. We want to assist in any way she can."  
Neji entered the room after he spoke a few words to TenTen. He bowed low to Izumi. Once he stood, his monotone voice reflected, "You look ravishing since your son has awoken," he said not skipping a beat about Izumi's untidy hair.  
Izumi Uchiha narrowed her eyes. "Just help my kid, Neji," she said informally stressing she was aware her appearance was lacking. As the man moved forward to work on Takeru's legs, Hinata moved to assist Kandai. Izumi issued Gin and Areku out of the room so the Hyuuga could have full concentration. "We'll go fix a meal to thank everyone for their efforts," she said pushing them out of the room with her hands.  
Areku looked up at the white haired woman. "I don't know how to cook. I'm a tracker," he said trying to get out of the duty.  
"You're going to cut and slice everything I tell you to," Izumi said. "Gin, you're going to help me get the ingredients together. Now, now let's work hard," she said as the pushed the two unsuspecting teenagers into the kitchen.

Izumi threw herself at her husband wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. "You're home," she said softly almost to the point of crying. Reaching up, she put her hands on his face as her eyes lifted to look him over. "Have you eaten? Rested," she asked throwing a ton of questions at him.  
"Izumi," Sasuke said latching onto her wrists tightly lowering her hands. "We're fine. What is this about you taking our son out of the hospital," he said a bit angrily, the corners of his mouth moving back. "You know that's where he's supposed to be."  
Daiya exited his room with a look of disbelief on his face. He finally found his voice again after a moment when he caught sight of his adopted mother. "Hi, mom," he said. Before he knew it, Izumi was trying to lift him, her arms around his chest in an embrace. "Mom, I'm alright. I came the last stretch by myself," he said. "She didn't know I was coming back," he asked looking up at Sasuke with puzzlement in his eyes.  
"No," Sasuke answered straightforward. "There was no way to send her word about you. I wasn't going to leave you alone." He turned around to head to his bedroom. "Where is he, Izumi," he said in such a demanding tone that the atmosphere in the house darkened.  
"In there- on our bed," she said. Izumi crossed her arms at how her husband was acting. He wasn't pleased with what she had done. She was Takeru's mother and it was her right to watch over him as such. In all of the commotion, she had forgotten one simple thing – to tell him about Takeru. "Oops," she said as a mere afterthought.  
Sasuke dropped his pack on the floor rather annoyed at his wife for making a huge decision without discussing it with him. He leaned over the chair in the room, his hands gripping the back support. "Damn it," he said lowly with his eyes closed. He wanted to punch the wall with all of his force. She thought moving him without my knowledge was going to go over easy. I can't believe her. Izumi is stubborn at the worst times!  
Takeru turned his head to see his father's back. Dad's back! He tried to get up eagerly to tackle him, but all he could do was lift his arms off the bed halfway. Sasuke's bent posture told Takeru his father was angry. "Are you…upset at her?"  
"You've no idea," Sasuke said answering the voice in the air. He raised a brow, his back straightening. Whirling around, he saw Takeru looking at him with a sleepy gaze. He was only asleep? "Takeru?"  
"Welcome home," Takeru greeted with a soft smile on his face. It had been a long time since he had seen his father confused. Heck, even seeing his angry face was a pleasing sight to the boy.  
Sasuke walked slowly to his son, not believing his own eyes. He leaned over caressing Takeru's face with a shaky gaze. "H-How? I was sure-," he stuttered, his lip quivering as he suddenly held the most important thing in his life to his body.  
Takeru wasn't expecting his father to be so emotional. He blushed hard feeling his father's strong form against him. At that moment, he relished in being a child. He wasn't grown up like Ryu, or an adult yet. Takeru soaked in his father's affections eagerly; having needed his strength for a while.  
Daiya entered the room followed by Izumi. His eyes befell upon Takeru sitting up in the bed, his fingers curled around their father's vest. "He's…okay?" Daiya felt his mother pet the top of his head to answer him. Takeru turned his dark eyes upon his brother. "Hi," he said softly.  
"What kind of surgery did you have," Takeru asked his brother out of the blue.  
"He doesn't know," Daiya asked looking at his adopted mother. She shook her head. "I had to have my heart replaced," he said trying to act as if it wasn't a big deal. Takeru started reacting in the worst way. He turned his head away, refusing to meet Daiya's gaze. It was too much for him. "Takeru, I'm fine," he emphasized.  
Sasuke lifted Takeru off the bed, his arm under his rear to support him. "It's not an easy thing for him to deal with Daiya. You're his brother. And that means you're important to him. Does he know about Onari?" Izumi closed her eyes. "I see. We might as well get over that obstacle now."  
Takeru looked at his father with an unsure gaze. "Where is she? Mom wouldn't say anything," he said fearing she had been taken by Kakumei. His father set him onto the bed, hands firmly upon his shoulders. Sasuke didn't look away as his eyes met Takeru's without hesitation and complete firmness. "Dad?"  
"We didn't know what had transpired on the mission you took with Onari. She didn't bother to tell us anything when questioned. We don't like being in that kind of situation. You're our son and what happened to you brought out the worst in us," Sasuke explained.  
"Onari was told to leave, Takeru. She stayed with the Inuzuka until she was given permission to go to the Chuunin exams with Team 9. Your mother remained here to care for you. I questioned Onari again at the Mist village regarding you. I lost my temper," Sasuke admitted with his brows furrowing. "I blamed her solely for what had happened."  
"The fact she went against your father and disobeyed him only to attack Rock Lee did not help matters," Izumi stepped in to say before Takeru could defend Onari.  
"What happened in the cage, Daiya," Sasuke asked wanting his side of the story now that they had returned.  
"Onari defended Yanagi and I from the Field Coordinators. They were trying to stop her from helping me. She ascended onto Akaihi to avoid punishment," Daiya said not understanding how this was going to assist. "No one knows where she is."  
"The Hokage's in a tough position because of what she did," Sasuke said looking at Izumi, Daiya, and finally Takeru. "The foreign leaders witnessed her abilities when she fled. They were accusing the leaf village of harboring a great power to start a war. Now, I fear, Onari has given them a reason to start trouble. There are villages that oppose the alliances with the leaf. I don't want you using Uso out of the village from this day forward."  
"But she's the only way to find Onari! We're connected," Takeru said his words turning on deaf ears. He saw his mother shake her head. "You're going to leave her out there to be attacked? Gekido is after her for Akaihi!"  
"Takeru, we have no way of knowing if that person exists," Izumi said flat out. "Onari was very young when her parents died. The things she was told could all be in her head. A person with that kind of power you are telling us about doesn't go unnoticed. He would have shown himself."  
"Or his name known outside the village," Sasuke said ending Takeru's argument. "She made her choice when she fled. Our concern is on you two – and always will be."  
Takeru looked down angrily at the floor. He didn't want to think Onari had abandoned her post because she had wanted to. He hung his head shaking it. "I don't care what you tell me. I won't give up on her," he said with a strict tone. "That decision is mine!"

Takeru walked through the village holding onto Daiya's arm. His legs were wobbly as he shuffled along down the path away from the house. It was doctor's orders for him to be mobile. Remaining in the house dormant wasn't helping him transition back to his team. His legs wanted to buckle. Daiya grabbed his waist easing him to a standing position. "I can go further."  
"You need to rest. This is pretty far for you from what I've been told," Daiya said taking his older brother role. He saw Takeru frown, his long bangs covering his face. "Are you embarrassed that I'm helping you? You're my family."  
Takeru squeezed Daiya's hand. "It isn't you. I don't want you to go anywhere," he admitted. "Why won't they let me search for her? Where would she go?"  
"I know this sounds cruel, but you've got to worry about yourself. Onari had her reasons – whatever those may be. They're not going to let you do anything until you prove to them you're stronger than this."  
Takeru lifted his head with a newfound set goal. "Daiya, when they're not around, spar with me." His brother raised a brow. "I have to know how to fight people with different abilities." He turned his Sharingan eyes onto Daiya. "Help me train to fight against you."

Ryu Yuhi sat on his bed with his heels on the edge, gaze lowered. Since he had gotten back from the exams, his mother had been on a mission. He fidgeted with is hands not understanding why she wasn't home yet. They said she left last week. Exactly where did she have to go?  
Ryu heard a faint knock on the door. He stood slowly before walking with his feet dragging to the entrance of the apartment he and his mother shared. "Knock harder. Don't look at me like that. It's doing you good to use your arms," he heard Daiya say from the other side. I wonder what he wants.  
Takeru watched the door open. Ryu stared dead at him for a moment before slamming the door back. Takeru looked up at his brother. "What?" Daiya shrugged. He knocked again. Ryu opened the door for the second time. This time he looked at him quite quizzically. "Ryu?"  
"He's really there," Daiya said as Ryu tried to determine how he should react. "We're not going to tell on you. Promise."  
Takeru gasped as he as latched onto. His feet dangled off the floor. Ryu pressed him so hard against his body that Takeru felt restricted. "Why is he grabbing me so hard," he grunted trying to breathe.  
"He was the one that brought you back. We thought you were dying, Takeru. There was no hope with the wound you had sustained," Daiya explained. His eyes softened at Ryu holding Takeru as if he were a newborn. "Ryu, he's not going to break. He's just wobbly when he walks."  
Ryu swallowed difficulty before his arms released Takeru back onto the floor. He looked at both of them sheepishly, his hands going straight into his pockets to avert any other reaction from him. "I'm sorry," he said shying away suddenly. After that, he didn't know what to say. Standing awkwardly in the hall, he put his arms behind his back before raising his eyes.  
Takeru shook his head at him. "You haven't done anything wrong, Ryu," he said trying to soothe Ryu's shy personality at being close to someone else. "It's not like I mind."  
"Well, you want to go out with us? It's better than moping around here," Daiya offered. He jerked a thumb at his back. "Get on. Dad finds out I let you walk all the way here, he'll kill me."  
"I'm tired of being treated like a child," Takeru growled. "I can walk on my own." Before he knew it, he was lifted high into the air and placed over Ryu's shoulder. "Ryu, I'm not a baby!"  
Ryu rolled his eyes. He walked off with Daiya ignoring Takeru's arguments about his treatment. "Where are we going anyway?" He pinched Takeru on the rear to stop him from kicking. That made the Uchiha kid tense up before he scowled.  
"Ramen," Daiya asked looking at Ryu for his approval as they walked down the stairs.  
"Sounds good to me," Ryu admitted.

Azayaka Najima followed her sensei down the path in the forest her hand upon her hip. Her green eyes glanced around wondering if there was a training session bout here or something. The birds echoed their harmonies and morning events to one another. "Sensei, why are we way out here?"  
Tomomorro found the old fallen tree in the clearing. He sat down on it grunting as if he'd been walking for days without rest. "This is where I come to think," he explained.  
Azayaka found this to be a bit strange for her sensei to have thoughts he couldn't solve. She raised a brow showing no emotion. "Since when have you had concerns," she asked stressing the last word. Azayaka crossed her arms leaning back to look up at the trees. A nice cup of coffee would have been nice.  
Tomomorro put his hand upon his knee watching her. He scratched behind his ear. "I suppose that was a lame excuse for bringing you out here. Truth is, I'm to give you your mission."  
She turned her gaze on him. "A mission? It's a secret," she said almost ready to jump at the chance. She was the top student on her team, surpassing both her seniors in skills and quick thinking.  
Tomomorro held up his hand to clam her. The fire was lit. He had to control it before it became a bonfire. "Hold on, Azayaka. I want you to think properly about it before you act."  
Azayaka hmphed. "So there is a catch. I should have known. It's just like anything else you say," she said a bit disappointed.  
"Your mission is to be a replacement for Team 9. a girl on their team fled the Chuunin exams at the Mist Village," Tomomorro explained. "You might have heard about it."  
"Are you referring to the girl who caused another member of her team to be mortally wounded? She was allowed to go to the exams and fled. That put us in a bad situation with several other villages. We were almost on the brink of war. I'm replacing her? You have got to be kidding."  
"Calm down," Tomomorro said his eyes serious. "As a replacement you would be able to find out information on the girl and her whereabouts. The Hokage needs to know if she's a threat. He's in a touch position regarding how she left and what she holds."  
"She fled. He can just send the ANBU to retrieve her." Azayaka didn't think this was worth her time. She felt like a babysitter.  
"It's not that simple. The girl left on the back of the Celestial phoenix." That caught Azayaka's attention. "The boy that was injured by her survived. Takeru Uchiha."  
"Uchiha – The clan that was nearly wiped out years ago. The sole survivor was Sasuke Uchiha. So it's his son."  
"Yes, and his son bonded with that girl in an unimaginable way. He summons the Celestial Dragon. The Hokage needs you to protect Takeru, at all costs. We're trying to keep it under wraps what he controls. A power such as that makes him a target. But it's not just other villages that would be after him. Corruption can happen easily in the blink of an eye if given a reason," he said. "Are you up to this?"  
"Report back incognito. Ears open, eyes closed. Got it," Azayak said confirming her decision.  
"Good. Now lets go get some coffee," he said grunting as he stood. "Kind of wish I hadn't walked all of the way out here now," he said heading back to the village.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Due to Onari leaving the team, we have to consider another person to replace her," Rock Lee stated to Eiyu Hyuuga and Takeru Uchiha. Takeru would not look at him directly. "We must be a three man cell in order to complete missions. The hokage has demanded we push forward."  
Eiyu glanced at Rock Lee out of the corner of his eye with his head turned away, leg resting on the seat. "No offense, but I already have him to worry about. He's going to be slow," he said jerking a thumb at Takeru. "His recovery is going to take time."  
Rock Lee figured the transition was going to be met with defiance. The shock of Onari's actions was still fresh in their minds. There were also rumors going around the village regarding why she had left. "It isn't a decision, Eiyu. I am asking your cooperation in this matter. She has already been cleared to join our team."  
"First Saori, then Onari," Takeru spoke out of the blue. "Are we supposed to forget everyone that passes through our team?" He put his hand on his forehead, closing his eyes.  
"It's too soon for this," Eiyu said angrily half rising to stand.  
"Well, well, I see you boys don't want me around, "Azayaka said as she flipped over from the top of the roof to the seat below. She walked off the seat, her long purple hair swayed as it was tied behind her back. Turning around, she looked over the two boys in front of her. The one on the left is defiantly a Hyuuga. So the boy on the right is Takeru. He looks rather depressed. I suppose he was really close to that girl. That could be a problem for me.  
"This is Azayaka Najima," Rock Lee said. "I expect all of you to get along and do well working together." He wasn't too sure about Takeru. It was clear Eiyu was going to clash with the girl. "The team leader is Eiyu. For now, our team will take it slow to help Takeru get re-adjusted."  
Azayaka bowed low, waited, and stood back up. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she said as sweetly as she could. The corners on her mouth were stressed.  
Eiyu stared straight at her fake introduction. "You can save the niceness. It's clear you aren't interested in us," he commented blandly.  
"How can one be so sure what's on the other side of a wall if he refuses to look over it," Azayaka shot back. Eiyu's eyes gave her daggers. She smiled rather smartly. "I can tell right off you don't approve of anyone smarter than you – especially girls."  
Eiyu stood with his fists clenched. "Why don't you go back to wherever you came from? We can do just fine on our own without another pain in the tail being on the team!"  
"She talks like two people in one," Takeru said softly his dark eyes lifting to view Azayaka for the first time. "I don't know why you've been put on our team. I'd rather it be Onari again. You're not who I want to see." He looked away back at the floor. "The Hokage has already given up on her…"  
Rock Lee marched over to Eiyu putting himself between him and Azayaka. "We will get along on this team. I will not have defiance in the ranks. The Hokage put Azayaka here for a reason. We won't be so rude as to send her back. She has a purpose on the team as you all do. No more of this will be spoken."  
Eiyu flipped his head to the side, snuffing Azayaka. He didn't trust her a bit. The Hokage may have put her here, but I don't have to get along with her. It was bad enough with Onari disregarding any orders I or Lee gave.  
Tomomorro sensei, I'm going to have it out with you next time I see you. With the way these two are acting, I feel more like a school teacher who is trying to get respect from bad students. Azayaka shook her head crossing her arms. Team 9 was going to be difficult for her in more than one way. She had known that beforehand. Getting information about Onari from these two was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done on a mission.

Onari touched down from Akaihi her yellow eyes overlooking the area. She had been searching for weeks to find this place. The mountainous range proved to be ridden with sharp rocks and grass growing out of its corners. She looked up at the large fire bird. It was studying the area also. Onari wondered why. "You have been here before," she said. The bird moved its yellow eyes towards her.  
"Who are you really? Celestial beings have no use for human attachments. What is yours to this world," she asked.  
Akaihi lifted the feathers on its head. He was surprised she was questioning his existence. Moving its large legs to where it towered over her, he looked down at the girl. Onari did not flinch nor move. She only stood gazing up at the creature. (You want to question why I help you. You've become as impertinent as your mother.)  
"And what do you know of her," Onari asked. "You don't think or do as a bird." She tilted her head not sure who Akaihi really was.  
(You are giving me the same lowly inferiority of a common wild bird. Is it not what you see and witness before you that makes me what I am? Only I am able to follow you in this world.)  
"Only you? But the others may come to this place when summoned," Onari said. "Normal summonings use chakra and last for a short time. You have been out in the open for weeks."  
(You're reasoning is a bit off at this point, Onari. I suppose I should refer to you as this since your true name was not properly given.) Akaihi turned his head away to look at the mountainous range, lowering his body to the earth. (You have not searched in vain for what you seek. The old monk who harbored the legend of where the Heaven's Scroll was obtained, was only mildly correct.)  
Onari studied the bird as it relished in memories that she could not dare to dream.  
(The Heaven's scroll was hidden in these mountains until a man of great importance lost his way during a thunderstorm…)

The wind blew harshly at his kimono from all angles. He was sure the fabric would be ripped to pieces in no time. His exposed skin became hit with needle sharp droplets of rain. A journey into the country had led him atop the mountain in search of wild game. His horse had bolted away from his troupe of followers when the thunder crackled overhead.  
He and his brother, Gekido, were separated as the horse took off at a high speed. His brother had tried to pursue, but the mount had jumped over the side of the cliff to tumble down the side. Sashizo was lucky to have missed being crushed by the horse's weight as it rolled.  
Both of them slid down the dirt and mud to the bottom. The mount got up to run away from Sashizo. He had borrowed the horse from another lord. Feeling responsible for the creature's safety, he had gone after it. The thunder continued to crackle over head, the dark clouds getting closer as the rain increased.  
Sashizo searched high and low for the mount as he tracked its hoof prints upon the ground. He was only fifteen-years-old at the time. The boy soon realized it was impossible for a being with two legs to track another with four legs. He threw his hat onto the ground in anger. "How stupid can I be? They're sure to laugh at me for this."  
The rain had gotten so hard to walk in that Sashizo was having difficulty walking. He thought if he went farther up the mountain he was sure to find a hut for shelter to wait out the storm. Yet, here he was trying to get footing on the sharp slippery rocks. His footing had slipped several times to send him getting cut upon his hands and knees. He was cold and wet to the bone, staggering up the steep slope. Sashizo's course had become quit confusing to him as he went off the path he had been making.  
He wrapped his arms around himself, hugging his clothes tighter to his body. "This storm is from the underworld," he shouted. Continuing as he could the boy from the lightening country came upon large boulders nestled deep into the earth of the mountain. He ducked underneath them seeking shelter.  
The rain poured, wind howled like a ghostly presence as he threw his wet belongings off. His eyes searched the dark of the enclosed space. It wasn't very big, nor very deep. He lay in a fetal position on the ground falling asleep.  
When he awoke, the sun peeked through the boulders into his eyes. Sashizo walked out looking around clearly for the first time at the landscape. "How did I get all of the way up here?" His yellow eyes befell upon the clouds below his feet. They were moving between the mountains. The sky overhead remained pure blue, birds flying in the air echoing their songs of joy. The thunderstorm and harsh rains were gone.  
Sashizo reached in to grab his kimono. There were not trees on the land for him to start a fire. He draped the soaked clothes over the boulder to dry them. "I wonder if they found shelter," he said leaning against the rock. "How are they going to find me?"  
He was a long way from his clan. Sashizo's father was a powerful man who bestowed authority and wisdom on those under his rule. His mother was a beautiful woman who spoke rarely in the presence of others. She was a sacred figure to her people, helping those with her hands and not her mouth. "Mother was concerned the moment Father suggest we go on our first hunt," he said speaking of he and Gekido. They were lords who were to be pampered and respected – to set an example.  
Sashizo's stomach growled. He placed his hands on his abdomen, his eyes glancing around. "Where does food come from out here? There aren't any farmers up here," he said. Living in the mansion of his father had caused him to grow up without fending for himself. Sashizo only knew about the wild from stories, books, and the journeys of others.  
"The only things I have on me are the kimono and pants from father." He looked at the material knowing if he burned it, his father would be furious. The set was passed down from son to son through the clan. Sashizo looked up at the sky. Birds passed overhead again. "They must be getting the substances for their nest from far away. Sort of a long journey to make for such things."  
"Gekido! Nakamori! Boncha," he shouted over the vast clouds. Sashizo listened quietly without another voice answering him back. Several days went by without a sign of his hunting party. He remained at the boulders following suit with his mother's advice to not leave a spot when lost.  
On the fourth day, Sashizo had lost reasoning for his upbringing. He dug through the dirt searching for insects to eat. He was weak, but determined to live. His kimono was filthy, hair tangled from not being washed. His fingers were caked with dirt skin itching all over. Then he saw the pink wiggling form sticking up out of the earth. A worm. Sashizo lifted it, his eyes staring straight at it. Don't think about it. Just eat it. It's you or him. Sashizo opened his mouth quickly dropping the worm inside. He swallowed, his body tense as it wriggled all the way down.  
Having been away from those that took care of him for so long, Sashizo laid his face in his hands. He wept, his heart wanting to give up. There was a slim chance he was going to be found so far up the mountain. A voice in the back of his head was urging him to continue thriving.  
Sashizo wiped his eyes as he came to turns with himself. He thought of his mother who stood with elegance and grace, her quiet features giving him the strength he needed. Standing, he removed the kimono his father had given him. It was a sign of his manhood. Sashizo laid it upon the ground, his eyes searching for a way to burn it. The rocks. Boncha told me that if rocks connect, they spark to emit fire.  
Finding tow hand sized rocks, he started to bang them togther. Sashizo hit them so had, they crumbled. He sighed, his arms hanging by his sides. He looked over his hands. "No one else in the court can make stones turn to ash, but us. Is this why they admire us?" Sashizo slumped to the ground his back hitting the boulder. His long hair flowed on the currents of the wind, twisting and turning amongst the tresses. He crawled into the small enclosure flopping onto his back staring straight up.  
There were strange markings on the roof of the boulders. Sashizo reached his hand towards them, touching the engravings. "What form of writing is this?" At the time, he was not aware it was Tibetan writing upon the stone. His eyes watched as the inscriptions started to light up and glow. Sashizo's eyes became wide the markings on the stone moving towards his hand. They flowed down his arm connecting to his body. His sigh was blinded by light.  
Sashizo saw the very heavens raining stars down at him, clouds of color and warmth guarding a sacred scroll. The scroll lay atop a pillar made of marble, etched with gold flakes. He reached his hand up, his body floating towards the scroll. As soon as he grabbed it, the clouds and stars were pulled in a vacuum, his body landing back onto the ground beneath the boulders.  
Sashizo sat up with a bewildered expression on his face, the scroll laying on his lap. He scrambled out of the enclosure as if a monster was after him. "Wh-What is this?" Gently, he opened the Heaven's Scroll for the first time, his fingers caressing the silk material. He read it aloud, not believing what he had seen.  
"The bearer of the Heaven's Scroll takes full responsibility upon his being and soul to fulfill the calling of the Celestial Phoenix. Only one with pure determination and heart of fire may possess the ability to open the South Gate. Upon opening the South Gate, the phoenix shall be imprinted upon his every being, only obeying and answering to him."  
Sashizo stood staring at the Hiragana. "No way. The Heaven's Scroll is a child's fable. If this is true…then..this is the gate to the Heavens – to the Celestial Gods." Sashizo read further. "The phoenix is at all times in conjunction with the dragon. If they are in harmony, there will be peace. If they are against each other, war."  
He looked over the scroll, his eyes searching for any marking of the person who had written the symbols he read. There were none. Before his eyes, the hiragana disappeared. "Ah! What happened?" The scroll revealed a painting of the phoenix with its tail draped over the form of the dragon. "To summon us, bear witness to your truths and flaws for you will be judged and it be decided upon. To summon us, give us life."  
Sashizo fell to the ground again reading the hiragana over. "To summon us, give us life. How do I do that? What is life to a Celestial God that would connect it to a human?"  
He stood dropping the scroll onto the ground. His name was being called. He ran down the mountain yelling and tripping over the rocks. Sashizo fell cutting his hands. he yelled, "I'm here! I'm here!" He turned his head remembering the scroll. Running hastily up the mountain, he retrieved his kimono, throwing it on in a rush. The second his bleeding hands touched the scroll, it burst into flames. Sashizo fell back with a cry, his eyes wide. "The scroll!"  
It burned to ash before his very eyes. He crawled towards it, his eyes looking over the black ash. "Why did it-" The ash started to tower into a pile, its black form taking the shape of an oval. Sashizo saw the ash turn from black to gray to white, forming into an egg. The egg bore the same engravings as the boulders he had seen. It moved. Without fear, the young lord lifted it in his hands. The egg jiggled until it started to crack. A little crack here and there sent it connecting to other cracks that were forming. The shell of the egg burst apart flying pieces everywhere.  
In his hands was a red bird with yellow eyes. It looked up at him, its tail draping over the edges of his fingers. "You're a phoenix," he said as the feathers on the bird's head raised its fire licked tips. They flickered off the feathers into the wind. Sashizo smiled lowering his head to the creature. "You're astonishing," he said having forgotten his name was being called.

Akaihi looked down at Onari who was staring at him with wide eyes, the circle etched around her pupil foretelling the contract Sashizo had made with the phoenix. (To hold something so pure and strong in my fingers entranced me. Had I known that such an occurrence – a rare find- would send my life – and yours into the very fires that create the phoenix, I would have not touched what I had seen. I was only a young lord without proper knowledge to believe in myths.) He turned his softened gaze upon his only daughter.  
Onari let her hair fall forward as she tried to hide her face from her father. She cried hard her hands covering her face. All this time, she had thought herself to be alone, fighting for a chance of survival against a powerful battle with her uncle, Gekido of the lightening country. Now she had wished she had not left the hidden leaf village. "T-Takeru died because of me," she wailed falling to her knees as she hit the ground.  
Akaihi's heart swelled, the pain he had caused his daughter a huge stone on his soul. (I could not stop Takeru from defending you, Onari, my precious beautiful daughter. It was his choice to become your guard and your protector.) Akaihi moved his large red head to the girl who wept on the ground. He nuzzled the side of her head with delicate care. (I will not let Gekido harm you. It is what I promised to your mother.) Onari turned her head looking at the phoenix with a new understanding. (I am truly sorry to have kept myself a secret to you.)  
Onari lifted her hands stroking the feathers of the phoenix. She latched onto the feathers burying her tears on its form. "F-Father, I will not let Gekido inflict his wrath on the hidden leaf village – or the Uchiha."  
Akaihi ruffled his feathers cooing at Onari. She soon smiled at him, the tears still glistening on her cheeks. (You've always been strong like Urei. So much of her is in you. I am at fault for breaking your spirit.) Onari shook her head holding onto him again. (Maybe I should have listened to Takeru the first time he found out. He was wiser than he appears for his age.)  
"Takeru knew…who you were," she asked, her fingers still curled around the soft feathers.  
(It was one of your first missions as a ninja. We were far out in a small village protecting a few horses of value. When I stood watch he same outside the stable to talk absently about his concerns over you. Foolishly, I scared him when I answered back.) Akaihi closed his eyes remembering the fond thought. (I wasn't afraid to do such a thing. He is very trustworthy for a ninja.)  
Onari's hands fell away from the phoenix's neck. "Do you think ninjas are untrustworthy," she asked with pain in her voice. The mere thought of mentioning Takeru to her sunk her mood like a stone in a pond.  
(Onari, as a Lord, I was raised in a mansion to only believe that I was important. No one else mattered in our clan. Not anyone who worked for us, or your mother. Ninja were seen as low life people. It wasn't until after we found out your mother was pregnant did we experience life for the first time. You caused that.) Akaihi turned his head to value her. (It would not matter to me if you were a ninja, a princess, or a maid. You are my daughter. Your smile is worth more than any treasure a clan could hold.)  
"The only way I can survive is to get rid of Gekido and his men. But in saying so, it means you also have no reason to be on this plane of existence," she said her eyes looking at him sadly. "I want you and mother to rest in peace. "  
(I understand. I will help you in fighting Gekido and Kakumei Eimino. They will not succeed in gaining the other celestials.) Akaihi bowed his head low to her. (What is your wish of me?)  
Onari stood looking at the phoenix. "To become stronger – to protect the Uchiha who have given me a home…and Konoha, I will go into hiding," she said issuing her decision. "As long as I am not found by those wishing to seek me, there can be no gain. I won't let Saori and Ryu suffer a fate worse than death."  
Akaihi kept his head lowered, his feathers erupting in waves of flame. (Until I am called upon again, be safe, Onari.) He closed his eyes, his phoenix body discarding back into ash.  
Onari turned her eyes away from the ash to look out at the clouds flowing below the mountainous range. "Gekido will grovel at my feet for taking you from me," she said of Takeru. Her eyes narrowed, her frown turned into an angry gaze.

Hisoka Eimino stood in his quarters his hands clasped behind his back. He heard his son, Unkei, come in. The boy moved to his position quickly kneeling to the floor, his head touching the floor waiting for his father's permission to rise. Hisoka cleared his throat. At once, Unkei sat up his hands lay neatly on his lap, his eyes staring straight ahead. "Regardless of your performance at the Chuunin exams, winning was not a great concern for the clan. Your mother is thrilled to have you return," he said dismissing his wife's adorations for their son.  
"Is Father well," Unkei asked, his voice hard, his emotions in check. If he stepped out of line showing any concern for his parents, he would be dealt with swiftly by his father. As an Eimino he had to remain hard, firm, well poised, and diligent of orders received.  
Hisoka waved his hand to his side dismissing the guards positioned in the hidden spaces around the room. With a soft clack, the eye holes were closed. "Leave us," he ordered. "I am not afraid of my own son. Now," he said in a threatening voice. The guards silently retreated to elsewhere in the building. He waited about five minutes before he spoke; just to make sure the guards were really gone. Turning around, Hisoka sighed relief. He patted his brow the sweat from the stress he was experiencing noticeable.  
"Unkei, rumors have drifted to my ears days after you returned home. I am sorry to not have greeted you properly at the gate to the house," Hisoka said. "I was trying to follow these rumors, to be sure of them. Forgive an old man for his strict upbringing. Life as an Eimino is hard when ruled by bigots in power," he said softly with hatred.  
"Father, I don't harbor ill feelings against you for anything," Unkei said. "If the rumors about the girl at the exams is what you've been hearing, they are true," he said confirming his father's suspicions. "As law states, I must report to Lord Gekido regarding the information I saw."  
Hisoka held up his hand stopping his son from rising. "As law states, yes. But before you answer to a Lord, you must obey your Father." Unkei looked at him with his brows furrowed. "The ones who have come to me with these rumors, will not be spreading them further."  
Unkei realized at that point, his father had had the men who were spies, killed. "Such rumors will cause much upsetting around us. What I tell you from here on out, is only between us," he said. "Your oath to the Eimino clan is only justified by your birth and nothing more."  
"Father," Unkei said startled.  
Hisoka held up his hand again to calm his son. "Do what you can to survive until the time comes when we can break away from the actions around us. It was not my intention to raise my son in a demeaning way. The Eimino clan has become nothing but puppets who answer to an insane man in charge."  
Unkei became fearful of his father's accusations. "Father, if you speak any louder, your own men won't hold their loyalty any further." He watched his father sit on his pillow, his eyes closed in thought. Unkei settled down his mind racing. He wondered if he should tell his father more of what he had seen. "It is not just the fact the girl left on the phoenix. She was able to transfer the contract to a boy regarding the Celestial dragon."  
Hisoka opened his eyes. "And where is this boy," he asked softly. His son's facial expression told him the worst. "So he has perished. The dragon can be claimed by another. If that so happens, a war will arise amongst the clans in every country. It is a power we cannot begin to imagine."  
"Father, I worry about the rants you are expressing. If Lord Gekido or General Kakumei find out, your life will be forfeit," Unkei said. "Please do not discuss this anymore."  
Hisoka Eimino smiled sadly at his son. "Unkei, you warm my old heart. It is unlike you to take an old man's worry and retort against superiority in such a favor. There is something on your mind," he said seeing through his son's actions.  
"Yes, there was a boy at the Chuunin exams who had the same lightening abilities that we posses," Unkei claimed. "He appeared to be very strong, until he fell as we waited for our turn to battle. There was something amiss about him, Father. He died before our very eyes, but had been brought back by his team leader. Last I heard of him, he was in the hospital at the Mist Village."  
"Unkei, a ninja can use any element he shows strength in. Lightening is only one of these elements. Do you know what makes us different than other lightening users in other villages?" Unkei shook his head. "I see that has been kept from you as well. The reason we are as we are, is that our kekkegenkai flows in our genes to not only activate the lightening element, but also connect to our life force. It flows around every major organ in our body like a rope. In battle, we can use our kekkegenkai to unleash the element, but also to use it to track and find our opponents. It's a technique that only the ones under General Kakumei are allowed to use."  
"This ability takes chakra," Unkei questioned.  
"In a way," Hisoka said moving his hand through the air. "Imagine lightening not as a threatening element, but a current of life that flows through the air. With each new person born to the clan, this life element attaches him to every person in it. Anyone in that family decent can find the other by 'feeling' for that certain current belonging to that person."  
"Father, how were you able to find this out, if only General Kakumei and his men know of it," Unkei asked.  
Hisoka smiled. "Your mother is a nosey woman, Unkei. She has befriended a wife of one of the men who works under General Kakumei. The woman did not admit her abilities to your mother, but mildly showed them to her, when one of the young children was missing." Hisoka heard his men clack the small opening to the floor open. He raised his finger in the air to quiet his son. "What we have discussed is only for our knowledge. Any word spreads of our words and we will be banished beyond mortal existence."


	90. Chapter 90

**V9 ch 10**

Rumors and shaky paths

"Concentrate," he could hear Ryu's words as he stood out in the training ground area. Takeru kept his eyes closed, his arm slightly away from his body. His mind went blank. Ryu had mastered Chidori several days ago. And every night, Takeru had been sparring with his father to prove he was worthy of finding Onari.

A blink of concern caught his mind off guard. So much time had passed the guilt he felt popped up. Takeru's face turned into a frown. I was supposed to protect her, Uso. Not only for you, but also her father. Just as he began to demean himself, a voice echoed throughout his head. (To do so, would be to have broken her spirit. Isn't that what you admire the most?)

Takeru smiled. Thanks, Uso. He settled down again, his mind going still. The chakra in his body ran strong with determination. He could feel the power of the dragon flowing with his own form. He and Uso were not Master and servant, but God and guardian.

In the darkness of his mind Takeru saw a flicker of energy. It appeared as a blue ball of light. He approached it, the ball starting to flicker with the chakra in connection of his body. In his mind's eye, he lifted his hand over the ball of radiating light. The ball of chakra sizzled and exploded. The sound of a thousand birds flocked to his ears. Takeru opened his eyes the blinding light of Chidori crackling through the air.

This was one of the first powerful techniques his father had learned. Takeru stared down at the light as he tried to maintain Chidori. Off to his right were several twelve foot poles of lumber. Students used them as training guides. Takeru ran at the poles, his legs swift, as he neared the first one, he struck it, Chidori seeping into the thick wood. His hand came through the other side before the chakra in his body was let go. Takeru breathed hard. The technique was a lot to endure. Pulling his hand out slowly, he looked at his burnt hand. He felt a presence standing behind him. Takeru forgot his pain for the moment, his eyes looking to see the Hokage watching him.

Naruto stood at the end of the training ground, his eyes looking at Takeru Uchiha with a solemn expression. His coat flowed behind him with the wind. "Chidori. A technique Kakashi Hatake learned when he was a mere boy. I've known for some time that Sasuke had chosen to teach Ryu the same attack. But you I did not."

Takeru found himself bowing quickly to the Hokage, the man who had restored his father's position in the village. "I-I'm sorry, Sir," he said feeling ashamed he had not asked permission from anyone to learn it. "I didn't mean to go against you."

Naruto stepped forth, his hands on his hips. "But you have. That specific technique is so dangerous that whoever learns it, must remember it will drain his chakra – and end his life."

Takeru looked up quickly at the man, his eyes fearful.

"It's written all over your face, Takeru. You were not told of the side effects, or dangers of that technique," Naruto said. "Tell me. Who has been training you to use this?"

"My father doesn't know," Takeru said honestly to the village leader. "Ryu was kind of suckered into it. Only he and Daiya know that I've been trying to access it."

Naruto snorted. "You seem to have the same kind of cunning in you as your father. However, now that you've accessed it, how are you going to harbor it? Would you like to know more about that particular technique and the dangers you have overlooked?"

Takeru flinched as the Hokage came forth lifting his burned hand. He watched the man rip a piece of cloth from his robe. Takeru blushed as the man wrapped his hand delicately making sure the bandage was not too tight.

Naruto tied the bandage. He held Takeru's hand, his eyes focusing on the skin damage. "If you use Chidori more than once in a period of time, you risk the chance of dying. Your body can only sustain it for a brief time. Also, you've just found out that it burns the skin. Your hand needs to remain bandaged and protected when using it. This technique must have the approval of the Hokage before it can be used as a last resort on enemies."

Takeru slowly flexed his fingers. He kept messing up. "What do I have to do to get your approval?" His eyes met the Hokage's in all seriousness. "I'll do whatever you require so that I can gain the use of this."

Naruto knelt to where he was looking up at Takeru. "Are you wanting to get revenge on a particular person," he asked softly. Naruto feared Takeru was following too much in Sasuke's steps.

"No," Takeru said his eyes blazing, his mouth curling. "I want to be a proper Guardian for Onari. But not only her. I don't want anything to happen to the others that bear the marks of the Heaven's scroll on their arms."

Naruto lowered is head, his shoulders sulking. The burden was lifted off of his form. "Takeru, you're not entirely like Sasuke," he said raising his head again. "The fact remains I don't approve of you learning this technique as of right now. I forbid you to use it, until you are older."

Takeru's heart stopped. He turned his head away, his teeth clenched. All of the training he had been doing was washing away. "I thought you were a reasonable man!"

Naruto stood again, his eyes not leaving Sasuke's son. "For now, Chidori is too strong for you to use. How is that technique going to effect everyone around you? This is something you must think upon. I will say it again, in case, you did not take me seriously. I forbid you to use this. Until you understand, it will be out of your reach." Naruto turned leaving Takeru alone to deal with his emotions.

Takeru punched the lumber pole as hard as he could. He leaned his forehead upon it trying to think of a solution. "Dammit," he said kicking the pole with his foot.

Naruto stopped once he was a distance away from Takeru. He could hear the boy taking his anger out on the training poles. "It's not easy telling someone 'no', but it had to be done. He doesn't know it was you that told me," he said turning his gaze up into a tree where Ryu Yuhi sat staring off into the clouds. "When did you realize he was going to access it?"

Ryu sighed. He wasn't happy with himself for what he had done. "When I saw the expression on his face the moment I had mastered it. Takeru's eyes were glazed. Chidori isn't the answer for him. It never was. This is," Ryu said tapping his head. "I don't know whether he is trying to pass Sasuke sensei for the sake of argument, or to prove he really can get Onari back."

"Yeah, his age is defiantly against him right now. When he becomes wiser and more mature, I'll see about letting him, "Naruto said. "That is if he can follow the chain of command."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tachiba waited on the lower tree level for a rough looking Kinari. Naguru sat on his finger as he petted the blue bunting softly. "He stood up for us, Naguru, you can't be mad at him," he said as the bird twittered his answer. "I know, but if we get in trouble with Ateru sensei, he'll have our heads." As he said the last sentence, Kinari exited the hollow tree from the steps that led up towards the very top. He was dragging himself, bags under his eyes.

Kinari had to keep his feet moving, or he was going to crash. Staying up for two days was not his ideal idea of a good time. He passed Tachiba, not looking at him. "I don't need a babysitter," he said roughly.

"I appreciate you taking the wrap for us," Tachiba tried to say but Kinari gave him a mean look.

"I didn't do it for you! I don't want to answer to the Morikage about why we were in that place at that time. You think it's all about you, don't you? Well maybe it isn't anymore," Kinari said angrily. "All you think of is yourself and that bird! We have a real problem on our hands. If the dead get eaten, how will this look? We're not incapable of defending them!" He moved on leaving Tachiba behind.

"I expected him to be mad," Tachiba said to Naguru who had hunkered down into a ball.

Kaiya bounced the moment she saw Tachiba standing by himself. "Good morning, Tachiba," she said with extra sugar in her voice. "Are you ready for what Ateru sensei has prepared?" She noticed he was looking away down the path of houses on the large tree branch. "Tachiba," she called poking her head around him several times happily. "What has you so distracted today?"

"Kinari is mad at me," he said as an afterthought. He didn't feel like playing homage to Kaiya's girly feelings. He turned his head to acknowledge her. "Shouldn't you be more concerned with the Kasha? They're invading our village."

"Yes, but there's always a solution," she said putting her finger in the air. "We just have to find it together." She danced around Tachiba as he started to walk off. Naguru hopped off Tachiba's finger to twitter and fly ahead.

Ateru Yotsuka stood waiting for his team on an outward branch where a small building had been built. It was open to the elements, with a small roof like a gazebo. He crossed his arms, his hollow red eyes overlooking the team that had come from Konoha. "So the Morikage actually asked the Hokage from the Leaf to aid us. Quite interesting. He must have lost faith in our abilities."

Yanagi sensed the man didn't know what to think about their situation. Her team had just been briefed by Ateru on what they were called for. "Sensei, how long have the Kasha been coming to the village?"

"For five days now," Ateru said looking down at the ground. "We had sent out some of our comrades to check up on a rumor. It's been circling around these parts that a large bird of fire was seen in the sky. Some of the elders believe it is a bad omen. And there are others who want to harness a power like that." Ateru saw the expression on the boy with blond hair. "You know what I speak of?"

Yanagi punched Masaru in the gut. Masaru made a horrible face, holding his abdomen. She turned her gaze back to the man. "Exactly why would the Morikage send others out to check on a rumor?"

"As I mentioned, sometimes rumors are truth. There is no way of knowing unless you check. Honestly, I didn't believe it myself, until I saw it," Ateru said. "We were traveling at night at the edge of the Forest country. I had left the group to scout for water in the river that was near. That was when I saw something that disturbed me." He looked at Yanagi. "Standing in the middle of the river, was a young girl, about your age. She was up to her waist bathing. I was going to leave her be, for it's not right to look upon a lady – no matter her age- in the nude. Until a small bird of fire came soaring down the river towards her. The girl held out her arm and the bird landed upon it.

I had never seen such a bird in my life. It was slightly bigger than a hen, its yellow eyes piercing as it cooed at her. Its tail was long, the tips barely touching the surface of the water. I didn't realize that the others had came looking for me. I had been gone quite some time, mesmerized by what stood before my eyes. The way she was showing affection to the creature seemed to be somewhat sad, in my eyes. This couldn't be the large bird that people had sighted."

Idai kept his gaze looking out at the beautiful scenery, his arm hanging off the railing. Onari. So you're alright. And now we know where you've been. That still doesn't tell us what direction you went in.

"One person in the group shifted his movement. The girl's head turned around in alarm, the bird upon her arm lifting into the air. Suddenly, without warning, its size increased drastically. It rolled down until it slammed into the water, towering as large as a building. The flames upon the bird erupted in warning. The girl was gone from our sights briefly. I tried to find her again, but the creature – whatever it is- opened its mouth spilling forth a wave of fire. The ones the Kasha wish to feed on, are those of my team that did not survive the attack. They are the ones you must help us guard."

Masaru didn't like what he was hearing. He had to remember all of the details Ateru sensei had told them. Once they were back in Konoha, his team would report to Kiba Inuzuka and his father, the Hokage. Masaru wasn't sure if the death of Ateru's men were on purpose, or an accident.

Yanagi frowned. Onari's getting into trouble outside of the village now. Ateru sensei wasn't sure where she was from, so for now, we're safe but… what happens once he finds out? Will the Forest village demand war on the Leaf for her actions? I wish she would return home.

Idai's gaze shifted to see a boy standing outside of the gazebo. His long gray bangs hung over his silver eyes as he yawned sleepily. Soon a boy with short brown hair, yellow eyes, and a blue bunting bird came after the first one. A giggly girl with dark green ponytails wearing a goggle hat bounced up to them. Her blue eyes were surprised to see their trainer with another team.

"This is Team 6 from the Leaf," Ateru said as his team tried to figure out what was happening. "They are here to help with the Kasha by order of the Morikage. Show them around, be hospitable, and work together."

"Pretty bird," Idai said breaking the awkward silence as the two teams stared each other down. "What kind is it?" The girl with the goggle cap stepped in front of the guy with the bird.

"It's a bunting," Kaiya answered. "He's a special addition to our team." She didn't like the way the guy with red hair was sizing up her team. "And you can keep that look you're giving us to yourself. It isn't polite."

Idai stood up slowly placing his hands upon his knees to support himself. It had taken his team several days to make the journey to the Forest village. One wouldn't have thought the village to be located in a large tree, but it was. "I take it since you stepped in front of him, you're the team leader."

Kaiya put her hands on her hips straightening her back. "That's right, I am. Do you have a problem with it? If so, you can just leave as soon as you got here."

Ateru rolled his eyes. Women. Always thinking a man's out to prove he has more guts than they do.

Idai kept his gaze level his head tilted forward as his long bangs hung over his face. He smiled a bit unkindly. "I'm not interested in you," he said softly as his mouth curled into a sinister smile. "I want the demons that are invading your village. I want to break them."

Masaru grabbed the collar of Idai's blue kimono with a firm grip. "Not yet," he said trying to keep Idai off of Kaiya. Masaru knew if he let Idai go at that point, his friend was going to prove to that girl he wasn't going to take anything off her. One thing Idai couldn't stand was a tough talker.

"We've gotten in enough trouble for one day. Can we please stay out of another fight or anything to make someone mad at us," Kinari said sleepily. He gave a stern look to Kaiya. "Quit acting so tough. They're only here to help, not take your thunder away."

Kaiya turned her head looking at Kinari bewildered. "I'm the one that makes the decisions in the team," she said whirling around pointing to herself. "You stay out of this!"

Tachiba put his hand in front of Kaiya to block her view of Kinari. "Isn't our mission the most important right now? You two can feud later," he said ending the argument between his friend and the girl who had a crush on him. "You have to excuse Kaiya," he said gaining the attention of Team 6. "She and Kinari have always been at ends with each other. Since you're going to be working with us, let us show you around," he said trying to be friendly.

"It wouldn't hurt to know the important angles of the village," Ateru said keeping his arms crossed. "The real fighting starts later." He dismissed his team along with the team from the Leaf village. As they walked away he wondered exactly why the Morikage had been assigned this particular team.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lady Kiaria walked in the vast garden that was part of the Cloud village. It had been constructed to bring peace to those who had died at the hands of others in time of war. She passed a statue of a fish whose mouth flowed with water into a pond. The lotus blossoms moved slowly against the current of the water. Her eyes followed her fingers as they trailed in the cool liquid. She wondered for a moment about her decision to become the Inazumakage.

I would have never dreamt of meeting your daughter, Urei. That was her, wasn't it? She had your quick to act sense. And her regard for authority weighs heavily on the morals of what is right and wrong. I wish she would have known me sooner, instead of the other way around. The power she possesses has caught the attention of the foreign leaders.

She lifted her head, her eyes studying the pebble paths that twined around the trees. Each path led to a different part of the garden, where statues stood. Walking carefully, Kiaria strolled down the steps to follow a particular path of interest. Her robes dragged behind her upon the ground.

She passed the trees of old, their roots high above the ground, thick and twisting. Putting her hands on her robes, she lifted the robe to where it did not catch on the roots as she stepped over them. Her eyes trailed along each one, her memory of them fond. When she had been merely a child, Urei had met her here in secret. They often drew pictures in the ground to tell stories to each other. For an assassin, Urei was kind to those that did not deserve to be overtaken. Even though her tongue had been cut out to keep her from revealing the secrets of the Cloud village, her eyes showed her thoughts. Kiaria thought Urei was a wonderful, beautiful, mysterious woman. She had always admired her.

The pebble path loomed over a small hill. Kiaria strolled up it, her feet slightly slipping. She caught herself, then headed to her destination again. Once over the hill, the trees were spread out. A field of pebbles and statues lay before her. She walked to them, her eyes gazing over the area. Littered around the statues where monuments where the dead rested. She made her way to two columns that marked the front. Her fingers felt the copper bowls on top of the column. Kiaria closed her eyes until the flame lit itself. She did the same to the other.

As she stepped into the area, her arms spread out, her head bowing to respect those that had perished. This wasn't just a graveyard for the dead of ancestors, but those lost in battle. "Forgive me for not meeting with all of you earlier. I have been troubled deeply by events that have happened." She opened her eyes to see translucent figures monitoring her.

"And what is it that troubles the Inazumakage," a voice said on the wind. The figures floated above the ground. Kiaria saw that many of them had chosen to keep their battle wounds or scars as a sign of honor for the village. A spirit whose body was barely hanging on to his torso swayed from side to side. She figured it was he who was questioning her. "The past troubles me," she answered.

"The past is the past and nothing more," several of the spirits said in harmonies low tones. "It cannot be changed, for it is what makes the future and the present."

"It isn't that I wish to change it," Kiaria said. "I wish to understand it so I can be better prepared for it. There are things in motion now that I am baffled with how they came to be in the first place."

"And what is it that the Inazumakage has her eyes set on," a young shinobi asked. The girl appeared to be no older than fourteen, a shuriken sticking out the back of her head. Her death must have been swift, for face was not solemn, but contorted with expression.

"The legend of the four celestials has been playing in my mind since the witness of the phoenix's resurrection at the Chuunin exams," Kiaria said. "The phoenix is seen as a negative and positive omen. But which is it that reigns at this very moment?"

"The power of destruction," the spirits told her, their voices echoing off of each other. "For the phoenix has been detached from the dragon. Without the other, there is no harmony."

Kiaria's eyes widened. "So it's true. Urei's daughter has bonded another to her that can draw the dragon as a trump card." Her breath almost left her. "Why are they not together?"

"The phoenix caretaker does not know the dragon exists at this moment," an older ninja said, his gray hair flowing around his face as he floated.

"That would explain why I get this feeling that the heavens are out of alignment," Kiara said under her breath. "Where is the phoenix?" She wasn't sure if the spirits had that kind of energy to determine where things were in the natural order.

"We have not felt it for some time," the same ninja said. "It has left this plane. Maybe the caretaker or summoner has decided to not bring it here for reasons of her own."

"Or she's not wanting to jeopardize her life," Kiaria said. "Such power has caught the attention of the foreign leaders. They are seeing her as a threat. Whose not to say she couldn't set fire to each village as it lay under the direction of the phoenix?"

The spirits hovered constantly, not commenting further on anything Kiaria said. She bowed low thanking them for their help in the matter. She had always been able to speak with the dead since she was a child. Maybe that was why Urei comforted her when it scared her. Kiaria touched the copper bowls on top of the columns once again. The flames flickered out dousing her connection to the spirit world. As she walked up the pebble hill, she only wished Urei and Sashizo's ashes had not been scattered elsewhere.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Daiya heard Takeru scream into the pillow on his bed. He opened the door slowly trying to figure out what was going on. Daiya raised a brow his hair dripping wet from the bath, the pajama pants around his waist hung a bit loosely. He walked softly to the side of the bed placing his hand upon Takeru's head. "Hey, what's your problem so late in the afternoon," he asked.

Takeru looked up at his brother hatefully. "You told the Hokage didn't you?" He jumped off the bed with his arms outstretched. Takeru tackled Daiya to the ground in a fit of anger. His hands balled up as he hit Daiya hard on the shoulder. "You told him I was attempting Chidori!" His anger fumed, fist pummeling into his brother's skin.

Daiya reached his legs up and hooked them around Takeru's waist as he bent his body. Pushing Takeru back with his legs he came up into a sitting position arms holding onto Takeru's legs so he couldn't budge.

Takeru grunted as he tried to fight Daiya back. However, his adopted brother was older, his arms and legs thicker from rough routine training under his father. Daiya had the upper hand. He was calm and collected as Takeru's rage finally died down. He panted, his face red, eyes full of hatred. "You told him! I won't forgive you!"

Daiya just stared at Takeru. Working with Ryu had taught him a lot of things. One was to remain calm in tough situations. Another was to not argue when the other had no hope of listening. He waited.

"Why did you tell him? What was in it for you? You thought it would make you look good because you're a foreigner?" Takeru yelled at Daiya until he ran out of words to say. He simply met Daiya's gaze with a curled lip.

"Are you finished…," Daiya said without question. His grip on Takeru hadn't lessened. "Your physical strength isn't the only thing you need to mature," he said with an edge in his voice. "You're not fit to go get her," he said pushing Takeru's leg down as he let go. He loosened his leg hold on the boy. Daiya gave Takeru the sternest look he could pull together.

Takeru sat up quickly his eyes narrowed. At first, he was skeptical about what Daiya had said until he saw the look in his eyes. "You… didn't tell… him," he said slowly.

"No, I didn't," Daiya yelled as his fist came down on the top of Takeru's head.

Takeru tried to prepare himself for impact, but it was too late. His eyes welled up with tears as he held his head. His toes were curled in pain. He hits as hard as dad. The throbbing didn't go away for some time as he sat on the floor with Daiya watching him. He had every right to be angry at him.

Takeru glanced up at his adopted brother as he sat on the bed reading. He looked back down frowning. Takeru was slightly afraid to move for fear of being hit again.

Daiya was highly aware Takeru was watching him. He flipped through the book. "What is it…" His voice remained hard.

"You hate me, right…?" Takeru looked down. He was always misjudging Daiya. Sure enough, he was hit in the back of the head with a pillow.

"The only person I loathe that much is the woman who birthed me," he answered coldly. "You're not a child, Takeru. If you want to protect Onari, you better start protecting yourself." Daiya got off the bed leaving the room as he stormed out the door.

Takeru sat for a while thinking in the silence. Daiya's right. How am I supposed to prove I can handle tougher situations if I can't over him or Dad? Now he knew why the Hokage had stopped him with Chidori.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Azayaka Najimu stood with her hands on her hips eying Eiyu Hyuuga. Her green eyes searched his posture. "Something tells me you really don't like me," she said as Eiyu leaned against the tree. He hadn't glanced at her one time since she had arrived. "Look, I'm not here to cause waves," she said. "There has to be a third person in your cell."

"You're not Onari," Eiyu blurted out. "You're not going to be either. You're temporary," he said the last word with a low inferiority.

"So that's what it is," she said with a keen sense. "I thought it was merely the other boy, but it's you also. There's something about that girl you like."

Eiyu came off the tree turning his full body to face her. "I don't know why you're here, or what your real mission is, but you won't slam Onari into the ground. I don't care what you've heard about her. You don't know her like we do! She left because she would have endangered the entire village!"  
"You're not the one who needs to persuade me," Azayaka said. "She has to. Like you said, I don't know her," she said crossing her arms, turning her gaze away.

Eiyu grit his teeth. "You defiant shrew," he said at the lack of respect. He almost lost his cool with Azayaka. He felt a hand on his shoulder as the anger started to show in his face. Eiyu shifted his eyes to see Rock Lee standing beside him.

"This is not how a team operated. Hatred and anger does not belong under my watch. It seems you tow need a low level mission to learn what teamwork is."

"He's the one with the problem," Azayaka said to Lee. "It's clear I'm not wanted here. I'm trying to do what I was told."

"Told by who," Eiyu asked with a hint of aggression. "We didn't get an order from the Hokage about a new person being added. It wasn't even discussed in our ranks!"

"I was informed of her arrival," Lee said ending Eiyu's rant. "Azayaka has proved herself to her old trainer. She's a fine replacement for Onari. You shouldn't judge her because you're angry at Onari's departure."

Eiyu turned his gaze away. "We were supposed to be an unbeatable team," he said softly. "Hyuuga and Uchiha on the same battlefield with one as equal to our own. She was trained by both of your parents! She-" He couldn't say it.

Azayaka sighed. "You're an idiot," she said. "So this girl was the little prodigy of the Hyuuga and Uchiha clans. And I thought her ability to perform ninjutsu was quite accelerated from what I heard."

Eiyu stared at her.

"You think the entire village wouldn't notice an exceptional child that stood out like a sore thumb as much as she did? Even the Hokage was treated such a way as a child. Or perhaps you don't know that was one of the reasons she was allowed into the village."

"She was allowed because she had been abandoned," Takeru said from behind them. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, long bangs hanging down by the sides of his face. In the past twelve hours he had changed drastically. "Onari was given a chance at a better life with us. She came from the snow village where no one wanted her. Her parents were murdered trying to protect her from she holds- and those that want to retrieve it.

It's not her fault for gaining her father's inheritance. It's what he did as a last measure to keep her Uncle away. My father wanted her to not feel afraid any longer. Now if your intention is to hurt her, I'm going to stop you."

Azayaka put her hands behind her head. "I didn't sign up for this. I was only asked to find out what I could about her," she said honestly. "There's a lot of people that fear those with 'gifts'," she chose to say.

"I don't fear anyone," Eiyu said.

"Now that we know each other better, we can operate more functionally as a team," Lee said. "Azayaka, your mission is to collect information and not harm another member of this three- man cell without probable cause. I won't have that kind of brotherly love, unless there are fists involved," Lee said as he showed the girl his fist as he smiled big at her.

Takeru hung his arms forward. "Exactly how is that doing us any differently, Sensei?" Sometimes he wondered by Rock Lee's sanity when it came to group discussions.

Azayaka bowed. "I won't do anything without the Hokage's order and approval." She stood back up. Sorry guys. I didn't get where I am by putting personal feelings into my missions.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ryu laid on the back of Shogai as the turtle moved down the river with the current. He stared up at the sky, trees blowing in the wind. Did I do the right thing by ratting Takeru out? He closed his eyes. He wasn't sure anymore.

He felt Shogai dip into the water with a sudden bounce. Opening his eyes he saw Daiya bent over looking at him. "I'm trying to sort some stuff out," he said wanting to be left alone.

"You owe me ramen," Daiya said showing Ryu his bruised shoulder. "Takeru went straight for me. I don't appreciate being his target, Ryu."

Ryu sat up. "I wonder why he always accuses you." He was hit on the back of the head, his head moving forward with a jerk. "Fine, I owe you," he said with a sigh. "Did you tell him it was me?" Ryu's hand went up quickly to block another stroke. "Alright, I'm sorry."

"Do neither of you trust me because I'm not from here?"

Ryu raised a brow. "What?" He saw Daiya stand up and shake his head as he turned around.

"It was something Takeru said," Daiya passed off.

Ryu furrowed his brows trying to understand. "I asked simply because you're his brother. I wasn't trying to have an underlying meaning in what I was saying."

"Despite being here for the past few years, I still feel different from everyone. Like I don't belong here." Daiya sat down on Shogai again, his hand touching the water's surface. "There's something else I'm supposed to do. But I don't know what it is."

Ryu reached his arm out to forcefully push Daiya into the water. "It's called never expose your back to your enemy." He smiled. Ryu stood up dancing on Shogai as Daiya surfaced.

"Oh, you are so dead," Daiya yelled as Shogai continued to move along the river current.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Masaru Uzumaki walked with his team up the steep stair case that was inside of the tree the Forest village was nestled in. Holes about the size of his head were carved into the bark to let the sunlight through. It was the only way to see the steps. His head craned upwards. They were headed to the top of the tree where the corpses of the dead were being guarded. He swallowed. Does anyone else find this a bit creepy?

Kiaya Raikatuji walked ahead of the others, taking pride in leading her team to the top of the giant tree. She glanced over her shoulder at the team from Konoha. "It's customary for us to put the dead up here so that their loved ones can console them until they are ready to go to the next world. The day before the Burn Passage takes place, we go to each of them and give them offerings and advice. We also thank them for their life in the village."

Yanagi didn't know what to think about the Forest Village's Burn Passage ceremony. She found it quite sad. A lot of ninja that died in battle left family behind. And a lot of them were children too young to understand what death was. She had a problem adjusting to the idea of everyone in the village approaching the dead that way. It wasn't a place for children at all.

"Hey you look uneasy," Kinari said to the pink haired girl from the Konoha team.

"Oh, um," Yanagi started. "A person on our team died a while back. I don't like death at all," she said with a faint smile.

"So why are you forcing yourself to smile about it," Kinari asked. "It's something we all have to go through. We're Shinobi."

Idai looked down keeping his eyes on his footing. There were no railings along the steps. One wrong move and it was a long way down. The mention of death brought up bad memories for him. The flash of his father's body sinking down the wall caused him to stop abruptly. His eyes widened. The realization of his father's death was as clear to him now as it had been years ago. It played over and over in his mind like a broken record.

Masaru halted. He sensed Idai was lagging behind the group. "Hey, we've still got a way to go. What gives?" Idai's head was hanging forward, his body slumped over. "Y-Yanagi," he called a bit nervously.

Yanagi stopped as well turning halfway around. "What is it, Masaru?" She followed his gaze down the steps. "Idai?"

Tachiba stopped as Naguru went immediately into his clothing to hide. "Naguru, what's wrong? You're normally not afraid when we go inside the tunnel," he said. He turned around to see the team leader of the Konoha team standing quite a few steps away.

Kiaya stopped talking about the Kasha invading the village. Everyone seemed to have gotten eerily quiet. "Look it's not a big deal if you guys are worried about what you'll see when we get to the top. We're used to it. They can't hurt you." She looked over her shoulder. Everyone was still. "Hey, are any of you listening to me," she shouted.

Idai twitched at Kiaya shouting. It startled him. His hands went up to shield his eyes, his body sinking to the step. At the moment, all he saw was his father's body against the wall, the blood smeared all of the way down. Idai started to panic, his shoulders shaking. "Dad," he said in a feeble whimper.

Masaru almost lost control as he ran back down the steps towards Idai. He tumbled forward twice, his body dangling off the side of the stairway. Reaching up with his hand he pulled with all his strength to get back to safety.

"Masaru, don't do that again," Yanagi scolded. "You scared me half to death!" She brought her hands down from performing signs to summon her butterfly comrades.

Masaru ignored Yanagi and the others as he leaned down to see Idai's face. "Idai?" He placed his hand on Idai's shoulder. "It's not real, Idai. You're not there. You're here with us inside a large tree."

"What's going on," Tachiba asked sort of bewildered by the sudden change in Idai's behavior.

"A long time ago, Idai saw something very terrible," Yanagi started. "And it tends to come back when he least expects it. He'll come out of it, but I don't know when. It's bad timing."

"What exactly does he see? Is it a hallucination," Kiaya asked curiously. She craned her head to see if Idai was going to do something idiotic while he was in that state. I wonder if he'll act it out.

Yanagi didn't particularly like how Kiaya was treating her friend. "It's not a joke," she said defensively giving the other girl a mean expression. "He saw his father die when he was younger. I don't know exactly all the details, but it's horrifying enough for him. So treat him with respect and let us handle it."

Kiaya didn't know how to react to Yanagi's change of tone. The other girl had been rather polite. Kiaya had mistaken her attitude as being a person who let others walk all over her. She tried to brush it off by snuffing her nose. "Well, whatever. Take your time. We need to get up there, so I'll be going on ahead."

"Should we go or," Tachiba started to ask before Kinari pulled him along going up the stairs.

Yanagi made her way back down taking her time. Masaru was comforting Idai talking to him in a soothing voice. She kneeled down as Idai lifted his head. He was alright now, but the other team had left them on the stairway alone.

"I'm sorry," Idai said his voice cracking. He couldn't look at them. It was embarrassing to still go through the flashbacks at his age. He wanted to be back at home with his adopted father. Gai made him feel better after an episode. The man could tell when Idai had had one even if he had been alone. Usually Gai would ruffle his hair then pull him closer to talk to him in a fatherly tone. "I want to go back home," he said softly.

"Go back? For what," Yanagi said smiling at him. "We have to show up Kiaya and her team. I haven't known you to let anyone bully us around, or get the better of us."

"Yeah," Masaru said toughening up also. "If they can't stop the Kasha from coming, then we will. We'll show 'em what the Leaf village has in store for anyone who messes with us!"

Idai nodded slowly, even though, his mind was a nervous wreck. The images came to him every so often, usually when he was stressed out. He stood up slowly being careful to not lean. His team was in front of him waiting for his order and direction. "You guys are something else. We'll show up the Forest team," he decided. "I don't know what Kasha are, but they can't be all that bad. We've been in all sorts of places, met strange people, and done the stupidest missions," he said recalling the previous mission.

"I thought we weren't going to speak of that," Masaru said with a frown. "It wasn't my idea, either. But it was the last one. I've never seen the requests for help be so slim as of late."

Yanagi smiled in front of the boys. As they walked up the stairway to meet Kiaya and her team, her mind went straight to the source. The reason we're not getting as much work is because of the rumors going around. There were too many eyes at the Chuunin exams to witness Onari summoning Akaihi. For now, we'll have to take anything we can to lay low.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lord Gekido of the Lightening country sat with his mouth resting against his hands. He overlooked the garden he had known for some time. These past few years of searching for his brother's daughter had turned up little information. The only piece of knowledge he had was that she was possibly residing in the Hidden Leaf village. How Sashizo's daughter had managed to get there from where she had been left pondered his brain. "Kegasu," he called in the darkness.

A man with long black hair that hung loosely over his body, covering one side of his face opened the shoji door. He kneeled low, his one green eye staring at the floor. It was the middle of the night, but he was on duty to guard Gekido. "My Lord," he said lowly, his voice hollow, distant.

"I think it's time we pay the Hidden Leaf village a little visit," Gekido said, his eyes glancing at the man. "I want back what was taken from me." He signaled for his man to leave. Gekido reached inside the drawer of his desk taking out scrolls. He opened a particular one, his fingers tracing over the Fire country. "There's a young Hokage guarding the village. Well, this is one alliance you won't win," he said staring at the scroll.

Kegasu moved down the hall, his body loose, form hunkered over. He tapped on the wall next to the shoji door. "Buitai, we've got some action," he said with a horrifying smile, his teeth showing. "Rise and shine," he called.

Buitai opened the door, his dark green hair a mess. He yawned, his silver eyes looking at Kegasu. "Must be something really fun," he said, "for me to be woken up at this hour." He stretched his thick arms, arching his back.

"We're invading the Hidden Leaf village for the girl," Kegasu said as he turned around to wake the others. "Lord Gekido is a bit spunky tonight." He slinked down the hall to retrieve the other members of the two Lightening squads.


	91. Chapter 91

**V 10 Ch 1**

Assault

Saori carried the baskets of materials down the hall in the Hokage's tower. She passed several rooms quietly before she found the room where Daiya and Ryu where sorting out scrolls. "Ah, such boring work," she said dumping the pile in front of the guys at the desk. She put the empty baskets on the floor her eyes looking around the room with noninterest. There were shelves full of scrolls all over the room. Along with the piles of scrolls the boys where sorting through based on what type they were. "I wonder why Sasuke sensei had us pick this assignment."

"It has to be done," Daiya said not minding the work load. "Besides, I don't mind helping the man that let me stay here." He counted the piles of scrolls in the room. There were nine so far. Each of the piles was a bigger tower than the first one. Written on a few of the scrolls were information about enemies to the village and jutsus. Daiya hadn't peeked through a lot of them. Ryu had scolded him for being nosey. "Saori, you can start taking what you want to the Hokage's assistant," he said.

"Oh, alright," she said casually shoveling scrolls into the baskets. She stacked them on top of each other, the amount of scrolls tottering as she stood. "See you guys in a few," she said turning around slowly leaning back to keep her balance. Saori walked out of the room.

Ryu's hands went up to grab onto his spiky black hair. "For building character, there's so many of these!" He stretched his back in frustration before he leaned forward bonking his head on the desk. The scrolls bounced as Daiya continued to sort.

Daiya glanced at him as his hands moved from scroll to scroll reading the paper on it. "You get overwhelmed so easily," he commented. Suddenly, he felt his chair going backwards, the desk moving away from him. Daiya landed with a crash on his back. "Ryu!" He sat up grabbing the legs of Ryu's chair, his fingers curling around the wood. He hoisted Ryu up throwing him out of the chair.

Ryu landed on his stomach. Flipping around, he craned his head to see where Daiya had gone. A bad sense of foreboding came over him. Ryu's eye twitched. He sat up pushing himself backwards until his back hit the bookshelf. Where is he?

Sasuke walked into the room rubbing the side of his head. Looking up, he saw Ryu jump slightly at his presence. Raising a brow, he scanned the room. Piles of scrolls were everywhere. "Aren't you supposed to be sorting?"

"I was, but then… and he… now I don't know… How come… " Ryu stuttered in front of his trainer. He put his hand onto his hair grabbing at it. The expression on Sasuke's face made him freeze. His words died away for they weren't important anymore.

"Now…. You're supposed to be sorting," Sasuke continued. "Where's Daiya…" He turned around quickly as Daiya saluted him from behind him in the doorway. Sasuke grabbed the boy by the back of the collar. "You're supposed to be helping – not fooling around." He dragged Daiya into the room backwards towards the desk. "Get back to work."

"But Dad," Daiya started.

"You know better, Daiya Uchiha," Sasuke said firmly with warning in his voice. "Right now, I'm your 'sensei'. Get back to work."

"Dad!"

Sasuke stopped halfway from shutting the door to the room. He saw the uneasy look in the boy's eyes. Relaxing his posture, Sasuke opened the door a little to regard him. "What?"

"I- There's- um…," Daiya tried to tell the man what he was feeling. Finally he shook his head getting discouraged. He doubted himself. "Never mind," he said softly his eyes going to the floor.

Sasuke closed the door without another word from either of them. He walked down the hall slowly, but stopped. His eyes went back to the room. Daiya never alerted him without cause. The boy respected him with great appreciation. He continued down the hall, his hand flicking to give a signal. Suiren, his wife's water moccasin formed out of the wall, her body slithering on the ground. "Daiya's sensing something. Investigate the perimeter of the village," he said. Suiren slithered away, her head dipping into the floor, where her body molded with the surroundings. She was gone. He may still doubt himself, but I'm not taking that chance.

++++++++

Mabuta jumped through the trees as he circled the perimeter of the Hidden Leaf village. He came upon the gate, remaining a fair distance away to where his presence could not be detected by the guards. His eyes studied the large gate and the walls it guarded. After another moment of analyzing the village, Mabuta quickly retreated back to his post far in the dark woods. He stopped on a branch his head turning to make sure he wasn't followed. With his hand out from the tree, he closed his fingers, turning his wrist.

Yobun tapped his lightening scythe against the tree. It was his signal to Mabuta that the area had been under surveillance since he had left to scout the village. They were alone. The rest of the squad was on the way. "What have your eyes and ears deciphered?"

Mabuta smiled coyly as he stroked his tied black beard. His red eyes looked at Yobun out of the corner of his eye. "Their gate is wide open," he said with a hint of joy.

"How trusting of them," Yobun said the wind moving through his dark purple hair. He twirled the scythe with his gloved hand, his green eyes staring at the flask of sunlight on the metal. "What do we do now," he asked playing with the scythe as if it were a toy.

"We wait, General Senko's orders," Mabuta confirmed.

"First time in a while that we've had action. Waiting is something I don't have patience for, Mabuta. It's only prolonging things," he said with all due respect. "We could easily overtake this place. Torch it to the ground, you know." He shifted into high gear twirling the scythe overhead, the blade chopping the leaves into nothing. It rained down green bits of foliage onto his clothing.

"Surprised you don't have that mutt with you," Mabuta said crossing his arms.

"General Senko told me we'd be given away if I brought Riko," Yobun said. "From what I understand, Lord Gekido has been researching this village for a while. We've come across interesting rivals in the past. This is no different," he tapped his head. "He's not a foolish man. There's a clan here who can sniff us out like a pack of dogs."

Mabuta tched. "Well, we're after the little bird girl. That's our focus. Don't get any rash ideas. Right now, we lay low until further notice."

Yobun knew better than to go against an order. He stood holding the scythe, the metal angled at his foot. "What makes them think that girl is in there? She fled at the exams," he said tilting his head toward Mabuta. "Only a moron would go back to where he originated from after being seen."

Idai walked the entire way up the stairs leading his team to the top of the tree. He blinked his eyes at how shady it was. Craning his neck he looked up at the bodies he saw tied to the branches. They were wrapped in bandages the incense burned to ward off evil spirits that might devour their souls. Idai's heart leapt forward.

Masaru couldn't help but stare at what he saw. His mouth fell open. "This is how they respect their dead?" He looked down shaking it off. Death was inevitable no matter how he looked at it. Masaru checked on Idai. He often worried about his friend, but would never admit that to Yanagi. Idai was staring upwards with an uneasy expression on his face. "Idai," he said calling his team leader back to reality. "Come on."

"Took them long enough," Kaiya said impatiently under her breath. "Nice of you to join us. Now that we're all here, you can tell there is only one way up the tree. They come from all around to climb it swiftly with their claws. Oh, and they spit acid, too," she added.

"Exactly how many of these things are coming each night," Yanagi asked.

"Their ranks increase every night no matter how many are killed," Kinari answered. "The battle lasts all night. It's beginning to take its toll on the village. There aren't extra shinobi to protect it during the day."

"Where are they coming from," Masaru asked. "Isn't anyone tracking them? It'd be easier to destroy them while they are asleep during the day instead of waiting for them to show themselves," he said figuring out this was a nostalgic creature.

"Don't you think they've thought of that," Tachiba said narrowing his eyes. Nuguru twittered on a high branch. "The moment anyone follows the pack of Kasha, they detonate to cover the others retreating. Now if you have any other ideas, we'd love to hear them."

"Why not follow them underground," Masaru suggested. "They won't know if you're after them if they can't see you, or sniff you out." He circled his finger in the air. "Yanagi's caterpillar is a mini bulldozer. It loves dirt. We can follow them to find out exactly where they're going."

"Exactly how are we going to be able to see them if we're underground to know where they're going, Masaru," Idai asked.

Masaru smiled at Idai with his hands on his hips, his biceps flexed. "That's where you come in handy," he boasted. "Good thing we have someone on our team with sensitive hearing."

Yanagi stood next to Kaiya watching the boys debate their plan of attack. "I don't know if that will work, Masaru. It has to be quiet for Idai to pick up sounds that are far off. You're talking about him doing it underground when the digging would start. How's he going to hear through the digging if we're supposed to be following the Kasha?"

Masaru closed his eyes. He became quiet as the others waited for his solution. After a moment, he opened his eyes his brows furrowed. "Um, uh…" He tilted his head trying to figure it out. They stood waiting. "Well… um… no idea."

"And his plan comes to an end so abruptly. So tragic," Kinari said with his arms out. Masaru got into his face rather fast. Kinari held up his hands to ward him off. "Now, now, I'm sure you'll have another brainstorm."

"Why you…," Masaru swung at the boy. Kinari ducked rather fast pulling out his chrome Sais. Masaru felt his leg coming up until he fell backwards with a thud. He was on his feet in no time chasing Kinari all over the top of the tree. They darted left and right. "Get back here!"

"Your feet are as slow as your brain," Kinari taunted moving faster to keep out of Masaru's way.

"This is not helping," Yanagi said. "Idai," she said as Idai's eyes met hers again. He was constantly looking up at the dead.

Idai flew off in a blur of motion. He came right behind Masaru grabbing his collar. The boy tried to pull away. "Stop! This isn't how you show your respect to them," he snapped jerking his thumb at the dead corpses. Masaru cowered, frowning. "And you..," he started in on Kinari. "Teasing someone does not make you a bigger man," he said with a strict tone so hard that Kinari tensed. He dragged Masaru back to the others.

"Wow," Kaiya said admiring Idai. "Now I know why he's the leader of your team. He's full of authority. That's kind of sexy in a man."

Yanagi turned her attention to Kaiya as the girl blushed over Idai. "He's only like that when someone needs to be called down. And for your information, he's taken." Those words didn't seem to drift to Kaiya's ears as her eyes kept following Idai.

Idai came back with Kinari following him. He literally threw Masaru on his rear. "Now, instead of playing around, come up with a solution for the mission. That's everyone's focus right now," he said taking charge. "We know what about the Kasha?"

"We've already told you what we know," Tachiba said a bit annoyed. "The Kasha are demons that come to feed on the dead. They've been coming for days. And no matter how many we fight, or try to follow, there are always more of them. They regroup just as quickly as we take some of them out. It's a hopeless fight," he said giving up.

"I have a better suggestion than the one Masaru was trying to come up with," Idai said about how to approach their mission. "Instead of tunneling through the ground, we'll use Yanagi's scouts and Tachiba's bunting. It's easier for them to follow after the demons undetected."

"You're still suggesting we leave the tree," Kinari said. "We told you there isn't any spare shinobi to protect the village. They cannot get to this height, Idai of the Hidden Leaf Village," he said with a hint of inferiority in his voice. "They must let the dead rest."

"What do we do when we're outnumbered? Ateru sensei told us to remain here with the others to help assist in guarding and protecting them," Kaiya said with her hands on her hips. "How is leaving them alone with the Kasha going to help? We'll get in trouble for abandoning our posts."

Tachiba regarded Idai as a good problem solver, but he wasn't entirely sure about them going against Ateru sensei's instructions. He nodded slowly after thinking about it to show he was paying attention. "Yeah, and Nuguru will give us his signal when it's safe to approach them. Yet, how do we fight something that spits acid?"

"The same way we fight anything," Masaru said standing up. He unhooked the large shuriken from his back. He brought it around to hold it by his side. "We take its head off," he said with a nasty smile.

"You can't be seriously considering what he's saying," Kaiya said a bit defensive. "Ateru sensei gave us our mission. What they do is not our concern. They are supposed to help us. Not get us in trouble!"

"I don't think that's what Idai is planning," Yanagi said looking at the forest village team. "Our mission is to aid you. That is what we were told back home from our trainer. So even if we are not here with you, we are aiding you in some form to stop the Kasha from coming. I thought that was more important. We need to get to the bottom of where they are coming from in order to stop them for good."

Kaiya threw her hands up not wanting to hear anymore of it. "My team follows my lead, not yours," she shot back at Team 6. "We have our mission and we will stick to it. Do the both of you understand?" Tachiba and Kinari just stared at her.

"If that's the way you want to play it," Idai said leaning back as if he didn't really care. "One thing you don't have is him," he said nodding towards Masaru. "He can use the Byakugan to easily see farther than we can. And those little lessons from your mom will come in handy," he said referring to how Hinata had been training him in the Hyuuga arts. "You don't want to disappoint her."

Masaru swallowed a bit nervously. "But I normally just use my shinobi training. She's the only one I've sparred with, Idai."

"Are you not confident with your matches, or the ability to use the training against a real foe," Idai asked. "Great opportunity for you to match your abilities with the brawn you're always throwing around." He saw Masaru look down completely undecided. "I wouldn't ask you to do something I didn't think you could handle."

Yanagi looked at all of them. Idai's pushing Masaru to do more than what he's accustomed to. I suppose he wants him to try his techniques to learn how to use them properly. But I wonder if there is more to his lack of confidence.

Suiren slithered pass the guards, her body forming into water. She lay on the ground as they sensed her movement. The guard walked out looking around, but only saw the puddle of water that was mixed with the other puddles. "Could have sworn I picked up something's chakra," a guard said. He scratched at his head dumbfounded. Once he went back, Suiren's tongue formed out of the puddle, flickering. It was clear for her to move on.

Suiren formed her large head out of the water, next was her body as she remained translucent. Again, she began to move pass the guards then out of the gate. Her instructions were to scout the outside perimeter. Moving hastily, her body returned to normal, her black scales masking her form against the ground. Suiren lifted her head looking back at the gate to the village. She continued on her way to the forest.

Her tongue tasted the air catching scents that drifted upon it. Whatever Daiya had sensed was gone. She kept moving along the outside perimeter, her body snaking around the trees and brush. Her tongue tasted the air for any changes. The water moccasin strained her head turning around as Sasuke Uchiha dropped from overhead. She flicked her tongue again.

He looked down at the large snake before glancing around at the forest. "You didn't pick up anything," he confirmed. Suiren shook her head. "Still, I don't know what he sensed." Sasuke felt there was something off. He narrowed his eyes. "Come on, the Hokage's expecting me," he told the snake. Suiren turned around slithering after him back to the village.

Naruto ruffled his hair looking at the intelligence reports he had gotten from several shinobi and ANBU. He heard a knock at his door. "Enter," he said his eyes focused on what he was reading. "Close the door," he said as casually as he could. "Sasuke, I'm trying my best to locate her." His eyes lifted. "But Onari doesn't want to be found. She's staying away from populated areas, so it's become increasingly difficult to get any leads on where she may have gone.

As you know, Kiba's team as gone to the Forest village to assist with a mission there. The ninja who perished recently from that village had had the unfortunate luck of happening upon a girl with a large bird of fire. The bird attacked them. They were burned to death, Sasuke."

Naruto turned the folder around to show him the report. "I have no choice at this point. She's hurting others now. Onari's not trusting anyone to get near her. As much as I go over this, I cannot figure out why she chose to leave. I do know that I cannot let her cause destruction wherever she goes."

Sasuke placed his hands on the Hokage's desk. "At least wait until that team comes back to find out more information. I don't believe she's capable of having malice against others. Onari's never reacted negatively to another person unless it was in defense. She's trying to avoid attention – not gain it!"

"I understand what you're saying, but I can't overlook what she's done. What if she does this to another country we're allies with? We'll be targeted. I have to protect the village. I know you care for her deeply," he stated as Sasuke's eyes met his. "And I know what she means to your family."

Sasuke turned around shaking his head. He placed his hand on his forehead. "This isn't the life I intended for them. They're bonded to each other like we were," he said softly of his past with Naruto.

Naruto stood from behind the desk. "We have no way of knowing what that girl will do to protect herself. She could turn on everyone. It's been noted in every report by Lee of her lack of authority when he gave directions. She's never regarded anyone as her sensei, Sasuke. Not even you."

"Fine," Sasuke said not turning around to face Naruto. He didn't approve of the Hokage's decision. Opening the door, he hastily left without looking back at his childhood friend.

"I'm sorry, old friend," Naruto said as he slumped back into his chair. His eyes stared at the report. "If only there was a way to know for sure what really happened."

"This is what you're planning to do," Ateru questioned as he looked at Idai straight in the face. He was leaned back against the tree outside of one of the entrances to a level. "I know how Kaiya can be. She doesn't like her authority to be questioned over the boys. Forgive her for that. Her mother was a proud Shinobi also." He turned his head looking out at the sky. Children were running off in the distance playing a game. "Our village was supposed to be well protected in this tree. It's why the ancestors decided to build it here. We're high up from a normal assault. But I guess we're vulnerable, as well."

Idai remained where he was. The rest of Team 6 was off scouting the tree. "If you don't approve of what I have planned, I can change it," he suggested.

"No, no," Ateru said putting is hand up to stop Idai. "Sometimes adults have to be led by children, in order, to see the world for what it is." He closed his eyes. "Everyone has been so concerned with protecting the dead, that they haven't had the energy to do much else. Whatever the Kasha destroys has to be fixed the moment dawn returns. The acid they fire burns the tree. Look down."

Idai walked to the edge of the branch his head tipping over to see what Ateru was telling him. The ancient tree had holes in it like Swiss cheese. His brows furrowed trying to understand why the tree hadn't fallen over or crumbled to the ground due to the weight of the buildings upon it. "How is this still standing?"

"The Morikage has been using his strength to keep the village afloat. That is why he was not able to meet any of you when you arrived. He's been in a state of trance the entire time speaking to the tree, pleading with it not to fall back to the earth."

"Are leaders really that great," he asked no one in particular. Idai supposed the leaders of the villages were not chosen merely for their physical strength, but also their emotional strengths. He sensed Ateru standing behind him as he was crouched on the edge of the branch.

"I have the feeling you didn't grow up properly," Ateru said. Idai raised a brow. "I mean it's noticeable in how you act and portray others around you. You're hesitant to speak to anyone that is older, or unfamiliar. As quickly as you gave me an altered mission, you backed out because you thought I was going to shut you down."

Idai stood slowly making sure he didn't go over the edge. His back hit the wooden fence that was on each side of the branches to keep children from falling off. Averting his eyes, he remained quiet not looking at Ateru. The only men who had been caring to him were his father, Gai, and Kiba. "I don't like being read so easily," he said some time later.

"It's not something you can help. There are others like you out in this world that have been given the same paths." Ateru put his arms on the fence looking out over the grass down below. "In any case, you are avoiding a decision you have to make. Do you trust others, or remain as you are?" He glanced at the boy.

Idai tensed some. "What is your interest in me really," he asked.

Ateru smiled softly, his mind in a memory. "You look so much like him, it's uncanny," he said. "I knew the moment you stood in the tower to be briefed. For you have the same face as he does."

Idai didn't understand. "Who are you talking about?" This was the first time he had been to the forest village. He was sure Ateru sensei was confusing him with someone else.

"When I was younger, I met a man who was unlike any other. He was kind, humble, had a good heart about him. I had only been a Genin for a few months, my skills still developing. Our mission had been to guard a caravan across the forest. Needless to say, I had run into a bit of trouble defending myself. I was lucky in the fact to have another Jounin protect me when I got separated from my team. He stood over me smiling before he crouched to make sure I was alright. The symbol on his headband was that of the Sound Village. We had always heard they were to be feared, but this man was not like the stereotypes I had grown up with.

He bandaged my wounds, ruffled my hair, and then asked me how old I was. When I told him, he simply pulled my nose. He told me I had much to learn. This was only a lesson. He sat with me for a while telling me stories of his missions. 'Sometimes you pass with flying colors, and sometimes there are hard lessons to be learned that tear at your very being.' He didn't have to stay with me, Idai, but he did because of my age. He said he felt responsible for me. As my team approached, I turned my head for a moment to call to them. When I had turned around, he was gone with the wind."

Ateru reached up ruffling Idai's long red hair. "Sometimes you pass with flying colors and sometimes there are hard lessons to be learned. This is only a lesson for you to grow from." He smiled.

"I don't understand why you're telling me this," Idai said.

"I thought you would like to know what your old man had taught me when I was young. Maybe I can teach you the same valuable lesson," Ateru said as Idai's face showed shock and uncertainty. "Tatsumaki Orushin. He told me his name so that I wouldn't be afraid of him. You're face is just like his. Although, I was sure you would have white hair like him."

Idai froze where he was. "Y-you knew..my dad..?" He stood still trying to recall what Ateru had told him.

Ateru stood up realizing Idai was overcome with what he had said. "I'm sorry, Idai, I didn't think. I forgot that you're not wearing a Sound-nin headband, but a Leaf-nin one. And your reaction says it all. Orushin is dead isn't he?"

Idai nodded slowly. He closed his eyes, his mind trying to forget how his father had died. "I wasn't wanted by my mother. She threw me out of the village when I couldn't pass the exam to train. I was found by Anko, a ninja from the Leaf. She took me there. I was scared, alone, and hurt. A man named Might Gai adopted me when no one else would have me."

Ateru frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that. I can understand why you perceive others as the way you do. But not everyone is like that," he said jerking a thumb behind him at his team. "They've all been through rough situations in their lives. Try to overlook it. It's their way of getting attention."

"Hey, are we still doing your plan," Masaru yelled with his hands cupped over his mouth. He was hit on the back of the head by Yanagi. "Well, I didn't want to interrupt them being way over there!"

"You're already doing that with yelling," Kinari said. He yawned hard. "Idiot," he said as he finished yawning.

Ateru waved his team over. "We're going to do the plan Idai had formed. I'll cover for my team once you guys are off to follow the Kasha." Kaiya's mouth fell open. "Kaiya, he's trying to help end the destruction the Kasha are causing. I know what the Morikage has decided for the shinobi, but I want to end this as quickly as possible. The Morikage is being drained of his chakra slowly. The tree cannot hold the village much longer. We need to be at our best tonight. Kinari, go sleep. You're going to need your strength. I can't have any screw ups."

Tachiba raised a brow. "We're going to attack them at night when they are fully recharged? That isn't wise," he said.

"No, it isn't. For now, I want you all to find where they are located. Once you have their hideout, send someone back with a message to me. I'll gather who I can to attack them when dawn hits. It has to be swift, or they'll only regain their numbers."

"Agreed," Yanagi said with her hands on her hips. "We'll do what we can from our end, if you can manage to get reinforcements."

Masaru narrowed his eyes. "We haven't failed at a mission yet. This isn't going to be our first," he said flexing his biceps.

A large boom sounded throughout the leaf village as the wall crumbled sending shrapnel all over the place. Azayaka halted, her eyes widening upon the falling stone. A metal scorpion, the size of a train car moved through the debris. She watched as it spun its large claws breaking apart the rubble so it was able to move freely. Men wearing metal armor came through the opening, their stance preparing for war. People ran screaming as several of the men darted in different directions.

Azayaka laid low her eyes focusing on a man who appeared to be a General. What do they want? The man's silver eyes moved in her direction. She froze. There's no way he can see me. Azayaka realized something was up the moment the man's body started to charge with electricity. She ran for it out of the back door of the building. Azayaka threw herself out of the building as it erupted in power. The building caught fire, burning. She was no match for them, she knew that. One last glance told her to get back to her team.

Sliding on her heels, she kept running until Eiyu ran straight into her. She yelped as he grabbed her shoulders. "What are you… The village is under attack!"

Eiyu narrowed his eyes. "Get out of here. Find Takeru and protect him!" Azayaka didn't seem to understand what he was telling her. "Idiot! He's linked to Onari! Those bastards are from the lightening country!" He pushed her back making his point. "Get moving!"

Azayaka watched Eiyu run toward the fighting. It was an order for her to delay every thought she had. She turned around high tailing it to the last place she had seen Takeru Uchiha.

Takeru felt someone grab him from behind, his mouth was quickly covered. He was being pulled into a dark alley as people ran passed him. His eyes lifted straining to see who had a hold of him. His body relaxed a little when he recognized the man latching onto him.

"Shh," Kiba said his eyes watching the area. He sniffed hard his nose pulling in the scents around them. "They're searching for someone in the village."

Takeru's heart raced. An explosion rocked the street. He saw shinobi flying by to defend the village. "Kiba," he said his voice muffled by the man's hand, "I have to help."

Kiba took his hand away. "You're the one with the dragon. It isn't a wise idea. They learn you have control of it, and you're as good as dead." Kiba pulled Takeru back as the boy tried to take off to assist other ninja he heard calling for help. "Look at me. Takeru!"

Takeru's eyes lifted. "I'm not going to let them destroy the village! They're hurting people," he said with a defiant tone.

Kiba kneeled placing his hand on Takeru's cheek. I'm not speaking to you as a superior, Takeru. I'm a father, also. I am not putting you in danger. Your wounds from before are not fully healed. You will sit this one out, promise me."

Takeru lowered his head. He nodded slowly as the commotion around them intensified. Kiba rose. Takeru watched the Jounin run off to aid those in need. Remaining out of the way was not something he was trained to do. Takeru waited long enough to make sure Kiba was gone. He ran away from his position out into the open area. His eyes befell upon shinobi fighting the attack of Konoha. ANBU flew in all directions targeting certain members of the foreign ninja. If he wasn't allowed to help, what good was he as a Genin?

Ryu Yuhi formed hand seals, his eyes focused on the man running towards him, his scythe at the ready. The memory of his combat with Kakumei prepared him mentally for what to expect from his man. The scroll in front of him was smeared with his own blood. He furrowed his brows. "Intense delusion!"

Yobun's feet started to sink into the ground with each step he took closer to the boy. His legs became deeper and deeper until he was up to his knees. The ground hardened around his lower limbs. Yobun grunted as he tried to pull his legs free. He dropped the scythe, his hands wrapping around one of his legs, pulling. It was of no use. He was stuck. Yobun narrowed his eyes at the spiky haired boy. "Don't think I can't reach you!"

Yobun charged the electricity around his body crackling in the air. He erupted the lightening focused entirely on the one spot a hundred yards away from him. The lightening soared popping the ground all around the boy. "Got you! You can't break your concentration!"

The boy's form went back, his arms going up. Yobun kept intensifying his charge until he breathed hard. The boy's body smoked. He laughed. "Not so tough now, are you?" The boy's form poofed just as he was hit in the back of the head. He went forward, stunned.

Ryu jumped on Yobun's head landing firmly, his eyes still focused, hands firmly holding the sign. He flipped forward, eyes not blinking. Ryu turned around. "One assumption of yours you seem to have missed. Only a fool stands in the way." The scroll he had used was mounted in the side of a pole with a kunai.

Yobun lifted his form wit a snarl. "A fool uses the same trick twice!" He grabbed the scythe swinging it at Ryu's feet.

Ryu blinked the genjutsu wearing off. He jumped up missing the scythe by mere inches. Yobun was coming at him fast. He let himself all backwards, his legs coming up to kick Yobun up and over. The scythe sliced the ground right next to his ear. Ryu was back on his feet.

He couldn't let Yobun recover. Ryu took out the Kusari-kama he had on his back. Yobun sliced at his head, Ryu caught the scythe with the chain. Both of the weapons shook with the determination of its master.

Yobun grunted. His eyes locked with the boy's. "There's something you've forgotten. I don't travel alone!"

Ryu sensed the other lightening user coming at him, but it wasn't Mabuta who was also in motion. "Neither do I," he yelled as he pushed Yobun back. He threw shuriken hastily at the man.

Mabuta's guard went up the moment he saw the boy charging at him. He's a lightening user! His arms went up tot block the assault with the metal plates on his arms.

Daiya swung his arm, the wave of lightening going straight at the man. His attack was deflected, the lightening striking the metal on the man's body as he curled into a ball. He threw kunai at Mabuta to cause him to react.

Mabuta swung his arm, the kunai grazing the metal plate on his arm. It pinged off, lodging into the ground. He shot off going after the boy to challenge him. "You need to learn your place!"

"I know my place! And it's here!" Daiya's anger grew his hair spiking out. He went at Mabuta again the charges remaining close to his body creating a barrier. With kunai in hand, he sliced at Mabuta several times aiming for the man's neck.

Mabuta pushed Daiya back with his foot throwing an exploding ball at him. As the smoke intensified, he bit the capsule in his mouth. A stream of sparks shot out. Mabuta spit the capsule at the smoke.

Daiya flew out of the smoke. His clothing was covered in the powdered substance of the material Mabuta had used. The smoke erupted in fire. Daiya's eyes widened. The particles in the air caught together as each spark hit, igniting it. They were catching up to him, each bit of powder combusting. He dove straight towards the water canal.

Daiya prepared for impact under the water as the explosion came overhead. He was thrown towards the bottom of the canal. The water bubbled for a moment, but stopped as quickly as it had begun. He swam to the surface. As his head popped up over the water, he shook his head. Daiya growled. Mabuta had not followed him to continue the battle. The man had fled.

Meanwhile, Ryu was going after Yobun with all his strength. He hammered the man again and again not letting up as he pushed him back. He had to protect the village! "Get out of our village," he yelled in anger.

Yobun grinned at the boy. "Not until we have what we want!" He swung his scythe at Ryu's head trying to end the match. The boy was taking up his time to search for the girl. Yobun began to charge as he darted after Ryu. The boy was smart enough to be running backwards, his eyes on Yobun. The charges radiated, becoming stronger as he sent them down the scythe. Twirling the scythe with his gloved hand, the charges were hurled at Ryu in the form of large blasts.

Ryu dodge them as best he could, his eyes trying to not blink. The flashes only made it harder for him to see Yobun. And without warning, the man was coming around out of the corner of his eye while his double kept sending charges at Ryu. Ryu's heart thumped in his chest. He had nowhere to run. He was out in the open with a deadly opponent.

Yobun ran in an arch at the boy's back, a kunai drawn, his fingers wrapped around it tightly. "Sorry, kid, this is where it ends for you," he shouted. His arm went in full strike, the kunai coming down. With each breath of movement, Yobun's grin got wider, his eyes deliciously devouring the scene.

Ryu felt a wire wrap around his leg. He was being pulled downward as Yobun's kunai came within millimeters of his body. The tip of the kunai grazed the back of his neck missing his back. His body slammed into a roof. As the smoke cleared he saw Sasuke guarding him, his body over his, head looking up at Yobun. "Sasuke!"

Sasuke concentrated, the chakra around his arm forming. Yobun was coming at them angrily, his lightening scythe at the ready. "Thousand birds current!" Chakra exploded around his from creating an impenetrable wall around him and Ryu. Yobun came down hard upon them with his scythe, but Sasuke's chakra blocked it. Yobun was sent flying backwards as if he'd touched an electrical fence. "Don't move, Ryu," he said. He felt the presence of another. His Sharingan eyes focused on the man behind him.

Kumihimo's black hair moved in the wind under his straw hat, his dark eyes looking at the man who had warded off Yobun. On his hip he had a metal rope, but it was not as ordinary as he was. He moved his arm up, signaling Yobun to fall back. Yobun swore at him, raising his voice. "I beg your pardon of my colleague. He's ill tempered when someone keeps him from completing his mission."

Sasuke didn't trust the situation. How many of these lightening users had invaded the village? The chakra around him sizzled, his defense still in motion. Ryu was lying flat on his back, head turned looking at this new opponent. "What is your objective for coming here," Sasuke asked lowly.

"Ah, we are looking for a little bird girl," Kumihimo said casually. "See, our lead told us you had taken her from the snow village. Excuse our lateness at coming to get her and any inconveniences it may have caused," he bowed some, his dark eyes keeping an eye on the man and his student. "Where is she, by the way?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. The chakra protecting him and Ryu ended, phasing out. Yobun had left to continue his search for Onari. "I won't have any of you destroying the village," he said standing fully. He removed the short sword from his back. He pointed it at Kumihimo. "Get out of our village," he said his Sharingan eyes signaling the man out.

"My, my," Kumihimo said unsheathing his rope. It hit the roof, bringing up shrapnel. Lightening seethed down the weapon, crackling. "It seems you won't answer me, when I have asked politely where she is. We will find her," he said tilting his hat down. "Mark my word on that." Kumihimo ran straight at Sasuke, the rope raised over his head. With a flick of his wrist, it came down upon the two opposing him. As the lightening hit, their forms deteriorated. Kumihimo whirled around. Ryu was coming straight at him, his arm outstretched with Chidori. From behind him, Sasuke was also coming at him with the same technique.

Kumihimo smiled slightly at the challenge. His hand went to grab the second rope that was hidden inside his dark blue kimono. As the two men came at him, he spun, the ropes creating a barrier of lightening to where he couldn't be touched. Sasuke and Ryu darted around him trying to find an opening. The men moved which allowed Kumihimo to flick his wrists, the ropes hitting the roof. The shingles went up in the air allowing him to use them for target practice. With one hand, he guarded himself, while the other allowed him to strike at them.

Ryu jumped back the lightening rope hitting where his feet had been. He could feel the deadly charge of energy on them. One wrong move and he was going to get fried. Sasuke was also avoiding the ropes quite well, but it was difficult to find an opening to where they could strike. Kumihimo was guarding himself to the best of his ability.

There has to be an opening somewhere. Ryu moved around the man growing impatient. Sasuke was not moving towards Kumihimo, which annoyed him. It was proving to be a lengthy fight. All around them fights were going on smoke cascaded to the sky from the buildings that were on fire. Medic-nin attended to get the wounded out of harm's way. Ryu growled under his face mask. "This is ridiculous!"

Ryu's form shot into the air suddenly as he tottered on the scales of Manda, Sasuke's snake. He looked at the snake, its huge head rising to strike at Kumihimo. "What took you so long?" Manda started to dip, his body going at a slant. Ryu held on in a crouched position.

Kumihimo fled, his feet dancing to avoid the strikes of the large snake. Sasuke was coming after him also, his eyes staring at the man. He let Chidori rip with the short sword drawn. The tip of the sword became longer, the energy flowing straight at the man with the straw hat. Manda moved its large body with ease, its head pinpointing where to strike.

Kumihimo was outnumbered. He threw his straw hat at the snake, its mouth chomping down on it, breaking it with its massive jaws. The tip of the sword pierced his kimono, going straight through to his armor. He opened his mouth, blood spurting out. He looked down. His armor was perfectly mastered to protect against weapons, but Sasuke had pinpointed his aim right at the space where the cloth showed between the metal plates. He staggered on his feet, the chakra flying back towards its master and welder. Kumihimo place his hand on his side, the blood staining the kimono. "How could you have known where to aim? Or that I was wearing armor," he asked looking at the man.

Sasuke's eyes went back to normal, his stare not wavering. "You're not the only lightening user I've come across." He signaled Manda to stand down, the snake hovering over Kumihimo. Before he could instruct Ryu to hold the man, Kumihimo poofed in a flash of lightening.

Ryu jumped down, his eyes glancing around. "Where did he go," he asked Sasuke trying to pinpoint their enemy's location. Manda was flickering his tongue tasting the air.

"No idea, but as soon as I struck him, he was plotting where to move to. His guard went down for a split second," Sasuke said petting Manda's face.

Kakumei stood atop a building, his stance making sure his squad did what they were instructed to do. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw them coming – ANBU. He grinned. Kakumei charged, the lightening surging around him. The ANBU quickly changed pace. They fell back re-grouping. "Don't assume I can't get you over there!"

"Move back," Kaizoku shouted signaling his squad as they lightening erupted. He formed hand seals a wave of chakra going up to block him like a shield. The lightening hit, each strike just as powerful as the next. He flew backwards with the last hit, his shield beaten.

Boton shifted into high gear, her arms open to catch him as her captain went soaring. He was unconscious, his arms burned from the lightening attack. She moved lifting him onto her back. The man attacking them was charging again.

"Get him out of here," Yakin yelled at Boton. He whirled around as a building off in the distance caught fire. People screamed as they ran. His heart leapt. "They're destroying the village!"

Kumihimo laughed manically as he went down the streets, his eyes darting as he looked around at the smoke coming from the burning buildings. "Come out, little bird! We know you're here!" He sent a wave of lightening along the trail of buildings. A woman screamed covering her head as she fled the area. "Where are you hiding?"

The ANBU threw bombs at Kakumei trying to ward him off. The man doubled back taking cover. Captain Aoi stood with his eyes focused on the destruction. "We can't get too close to them without being electrocuted. There has to be another way to overcome them," he said trying to form a plan in his head.

"Sir, what of the Hokage? His guidance would be appreciated right about now," Sendo said moving aside as a wave of lightening hit.

Captain Aoi of Squad C darted as well. Kakumei was hard to overcome. The man was not afraid of sheer numbers nor the techniques of others. "Squad B is on their way to guard the Hokage! I don't know who these foreigners are!" He grunted as he was hit with flying debris. "But it's clear they're not backing down," he shouted signaling his team to go forward. Squad C rat at Kakumei with their weapons drawn.

Kakumei only stood regarding them as mere annoyances. "I don't play children's games anymore," he said under his breath. He flexed his arms, the lightening around his body stretching out in a warp. The warp around his body grew outward until it enveloped the space above his head in an arch. A few of the ANBU were nailed for getting too close. Their bodies shook with the electricity until they fell to the roof. He stomped his foot, lightening darting in front of him, stretching out to the edges of the roof.

Namanie froze her eyes going wide as the flash of lightening came closer. It was so quick she didn't have time to react. It hit her sending her off of the roof towards the street below where villagers ran for their lives. Her ninja sword clanged to the ground away from her.

Sendo growled as reversed his action, moving to retrieve Namanie. He was worried she was gravely injured. As he fled to her rescue, Chasaji and Captain Aoi went after Kakumei. Out of nowhere, Hayaru with the horse mask from Squad A came down on top of Kakumei with his hand outstretched. He guided the flow of mud to surround Kakumei.

Kakumei snarled his thick neck turning to throw poisonous shuriken at Hayaru. The lightening around his body had stopped. Mud covered the rooftop making it impossible for him to harm the ANBU surrounding him. He eyed each of them that chose to remain motionless their guards up. "You can't stop all of us," he said flicking his head in the direction of his men. "Hand over the bird girl," he ordered.

"Bird girl," Yakin asked. "We don't know who you speak of. You will pay for coming here uninvited."

"Will I now, boy?" Kakumei said casually as he bit onto a pouch inside of his mouth. He spit the liquid at the ANBU charging his finger. The moment his finger came within ran of the liquid, a fire stream flowed. He spun around catching each of them in his trap. When they moved back to regain their numbers, Kakumei took off to search the village to get a status report on what his men had found out.

"After him," Captain Aoi instructed. He signaled the squads to catch the men destroying the village. "If this continues, there won't be anything left of Konoha!"

Naruto ran with Hinata and Niru down the hall of the tower. He tapped the side of a hide away wall. "Go, Hinata! Take Niru and hide with the others!"

Hinata looked at her husband, eyes wide. "Naruto, I don't want to leave you," she said. He gave her a serious expression.

"You need to calm the people," he said knowing he had a job to do. "I don't know who these outsiders are, but they won't destroy the village!" He touched his daughter's face lovingly. "Niru, don't let mama stop smiling." He closed the hidden wall.

Hinata touched the wall as she held their daughter. "Be careful, Naruto," she said before turning to run down the stairs. She yelped as the building shook almost losing her balance. "Niru, go quickly!" She ran with her daughter to the hidden space.

Ducking below the shaft, they crawled in the darkness on their hands and knees. Niru's heart raced as the sounds from above rumbled to her ears down below. "Mama," she said as the earth shook. Dirt rained down on top of her head. She covered herself curling into a ball, the dirt falling onto her back.

Hinata caught up with her daughter. "Niru, keep going. We can't stop!" Hinata pushed her on until a hole appeared. "Drop, Niru."

Niru did as she was told. She fell down into a long hallway that split into several directions. As she waited for her mother, she heard a man's voice issuing his class to follow him. Hinata landed behind her. "Horyu sensei," she called running to him.

Horyu stopped. He halted his class. "Miss Niru. Lady Hinata," he said. "We're going to the safest point of the underground tunnels with the children. Others are rescuing and guiding people to that area. You'll be safe with us. Please, hurry," he said with his arms open.

Hinata saw some of the children were frightened. Their families were topside protecting the village. She knelt down touching several of the children's faces. "It will be alright. Horyu sensei and I won't let harm come to you. Any of you. We must be strong for those fighting to protect our home." She stood back up. "Hurry," she said walking fast. The children followed her running.


	92. Chapter 92

**V 10 ch 2**

Illusions and Shadows

The night approached the forest village with anticipation and uncertainty. The Morikage had been using all of his strength to keep the village afloat from the crumbling tree. Kasha invading the large structure had left holes in its bark. The sun's orange rays cascaded over the tops of the trees, the village waiting for the onslaught of the Kasha. In the distance, the demons moved through the dark forest, their eyes wild with revenge.

Ateru Yotsuka stood with his foot on the branch body leaned over. He stared endlessly at the ground below. Team 11 followed Team 6 on the ground, their forms small in the distance. He was hoping this plan of Idai's worked. The rest of the shinobi gathered to go over the plans to stop the Kasha from getting up the tree. Women secured themselves with the children in their houses. Parents marched away to the top of the tree where the dead crowded the branches.

Kaiya glanced over her shoulder stopping for a moment. She could see the lights of the forest village glimmer as the night sky took over. "This is our last chance to protect the village," she said standing in solemn refinement. Everyone was counting on this to work. The Morikage had been told by Ateru sensei what his team planned to do. It was with his blessing they were able to leave the tree – their sanctuary- their home.

Masaru stopped also noticing Kaiya was not moving. He walked to her putting his hand on her shoulder. "We won't let there be another night of torment for your village," he said, his hollow gray eyes seeing the expression on her face. "I know what it means to feel responsible for those around you. My father's the Hokage," he told her.

Kaiya didn't half believe him until she saw Masaru was serious. From the past day being around Team 6, she had thought they were just dismissing her authority with her team. "If your father is the Hokage, why are you here? Shouldn't you be at home?"

Masaru shook his head taking his hand away. "No, my place is here with Idai and Yanagi. They depend on me as much as I depend on them. I can't let my team down. Or you," he said with a soft smile. "Being under my father has taught me to protect everyone around me – not just in our village." He turned around to keep walking through the grass.

"We have to be careful," Tachiba said looking at the dark trees. "I'm not sure what direction they will come from, but night is upon us." As if hearing his words, the wind blew through the trees at high pace. Tachiba lowered his head.

Kinari sniffed the air. "It's going to be problematic for those back at the village. I smell rain."

Yanagi felt the soft raindrops fall from the sky. "I won't be able to use my scouts in this rain," she said looking at Idai. "And I don't think Nuguru will be much help either. How are we going to follow them now?"

Idai smiled wickedly, his eyes staring into the darkness. "A demon can follow another demon with ease," he said his voice sounding cold, hard, and vacant of his own personality. His eyes became dilated, head hanging forward.

"What the hell is he talking about," Kinari asked jerking a thumb at Idai. "Has he gone mad?" He was pushed aside by Yanagi who passed him abruptly. "Hey, a little gentler next time, babe."

Yanagi put her hand on Idai's face making him look at her. "Idai, please tell me you didn't do what I think you did." But it was too late. Idai was not the one residing in his body. The demon looked back at her with a sinister smile. "Who are you? What contract did he make with you?"

Kaiya stepped back kind of uneasy. "Now I know why your team was summoned here," she said, her eyes staring at Idai's weird facial expression. "He's not normal."

Tachiba put Nuguru in his clothes as the rain increased. "Yanagi, we swore to follow your team through this. Now what is wrong with him?"

Yanagi ignored their concerns her eyes locking with the demon's. "Answer me. I'm not afraid of you," she said not faltering.

Idai's face contorted. "Eh..? Tell you the contract he made with me? Who do you think you are, sister? That's between us," he said laughing at her as if she'd ask a rhetorical question. "Unagi," he answered her. "That is the name I choose for myself in your tongue."

"Would someone please explain why he is talking with that sort of voice," Kinari asked.

"It's obvious that Idai has gone behind our backs to make a contract with a demon," Yanagi said as thunder crackled overhead. "I'm not sure why he has done this. We've already had enough problems out of your kind."

Unagi swayed Idai's body to the side, the long red hair hanging. "Such a blunt unattractive human female, you are," he said aloud. "What one does is for one's own benefit. That is not my concern."

Masaru quickly got into the demon's face, his eyes full of hatred. "I won't let you harm Idai! Get out of him! We don't need you! This is our matter to deal with!" Yanagi pulled him back as Idai's eye twitched. The demon wasn't regarding his presence much.

"There's no helping it, human male. He has surrendered everything to me," Unagi said holding Idai's arms out. He pointed to Idai's head, his eyes glistening. "This mind is a troubled web of uncertainties and confusion. Wouldn't you like to know how the darkness calls his name when he sleeps?" Unagi smiled showing all of Idai's teeth. He laughed enjoying himself with this ploy.

Yanagi stomped her foot on top of Idai's, it was enough to cause the demon to howl in pain. She stuck her finger in his face. "I don't know what Idai has done to be swindled into this, but I won't have you jeopardizing this mission!"

"I hate to break this up," Tachiba said as the rain increased. "But we have to find the Kasha's hideout! That's our objective right now. If he's no use to you leave him!"

"He's right," Masaru said hating to go against his friend and team mate. "We'll have to come back for him."

"I don't know… what to do," Yanagi said looking at Idai's possessed form. "Why would he do something like this," she asked aloud with a soft voice. "This is the worst thing he could have done."

Kaiya whirled around. Voices shouting drifted to her ears in the night. "It's begun. We have to find their hideout and now!" She grabbed Kinari by the collar pulling him with her. "Come on, Tachiba! We can do this without them!" Kaiya darted off with her team through the dark rainy forest.

"Are you sure it's alright to leave them as they are," Tachiba asked with Nuguru flying behind.

"What other choice is there? They're no good to us with a team mate who's a danger to himself," Kaiya said angrily. She couldn't believe this had to happen. Idai had seemed like he was a good leader, but even she had to question his sanity.

Unagi hung from a branch with one arm his face tilting up to look at the night sky. The rain dropped onto his face. He held out Idai's fingers, letting the rain cascade down the boy's skin. "What a strange substance this is," he said to himself.

Masaru growled. "Stop hanging around like a monkey! If you have some use, do what you're supposed to!" He clenched his fists. Unagi looked at him with a confused expression. "Don't give me that! Idai had some reason for summoning you here! Whatever it was, fulfill your obligation!"

Unagi dropped from the branch. He walked up to Masaru his head craning forward. "Fulfill that obligation? You want me to do it now?"

"Yes, just do what he wanted you to do and get out of here," Masaru said annoyed with this.

"Masaru," Yanagi said, her wet hair dripping. "We don't know what that is. Idai could have promised him anything in return for his help." She looked at him over her shoulder.

"But-" Masaru turned around grabbing his hair trying to pull it out. "This is insane! We have to help Kaiya's team! We don't have time for this!"

"No, we don't," Yanagi agreed. She turned around fully. Unagi was licking Idai's teeth in a weird gesture. "It wouldn't do any good to tie you up. Demons are stronger than human's." Unagi stopped licking Idai's teeth to glance at her. "What if I make a contract with you…"

Unagi placed his hands together. "I'm listening, unattractive human female. What deal is it that you would like to make?"

Masaru's mouth dropped. "Yanagi, you can't be serious! There's nothing you can offer this thing that it will want!"

Yanagi swallowed. She could only imagine what Idai had promised this creature. For some time, she had sensed that his mind had been troubled. The demon Gin had banished had only opened the gateway for others. Idai was constantly having nightmares as of late. He dreamed of his father, of killing the man himself. "For this exchange, I want to wipe out what Idai has promised you." Unagi watched her curiously wondering what she could offer. "You're not going to claim him."

Unagi put the hand on Idai's chest. "This is mine. There is nothing you could offer me that would replace what lies here."

She was a clever girl. Her mother hadn't raised her to not use her head in tough situations. Yanagi held out her hand as Unagi examined it. "In exchange for Idai's freedom from your contract, I offer you to take something from my unborn child."

Masaru's heart leapt. "Yanagi…" He couldn't believe she was doing this.

Unagi's smile widened. "Anything," he asked his voice caressing each syllable with fondness and an alluring attitude. He tried to reach for her hand but Yanagi jerked it back.

"One exception," Yanagi said once she had lured the demon. "You're not allowed to claim my child's life. And it must be healthy. But you may take whatever you like from it, if it will please you and get Idai out of this mess."

Unagi slammed his hand into Yanagi's, their fingertips burning. "Deal," he said his voice sounding purely evil. "I will take the one thing from your child that will make it impossible for him to be a proper shinobi." And with that contract sealed, Idai's pupils returned to normal.

Idai came out of the darkness groggy, his head clouded with pictures of the surrounding forest. He looked at Yanagi and Masaru, their faces watching him intently. "Where… are we," he asked his voice unsure of what he had been doing previously.

Masaru walked up to him raised his arm bringing it down upon Idai's head, but stopped halfway. He scowled swearing. "You're the worst person," he said under his breath walking away. He shot up to a branch. He had to find Kaiya and her team.

Idai looked at Yanagi wondering what was going on. "What did I do now?" Yanagi's expression became sad, her eyes drifting away for a moment. When she looked back at him, Idai froze. "You already know," he said pushing himself up further with his hand upon the wet bark of a tree. He looked at the ground. "The mission wasn't completed."

"No, it hasn't been," Yanagi answered. "How could you trust a demon," she said making him feel foolish. "What did you promise it to aid us?"

Idai shook his head. "It's nothing. Don't concern yourself over it. Besides, it didn't complete what I asked of it anyway."

Yanagi watched his posture. He seemed disappointed. "I wasn't going to let it get pass me, Idai. I cancelled your request." The second she said the last sentence, Idai looked at her bewildered. He grabbed her arms hard, firmly. Yanagi tensed. His eyes were wild.

"What did you do, Yanagi? You can't cancel a bargain I made with it!" Idai shook her. "What did you promise it? Don't you understand? It hasn't completed what I asked of it! I'm still under contract! Now it has you also!" He let her go turning away hanging his head. Idai placed his hands to his face. "No, no, no!"

"It agreed to let you go if I promised it-," she stopped.

Idai waited. "What did you promise it," he said stressing his words. "It only let me go for the time being. It wasn't specified. What did you promise it, Yanagi Lee?"

"I told it if it let you go, that it could take something from my unborn child," Yanagi said the words becoming acid on her tongue.

"You said that," Idai said in a hushed voice. "You can't sucker it. It's as old as darkness. What were you thinking?" Idai's concern grew. "You would do that to your child? It's going to take what it wants from it, Yanagi. You can't erase this. Never give a soul for a soul! Have you never heard that!"

"I'll just… never have children," she said overcoming her racing mind. "It can't take what is not there to offer." Yanagi saw Idai go to his knees, his forehead resting, hair hanging slightly. "Idai?"

"A decision I make is for me to handle, not you, or Masaru. I'm in touch with the darkness where demons dwell. Peace has never been entirely in my view. Even Gin doesn't know how they call me – talk to me. It's not as constant, but I feel them," Idai said regrettably. "I won't have you endangering a child that is not even… here to defend itself. It was the stupidest thing you could have done," he said getting up shoving pass her.

&&&

Azayaka stood with a large crescent shaped blade overhead and one in front ready to strike. Her green eyes followed the man as he walked in front of her pacing. "Are you going to attack or stand there contemplating?"

Fushoku's long gray bangs swayed in the night air, his yellow eyes watching the girl intently. His thumb washed away the sweat on the corner of his mouth. Smiling at the girl's rashness, he unequipped the cement spiked nunchuck held together with a long metal chain. Fushoku let the nunchuck drop to the ground the sudden shift in weight making a deep dent in the dirt road. "Alright, little girl," he said the last word as an insult.

Azayaka flew backwards as Fushoku came at her twirling the cement nunchucks over her head, their spikes slicing through the air. She had to be careful or she was going to lose her head! Azayaka had to learn about her opponent before she could fight him properly. Darting left and right made it harder for him to target her. She noticed it took a lot of strength from his shoulders to lift the heavy cement putting pressure on those muscles. With that amount of force against his body, he's quick to release it. Azayaka bent backwards the block coming around to where her torso had been. She lifted her hand to her mouth blowing a soft white powder at Fushoku.

Fushoku held his breath the powder going straight into his eyes. He griped closing his eyes with his nunchucks still swinging at the girl. He could hear her movements, if not see her. With each pass of the weapon, he was able to wipe at his eyes to rid himself of the substance. Opening his eyes, he swung his weapon again in a sling motion trying to catch her off guard.

All she could do was avoid Fushoku the best she could. His weapon would mortally wound her if it caught her anywhere on her body. Every so often she retaliated by kicking his legs, or punching his chest. But no matter how close she got to him, Fushoku was still going strong. I had forgotten that since he's used to wielding this type of weaponry, his endurance is high. It's going to take a while to wear him down. And right now I don't have that kind of time.

"Getting tired yet, little girl," Fushoku said as he swung it again at her, the spikes of the cement taking out a pole. The electrical pole splintered, its tall frame coming down to crash into a building. "I can keep this up longer than you think I can!"

"Don't I know it," she said under her breath. Azayaka panted, her form turning to the side to avoid another attempted hit. The nunchuck slammed into a barrel causing water to spurt out. She covered her face from the flying wood. I hope everyone is having an easier time than I am! Azayaka threw kunai at the man trying to get him to back off. The kunai only ticked him off more.

Fushoku got a second wind his anger seething. "I don't suppose you thought that was going to do any good?" He swept the kunai away with his foot, kicking the weapons aside. He breathed hard, the sweat blistering on his forehead. The girl was also taking a breather, her arms hanging. "What's wrong? Don't like the hardcore training I'm giving you?"

"Actually, I'm quite enjoying myself," Azayaka said to the point. "You're only showing me you're a one trick pony," she taunted. Fushoku fumed at the mention of this. "I don't suppose you have anything else you'd like to add?"

Fushoku narrowed his eyes. "Why don't I oblige to a fan," he said his form melting to the ground from the shadows surrounding them. He blended his body into the darkness, his dark eyes watching her from every angle. Fushoku snaked his shadowy form towards Azayaka, grinning. His shadowed hands went under her feet growing to where they latched a hold of her.

Azayaka looked down alarmed at something grabbing her. She saw his fingers curled around her ankles. "What the-?" She was baffled. Suddenly, Azayaka felt a hard lurch. The buildings in her view grew bigger as she was sucked into the ground, her hands trying to find an object to grab onto.

Before she knew it, she was thrown out of a large shadow her body flying through the air. She screamed at the top of her lungs. Azayaka was headed straight for a burning building. Her heart raced. As she neared it, she could feel the heat burning the hair off of her arms. Azayaka curled into a ball trying to protect herself, and just as she did so, she was grabbed. Someone had caught her. She turned her head around to see a green hooded figure holding her. Azayaka's face turned to panic.

"I rescued you, didn't I," he said his voice deep, with a hint of annoyance. "The least you could say is 'thank you'." The hoodie from his coat flapped in the wind. They were coming down. He touched down with Azayaka in his arms. Setting her down, he stood up, turning away from her.

"Who… are you," she asked her eyes not leaving his form.

"Don't worry. I'm one of the good guys," he answered before he leapt off to help the others. Right now, formalities were not in order.

Azayaka looked around her, her tied hair neatly behind her back. Konoha was burning. People all around her were involved in endless battles. "Who are these lightening-nin," she asked aloud. "What do they want?" A building crumbled to the ground, the noise causing tears to her eyes.

&&&

Naruto Uzumaki stood surrounded by the ANBU body guards atop his tower. "Put out the fires before they spread," he ordered his arm outstretched. "We can't have it causing anymore damage. Take the injured to the hospital as quickly as possible. Do not go anywhere in the village by yourself. Stay in a 2-3 man squad at all times," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," several of the ANBU bowed before they poofed into thin air.

"Are there anymore reports of who these ninja are looking for," Naruto asked the men standing behind him.

"There is of one report," Sendo said behind his snake mask. "It seems one of the Genin were fighting one of them. The man told him they were searching for 'the little bird girl'." The expression on Naruto's face told him the Hokage knew who it was. "Master?"

"The one they are searching for is no longer here," he told his men. "It's the girl Sasuke Uchiha took in. The one from Rock Lee's team."

"They're looking for the girl who deserted at the Chuunin exams," Koshii asked confused from her ox mask. "Whoever their source of information happens to be is not correct. They have no business here."

"Not if she isn't the only one they are searching for," Naruto answered. "There are three others in the village that possess links to the celestial beings of legend." He turned around with his hands behind his back thinking. "Of course they have been forbidden to summon those from another plane."

The ANBU looked at each other confused. "Excuse me for saying this, Master, but if they can defend the village, why are they not being ordered to do so," Jigen asked. He wondered for a moment who the other Genin were that possessed these kind of links. It would be swifter to wipe out their enemies in one full stroke.

"You are correct to think the village would be immediately protected, but that protection comes at a price. They are still Genin and I do not believe they possess the skills or maturity to summon creatures of that magnitude here." Naruto took off his Hokage hat, but remained wearing his robe. "Has the leader of this assault been confirmed," he asked an ANBU from the sidelines in the shadows.

"Yes, sir," Itaru answered bowing low to the Hokage, his rabbit mask equipped on his face. "We have managed to find out there are two generals who are giving orders. The main one is called Kakumei Eimino. He is an ex-guard for the lightening country."

"Well, now, it seems this Kakumei Eimino has underestimated our village," Naruto said rolling his shoulders. "Who is the second general," he asked as he stretched a bit. It was time to get busy.

"The second general is named Senko Eimino," Itaru answered again. "But it seems someone already has dibs on him," he said with a smile behind his mask. "Forgive me, Master, I could not stop him."

Naruto's grin widened. "No, let Sasuke have a little fun. He's getting stiff in his ripe old age," he said as he shot off the roof.

"Is it wise to let the Hokage just approach on his own," Jigen asked Itaru from the shadows, but Itaru was already gone. "Oh, well, nothing gets by him. Protect the Hokage, do not interfere," he said to the others around him. They poofed.

Kakumei threw the unknown ninja away from his form, his legs moving swiftly with the tiger fork in his hands. Aiming at a nearby ninja, he charge and leapt. The charges went down the tiger fork striking the man. His body shook as it smoked. Kakumei's eye lit up, his smile growing. As the man's body fell, he stood on a pole just above the street, his eyes overlooking the dark village – save for what was burning. "You could at least hand over the girl," he said to the Hokage standing off to his left. "That's all we really want. Wouldn't that be easier for you and your precious village?"

Naruto bit his thumb. The blood dropped onto the roof where he stood, splattering the structure. "I don't take to threats," he said writing symbols on the roof top. Behind him a large toad wearing a yukata appeared. It eyed Kakumei as a frown appeared on its face. "I have a lot more force than you think I do."

Kakumei smirked seeing the true power of the Hokage from the Hidden Leaf village. "Ah, but so do I," he said lowly. He shot towards Naruto without a moment's hesitation. As he neared the man, the large toad Gamabunta stuck his tongue out aiming it for him. Just what I wanted you to do. Protect your precious Master. Kakumei split into three forms of lightening energy, his body darting around the pair.

Gamabunta tried to pull out his extremely large knife to go at it with Kakumei, his tongue already stuck to the pole where the man had been. "Scoundrel," he said pulling his tongue back. His yellow and black eyes looked around trying to find the ninja. It wasn't so easy with how fast Kakumei had become.

Naruto stood under the toad his guard up. He sensed the man's chakra bouncing around the area, waiting for him to give an order. He's wanting me to rely on Gamabunta to defeat him. However, I'm not playing that card. "Gamabunta, stand down."

"And what is your reasoning after you summon me," Gamabunta bellowed, his stubbornness going into full effect. "I say let's be done with this and wipe them all out. They're only flies to me. I can handle them easily."

"Yes, I know you are capable. But right now, this has to do with two grown men fighting," Naruto said touching his nose. His current form remained still leaving a shadow clone of himself standing under Gamabunta. He, however, was on the move. Naruto's eyes darted. It was hard to pinpoint where Kakumei was going. He only stayed in one area for a hair of a second. Also, there were the two clones he was using that were also branches of his chakra. Naruto frowned. It was proving to be difficult. Which one was the real Kakumei?

&&&

Hinata brought her arm up to shield herself as the ground above gave way to the hidden tunnels below the village. A metal scorpion the size of a small shop whirled its claws. It started to make its way through the dirt. The children froze. Their eyes bulged out of their heads as the teachers surrounded them going into a defensive stance. Their objective at this moment was to protect the young. A man with shaggy green hair and silver eyes made his way down the landslide his eyes fixated on the group.

"Now, now, what have we found here?" Buitai scratched his face, his body hanging a little to the left as if he were a dog trying to figure out the situation. The trainers were standing him up in a line to guard a woman with dark long hair. She stood behind them in front of the children. "So it goes without saying you must be the Hokage's woman," he smiled as Kyu, his metal scorpion, moved forward.

Hinata gasped the moment the scorpion started rotating its pincers ready to drill any ninja that stepped in its way. The teachers in front of her were not going to let it pass, even if it meant them dying to protect her and the children. She looked over her shoulder to see Niru frightened so badly she was crying. Hinata whipped her head around, her eyes narrowing. "I won't have you threatening them," she said activating Byakugan.

"Kyu, destroy them," Buitai said not having a bit of humor in his body. He had a job to do. The scorpion moved with lightening speed towards the group of children and ninja.

Hinata concentrated her chakra to her palms, her eyes fixated on the scorpion moving closer down the hall. Moving her arms around her body in full three hundred and sixty degrees, her chakra started to stretch outward. She concentrated harder moving the barrier defense outward to protect the teachers who where lined in front of her. The scorpion didn't hesitate to strike the shield with its tail several times. The metal head of the creature turned to look at its master for further instruction.

"She can't hold it forever," Buitai said to the scorpion. Kyu went back to striking the barrier with all of its strength, the tail rearing back coming back even more powerful than the previous strike. Each time it struck, the barrier would sizzle with the chakra charge. Buitai was growing impatient. He hadn't come across a barrier like this before. Usually there was nothing that stopped Kyu from completing his assignment. "Well now, if we can't get through there, we'll just go under you." He gave the signal for Kyu to start digging.

Hinata swallowed. She was afraid Buitai would try to come underground. If she were to open the barrier he was going to strike them from the front. The scorpion was going to claim them underneath. Her mind searched for a way to protect the children from its wrath. The teachers were prepared to fight, their kunai withdrawn as they focused all their attention on Buitai. Masaru. Naruto. Both of you have assignments to complete. We must protect the village. But if I drop my defense, we'll be slaughtered. If I hold out, we're only buying ourselves a little time. What do I do, Naruto?

&&&

Kaiya put up her hand signaling the ones around her to be still. Her eyes followed the small moments through the dark bushes. The bushes swayed ever so slightly, leaves rustling. Her finger pointed down. Tachiba put his finger to his mouth silencing Nuguru before the bunting could voice his opinion. He carefully rotated his wrist, his finger in the air. Nuguru moved his head around following the gesture. He hopped on his master's finger until he flapped his wings to dart off down below. Nuguru fluttered around the bush, his eyes trying to make out what was underneath. They were unsure if it was a Kasha or if it was a small animal. The eye of the creature turned to focus on him. Nuguru twittered, his feathers flashing electric blue colors as a signal. He flapped his wings higher to get altitude as the small Kasha leapt out at him, snapping.

Kinari swore, "Dumb bird," before he leapt down his chrome Sais at the ready. He caught the Kasha's mouth with one of his Sais. The beast turned hits head trying to loosen his mouth from the weapon. He brought his other Sai around to push back its claws as it sliced the air trying to rip him apart.

"Not good," Tachiba said running down the tree. The Kasha was getting angry. Even if it was smaller than a normal sized one, it still had the ability to spit acid. Tachiba unsheathed his Kwan da sword, coming down in full strike at the creature's head. It spit acid out of its mouth in defense, the liquid splattering onto his clothes. Tachiba ignored the burning sensation on his skin as he sliced the Kasha's head off.

Kaiya hopped down also. "Don't be so careless," she scolded Kinari. She began to check Tachiba's arms and chest, the holes in his clothes noticeable. "Thank goodness it was only a runt," she commented as she reached in her pack to bandage his wounds. Her fingers caressed his skin, touching him delicately as she mended.

"Still, it was only a little one," Tachiba said as Nuguru came flying back to him. "Why was it left way out here? It's not with the others that went off to attack the village." Just as he asked the question a form dropped behind them a ways. It was Masaru. The Hokage's son was inspecting the area. "Oh, you're back," he said not knowing what to think of Masaru being by himself.

Masaru glanced at Tachiba and his crew, his eyes in full Bakugan mode. He was busy scanning the area searching for any signs his normal eyes could not see. "There are traces of acid around this area," he said pointing to a few spots on the ground. "This area is well traveled by the Kasha."

Kaiya walked over. She lifted her hands lowering her goggles onto her face. "He's right," she said the goggles having the technology in them to see heat and different body fluids. "In fact, it's everywhere. Even in the trees way up there."

Tachiba whirled around with his Kwan da sword straight into the face of Idai. He looked at the guy with untrusting eyes. "Now why should I lower this?" He was seconds away from taking his head off, but Idai only stared at him with a blank expression. "Are you yourself, or that thing you were before?"

Idai withdrew both of his swords so quickly Tachiba was caught off guard. He whirled them around hitting the Kwan da sword several times slicing at its handle. His arm went up to block the blade sliding down his sword until he flipped his wrist. The blade of the Kwan da sword went into the tree behind him. Idai dropped backwards, kicking his leg up. The sword went out of Tachiba's hand, dislodging from the tree to spin in the air. It soon found its way to the ground some distance away.

Masaru darted going in between Tachiba and Idai. Tachiba's kunai were already drawn. Idai was also ready to strike. Masaru's large shuriken star came around to block Idai's attack as he kicked at Tachiba's wrist forcing him to drop the kunai. "We don't have time for this. We need to find these things before the village crumbles. Knock it off."

Yanagi shook her head as she stood in the tree overhead. Her butterfly scouts swirled around her, their small pink wings beating against the mist surrounding them. She couldn't afford to wait on those two to settle their differences. Yanagi held up her finger in front of her nose concentrating. The scouts awaited her command. "Soar to the trees. Find out what you can," she told them. The swarm of butterflies broke apart into several ranks, their forms lifting into the darkness overhead.

"You expect us to wait until those come back," Kinari said his chrome sais twirling in his hands.

"Yes, unless you'd rather face the Kasha by yourself," Yanagi said matter-of-fact. She kept her head tilted upwards watching. "Who says that what we're looking for is on the ground? They are exceptional climbers, from what you've told us."

Kinari stopped twirling the sais, his head tilted. "Yeah, I know what we said," he confirmed. "But what makes you think those things will get close enough to them to know what they are?"

"Butterflies have a keen sense of eyesight. They eat aphids, after all," Idai said his swords not lowered. Masaru scowled at him. "Fine," he said putting them back in their sheaths. "I don't want to damage their blades anyway."

A butterfly scout came back some time later, its wings fluttering oddly. Yanagi could tell by the looks of its movements, its wings had been damaged. "I think we found them," she said holding her hand out. The small butterfly crash landed into her palm. It fluttered its wings in Morris code. "It says that the Kasha haven taken residence in a hollow tree that has been ate by termites. Go down the tree until you come upon a hole in the earth. That is where we will find the Kasha."

Idai crossed his arm. "They're hiding in an illusion that leads to their real place of refuge. Reminds me of Gin," he said absentmindedly. His girlfriend used plants in most of her jutsus. She had the ability to communicate with the wilderness around her. It made her a worthy adversary.

Kaiya didn't like being outdone by the Leaf team. She took out a scroll from her vest. The small scroll held a special item in it for her to use for such occasions as this. She opened the scroll, forming hand seals to release the boy puppet she had conjured. Its form crumpled to the ground. She coughed slightly embarrassed at her skill. Kaiya picked up the puppet, holstering him onto her back. "Team 11, lets go," she said. They flew into the trees in the direction the butterfly scout had come from.

"She doesn't want us to help them," Yanagi said as she watched Team 11 depart.

"No, perhaps we shouldn't," Idai said. She looked at him quizzically. "We've led them to where the Kasha are hiding. We should be respectful enough to let them be seen as saving their village."

"If it were us, they would be in our debt," Masaru coincided. He turned his head to look at the leader of his team. Idai's head was turned back to the way they had previously come. "Should we go back to help the others at the village?"

"They're going to need every bit of help they can get until the Kasha are wiped out," Idai said. He snapped his fingers, Team 6 poofing from view. The forest smelled heavily of rain, the droplets hanging onto the plants. Darkness blanketed the surrounding trees and bushes as Kaiya and her team went straight for the source of her village's problems.

&&&

Izumi Uchiha stood atop her house, her eyes seriously alert. A frown was on her face. The village around them smoked in the darkness. However, her home had been left untouched for one soul reason. Suiren slithered around her, her tongue escaping her mouth several times hissing at her master. Izumi twitched. "Gather your children," she told the snake as she shot off the rooftop. Izumi darted from building to building her eyes focused on a particular part of the village near the Hokage's tower. If she let Naruto or his family fall prey victim to the onslaught happening around her, then she would be shamed in her house.

Her eyes befell upon a large part of the earth sunken in. The hidden tunnels underneath the village were exposed; which meant their enemy had penetrated the defenses. "The children," she said out in the open air. Izumi's heart raced. She dropped to the ground, her legs moving swiftly without another moment's thought. She had to protect them. She was only hoping she wasn't too late.

Hinata Uzumaki, wife of the Hokage, stood motionless her eyes watching the scorpion disappear underneath the ground in the tunnels. Niru clung to her leg, her daughter's grip so tight, her knuckles were white. The teachers started to turn around as the floor in her protection shield began to give way.

Buitai smiled. "Well I guess you made your choice," he said feeling confident in himself. "Kyu, annihilate them," he instructed. Buitai waited a breath longer, wondering what was taking the metal scorpion so long. "Kyu, don't tell me you got snared on something," he said regrettably. Sometimes it happened because the scorpion was so big. Its tail was liable to get stuck in wires or piping under the ground.

Niru screamed as she heard the ground shifting more. "Mama," she said. Her friends from the various classes scrambled around the shield moving as far away as they could near the teachers. The teachers were caught off guard as they were knocked over.

A large black head lifted from the hole, a tongue coming out to check the area. It wasn't the metal scorpion, but a large black water moccasin.

Buitai seemed confused. "Where the hell-" Before he could react, he was attacked from behind. A figure whirled at him with two kunai in each hand spinning. He brought his arms up the kunai clanging against his metal armor. Buitai charged firing a warning at the assassin. The figure darted back but did not go far. He narrowed his eyes. "Who are you," he asked. The figure lifted his head momentarily to look at him with orchid colored eyes. Long white hair was masking the face. All he could make out was the figure was smaller than what he anticipated.

Hinata raised her hand at the teachers as her shield lowered. Her chakra was running low. The black snake moved around them slowly, its large body going to the front of the line. "No, don't," she told the teachers. "She won't hurt us. I know that snake," she said trying to make them understand.

Suiren opened her mouth hissing at Buitai to back away from her master. Her fangs showed she was ready to strike. But as she made her daring appearance, the metal scorpion, Kyu, resurfaced near the group of children. It spun its claws, his head shaking to rid itself of the concrete debris. Suiren turned around to hiss at the contraption.

Hinata had managed to lengthen her shield a bit more to not just above and around the children, but also below. Her thinking to delay the scorpion from attacking had proved a wise decision. Although, she knew someone would have seen the tunnels exposed, she would not have imagined it to be Izumi Uchiha.

Niru's face lit up. The assassin from the water country had her face covered with a white cloth. She became delighted to know Izumi was going to force Buitai to back off. "Mama, it's Ms. Iz-," her mother put her finger over her mouth to silence her.

"Ms.? So you are a woman," Buitai said taking out his combat sword. He let the weapon slide against the casing letting all of them see how serious he was. "You're not going to stop me."

"My, my," Izumi started, her confidence level well way over his own. "Aren't you the dainty flower?" Little did Buitai know but he was being stalked from over head. She stood slowly, letting her arms hang. Baby water moccasins dropped from the ceiling onto Buitai.

Buitai's ninja sense kicked in, moving his sword around in a sweeping motion, he sliced the snakes. Their dead bodies fell to the ground surrounding his feet. He could hear the large snake behind him hissing insanely. Izumi was moving upon him again, her form darting around. He went after her letting Kyu handle the rest of them.

Izumi whirled in the air her kunai clanging against his armor. The man outstretched his hand firing another lightening charge at her, but she evaporated from his view. She popped underneath him, her form spinning backwards, her legs raised as she kicked him hard in the stomach. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she turned her body at an angle, throwing the man into the floor below. He crash landed, smoke lifting as she landed on the side of the foundation, her hands right underneath her.

Buitai coughed his arm raising. He laid his arm on the floor pulling himself up. His eyes lifted to stare at the figure above him. Buitai charged again, his body starting to glow to show how angry he was. He shot at her again, this time throwing kunai into the structure around her so he could pinpoint a firing range. It was his idea to trap her. Izumi didn't move from her position so he turned around firing the lightening at another space where he found something odd on the wall. There was water seeping through near the structure.

Izumi was hit outright, her form coming loose from the wall. She grit her teeth, her body falling to the floor. As Buitai came back at her, Izumi lay still her clothing smoking from the attack. The scorpion was going after the children, its tail striking the ground powerfully. Suiren was not backing down. She, too, was on top of the scorpion, her body twisted to prevent its tail from functioning.

Buitai made a sweeping motion with his combat sword at the woman as she lay upon the ground. He sliced the back of her kimono, exposing her back. Yet, as he did this, she did not move. Buitai slammed his sword into the ground beside her head. "That wasn't so hard," he said. He kept his eyes upon to make sure she was immobile. "Kyu, stop fooling around," he snapped.

The metal scorpion moved its arms outward its gears clicking as it tried to force the snake off of him. The water moccasin kept pushing the arms down, her muscles tightening to hold him. Kyu released his tail the snakes body whipping back like a spring. He slammed his tail into her side causing her hold to loosen. Suiren hissed, her body curling up in pain. Kyu was now free, his glass eyes focused on the people in front of him. He went after them his legs moving against the ground.

Izumi had her chance. She forced her body up pushing up on her elbows and forearm, her legs coming up to wrap around Buitai's neck. "Call it off," she said her voice raised. She began to strangle him, his air cut off as he wrapped his arms around her ankles.

Buitai gasped the woman's legs tightening the more he delayed a response. He tried to charge to ward her off, but he couldn't muster the strength. His vision was starting to black out. Stars shone in his sight, the sounds around him seeming distant.

Izumi narrowed her eyes putting all of her strength into her legs this time. She began to twist the man's neck at an attempt to break it. If he wasn't going to call the scorpion off, she'd have to finish him first, then handle it. "Make it retreat," she warned a hair of a second's breath hovering in the air before she snapped his neck.

Buitai moved his fingers in a gesture only the scorpion knew. Kyu halted as his tail came down upon several of the teachers, the poisonous stinger at the ready. It turned its head slightly to see that its master was in trouble. Kyu turned its body around, its legs making it move to the side. Buitai had only fooled Izumi. Kyu was now coming straight at them to free him.

Izumi swung her body around, until she swept at his feet making him fall. Kyu threw his mighty arms at her, the pincers lodging into the concrete as she flipped backwards to avoid him. Izumi swore. This metal device was something she had no way of stopping. All she could do now was trust the teachers into getting their children out of here. She went after Kyu at full force, her kunai at the ready.

Izumi moved around on the creature's back, the tail coming down every few seconds to stick her like a fork. She kept hitting the scorpion with the blade of the kunai trying to find its weakness. But each time she came within contact with its body, it was retaliating by moving around and sending its tail after her. Izumi rolled to avoid the sharp end of the tail as she grabbed its side. The claws weren't able to get her from that point. She even noticed the tail was only able to go forward and several feet to the side. She was too close to it to pinpoint her. Now's my chance. Izumi reached into her kimono taking out a special scroll. She placed it on the side of the scorpion as it still tried to get her running in circles. "Bye, bye," she said pushing herself off. Izumi rolled away from it as the paper started to spark.

Buitai sent lightening charges at the teachers as he ran at them. He was still in the middle of trying to kidnap Hinata when an explosion from behind hit. He turned his head the fire raining the cement down on top of him. Buitai realized at that moment Kyu had been defeated. He watched in disbelief as Kyu's scorpion body whirred, clicked, then fell to the ground. Its head clicked into place the locking mechanism in effect. Buitai saw Izumi coming at him again, her weapons drawn. He fled out of the collapsed tunnel with her chasing him.

Hinata held her daughter as the smoke drifted out of the tunnel. She looked up to see that she and the surrounding children had been protected by the teachers. A wooden wall had been created in the nick of time. Her eyes gazed at the metal scorpion Butai had had no choice but to abandon. She stood. "Get the children to safety," she instructed taking charge. "He won't be coming back for that," she said confidently.

&&&

Sasuke stood atop the Hokages of past monument his Sharingan eyes pinpointing where General Senko was located. All around him fights were going on into the night. He had seen his wife, Izumi, chasing after one of the lightening-nin, her temper flared. "Naruto's having his own ridiculous luck with that Kakumei guy," he said before his body tensed. There was a figure standing several meters behind him, waiting. "You're not supposed to be here," he said trying to get the boy to go back. "Pick someone else to fight."

"No," Eiyu said with defiance in his voice. "They're after Onari. You know they are," he said as if he'd been lied to about the reasoning behind the attacks. "I want them gone."

"Fighting them will not bring Onari home," Sasuke said shouting at Eiyu Hyuuga. "They're the reason she left, Eiyu. She knew they would find her. And until they are all defeated, there won't be a bit of rest for the village or anyone in it."

"That's exactly my point," he said getting into Sasuke's face. Sasuke grabbed him by the front of his shirt. Eiyu just stared at him, his eyes not faltering.

"I don't have time for this," Sasuke said angrily. He threw the boy backwards until Eiyu landed on his rear. "Go help your team," he said. He flew off the monument his eyes focused on General Senko.

Eiyu wasn't about to listen to Sasuke. He went after the man, his feet moving swiftly against the monument as he glued his chakra to its surface. He darted around until he sensed he was getting closer. General Senko was marching down the street with several of his men. He ordered them to surround him immediately sensing Eiyu and Sasuke coming from both directions.

Eiyu slid on his feet his guard going up instantly. Sasuke did the same. They stared at Senko as the man regarded them for who and what they are. "Get out of here, old man. I can finish him off," he told Sasuke which made the Jounin give him a death glare.

"I see, so I'm a prize to be won," General Senko said his long flowing ponytail cascading down his back. He crossed his arms. "Foolish fools," he said as the Baku demon emerged from behind him. It stomped its feet lightening crackling underneath its weight. "I can handle these two," he told his men. "Continue your pursuit."

Eiyu kept his focus on the Baku. It was a large animal that had the head of a lion and the body of a horse. Radiating off its back was the very aura of shadows. In the shadows he saw it shift as if trying to keep something inside of it. Eiyu went into a Tai chi pose, his arms out. He was ready.

Sasuke wasn't stupid either. One of the buildings behind him seemed to be moving. As it got closer, its shape began to look more slender, its head rounded at the top. He couldn't have Senko sending the Baku after him and Eiyu without a trump card of his own. The slit eyes of Manda hovered at full height awaiting his orders. The snake loomed, its scaly mouth opening to show its fangs.

General Senko brushed off his lightening armor as if he was getting ready for a formal meeting with someone. "I didn't become General to have the likes of you two get in my way." He sent two fully charged waves of lightening at Eiyu and Sasuke. The older a warrior was and the more experienced, the less time it took to charge ones skills – or chakra.

Eiyu rotated fully his chakra going up into the chakra shield his family was so memorable for. The lightening came at him hitting the defense from all angles. Little did Senko know but only two people had broken the shield successfully in the past when his father, Neji, had used it in his battles.

Sasuke had a jutsu of his own. He opened his mouth issuing the great fireball technique as the lightening came. It interacted with the fire heating it as it went straight at Senko. His eyes didn't blink as Sharingan was in full effect. Manda remained behind him waiting for any signal to attack.

Senko reached out grabbing the lion's mane with one hand as the Baku moved with speed to avoid the fireball ailing at them. He lifted his weight onto the beast dodging the flames. As the fireball died down, he was far from the two pursuing him. "This could get interesting," he said to the Baku as it growled from its lion head. Its horse feet stomped the ground impatiently.

Eiyu darted at Senko his arms out behind him. He heard Sasuke yell at him to wait, but he was in a hurry to end this. His anger was seething at the attack on his home. Eiyu Hyuuga had to protect his team, also. He was the leader and had chosen to take full responsibility to keep Takeru Uchiha alive. I promise, Onari, they won't harm Takeru.

**Chapter end notes:** . This is a site I use to help me determine what martial arts weapons the characters are fighting with. So if you're unfamiliar, check it out.


	93. Chapter 93

**V 10 Ch 3**

Goro: The hidden Beast of Konoha

The Kasha rustled in the leaf nest bed, their eyes alert as the rain stopped all together. Their young were moving around the dug out hole sniffing the ground surrounding them. The largest of the female Kasha grunted at one of the young, snapping her jaws at it as it got too close to her. She moved through the frightened brood her large feet pushing against the dirt. Her tail swished lazily behind her, her body fat and thick from the many dead corpses her underlings had brought her. She walked around her head held high as the others lowered theirs for fear of her bite.

Just above a team of ninja had hit the opening of the hollowed tree. Kaiya put her hands upon the tree pushing it a little. The wood cracked. She caught the piece of rotted bark before it could fall down below to alert the Kasha of their presence. Her head turned as she looked at her two team mates. Kaiya put her finger to her lips issuing the need for quiet. They had no idea how many were down there.

Tachiba had Nuguru come to his hand; the little blue bunting tilted his head wildly. It knew they were in a dangerous position. "Fly," he whispered to Nuguru cupping the bird in both of his hands to throw him away from the team. The bunting flapped its wings moving through the darkness away from them. He couldn't have the bird get hurt below the surface of the earth. Nuguru had completed his job. Now he was to report back to Ateru sensei.

Kinari kept his chrome Sais right under his wrists at the ready as he poked his head into the hole. It was defiantly dark down there. He wasn't going to let his best friend go first. He perched on the branch carefully with his arms out judging the distance. The rotting tree was wide enough for them to slip in, but not a full size adult. It was the perfect hideout for Kasha.

Not looking over his shoulder, Kinari leapt into the dark hole, his form disappearing in the darkness. As he came near the bottom, he threw his legs out, his weight stopping abruptly from the foot spikes he wore. He hung there for a moment his arms out to steady himself. Tilting forward ever so slightly, he let his hair hang, his ears listening for the Kasha. The deep grunts swept to his ears. They were far back from the entrance. He figured there was a long tunnel out of his sight.

Kinari let his feet detach from the rotting bark, his form dropping down to the soft dirt, his body angled forward, chromes Sais in defense mode. He looked around the area puzzled. The Kasha didn't have a guard. He stood slowly, his eyes looking around the area. They were overly confident. It was the perfect condition for a downfall.

Kaiya and Tachiba landed down behind Kinari. She looked at him wondering what the situation was. He nodded his head. Kaiya and Tachiba moved forward their bodies pressed against the wall, their feet moving silently. The tunnel stretched onward into the darkness, the grunts echoing around them.

Kinari halted. The tunnel started to branch out into several directions. He put his hand on his hip looking high and low. Maybe the Kasha weren't as dumb as he thought. He held his hand up stopping his team mates from moving forward. One of the tunnels led to the Kasha. The others could be traps, or Kasha waiting to devour them in an ambush. They had to be very careful.

Tachiba wished for a moment he hadn't sent Nuguru away, but he had no way of knowing what they were going to run into. His heart beat faster with each step he took into the darkness. Kaiya gave the signal for one of them to go down one of the tunnels. He slipped on his fireproof gloves, moving aside to do as he was instructed. Kinari went pass him without a word, his eyes set on finding the correct tunnel where the Kasha lay.

(Scene change)

Kakumei kept darting around the Hokage, his form merely a blur. He wasn't going to be taken down so easily. The huge toad in front of him went against the Hokage's order, moving the blade in the direction of the lightening, its mighty arm sweeping the area. Kakumei simply evaporated from where he was, the traces of his lightening jutsu hitting the edge of the blade.

Gamabunta bellowed his voice, "We're wasting time on this. While we're distracted by him, his men are laying waste to the village," he said quite angrily. Gamabunta signaled Naruto with a grunt, his throat clearing. It was time for a different strategy.

Naruto began to charge his chakra, his eyes focused ahead, his ears listening to the crackle of lightening as it darted around him and the large toad. He was preparing for the wind release technique to nail Kakumei once and for all. This had to work against a speedy opponent. Gamabunta was right. They were being distracted while his men were tearing the village apart. Naruto knew if he took out the strongest man, the others would flee.

Naruto concentrated as Gamabunta got ready his mouth opening. The large toad signaled out Kakumei's next movement, his mouth spewing forth a blast of oil at the Lightening General. Sure enough, Kakumei was outsmarted for a brief second, his form coming back into view. The man slid backwards on his heels, his tiger fork lodged into the ground to stop him from slamming into the wall. But as he did so, Gamabunta used a fire release jutsu to ignite the oil covering the man from head to toe. Naruto also let loose, the wind release allowing the fire to spread quickly, intensifying the flames.

Kakumei had no time to react without a proper defense. He twirled his tiger fork quickly the lightening around it crackling. As the fire got closer, he slammed the points of the tiger fork into the ground, the lightening snaking their ways towards the Hokage and his large toad. Kakumei turned his back curling into a ball, the metal plating on his body acting as a protective shield to the fire. However, the temperatures of his surroundings were too much to handle and he had to get away. The clone poofed on contact the moment the flames reached him. Elsewhere, the real Kakumei shot up and away from the fire. The second clone he had ensured to guard him was left behind. It too, saw its better fate by the attack from the Hokage.

Naruto was pushed aside by Gamabunta's arm as the lightening hit. He went soaring through the air, tumbling into rubble from a building. Gamabunta used his dagger to attract the lightening. The lightening shot up the dagger until it died away as soon as Kakumei, its power source, left the area. Naruto lifted his form, the rubble shifting. It hit the ground. Gamabunta only made an unhappy grunt at him about how Kakumei had gotten away. The ANBU were quick to surround him. "We must have these lightening-nin leave. What they are searching for is no longer here," he ordered. The ANBU bowed with their orders. They poofed.

Gamabunta kept his eyes upon the Hokage. "You know what that arrogant fool is after," he said confirming it. "And how are you going to convince him it is not here for him to take?"

Naruto only looked at his burning village, his form moving away from the toad. He walked steadily out into the open. Battles were going on all around him. "By catching a fool with an illusion," he said. Kakumei and his men weren't about to believe anything Naruto told them about Onari. He was going to have to prove to them that she was no longer here.

(Scene change)

Takeru darted his eyes scanning for anyone in trouble. Soon he came across several people fleeing from one of the newly started fires. He ran pass them, the fire around the buildings blazing. A woman was screaming a man's name as her eyes remained weighed on the fire, her safety not her primary concern. Takeru formed hand seals trying to cast a water jutsu to lower the flames. However, the heat was too much for him to bear. There was no trace of water around him.

Takeru ran forth grabbing the woman by her arm pulling her back. "It's not safe! Get back," he shouted at her as the building gave way. A corner of the wall came down with a moan hitting the ground. He looked up at her. She kept calling the name of a man for him to come out of the flames. Takeru darted pass her, leapt through the air jumping the flames as they licked at his feet.

He knew he had promised Kiba not to fight, but this was a different matter all together. Takeru busted through the area with his face shielded by his arms. He slid on his feet, his body slamming right into the counter. Regaining his balance, he looked quickly around the room. There was a man lying on the floor, his arm sticking out of the beams that had fallen. Takeru went to him yelling at the man to make a sign he was alright. Without an answer, he placed his hands on one of the beams heaving as best he could. It was extremely heavy. Takeru had no way of moving it by himself.

He went to the other side moving the fallen pieces of wood off of the man's face. Takeru shot back, his heart jumped in his chest. The man's face was burned beyond recognition. He looked over him sadly. Takeru bent down, his hand placed upon the man's head. The man had been crushed by the weight of the beams. The woman outside was calling her brother, but he was long gone. Takeru hated to leave the man's body inside the building. It wasn't a pleasant way to die.

He looked around the building, the flames covering the ceiling overhead. His head tilted back his eyes focused on the way they moved against the wood. Time seemed to stop inside the building. Takeru was unconcerned that he was in danger. His mind was at piece in the flames for some reason. He felt at home in this world of orange and red, the danger around him painted against the wood, smoldering the material.

Takeru clutched to the phoenix as his head lifted to look at the buildings below them. Akaihi soared through Konoha, his wings outstretched. The phoenix opened its mouth noting its approval of the freedom it felt. Onari lifted herself, her body standing to the side, arms outstretched. She knelt down each time Akaihi dipped as if she was surfing through the air. Takeru stared up at her, watching her long hair move through the wind. "Ri, you're going to fall," he said, but she ignored him.

Onari closed her eyes her fingers feeling the air through every centimeter of her being. She was one with the phoenix, her body feeling empowered, yet graceful. Her toes dug into the red feathers on its back, feeling their silkiness. "Takeru, stand up," she commanded. "Stand up," she said again feeling his hesitation at doing so in the air. "You won't understand Akaihi and Uso if you do not."

Takeru fumbled as he tried to stand, his head having difficulty grasping the height they were at in the air. He closed his eyes shaking his head. "I-I can't," he said his heart starting to race. Now he knew how Ryu felt when he was standing on the edge of the Hokage monument. He gasped feeling Onari put her arms around his. She wasn't going to let him chicken out. "Onari," he said in a bit of a panic, her grasp on his arm tightening.

"Stand up, Takeru Uchiha," she said stressing his surname. "You must get used to what you control. If you cannot adjust to your own insecurities, how will you be able to stretch beyond those limits?"

Takeru looked at her. Onari was pretty quick witted for an outsider. He grabbed onto her with his other hand. Takeru tried to calm his heart. He kept his eyes focused on her face as Akaihi leveled out. The bird wasn't shifting its weight. Takeru eased up a little, but he dared not look down.

Onari grabbed his arms forcing them out to where they where standing in open chest Qigong pose. She made sure Takeru was looking at his fingers. "The direction of your fingertips is where you want to go," she said. "Always look forward, never behind," she said as he was in mid-motion of glancing back. "A phoenix can create or destroy depending on what your direction is. Positive aspects are forward. Negative aspects are backwards. Never turn backwards when there is no reason."

Takeru turned his head kissing her cheek. He was now relaxed as the bird soared through the sky over the village. He caught her off guard, her body tensing for a split second. "Sorry," he apologized his eyes half lidded watching her.

"Takeru likes to play with fire," Onari said glancing at him.

"Maybe," he said before he raised his arm upwards a bit. The phoenix started to rise slowly, its large wings beating against the wind. "Or perhaps I want to master it." As they lifted through the air, he suddenly dipped his hand down. Akaihi darted into a dive, its wings coming into close to its body. Onari hunkered down trying not to lose her balance, but Takeru stood, his eyes measuring the buildings as they came within view again.

Onari's eyes widened. "Takeru, this is too close! Akaihi will catch them on fire," she yelled. Takeru's arm went back up, the phoenix only fifty meters above the buildings. She saw peoples' faces as they stared in amazement. She turned her head to scowl at him. "Takeru," she emphasized. "Do not do that again."

Takeru pshed. "You can't tell me the Firebird of Konoha is scared of her own phoenix, can you?" He glanced at her, her face telling him to back off that subject. "I have to know what he can do, right?"

Takeru heard someone calling his name. His eyes were focused on the fire as if he were in a trance. The fire was burning everything around him, but it wasn't coming close to him at all. He looked down, the flames staying away from his feet. They tried to come towards him, but the moment they licked at him, they were bent away from his body.

He was grabbed around his waist, being pulled backwards away from the flames. Takeru wasn't aware who had a hold of him. All he was focused on was the fire. He was pulled outside the night air hitting him like a ton of bricks. He started to cough badly as the air entered his lungs. Takeru had been breathing in smoke the entire time he was inside the building.

Jigen tilted the boy's head back, his fingers prying open Takeru's mouth. "Head back, breathe. Deep and slow. Come on," he said. He was one of the few men inspecting the fires. The others of his squad had gone to dealt with the Lightening-nin invading the village. Once Takeru had managed to get a good significant amount of air into him, Jigen popped him upside the head. "What the hell were you doing in there," he bellowed.

Takeru coughed some more standing fully to see the man wearing the Tiger mask. His red spiky hair caught Takeru's attention. He knew instantly it was Jigen. "I was trying to help her," he said about the woman standing some feet away. "Her brother was inside."

Jigen put his hands on his hips watching Takeru explain. "You should have known no one could have survived a fire that size. However, how did you manage not to get burned by it?" He put his hands upon Takeru's shoulders turning the boy around examining his body. His clothes were a bit dirty, but nothing more. "Get back to safety," he ordered taking out his ANBU short sword. He pointed the weapon away down the road. "Your father will have both our heads something happens to you. Go," he ordered again more sternly.

"Yes, sir," Takeru said with his head lowered. Man, Onari would kick me in the rear. She wouldn't let me by so easily with just a stern talking to. He looked over his shoulder. Jigen was gone in the blink of an eye.

(Scene change)

Ateru Yotsuka gave the signal for the men guarding the tree village to fire. The Kasha were intensely battling them. It was the last night of the dead ritual. Tomorrow the ones who had perished would be burned in a great ceremony. But for tonight, the battle for their souls continued. Ateru's arm went down, the ninja releasing arrows of oil and fire at the Kasha. As the Kasha were hit, they howled in anger. It wasn't easy to get them detached from the large tree. Ateru swore. Each arrow that hit only made them angrier, their claws digging into the bark harder.

"This isn't working," a man yelled as he stopped firing arrows. He turned to look at Ateru. "Can't you hear it? Stop! Everyone stop!" The men around him halted for a moment. The Kasha were still coming. They could hear the growling sounds of the demons, but there was also another. "The tree is moaning," he said. As the wind swept through its mighty branches, the leaves rustled. With each leaf rustling, there was a low groan of the tree's pain. "What other plan do you have, Ateru? They're still coming and our village is in trouble."

Ateru looked at the man with a serious gaze. "We need to get the Kasha onto the ground." The man shook his head. That's what they were trying to do from the start. "Just get them to the ground. I can take care of them there. No exceptions. If we fail, we lose more than this fight."

The men returned to firing arrows trying to drive the Kasha back. Ateru couldn't use his technique while he stood with the others. What he had in store for the demons was going to be hard to form. "Dammit, they're sacrificing themselves to get the others farther up the tree!"

The Kasha who were wounded became the ladders for the others who were still coming. A fiercer group began to run across the field, their mouths lashing as their wide forms snaked through the dark grass. A young tough looking Kasha lifted his form above the rest barking orders. They answered back. He reeled around hitting the ground as his objective became clear. Quickly he ran through the ranks, his anger seething. He howled a blood cry, his eyes raging with determination to get to the top of the tree.

Ateru saw the creature coming for them. It wasn't like the others of its kind. No, this one knew exactly why it was here and what it was doing. Something deep down told him it wasn't just to feed upon the corpses at the top of the tree. He jumped off the tree, his body outstretched. He had no choice but to take them down. Ateru threw several kunai straight at their heads. The weapons lodged into their heads. The creatures yelled in pain, their heads going back. It wasn't but a few breathes before their claws detached, their dying forms hurling back towards the ground.

Ateru glued his chakra to the tree, his body moving around slashing at the Kasha. He knew it was suicide to attack them head on. What other choice did he have? Ateru darted from Kasha to Kasha slicing at their forms. He threw shuriken several times being careful not to break his footing from the bark of the tree. The creatures moved up the tree like a colony of ants. He breathed hard, gritting his teeth. One came at him lunging, its jaws open, the acid upon its teeth lashing. Ateru threw himself into a ball. The creature wrapped his arms and legs around him. The mouth tried to bite his rear off but couldn't quite grasp a hold of it. The large tail hit him repeatedly in the head. Ateru lifted his body with all his strength his arms coming up to hold onto the Kasha. He began to pull it off, dragging it off his back.

"I don't think so," Ateru said grunting as the demon clawed at his sides. The sharp claws tore at his ninja outfit. The heavy padded vest was ripped everywhere. He managed to get a second wind, the Kasha dropping acid drool onto his back. The wounds of his vest sizzling under the substance made its way to his ears. Ateru pushed the creature off with a loud angry yell. The Kasha's form moved in the wind as it went pummeling down the tree into the crowd of its own kind.

Ateru noticed the Kasha were moving around him ignoring him being there. He went back to attacking those around him, his weary form still continuing his personal fight with them. The Kasha from before, the young male he had witnessed earlier, was now getting close to him. Ateru unclipped the two metal axes swinging from his sides. "Come on, you bastard," he taunted. "I'm ready for you!"

The Kasha saw red in its vision. Ateru's form was lit up, his body temperature high. It was customary for them to only eat dead flesh, but right now, he wanted living flesh. He opened his mouth, his body spitting forth an acid stream at the man as he leapt through the air. His tail went back allowing him to press upon the tree to gain height.

Ateru used the blade of his axe to keep the acid from deteriorating his face. He swung around, arms out in a death spiral whirlwind. The blade came up cutting the Kasha in the torso. The creature landed on top of him pinning him to the tree. Its mouth struck several times onto the bark as Ateru moved his head quickly to avoid it. He tried to push the beast away from him, but it was strong. Its claws dug into the bark more.

The teeth were coming closer, the mouth snarling. Ateru's muscles were fatigued. He wasn't able to hold onto the bark any longer. His chakra detached from the tree, his body starting to slide down the tree with the Kasha on top of him. Ateru yelled as he went falling pass the other Kasha.

Idai soared back to the tree village on top of Yanagi's large butterfly. She and Masaru were taking a different route. He heard Ateru yelling before he even saw the man falling from the tree. "After him," he told the butterfly. Its wings became still. The butterfly dipped using the wind to get closer to the tree faster. Idai jumped from the overgrown insect. He brought his sword back, the other in front. Twirling his wrist, Idai created the high pitched noise he needed. "Sound knife," he said. The high pitched wind went soaring from his blade down the path of the tree. The Kasha shook their heads in defiance of his attack.

Ateru brought his hands to his ears. The Kasha who had been wrestling with him showed signs of letting up. He brought his legs up pushing the beast away as it hollered due to the noise coming from Idai's blade. However, he was still falling down into the open mouths of more Kasha. Ateru yelled until he was grabbed around the waist. He looked down, he was circling the tree. The young boy keeping him from certain doom was no other than Masaru Uzumaki, the Hokage's son.

"Hang on," Masaru yelled. He could see Ateru's mouth moving but couldn't hear a word the man was saying. "What? I can't hear you! Idai made us put moss in our ears so we wouldn't be affected by that weird skill of his."

Ateru found him and Masaru twirling for a while until they were dangling from one of the large branches. The Kasha were just off to their left. Ateru took his hands away. "Lower me," he yelled at Masaru who only tilted his head. "Lower me, kid," he said making the gesture for down.

"You want me to take you down there? Are you crazy," Masaru yelled at the man. "That's where those things are! I let you down there, Idai will have my head. We're supposed to stop those! Fighting them one on one isn't going to do any good. It's going to get you killed!"

Ateru slapped his forehead. "Would you lower me? My duty is to that village up there! The Morikage isn't going to last much longer!" He reached up taking the moss out of Masaru's ear. "I know what I'm doing. Take me down!"

Masaru sighed. He unequipped the rope dangling from his waist. "Tie this to the rope in my hand," he ordered. "Then around your waist. I don't know what you have planned, but I'll lower you. I just hope whatever you have in mind will work."

Ateru tied the knot several times making sure it was good and tight. "Get Idai to keep using his wind jutsu to make those things fall. I'll take care of the rest." Ateru felt Masaru let go, his legs kicking as he fell through the air. He yelped the rope straining as it tugged. Ateru felt ridiculous. He lifted his leg reaching into the pack. Taking out a shuriken he started to severe the rope. Ateru dropped the rest of the way, rolling onto the ground. The Kasha were alerted by his presence, some of them turning to go after him. Ateru ran through the dark grass. He had to find a place that had not been desecrated by the demons.

(Scene change)

Gin Akimichi ran with her team through the village. She signaled Areku and Kandai to break off. Shikamaru was busy helping the Hokage form a plan to catch the intruders. This was a real battle. With her eyes focused, Gin went straight to the streets. A lightening intruder was targeting people as they ran away in fear.

Gin concentrated her eyes still as she took in her surroundings. Mother Earth. Goddess of Nature and plants. Lend me your strength. The seeds in her hands shot out forming into thick strong vines. The long thick stalks circled around traveling to the man who was coming her way. His short spiked brown hair and eyes were alerted by her plants.

Wani lowered the helmet on his head as the vines came around him. "Ridiculous," he said the moment they closed in on him. He took out the long sword hanging from his back. The vines took hold of him trapping him around his torso and legs. He had one free arm. It came swinging down hacking at the vines with the sharpness of his sword.

Gin saw the woman coming out of the corner of her eye. She whirled around standing her ground. The woman's long red hair hung loosely on one side of her head, but the other half was held back by a thick barrette. Gin's hollow blue eyes met the woman's gray hollow eyes. They stared at each other intently.

Hanzai smiled coyly at the girl as she moved walking side to side, her eyes focused on the girl's determination. "Lightening is just another form of fire," she said her eyes widening as her body erupted. The lightening charge sprang forth aiming straight at the girl.

Gin quickly called forth Nature to aid her. A wall of wood surrounded her protecting her from the assault. Lightening popped against the wood as she remained tense inside of her cocoon. The wood smoldered.

"Hmm," Hanzai said with her hand on her hip. Wani tore through the thick vines. "This little one has experience in allusive measures with her enemies. I like her," she said a large smile going across her face.

Wani brushed off his armor. "Whether you approve of her or not, is not our concern." He moved his hand to his waist. Wani moved the metal around where it clicked into place. A compartment opened. Wani took out the capsule filled with acid. He threw it at the wooden cocoon Gin had managed to create around herself. "Get out of there," he yelled as he ran towards it, his sword drawn to strike.

Gin heard the sizzling sound of the wood weakening behind her. It began to crumble with a gaping hole showing through. She was in immense danger. Gin froze. She had Wani coming from behind her with his sword ready to strike. In front of her was a dangerous woman known as Hanzai who was ready for her. In her mind, Gin saw Shikamaru teaching her various new jutsus she should be able to perform using her plant skills with her ninjutsu. But at that moment, time seemed to leave her behind. Idai. Her eyes welled up, tears starting to form. She was lost completely.

Gin screamed as Wani got closer and her feet started to slip out from under her. She was dropping below the surface into a dark hole. A hand was put over her mouth suddenly to quiet her. Her blue eyes looked to see Areku Inuzuka staring up at the hole. There was only one way to get at them now. Gin was sitting in a tunnel he had dug to rescue her. She had never been more thankful for being his friend than at that moment. Despite her order to break off to attack and help with the opponents laying waste to the village, he had come back for her.

"Don't be so surprised," Areku said jerking his thumb behind him. "My team is my other family," he said making sure Gin looked over his shoulder. Behind him was his mother, Kashira, with her dog, Hitsugi. Kashira was crotched low her eyes focused on the hole.

Wani sliced through the standing wood. It slid off crashing to the ground, but the girl wasn't inside. He approached the other half of the bark immediately aiming his sword with a swift jolt of power at the ground. She wasn't there either. Wani jerked his head to the right signaling Hanzai to be on guard. There was a gaping hole in the earth. The girl had been rescued by someone. He touched his nose. Hanzai stopped.

Kashira crawled pass Areku and Gin. Hitsugi followed her, the dog crawling on its belly quietly. She moved her hand back to push against her son's leg. She wanted him to retreat. Ichigo tried to bark, but Kashira put her hand over the pup's muzzle quickly. They were being stalked from above. "Get out of here," she mouthed.

Areku shook his head. He wasn't going to leave his mother to fight alone against the two above them. "No," he mouthed back. Kashira seemed rather serious at that time, something he didn't come across often with his mother. She was an excellent Inuzuka and quite lethal in her approach towards her enemies. It was probably the reason Kiba was so smitten by her.

Kashira wondered for a moment if Gin could still access the plants above them even though they were below ground. She had to find a way to know where the two above were positioned. It was a dangerous waiting game they were playing. Someone was going to strike first and if the other wasn't prepared they would all be killed. She turned her gaze to look at the Akimichi girl cupping her hand to her ear.

Gin nodded slowly understanding what Kashira was asking her to do. Gin closed her eyes, her hands forming seals. She concentrated on the area above her. Her mind was searching for the plants that had not been demolished or taken by the fires in the area. On top of a building hanging loosely was a hanging plant. It swayed in the wind, its chains making clinking noises. She started to ask it in pictures she was projecting of the two people who had attacked her. Where are they?

Gin opened her eyes. She pushed Areku back with a strong force with one hand. Facing forward, she grabbed Kashira by the arm yanking the short haired woman towards her. The debris of the bark was pushed into the hole. "Run," she screamed.

Hanzai lifted her finger charging it as Wani held out the small arrow from one of his compartments. She jolted the tip of the wooden arrow with enough force for it to catch fire. "Do it," she said to him.

Wani dropped the arrow into the hole his fingers hovering for a moment until the last part of it seeped into the darkness. "Nice knowing you," he said as he turned away. The arrow fell silently for a few quick seconds until the fire came into contact with the broken wood. The acid upon the wood ignited. The ground exploded as if a bomb had been detonated.

Kashira shouted at Hitsugi. The large brown dog grabbed Gin by the back of her outfit starting to run dragging the girl along the dirt. The flames swept down the tunnel towards them. Kashira pushed Areku hard yelling, "Grab her tail, Areku!"

Areku did as he was told latching onto Hitsugi as he snatched Ichigo up. Hitsugi leapt through the hole. She moved her head, her jaws letting go of Gin. Gin was hoisted onto her back. Hitsugi touched down her legs moving swiftly to get away from the scene.

Areku was still being dragged his body thrashing around. He let go of Hitsugi not wanting to get too far away. He rolled until his body came up his hands going into the ground to stop his movement. He immediately took off. Areku had not seen his mom following them out of the hole. Ichigo ran behind him barking.

Areku slid on his feet. He caught the scent of his father, Kiba Inuzuka, pulling Kashira out of the dirt. "Father," he said running to him. He latched onto his mother's waist starting to pull her free. He grunted. Kashira's head was hanging back clearly knocked unconscious. Areku smelt the fire hanging strongly in the air.

Kiba arched his back pulling his wife free. He touched her face turning her head towards him as he held her firmly against him with one arm. "Kashira," he said calling her. There was no movement. Minzoku growled, his black fur standing on edge as he stood next to Kiba. "He doesn't have to see you to know you're there," he warned at the person hanging off to the side. Kiba also caught the scent.

A hooded figure hunkered down moved against the shadows. It came forth moving one large hairy arm, its claws pressing into the dirt. Stopping it raised its head just enough for Kiba to see it had a long muzzle like a beast, its mouth snarling. It's jaws parted to speak. "Do you need assistance," he asked pressing his hind legs into the ground ready to pounce.

Areku didn't know who this guy was. "He's wearing a leaf-nin insignia," he said a bit baffled. His eyes stared at the metal neatly placed on the bicep of the beast's hoodie.

Kiba knew the beast. He knew everyone in the village, where it was personally or by talk or sheer notice of another. "Is the hospital free from intruders," he asked.

Goro laughed with his deep threatening voice. "Of course, it is. I am the one stationed near it."

"Then you can help us get her there," Kiba said lifting his wife in his arms. Goro moved closer. From a distance, his appearance looked no more than that of a large dog, but when he got nearer, he stood. His form towered over Kiba, the piercing yellow eyes the only thing visible under the hoodie he wore. Kiba looked down to notice Areku was gone with Ichigo. He figured the boy was after the two responsible for injuring his mother.

"Do you want me to go after the brat," Goro asked his words normal for his personality. He regarded no one but himself in most of what he did. He lowered his form onto all fours. He was ready for Kiba to say the word.

"No," Kiba said. "Areku can handle himself. Let's move," he said taking off at high speed. Goro sprinted to stay next to him.

Areku and Ichigo leapt from building to building searching the area for Wani and Hanzai. There was no sight of them. "They're turning the village upside down searching for an object," he told Ichigo. "It's time they were forced to leave."

(Scene change)

Ateru stood away from the large tree that he had called home all of his life. His eyes took in the destruction of the Kasha. He heard the tree moaning on the wind. It was in pain. This battle was going to be lost by sheer number. He had been ordered never to use his special technique unless he absolutely had to. As he tried to figure out how he was going to keep the tree safe, a branch started to crack. "No!" Ateru yelled trying to run as if he could do anything to stop it.

He saw the large branch starting to tilt towards the ground. The buildings on the lowest branch couldn't withstand the drop. They started to slide towards the earth crashing into each other. People screamed as they fought to grab a hold of the bark. One small house slammed into a large one giving it enough momentum to break free. The large house was air born flying straight towards several people trapped on the farthest side of the branch.

Yanagi saw them in the darkness as she latched onto the wings of the large butterfly. "Gather them, quickly," she ordered the other scouts. The butterflies swooped down with the house falling towards them. Yanagi was afraid they weren't going to make it. Idai came out of nowhere swinging on a rope with Masaru right behind him.

Idai took out his sword as his other arm held tightly to the rope hanging from the tree. He sent several wind blasts at the house trying to buy time.

Masaru landed on the branch. The butterfly scouts hovered next to the people waiting for them to mount. "Hurry! He can't hold it off forever!" He helped a woman up with her child cradled in her arms. "Hold on tightly. They have to go fast!" Masaru stood until the last butterfly scout was loaded with its cargo. He tapped it. "Get out of here!" The butterfly flapped its pink wings moving away from the branch. He turned his head to see Idai's last effort to ward the house off. The wind died. The house came tumbling down towards him.

Idai was also right in its path. There was no way he could avoid the hit. He saw Yanagi trying her best to get to them. Idai moved his sword away to his right. With a last ditch effort, he attacked Yanagi with the wind jutsu.

Yanagi screamed as she was sent flying backwards. She fell into the darkness yelling both the names of her team mates. The house hit the branch breaking off into hundreds of pieces.

Ateru swallowed hard, his heart raced. The team from Konoha, what had become of them? He had to act now. The Kasha were not only trying to gain access to the top of the tree, but were breaking it apart. He stared at the demons, his hate beginning to fester and grow. With his fingers wrapped around his wrist, he touched the ground hard. The grass under the tree started to burn.

The Kasha felt their feet burning as they tried to regain their footing. They snarled in disgust urging each other to move swiftly to the tree. The grass began to catch fire all around them, smoke lifted into the air as it burned.

Ateru's face became red as he became one with his technique. His body started to swell, his arms becoming large, cracks of red seen through the rock. His eyes turned from human to something connected with the earth. Ateru moved towards the Kasha with his large volcanic golem form his massive legs causing the earth to shake.

With each step he took, the earth began to split, lava flowing from the crack. He yelled at them clumsily running towards them, his anger starting to consume him. Raising a large rock arm he sent it crashing onto the demons, their bodies being pummeled. But as he attacked, they too started to attack him.

The Kasha leapt onto Ateru their mouths biting him all over. The stone didn't protect him entirely from their teeth or the acid leaking from their mouths. He opened his mouth projecting a lava stream at the demons. They cried in pain as the liquid hit them.

Yanagi opened her eyes looking around the darkness. She sat up. Somehow, her personal scout had managed to save her from hitting the ground. The wind swept through her hair as she overlooked the battlefield. The houses had smashed into each other the moment the branch couldn't hold the weight. For a split second, she had forgotten about Masaru and Idai. The wooden plants smashed into the tree and onto the ground made her realize she had to find them.

Yanagi pushed her weight onto the butterfly's back urging it to get closer. It dove towards the wreckage, her eyes searching frantically for her team mates. "Masaru! Idai!" Yanagi jumped off the butterfly her body coming to a hit and roll upon the branch. She took out a kunai to stop her descent. It lodged into the wood. "No…"

Yanagi Lee could not see past the debris where her team had gone. She was afraid they had not survived. Her eyes widened. Masaru. She saw his overconfident self in mind, stretching his arms ready to fight anyone that opposed his rash way of thinking. And then there was Idai: A guy with a troubled past who seemed to put himself in the way like a brick wall to stop anyone from hurting his team.

Yanagi heard a growl coming from the tree. She turned her head to see the Kasha noticing she was hanging on. One of them abandoned his group to sink his claws into the broken branch. He hung upside down, his teeth gnashing. Yanagi reached inside the casing on her leg. She narrowed her eyes. "Bring it," she told it. It ran towards her with its mouth open.

She threw the shuriken at the beast, the weapons rotating in the air until they hit the creature. It didn't even make a sound, its legs moving swiftly to come at her. She heard the noise bubbling in its throat as it was getting ready to spit acid at her. A stream of acid shot forth. Yanagi let go of the kunai her body falling down the broken houses. She slammed into a house, her body hitting hard.

Yanagi shook her head, her eyes seeing stars for a second. The creature was now making its way towards her, crawling over the houses. Yanagi stood on wobbly legs. She was ready for it. It was one on one.

(Scene change)

Naruto informed Izumi Uchiha what he needed her to do. "You're the only one that's spent the most time with her until she was put on Lee's team. I need you to pose as her, Izumi."

Izumi's lavender eyes looked at the Hokage from behind her long white hair. "You want me to pose as her to get the Lightening intruders to chase me out of the village." She understood completely. "That's a little unfair, Uzumaki," she said calling him what Onari referred to him as. "There are fourteen of them and only one of me. What guarantee do you have that I'll come out of this unscathed?"

Naruto crossed his arms. Izumi was a difficult one to convince. "There is a trap waiting for them outside of the village. But I need you to follow the route completely. Whatever it takes, get them to follow you. Until they leave, I cannot put up a barrier to guard the village. They have to see Onari to know where she is. Us merely telling them isn't going to work. They won't believe our word."

"No, I guess they won't," Izumi said. "They want the phoenix. That's a hard thing to pull off. Akaihi isn't an ordinary summon. They know Onari won't just run from them. She'd use the bird to gain access to where they cannot follow – the sky."

"She has a point," Captain Aoi of Squad C said from behind his dragon mask. "They're not going to simply chase a little girl. There has to be a way to trick them into seeing the girl take off with the bird."

"I might be able to help you with that," Kurenai Yuhi said from behind them. She stood with her hand on her hip. "Illusions are my specialty."

"Might I interject for a moment," Aoi said having second thoughts about this kind of plan. "What if this doesn't work? Is there a back up plan?"

Naruto put his hands on his desk looking seriously at the others in the room. "We give them one hell of a fight. I won't let them keep tormenting innocent people."

"Go down in a blaze of glory," Kurenai said with a smile. "There's no other way for a ninja to go, is there?" She tried to keep her smile, but it soon faded as the ones that had died in the past resurfaced in her mind. Her first husband, Asuma, had died in such a way – protecting others. "It's sort of fitting, isn't it?"

"Well," Izumi said poofing into Onari. "Let's get started," she said from behind the wild yellow eyes of the missing-nin. She moved out of the room matching Onari's stride, her arms hanging by her sides.

Naruto looked after her. The other two followed as well. This had got to work. The village was already in ruins. "I know you can pull it off, Izumi. You have to."

(Scene Change)

Izumi stood atop a building her eyes looking over the buildings in the darkness. The lightening-nin were still terrorizing the villagers, along with tearing the village apart looking for Onari. She supposed there was no other option. It was either she pose as the girl, or they fight to their deaths to protect their home. The long black hair moved in the wind, yellow eyes following the ashes as they lifted into the air before falling slowly back to earth. She leapt off the building her ears alert for any of them that might notice her movement. So far, she was picking up nothing on the wind.

Izumi sensed Kurenai was also following her to make sure the illusion of Akaihi was met when she needed to perform it. She touched down onto the ground, the white and yellow kimono lifting slightly. Standing up, she started to walk down the road slowly as if she was ready to stand her ground. One of them had to be near to notice her.

Sure enough, Izumi felt the air change around her. A man with a black shaggy hair and a long black goatee was staring at her down the road. He was wearing armor to protect himself. I wonder which one you are. Now let's see if you'll alert your comrades.

Mabuta looked at the girl coming down the road. She seemed sure of herself. Is that the girl we're looking for? He studied her before he made a move, his eyes looking her up and down. This girl appeared to not be afraid of him. She finally stopped fifty yards away her eyes meeting his. There were slash marks, old scars from a battle that ran from her right cheek to past her nose. Those eyes…

Izumi narrowed her eyes. "What do you want with me," she asked. She made sure when she pronounced her words, it was thick with Onari's hesitant dialect. Each word had to be presented as if it were being thought of, for her language was botched with incorrect words.

Mabuta had to test this girl. He wasn't entirely sure this was the one they were after. The village had been constantly attacked for a long time now. He believe the Hokage was trying to use anyone he could find to get rid of them. "And how do I know you're the one we're looking for, brat? You could be any kid who's taking responsibility for the village."

Mm. That's part of it. However, your reasoning is a bit off the mark. Izumi tilted her head, her face contorting as she studied Mabuta. The hardest thing about becoming Onari was not her movements, or her gestures that made her who she was. It was the way she approached her enemies – of others in general. Just in case, she was having to concentrate to keep the marks on the back of Onari's neck that foretold she had the Heaven's Scroll tattooed upon her skin. The arms were well bandaged.

Izumi only stood her ground her eyes keeping level with his. She wasn't going to break eye contact if she had to. This man was unknown to her. "What. Do you want. With the village," she said again her patience growing thin.

Mabuta moved his arm out, opening his hand. "I suppose you were hoping we would go away after a time, if you remained hidden, we'd eventually give up, right? Not going to happen. Lord Gekido would like the phoenix you so wrongfully acquired," he said clenching his fingers closed as if he were grabbing a bug in the air.

Izumi straightened her posture her head lowering as she looked at Mabuta through the dark hair. "He's not worthy to acquire the phoenix, much less, rule the Lightening Country," she said. Mabuta spit in front of her. So they really do see Onari as some bastard child that has claimed the phoenix. She's really no different than Daiya. Izumi moved her hand behind her form lowering just like Onari would to run at Mabuta. Mabuta brought his arm out to counter her attack before it was even made. Izumi only smiled softly through the dark hair.

Mabuta was ready for this girl. In fact, he wanted to see her call forth the phoenix. "Why don't you get that wonderful bird of yours to get rid of me? It's what you want. You want all of us gone. Why not finish us off right here and now," he said as a few others from the lightening army started to appear. "We're all ready for you," he taunted.

Izumi noted there were five others who were now approaching. They walked slowly towards her surrounding her. She not only had to keep an eye on them, but also where Kurenai was located. The Genjutsu would shield her with an illusion, but somehow, she had a bad feeling that their 'trick' wasn't going to play out as the Hokage had planned.

Izumi only stood where she was taking into account everything happening around her. They were silently stalking her like a pack of wolves. If she wanted, she could drop the act and get rid of them with Suiren, or a nice little ultimate technique of her own. But for now, she had to do what the Hokage had wanted. If they saw her real form, they would keep pursuing Onari. It wasn't going to end this easily for the Hidden Leaf village.

Kurenai kept her cool watching Izumi play out the girl that had befriended the Uchiha clan. She wasn't only worried about Izumi's safety but her own. She wasn't far from the outcast Mist-nin. Kurenai's eyes moved around to see how they had given each other a fair amount of distance. This isn't good. The Hokage wanted them alerted. And they were exactly that. I cannot move until Izumi figures out her next move. I hate being a sitting duck like this.

Tsuihon kept his gray eyes upon the girl in front of him. His red hair swayed behind him neatly in a ponytail. "My, my. There's someone else here lurking in the shadows. I didn't think you'd give yourself up that easily," he said lifting his head. "Why don't you come out? We'll have a fair match."

Kurenai's eyes widened. How were they able to detect her? Were they bluffing? She had to think!

Takeru Uchiha moved from around a corner. He stood with his eyes looking at Tsuihon, his body tense. There were a lot of them. The person in front of him he knew wasn't Onari. It was someone impersonating her. After being around the girl for a few years, he knew every tick, every movement, and every thought that echoed in her mind. Onari wouldn't have brought Akaihi back to the village. "Your move," he said threateningly.


	94. Chapter 94

**V 10 ch 4**

Purgatory

Idai groaned. Where was he? He felt as if he'd been attacked by a herd of elephants. His eyes opened to look around at the darkness surrounding him. His teeth closed as he gasped in pain. He wasn't able to turn his head. Idai realized he was laying spread out. Something was on top of him. His fingers started to twitch.

He was able to move his arm slightly towards his head, but not up and down. There was an object holding him against the tree. Idai heard loud booming sounds off in the distance. How did I end up here..? He brought his free hand up to touch his head. There was movement below him. It sounded like a rat scurrying through the debris.

Idai tried again to lift his head, it shook with the force of his Will, but as soon as he lifted it far enough off the branch, pain overtook him again. His head fell backwards. Screams drifted to his ears on the wind. Another large boom was heard. War..? What are we at war with..? Idai's mind was foggy. The images coming through weren't clear to him yet. His orange eyes tried to adjust to the darkness. Within time, he saw what appeared to be wood on top of him. Maybe someone was close by. "Hello," he called out hoarsely. "Is anybody there?" No answer.

Meanwhile, Yanagi was fighting the Kasha who had followed her. She twirled in the air as it leapt at her throwing shuriken stars fiercely at the creature. It let loose a wave of acid hitting the shuriken. They began to smoke, deteriorating before her eyes. Yanagi kept her guard up. These things didn't normally work alone. But as she watched it move towards her with its guard also up, she felt no other presence of its kind around her.

"You really are foolish to follow me on your own," she said moving around stealthy like a cat, her hands placing carefully on the wood as her legs shifted behind her. They were circling each other, eyes staring at the other. "Why you want me dead so badly," she asked it as its eyes narrowed. "Believe I'm that much of a threat to you and your kind?"

The Kasha snarled, its teeth dripping with acidy residue. Its back arched, claws digging into the wood. Raising its tail to give itself some balance, it leapt at her quickly, springing into action. Jaws opened wide, throat vibrating to send another wave of acid at the girl's face.

Yanagi let the Kasha come. She had to get rid of this thing. Reaching up into her vest, she opened the scroll pouch. But a scroll was not what dropped into her hand. It was a compact metal rod. "Thank you, Daiya," she yelled as she twirled it. The rod sprang out. Her wrists whipped it around just in time for the Kasha to hit the rod at full force. The creature moved its head side to side snarling and spitting. Yanagi dug her heels into the debris as she forced the rod through the Kasha's chest. She breathed hard keeping her hands tightly around the metal rod. The Kasha thrashed around violently until she twisted the rod in her hands. Its body went stiff before falling limply to the ground.

Yanagi's eyes stared at the beast, not trusting it. She half believed it wasn't dead. After a few minutes, she prodded it with her foot. Its leg limply fell back down. "Told you it was foolish to be by yourself," she said plucking the rod from the creature's meaty chest. "Ew," she said looking at the end of the metal. It was covered in flesh and blood.

Yanagi turned her head. She had forgotten why she was here. "Idai, Masaru," she called. She ran over the debris her ears listening for any sign of them. Calling again, she heard a tapping coming from under the house. Yanagi put her hands on the side of the house. The roof had fallen at an angle on top of the branch as its walls had splintered off. She pushed on the roof. It was too heavy. A voice came to her ears from inside.

"Don't worry about me," Masaru said from his position. "You have to find Idai. He took the blunt force of it." His hollow eyes looked down at the splintered wood that had gone through his right shoulder. He was hanging with his forehead pressed against the wall, his back to the open area. Masaru couldn't move. Blood trickled out of the wound, his eyes staring ahead. "Go," he found himself saying with no real energy.

"I'll come back for you," Yanagi said with her hand on the roof. She wasn't able to move it by herself. Running off, she left Masaru behind, not knowing what real trouble he was in.

Masaru's eyes closed as he blacked out.

(Scene change)

Ateru let his arms hang as he twirled his waist. The Kasha were thrown back by the sheer force of his giant volcanic rock arms. He opened his mouth spraying the ones around him with a powerful jet stream of lava. His anger was keeping him fueled. The Kasha leapt off the tree to attack him solely. The ones farthest up the tree kept their decent, their legs moving swiftly to acquire the dead at the very top. Forest-nin focused their attacks on groups of the Kasha instead of sole individuals. Ateru looked up in time to see hot steaming water impaled over the side of the giant tree at several Kasha. They were boiled alive in mid air. "Come at me then," he said gruffly his legs stomping the ground cracking it in all directions.

Ateru twirled one of his massive arms, the glowing lava rocks of his arm swirling around as the light increased. "Foolish," he said as a hoard of the Kasha came at him with a front assault. His arm shot off large smoldering lava rocks. As they hit the Kasha, the rocks exploded into several burning pellets that went astray hitting the others. The creatures snapped their jaws at the hail fire they were enduring.

At the top of the tree men and women scurried to keep the Kasha from getting to their vantage point. A Kasha leapt at a woman whose back was turned trying to help another from falling over the edge as his jutsu was unleashed. She screamed as the creature came on top of her slashing its claws. Her face was slashed within a matter of seconds, its large jaw holding her head in its mouth. She pushed the man away from her as the Kasha swung its neck violently sending her hurling over the edge.

The Kasha went straight for the row of ninja that were blockading the top line of the tree. Its mouth opened spouting forth acid in a strong wave. The clothes of the ninja were defenseless the moment the acid touched. Their armor was melting, their vests stretched as the material could not withstand the substance. Soon they were not only fighting against him, but also the feel of their skin liquefying. The Kasha sent another wave at them. His brethren were soon behind him their heads flopped onto the tree's surface. They pulled themselves up immediately going into attack mode. Right above their heads were the dead that they were looking forward to devouring.

They smelled the death in the air. It was as intoxicating to them as a four course meal. But there was also something else drawing them to the ones that had died. Normally, the enticing scents wouldn't have been stretched to them as far as their hideout was, but upon their flesh, was the smell of an unusual fire. The men and women wrapped from head to toe beheld a mixture of the celestial flames that had killed them. The Kasha knew if they devoured their bodies, they would gain access to the other realm.

Kashas were demons by nature that resided on earth in the darkest areas where life and death were a constant struggle. They cared for their young as if they were normal animals, but were extremely violent against other creatures. Beholding no emotion or conscious of morality they were prone to attack anything that challenged their existence. Even their own young were not unexcused from their wrath. If a young Kasha became more powerful than its predecessors, it was taken out of commission by the elder.

The Kasha had been summoned unknowing to the Forest-nin by an unsuspected person. This person had sensed the death of the ninja were untimely and unworldly. Perhaps the one commanding them wanted to gain insight of the higher planes of existence, or control the stars above mankind for his own purpose. Whatever the decision was for their arrival, the ones protecting the village had little time left to figure it out.

(Scene Change)

Kinari moved slowly underground, his feet placing lightly onto the surface, his eyes staring straight ahead. There was no light in the tunnel. Just utter darkness surrounded by his own fear of what could be laying several feet in front of him – the Kasha. He had separated from his team to find the ones responsible for creating turmoil for his village. He stopped. The smell of water came to his nose. It was a welcome scent under the dirt and grime he had been traveling along.

Carefully, he felt along the wall. The sound of water became a bit louder. Kinari halted his hand feeling open air. There was a drop below. He picked up a small rock and let it fall from his fingertips. Twenty-two seconds until he heard it plop into the water below. Reaching into his clothes, Kinari took out a silver box that was strapped to his chest. His fingers reached inside for a match. Striking the match, the flame appeared in his hands. He began to look around at the underground area. It was a large cavern with water slowly flowing below. This was how the Kasha were thriving. They had their water source. He supposed they went hunting at night in the forest before retreating back into their hole.

His head turned to look at the walls. Every inch of the walls beheld carvings and symbols he did not understand. "What is this?" His fingers touched the symbols, tracing the outlines. They appeared to be really old. Just how long had these carvings been here? Kinari reached into the pack on his hip. He took out a grappling hook. Squinting his eyes he saw a rock on the other side of the cavern. He whirled around to see if there was a way for him to tie it off from his end.

Kinari had no choice but to rely on himself at this point. There was no other way to tie off the rope. He twirled the grappling hook in his hand, flung his wrist back then forward. The hook soared through the air missing the rock. He pulled it back with a swift yank. Again, Kinari tried to get the hook to latch onto the rock. Several tries later, he had it. He tugged it hard to see if it would come loose. "Let's hope that holds or I'm going for a swim," he whispered to himself.

Kinari jammed a kunai into the cavern wall with all of his strength. He began to tie it off from his end. Walking to the very edge of the tunnel, he looked down at the small river flowing below. He had no idea how deep it was. If he fell, he could either drown or crack his skull on the surface. Kinari moved his hands up placing them onto the rope. Swinging his legs up, he hooked them around. Gently he began to move along the line, his weight causing it to sag. The kunai shifted to the right, Kinari's weight pulling it.

He tensed feeling the shift in weight as the cord caused him to drop half a foot. Hanging upside down, he took a last look at the river below. Once more, he crawled along the cable, his fingers pulling his body upwards. His sandals pushed on the top of the rope as each of his legs came above the other.

Kinari pressed on. He pulled himself along smoothly until he came within range of the other tunnel. A little more. Crawling daringly in mid-air left him vulnerable to any Kasha who might come along the tunnel. He had no idea what lay across the way. Was it another entrance to their lair? Hauling himself up entirely, he struggled for a brief moment to gain a hold of the line. Kinari grunted throwing himself over his feet kicking in the air as he tried to find a surface to push against. His ninja sandals finally pressed on the cable. He slid on his stomach.

Kinari stood brushing himself off. His eyes looked around the tunnel. Bits of granites were coming through the cavern walls. Slowly he walked down further into the darkness. Did he dare create light in this tunnel so he could see ahead? What if the Kasha were just beyond his view? Kinari reached inside of his clothes again for the box that held the matches. He took one out, his hand shaking. Calm down. He closed his eyes, his nerves finally getting to him. Tachiba was not around to control his provoking behavior. If Kinari screwed up here, it was all over.

He struck the match quickly before his heart had a chance to race again. Instantaneously he went into defense pose. As his eyes adjusted to the new light it was seeing, he lowered his defense. There was no cause for alarm. Kasha were not in the passageway he had trekked. What he saw at the end of the channel unnerved him. Kinari sauntered towards the bizarre altar. Upon an old box sat a Kasha statue. The statue was carved with the Kasha in a seated position, its feet in a Buddha pose. Its head was lowered, eyes looking straight ahead. Kinari stared at the black orbs that came out of the statue. They were some kind of gem. The carvings that were all along the cavern walls were all over the statue. Somehow they were linked.

Old candles were placed around the statue in a diamond pattern. Six candles of wax that had been burnt down almost to the bottom. He wondered how long had this been going on. "Is this controlling them?" Kinari heard a shuffle come from behind him. He revolved his kunai held firmly in his hand. There was a figure standing at the mouth of the tunnel.

Kinari's breathing increased. The man wore a Kasha hide on his body, the skull of the creature on top of his head. The face could not be made out. The man was standing just out of reach of the light. His shoulders were broad, animal skins covering the rest of his body. "Why are you calling the Kasha to our village," he asked.

"The Kasha are merely animals," the man said with a hoarse low voice that sounded as if he had lived out in the weather all of his life. "Why shouldn't they be called?" He watched the boy with his dark eyes.

"They are after the dead! Don't you care at all," Kinari screamed in outrage. "They are going to eat the ones that fight to protect the village!"

"Foolish little boy that holds a weapon in his hand," the man said tauntingly. "The ones that died from your village did not die an honorable death." He said the last two words with disgust.

"An honorable death," Kinari repeated. "How can you say such a thing? They are dead! Those people are someone's father, mother, brother, or sister! They are not forgotten no matter how they died!"

The man just stared at the boy as if he were speaking in baby talk. "A ninja dies to honor the village he comes from. There is no honor when dying by accident, or by one's own hand. You do not know much, youth. Those that died… do you know how they perished?"

Kinari thought for a second. "They died when they came upon a girl bathing in the river. What does that have to do with anything?"

"You are missing one crucial detail to that mystery. It was not the girl that killed them, but the creature she controls. It was protecting her out of fear, yes, but in doing so, it left behind a mark of its celestial flames upon their bodies."

"You're saying the Kasha smell something on the dead that entices them," Kinari said trying to figure it all out.

The man clapped his hands slowly. "Good job. You get a gold star for your effort. Now… why would they want to devour these people," he pressed on. He wanted to see if this boy could figure out what the ones in charge could not.

Kinari's mind searched through the words the man was telling him. "That girl…she has access to a celestial being. The ones killed in its anger are also linked to it now?" He shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense."

"You're close, but not entirely there. A celestial flame has a different scent to it all together. Only those drawn to it know what it smells like. It doesn't smell like any flame that man could conjure. Whoever that girl was holds more power in her hands than any leader of a clan can hope to attain." The man held his hand out to his side closing his fingers as if he were crushing a fly. "The phoenix is the start and the end of everything. With its flames it is able to create or destroy life. Now do you understand?"

Kinari furrowed his brows. "You're wanting to control it," he said looking at the man. "You're wanting it for revenge!" Kinari had to warn the others. "How do you call off the Kasha?"

The man smiled at the boy touching his temple several times with his finger. "Now, now. Once a demon is instructed to perform a certain action, it cannot be undone until it is completed. I'm not about to reverse what was asked of the Kasha. It was a bargain, you see. I wasn't entirely in it for myself. They had something they wanted to gain from it also."

Kinari withdrew his chrome sais running at the man quickly. He slashed at the man's face, but the man bent backwards to avoid him. Kinari was kicked in the side as the man twisted his body bringing his leg up. He slammed into the wall hard. One of his chrome sais dropped. The metal clinked on the ground several times.

The man took off. He jumped over the side of the entrance, his hands catching the rope Kinari had used to wisely to get to the other side. He swung on it for a moment before letting go. His body went straight down to the cold river running in the cavern. He hit the surface with a gushing sound. Angling his body like a fish, he held his breath swimming with the current. He wasn't going to give the boy a chance to catch him.

Kinari coughed. He was on his feet his eyes searching the river down below for the man. He has to know where it goes! Kinari had to catch the man responsible for the current tragedy of his village. He still had no information of who he could possibly be. With a lot of nerve he leapt off the ledge, his body curling into a ball. Kinari felt the water surround him as he sunk.

He popped his head up quickly his eyes searching river for any signs of the man. The current started to move him along. Where is he? Kinari's eyes widened. Up ahead the river went under the cavern. Oh, no. He only had a moment to prepare himself. He took a deep breath ducking under the surface once more. Kinari had to feel blindly along the wall to find where the river turned and dipped. He held his breath tightly. With his eyes opened he could see nothing but darkness in the water. He kicked his legs forcing himself to swim as fast as he could.

Kinari's air was running out. How long did the river stay underground like this? He had no clue. But the man ahead of him knew every bit of this cavern, he was sure of it. Suddenly the current increased. Kinari's body was sent hurling to the left as it began to rush down towards an opening. He was pulled through a hole. Kinari's body was flying in midair again. He yelled as another part of the river was below. The cavern seemed to get bigger in this area. He hit the water again, his body rolling. Kinari swam to the top.

The current was picking up even more as he tried to grab a hold of something to get himself out. Kinari was under the water again, his body starting to fight the current that was dragging him through the cold waves. The water dipped several times before he rolled over a boulder. He grunted as the stone hit his spine. Again, his head came up gasping for air. He looked up. Where am I? Kinari was no longer in the cavern where the Kasha dwelled. He saw stars shining brightly over head. He was out in the open.

His head flipped around to see the man wearing the Kasha skin and animal hides salute him from where he stood in a tree overlooking the river. He growled. There was no way to express how he felt. He wasn't able to fight the current that was dragging him along.

"See you in the next world, kid," the man called after him. The night sky was starting to fade away with morning approaching. "Nothing can save you now," he said under his breath. He went back into the forest to await the Kasha's report. The Forest Village didn't have much time left. Even if the Kasha didn't devour the dead that were waiting for the other world, the village itself would crumble.

Kinari stared straight ahead at the river. It was getting rougher the more he moved along. Out of his sight he saw a bright blue bird sitting on a branch waiting. "Nuguru," he yelled in a panic, his head going under the water once more. He waved his hands around trying to get the bird's attention.

Nuguru tweeted his small form taking flight. He began to soar along the river searching for Kinari. He tweeted again as loudly as he could. Kinari's head rose again. He could see the boy was in distress. He started to scold Kinari heavily for getting into the river in the first place.

Kinari had to make a quick decision. "Follow," he said before the current pulled him under. His body twisted. He was thrown up and out of the water but landed back in it, sinking deeper. Kinari fought to keep his head above the water. "Follow the man with the Kasha hide," he said pointing back to the forest. "Find him! He's controlling the demons that attack the village!"

Nuguru tried to figure if he should do what Kinari was telling him to, or try to help the boy. He tweeted unhappily his body turning around to fly back to the area Kinari was pointing at. He flew off at top speed his body starting to blink bright blue on and off. He was getting angry. Where was the rest of the team?

The man who wore the Kasha hide walked slowly through the forest. He had no fear that he was being followed. The only witness to his form was now being sent down the river. He began to head back to the village. "It's almost time," he said with the sun rising slowly in the distance. "Soon the village will fall, even if the Kasha forfeits our deal."

Nuguru searched the forest for the man that Kinari had seen. The light started to come through the darkness making the outlines of the trees more visible. He dipped through the trees his wings beating in and out. His eyes saw a figure in the distance moving hastily through the bushes. Was this the man Kinari was referring to? Nuguru turned off the exaggerated color running through his feathers.

The man removed the Kasha hide that was on top of his head. He felt his hair, his fingers moving through it. His head turned eyes lifting upwards to see a bird staring straight at him from a high branch on a tree. "Good morning," he said to it. "Aren't you up rather early?" The bird tilted its head several times at the man. He threw down the Kasha hide and animal furs he had been wearing. Under the masquerade, flowed the robe of the Morikage.

He headed back to the village his legs moving swiftly. Just as he figured, the bird was following him. He halted. "Now, now. Why are you following me, little one?" His eyes studied the bird. "I've seen you before." He overlooked the bird carefully. As the sunlight started to shine greater through the leaves, it hit the bird. Bright blue feathers. "Nuguru," he said angrily. The Morikage formed hand seals. The branches of the trees started to move towards the bird to capture it.

Nuguru tweeted several times, his wings flapping quickly. He darted around the branches of the trees trying to snag him. It was the Morikage who controlled the Kasha. No one in the village would have suspected the leader – the one meant to protect him – to ensure harm. He flew around making the man work for it.

"You're not going to get away from me," The Morikage said angrily. He had to get a hold of the Indigo bunting before his plans were ruined. "I thought I instructed no ninja to leave the village." Someone had gone behind his back. The reason no teams were allowed to leave was for his own ploy. He couldn't have them finding out what he had spent months planning.

Nuguru ducked quickly to avoid a swipe at his form. He went straight for the Morikage, his body diving for the man. He twittered at him to break his concentration. The man's hands came up to swat at him. The branches that had been trying to snag him halted. Nuguru pulled himself up at the last second flying over the man's head. He took off at high speed into the sunlight.

The Morikage swore. Nuguru had managed to get away from him. "No one's going to believe a bird anyway," he said placing his hat onto his head. Two Kasha came through the forest their mouths opening, snarling. "What is the report?" The beasts snarled furiously their teeth gnashing in the open air. "I see. So Ateru has taken matters into his own hands. He's always been such a disobedient shinobi," he said sighing. He wasn't much surprised. "We have other problems on our hands. The hideout has been discovered." The Kasha snapped their jaws angrily. "Take some of your squads to find the kids from Ateru's team. Destroy them," he said giving his final word.

(Scene Change)

The sun started to rise in the East, smoke lifting into the air at the destruction from the Lightening-nin against Konoha. Buildings were destroyed, if not standing with a lot of damage. The lightening users were watching Takeru Uchiha and Izumi posing as Onari with all the intent they could fathom. Without a signal from Kakumei or General Senko, they could not move forward.

Izumi had her suspicions about the way they were operating. They had managed to single out groups of ninja with one sole lightening-nin to obstruct them. She was sure it was military strategy they were using in all of their motives. Right now, they were only keeping them at bay instead of attacking them outright. Even though the Hokage had planned this out thoroughly, he could not have foreseen Takeru getting in the way. It was hard to keep an eye on every ninja in the village that had been fighting all night.

She was trying to keep her mind and pose set right to Onari's actual personality. The girl had been missing for a long time now. There had been no word of where she had actually gone, or why. Izumi was sworn to protect the village, the same as any ninja, despite her not being from there. Her son had the same look on his face that his father beheld when he was fixing to move against an enemy. Takeru's eyes were serious, his posture loose, but stiff in the shoulders. He was ready for any sort of attack to counter it with his own training.

Kurenai waited in her hiding spot, her body molded to that of the building she was masking. Everything right now wasted on a breath. If the lightening-nin chose to all go towards Izumi and Takeru at once, there was no way she could stop that kind of assault. Her faith relied heavily on Izumi. The woman was uncanny when it came to her training and her common sense. She knew she wouldn't let them get pass her at the cost of her life.

Daiya stood atop the building his eyes falling on his adopted brother and the dopple ganger of Onari. He knew they couldn't sense him just yet. His eyes turned to look at Ryu Yuhi who stood some distance away. Shikamaru Nara and Kandai Hyuuga were also waiting behind objects to give him the signal. Shikamaru's hand lowered in a swipe. Daiya concentrated his kekkegenkai. The electricity harvested in his body flowed outward with a sharp jolt. The lightening-nin below him immediately looked up. Their eyes started to search the surrounding area.

Shikamaru Nara came out from behind a pole, his cigarette hanging loosely on the corner of his mouth. He let the smoke escape his lips as if he were just now realizing there were others in front of him. "Morning," he said a bit lazily. He yawned hard. "Kind of early in the day to be out trapped by the ones you're intending to snare, isn't it?"

Kandai started to smile. He had no idea where Eiyu was, but his brother would have had a smart alike laugh at this. Just as he had figured, one of the lightening users would try to attack, or take off to tell their superior. He poofed on contact coming up near the man Kegasu.

Kandai lowered his form, Byakugan active, as his eyes saw the chakra points on the man who was trying to move at Takeru. Kandai's arm went straight for the chakra point near his midsection to disable the chakra flow to his legs. However, Kegasu smiled at him from behind the eye patch that he wore over his right eye.

Kegasu knew the boy had moved the moment his chakra had changed direction. He was always one step ahead of his enemies. His body started to harden, his skin lifting as it turned an ugly color of light gray. The boys outstretched palm hit him in the abs, now hard as metal. His one green eye turned into glass. It moved down to look at the boy clicking inside of his now metal scrap head. The only part of him that he could not turn hard was his hair.

Kandai withdrew his hand immediately, but tried to throw several kicks at the man. His shins hit full force metal. He grunted not expecting to send his bones vibrating on a structure such as that. The man came back at him hard, his fist under Kandai's chin. His body lifted off the ground soaring into the air, head going back as his jaw cracked. Kandai pummeled into the road, his form dragging so hard against the surface that it burrowed into the ground. He lay motionless, his fingers twitching.

"Kandai," Takeru yelled at the Hyuuga boy. He flipped his head around to stare with complete hatred at Kegasu. Without thinking he started to move his hands signing the connection to him and Uso. All of the Lightening users rushed at him prepared to annihilate him.

Ryu leaped over the wall, sprinting towards his best friend. As he darted straight behind Takeru he opened his hand, his fingers clenching around the boy's shirt. He heaved him upwards causing Takeru to lose his concentration. Ryu kept his chakra glued to the wall, his arm struggling to keep a hold of Takeru as he ran in an arch up the side of the building.

As the lightening users split up, Izumi went hastily down the road yelling, "Don't follow," towards Kurenai. Her legs became a blur as she moved. Within seconds she felt three of the lightening-nin on her tail. She couldn't turn her head just yet to see who exactly was chasing her. Izumi had to think fast. Onari's techniques consisted of the ones Sasuke, she, Neji, and Rock Lee had taught her. A lot of them were basic ones, but Onari's element was fire like Sasuke's and Takeru's. Izumi's main element was water. If she chose any kind of water technique it would immediately throw off her enemies. They would realize she was bluffing them and take out the rest of their revenge on the village.

(Scene Change)

General Senko went straight at the two targeting him, his hands quickly crisscrossing to withdraw the lightening crescent weapons he wore on his hips. With his chakra bonded to the weapons, they reacted with his element causing them to light up. He brought his arms back out, his wrists extending with a quick flick. Lightening darted out at Sasuke and Eiyu every two seconds as Senko tried to hit them dead on.

Sasuke moved swiftly around the attempted attacks, his Sharingan keeping him well focused. Eiyu came close to getting hit a few times despite having Byakugan activated. He couldn't foresee the movements like Sasuke could. And Sasuke knew it, he was slightly worried about Eiyu trying to gain momentum on Senko. Another wave was coming. Sasuke saw Genko's wrists moving in slow motion the charges getting stronger. He was attempting a death blow at Eiyu. There was no choice but to gun for the man right now.

His speed increased, body becoming nothing but a flash of colors as he came within a few meters of Senko. Punching his arm outwards, snakes jutted out, their bodies stretching to strike. Sasuke gritted his teeth, his eyes focused dead ahead at the General of the Lightening-nin that had invaded Konoha.

Senko's body froze his wrists in mid flick as they twitched. The snakes had managed to grab a hold of his throat, their fangs sinking in for a more aggressive kill. Yet, just as the venom started to flow into his veins, Senko's eyes rolled back. His cheeks started to puff out at an alarming rate.

Sasuke's sharp eye caught the ploy. He withdrew the snakes, jutting their heads into the ground to force his body backwards. Senko's clone exploded with a pop, lightening discharging erratically over the area. Sasuke brought up his arm to shield his eyes, but the force of the electricity threw him backwards. The snakes on his wrist were ripped in half. He landed hard against a building his body beginning to fall downwards. Sasuke twisted in mid air bringing his hand down to balance himself. Just as his hand touched, he rotated his wrist and was back on his feet again.

Senko went straight after the boy, his weapons still drawn. Jumping in the air, he raised his arm over his head sending a shockwave of lightening at Eiyu Hyuuga. The boy rotated with speed his arm behind him as he managed to shield himself with his chakra. Senko wasn't giving up on his attack. He kept testing the barrier Eiyu had cornered himself in from every angle.

Eiyu gritted his teeth at the General's constant power of attack. From this position, he could not move unless he risked getting struck. This guy's not running out of chakra! He's incredibly strong! He didn't know where Sasuke was from his position. However out of the corner of his eye he saw a huge purple head come over one of the buildings. Manda lunged his face at General Senko, causing the man to abruptly desist his attack on Eiyu.

Senko moved backwards his guard going up as the large snake sent debris flying all around. Again the snake lifted its head striking at him once more. He had to be quick on his feet to avoid such a large creature. One of the buildings around them had been hit so hard by the attacks of both the lightening-nin and leaf-nin that it started to crumble to the ground with the shaking of the earth caused by Manda.

The Baku demon roared in outrage, its hooves striking the surface of the road. Lightening echoed off of each imprint it forced upon the ground. Manda raised its head a loud hiss coming from the snake as Baku showed its teeth in return. Senko stood watching the animals fight over their territory but his focus returned to Eiyu as the boy came out of nowhere throwing multiple kunai at him.

Senko moved his body his arms coming up, turning to deflect each of the kunai to be lodged elsewhere. He looked calmly at Eiyu as the boy came running at him ready to fight him one-on-one. Senko immediately stopped Eiyu's attack as he crossed his wrists to snare the kunai with his crescent weapons. The sounds of metal clicking with metal could be heard against the two – each trying to win against the other. "For you to be fighting this hard tells me you know of the little girl we seek."

"Shut up," Eiyu said digging his feet into the ground. He pushed Senko with such force that the man was caught off guard. Senko went backwards falling onto his rear. Eiyu was right on top of him his fists balled up. He punched the man square in the side of his cheek, his mouth clenched.

Manda went after Baku his large mouth opening, fangs dripping venom. The snake swirled around the demon its head moving left and right. Baku roared defiantly at the snake, his mane shook with rage at the creature over towering him. Manda lurched quickly targeting the point above the demons' back. Baku managed to escape, its hooves darting around the area. Rubble fell from the snake's mouth the moment he lifted his head again. He turned his entire body around fixated on Baku.

Manda's large form crashed into the buildings causing them to crack and break. Slithering pass Sasuke and Eiyu fighting Senko he set his main objective to devour the Baku demon. Baku trotted down the road, its horse part becoming frightened by being pursued by the reptile.

Sasuke's grass cutter sword caught the crescent weapon as it went straight at his shoulder. He stood slightly sideways not allowing Senko to move his weapon. Holding it firmly in the middle of the sword allowed it to be balanced with both of them using their strength against the other.

Eiyu Hyuuga wasn't about to let Senko get away from him, personally. He was already fed up with the pursuit upon the village and on his ex-girlfriend, Onari. Truth was, Eiyu had never gotten over her. And he had promised himself and his family to protect what was most important to the village and the others in it. There was no greater honor in being a Hyuuga than unselfish. He darted at Senko and Sasuke jumping in the air with kunai in both hands. He started to rotate his form, his legs coming out to do a spin kick at the man.

Just as the grass cutter started to slide, Sasuke sensed Eiyu pulling a fast one. He broke away from Senko just in time as Eiyu's spin kick came overhead. Senko retaliated by blocking his head with his weapons. Sasuke began to charge his Chidori at the same time Senko was also charging his lightening jutsu. "Eiyu, get out of the way!"

Eiyu narrowed his eyes slicing at the man's face and chest to cause Senko to break his concentration. If he were to let Senko fully charge he'd electrocute both of them to death. Senko's long hair lifted again due to the current running through his body. He was charging again. Eiyu went straight for the man, his eyes seeing all of the chakra points visible on Senko's body. Most of the man's body was covered in armor, which was a problem for Eiyu. He couldn't hit the man directly unless it was his head.

Sasuke's Chidori flashed to life with the sound of one thousand birds. Senko was going to get through Eiyu one way or another. Sasuke was becoming angry at the boy's refusal to listen to direction. "Eiyu!"

Eiyu saw the lightening crackle down the man's armor. He pushed Senko back with his arms outstretched, his chakra coming to his palms in a flash. Senko was knocked a ways by the sudden jolt. It was just enough time for Eiyu to create his own barrier again as a defense. He rotated his body in a whirl, the blue shield coming up to guard him as Senko erupted with all of his fury. He was standing directly between Senko and Sasuke, the perfect wall to take on the immense force of the charge.

Senko let his lightening jutsu out at full force. The electrical charges shot out of his body in an erratic form, hitting everything in its path. Sasuke was moving around quickly with Chidori active on his arm. The man was trying his best to avoid the split second hits. Senko knew his attacks were powerful, but there was one drawback. The lightening he forced out of himself was so strong, it rooted him in place. He wasn't able to move while conducting the charges against his enemies.

Sasuke's first motive was to strike Senko from a distance, but as it stood that had to be modified. He was going to have to get as close as possible to perform a frontal assault. His Sharingan picked up on every charge Senko emitted and the erratic wave pattern. The charges appeared to come to life quickly to an untrained eye, but to Sasuke's Sharingan he saw how the lightening came out slow, spiked then drifted down before it shot off the man's body. Which meant it was weakest close to the man and more powerful outwards. It was an offensive attack.

Eiyu wasn't about to let Sasuke take out the man solely by himself. He rotated again using eight trigrams palms heavenly spin, his attack growing in strength and focus. With his chakra focused, Eiyu let out a blast of energy straight at Senko.

Senko's eyes widened the wave of chakra enveloping him so strongly he was thrown off his feet, his armor splintering off. He hit the ground rolling over as if a giant had thrown a boulder in some kind of sportsmanship game. Groaning, he looked around dazed, his metal armor falling apart. Senko lifted his hands trying to catch the pieces of his armor in disbelief.

Now was Sasuke's chance. He slid on his feet, his arm coming straight out into a fist as his chakra was pinpointed for Senko's chest. The chakra sword burst forth catching Senko straight into his left shoulder. The man yelled as loudly as he could, his voice in high pitched screams.

Sasuke walked slowly towards Senko his chakra flowing strongly in the shape of the chakra sword he emitted. His grass cutter was laying against his left shoulder, his Sharingan keeping hold while he kept Senko confidently in place. "Tell me what you know," he demanded. Eiyu walked up behind him, his eyes also curious to what Senko had planned.

Senko moved his head with difficulty to stare at Sasuke Uchiha. "I've heard of you," he said sweat starting to flow from his brow. "A cursed man who went against everything he was supposed to uphold from the Leaf village."

Sasuke kept his gaze unwavering. "Tell me what you know. I won't repeat myself again," he said not faltering from where he stood.

Senko managed a quick gruff laugh. "Answer to you? A man who knows nothing of loyalty towards what he has sworn. Perhaps it is best to tell you that the last of your clan is indeed your very last."

Sasuke's anger started to fume. Takeru. He was tempted to let Senko go right on the spot at the warning that his son was in trouble. However, he couldn't let the man escape. "Eiyu, go." He suspected the boy was on the verge of defying him, but Eiyu quickly nodded his head turning around to leave. Just as Eiyu was taking off to find Takeru, Kakumei Eimino was on the spot.

Sasuke had no choice but to dislodge his chakra sword from Senko. He whirled around running at Kakumei his grass cutter drawn. Kakumei issued him to come at him as he erupted in a lightening storm. Sasuke's eyes widened. He had seen this attack before, from Daiya. Senko was also back on his feet coming at Sasuke's back. It was two against one. Two lightening users against one Sanin. Where was Naruto when he needed him?

(Scene Change)

Onari moved through the forest, the birds echoing the morning's rays as they hit their feathers. They flew through the trees at the sight of her. Her yellow eyes drifted out through the trees to a large lake. On the other side of the lake sat a two- story house. Flowers bloomed all around it, the effects from the care of a gardener who prided in his work.

She found herself coming to a wooden bridge that stretched over the lake. There were lanterns on each post, the smell of their oil still wavering in the air. Someone had just blown them out. Her body felt hollow, her spirit drained from the running she had been doing. Coming across people this far from civilization was rare, but needless to say, there were others no matter where she went. Onari had even swiped a hat to cover her face when she had to lower it. She couldn't risk someone seeing her unusual eyes.

Placing her hand upon the rail of the bridge, she stopped with her foot hovering. Her mind was unsure if she should intrude on this path. For moments on end, Onari found herself staring straight at her fingers. These were the same fingers that had fought battles with Takeru, or held Eiyu's fingers in a gentle way. She turned her hand over examining the skin. Every wrinkle on her knuckles told a story. The time she had been held by Izumi and Sasuke because she thought she had been unwanted. Kandai with his outstretched hand for her to trust him enough to touch him.

Onari's fingers curled around Ryu's wrist to stop him from petting her. The way she used to point at Saori to tell the Nara girl she was wrong from her point-of-view. Also the way she used to tug gently on Sasuke's shirt to get his attention. Kiba wrestling with her in the grass while Areku looked on with an embarrassed expression. Onari looked up at the same time a man with shaggy gray hair let the small wagon drop from his fingers.

Kando Sawayaka stared at the girl who seemed to be lost within her own self. She appeared to be troubled by something unseen – something distant. Every morning he carried flowers to this area to appease the spirits that dwelled in the house on the other side of the lake. But he wondered briefly how this girl had happened upon this remote area high in the mountains.

"What are you doing here," Kando asked. The girl did not answer. "Are you lost?" Still no answer. His blue eyes looked over every detail of her face. Scars on her right cheek went over her nose and down to her jaw. She's fought against some kind of animal. But what? A Bear? "Are you thirsty?" He held his hand out with the flask full of water. The girl just kept seeing through him. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said to her showing his open hands.

Onari's mind came back. Sasuke sat as still as he could, but his sudden movement had caused her to lurch backwards. He held out both of his hands showing her there was nothing on him to harm her. She craned her neck tilting it a bit, her eyes wild with fright. But these hands belonged to someone else. The man stood still as she followed his fingers. They were callused from labor work.

Now that he had her attention, Kando tilted his head towards the house. "How did you find this place?" The girl moved her head to look in that direction. She appeared to have forgotten the house was standing there. Her voice did not leave her throat. "If you're lost I can direct you back to the road." But I wonder, how did you get here? The road is a long ways away from this point.

Onari felt a rush of wind come across the bridge towards her. It chilled her to the bone. "There are… bad things here…?"

"Ah. So you can talk. This is the House of Kyokuji. You shouldn't be here," he said with a forewarning. "There is bad history here from the past."

Onari walked several feet onto the bridge, but the man behind her ran towards her. She whipped her head around, her eyes becoming serious as her defenses went up. Her ninja skills were kicking in.

Kando put his hands up issuing her to come back. "No, no, don't go any further. The spirits here are angry ones. They'll come after you with vengeance if you don't have an offering. You're violating their territory."

Onari looked at the man as if he were delusional. She wasn't afraid of anything, much less, dead people with an attitude. Her fingers curled around the rail of the bridge tightening. Her aggression was clear. The rail cracked under the pressure. Onari turned around her head lowering. She walked off the bridge to appease the man watching her. He moved out of her way quickly.

Kando looked at the girl with curiosity. His eyes befell upon the wood that she had broken in her hand. The strength she had was incredible. The girl was young, but there was something about her that intrigued him. Onari moved through the trees slowly, her long dark hair cascading her back. Kando glanced at his wagon before following after her.

"Wait, wait," he said almost tripping over a few rocks. The girl stopped, half turning to acknowledge his presence. Kando placed his hand on a tree leaning into it. "What was that back there?" Onari only stared at him before she averted her eyes. "You can't fool me, you know. Normal girls don't have the strength of rhinos," he said.

"And farmers with keen eyes not for their crops, get their tongues taken out by snakes and wolves," Onari shot back. She looked at the man again, her head slightly lifted. Kando laughed at her. What had she said that was humorous?

Kando shook his head. "You're something else. At first I thought you were lost, but it appears that isn't the case. What are you running from?" The mention of the words sent Onari in the other direction. Kando kept following her. "If you keep moving that swiftly, your eyes won't be on your feet," he said.

Onari ignored him becoming agitated with the man's curiosity. She had to leave this area quickly to avoid any other mistakes on her part. Just as Onari lowered the hat on her head she fell down a cliff tumbling straight into a log that was broken off from a tree. She started pushing on the inside of the tree to free herself, legs kicking, but she was seriously stuck.

Kando slid down the cliff his arms out. He bumped into the log actually causing Onari to slip a bit more. His hand went up to stop one of her legs from moving. He examined the sandals she wore. "Not typical of a Geisha or farm girl." Kando knew her shoes would have been Geta sandals.

"Unhand me," Onari yelled from inside the tree. She wasn't accustomed to being touched in such a manner. She tried to twist her waist in order to bring her leg around to kick him straight in the head. Tears came to her eyes for the tree was now pinching her. "Get me out," she yelled so loudly the birds departed from the trees.

Kando rolled his eyes. He walked around the log that was leaning against a few boulders. Putting his weight on the side Onari was stuck on, it started to tilt downwards.

Onari found herself sitting on her rear. She looked around then straight up at Kando smiling at her. Onari's eyes widened. He had her in a perfect position. Onari tried to scramble out of it like a rat, but she forgot she was lodged from her hips.

"That's quite adorable," Kando said mocking her a bit. "Hold still." He put his arms around the log and began to shake it up and down to free her.

Onari bounced back and forth like she was on a wild ride. "A-A-Arr-eee y-youuu cr-craz-zzyy?" Her body started to pop out but her hat was keeping her head stuck inside the tree.

"Loosen the chin straps," Kando told her before she choked. Onari yelped as she popped out of the tree hard onto her rear. "I should have thought of that first," he said as he grunted throwing the log off to his right. It rolled farther down the side of the mountain. Onari's hair was messed up, her clothes dirty. "Now that you've calmed down a bit, let's talk."

Meanwhile, Akiru held her basket around her arm leading her son, Daihyo towards the bridge. Her eyes saw the wagon sitting there, but where was Kando? "Daihyo, stay on this side of the lake," she said.

Daihyo went running down the path. "Daddy's down here," he said pointing down the cliffe.

Akiru came running, her braided hair almost becoming undone. She placed her hand on her chest. "Kando, don't scare me like that. I thought you had broken your ankle," she said panting.

"Nope, Onari tried to get away from me and decided to become one with nature," he said rather coyly. Onari only scowled at the mention of her name.

"Oh, my, hello," Akiru said as she quickly reached out to grab Daihyo's arm to stop him from running to his father. Onari glanced at her, but didn't say much. "Is she a friend of yours?"

"No idea," Kando said wiping his forehead with a rag. "She's not an enemy," he said tired from the morning already. "Well, I didn't want to plant today anyway. Come on," he said tapping the girl's shoulder. "The least you can do is greet properly. Didn't your parents teach you manners?"

Onari rose quickly her fist coming around to make contact with Kando's cheek. The man blocked her instantly, his form hunkered down, one hand lowered to block an attack on his abdomen as well. Her fist punched his open palm.

"Kando," Akiru said with concern.

"I'm sorry. That was my fault. I didn't think that since you were by yourself you had no one." He bowed low exposing his back to her. "I apologize."

Onari's eye twitched. "What fool exposes his back to an unknown per-sooonn," she said just as Kando reached out pulling her leg forward. She was on her back now.

Kando reached out his hand. "A child," he answered. Onari scowled lowly. "You have to admit defeat on this one. There's no shame. You can't win them all," he said helping her up.

Onari walked up the mountain with her eyes straight ahead. She didn't even look at Akiru when she passed her, nor Daihyo. She stood with her arms crossed at being led astray by a ridiculous man such as that.

Akiru glanced at the girl. "Are you sure," she asked with her finger on her chin. Daihyo was trying to sneak glances of the stranger.

"Not entirely," Kando answered with a slight smile. "This could be a mistake, or the start of a beautiful friendship." He clapped his hands together. "Daihyo, carry your mother's basket. Alright, Onari, follow us. It's going to rain soon. I can't leave you here." He lifted the wagon starting to move back towards their home.

Onari just stood seething. "I don't follow orders from anyon-" Thunder crackled behind her. She ran after Kando, Akiru, and Daihyo without haste.


	95. Chapter 95

**V 10 Ch 5**

Misdirection

Kakumei twirled his tiger fork over his head as the lightening erupted all around him. Sasuke was coming straight at him with his grass cutter drawn, but Senko was also coming towards the other man from behind. Kakumei took off, sprinting as the charges began to develop in greater waves flowing down his arms. He rotated the tiger fork letting the electricity flow off of it.

Sasuke activated the Amaterasu in his left eye. The kekkeigenkai eye technique from the Uchiha clan passed to him from his dead brother, Itachi. Blood started to flow from his eyes as the unholy black flames appeared around Kakumei. Sasuke kept his eye focused, not blinking while he used his right eye to tone down the flames power so they were not uncontrollable to the point of burning the village, or anything else.

Kakumei screamed as the black flames appeared around him. His form was burning hotter than any fire he had witnessed. Dropping the tiger fork, he clutched his head, his eyes starting to bulge from the intense pain. The armor on his body was melting. The padding underneath the metal was molding to his skin.

Senko reached behind his back taking out his customized three prong short swords. He clenched his hand around the hilt of the sword as he swung his arm in Sasuke's direction. The middle prong came out several feet the tip pointed and sharp with poison.

Sasuke had no choice but to break his concentration. He moved his body sideways to where his head was turned to face Senko from his right. The prong from the sword missed his face by a few inches. Kakumei fell to the ground, his clothes smoking from the black fire. Sasuke moved his arm, his grass cutter hitting the other sword. He pushed it away. His eyes narrowed. "Moron."

Senko came at him again with the other sword, its middle prong also lengthening to strike the man down. Each time he rotated and alternated the swords, Sasuke managed to push him back, his one sword meeting both of his. Kakumei was of no use to him right now. The man was lying in pain upon the ground, his groans escaping his burnt lips.

Sasuke shut off the Amaterasu, the technique causing his eye to throb in pain. He couldn't use it for long periods of time without risking his sight in the process. He and Senko twirled around, their arms moving swiftly to block the others movements. His feet danced with the General's actions the clanging of metal upon metal striking furiously. Sasuke saw his opening. It was taking Senko longer to swing his right arm when his left arm was striking. He suspected the man to be left handed. Which meant his right was his weakest. Taking the opportunity when he saw it, Sasuke bore down on the man's right arm with the sword pushing with all his force.

Senko grit his teeth, his left arm starting to push more violently at the grass cutter in front of him. If he couldn't hold it off the blade would pierce through his arm. The tip of the sword hovered as it shook. Their strengths were matched, his eyes narrowed as he grunted to keep Sasuke Uchiha off of him.

(Scene Change)

Buitai went straight after the two kids trying to elude him and Hanzai. The metal scorpion he controlled moved swiftly behind them, its claws rotating waiting for an opportunity to strike. "You're not getting away from us," Buitai called with a grin on his face. He jerked his head a little to the right signaling Hanzai.

Hanzai reached into her back pocket. She took out a small mechanical device with a twisting top. Placing her hand upon it, she began to turn the device counterclockwise to activate it. Hanzai threw the bomb at the two boys with a powerful aim. The bomb soared through the air pinpointed at an area ahead of the group.

Ryu glanced over his shoulder as he sensed something coming at them. His eyes widened. Takeru was being held under his arm as he ran with all the speed he could muster. The bomb came over their heads. He slid on his feet so fast, his body turning to regain his balance, that Takeru's yelled his face an inch away from the top of the roof. Hanzai and Buitai were straight in front of him, his back towards the bomb. As Hanzai and Buitai were in the process of moving their bodies to strike, Ryu's mind flashed to a technique Daiya had came up with.

At the exact moment the bomb hit the roof, a boom sounded sending debris everywhere. Ryu placed his hand upon the roof, kicking his legs up. He concentrated the hardest he had ever done in his life, his chakra pushing against the fiery blast coming at his back. His body shot forward, rolling in the air as he went straight over Buitai and Hanzai.

Takeru rolled in the air the blast coming stronger as it finally engulfed them. The shockwave of the blast sent them rolling farther than Ryu had anticipated. Ryu's grasp on Takeru was loosened as he was sent flying over two buildings. He started to fall hitting the roof straight onto his right shoulder. The impact caused the bones of his shoulder to break. Ryu grabbed his arm his legs kicking in complete pain.

Takeru tucked and rolled his body hitting a few crates that were on top of the roof. For a few moments he was out of it, his eyes looking straight up into the black smoke infested sky, his legs sticking straight up. How did I end up on my back? He struggled to break free of the wood his hands punching at it until it broke. Where was Ryu? Takeru popped out of the box, his feet scrambling as he tripped on the wood debris, his form falling over. He got up a bit dazed his eyes searching for his best friend.

Takeru saw him on another building his body lying on his side, back towards him. Ryu was holding his arm. "Ryu!" Just as Takeru began to run towards his friend, a menacing shadow overcastted his own in the sunlight. Takeru froze. Chills rose up his spine. Slowly he turned his head to look straight into the towering figure of the metal scorpion. Its tail was hovering right over him, the poison dripping from the tip. It clinked its head several times, eyes darting trying to pinpoint which way he would go. Takeru held his breath.

Buitai angrily threw Hanzai off of him as he fought against the debris covering them. "Get off of me, woman!" He pulled himself free letting Hanzai roll off the mound to the roof. She groaned. Buitai stood on top of the mound his green hair moving about as he whipped his head around. Where were they? Then he saw his scorpion raised ready to strike. "Got you," he said. He went straight in that direction.

Hanzai lifted herself up, touching her head. "Stupid brats," she said her hand coming away to reveal blood. She clenched her hand. "I'll get them for ruining my hair!" The aura around her changed as her eyes became focused on the direction Buitai had managed to take off to. She reached into her outfit taking out several small bombs. Hanzai leaned over rubbing her cheek on them affectionately. "Oh, mama's babies missed her, didn't they?" She kissed each one of them adoringly. "Don't fret, my lovelies. I have a job for you," she said wiggling her hips as she winked an eye. Hanzai threw the little miniature bombs straight after Buitai.

Buitai was just about to his scorpion when he turned to see Hanzai's miniature bombs coming straight at him. His eyes widened. "AH! YOU STUPID WENCH!" The scorpion twisted its body a heavy claw outstretched to its master. Buitai grabbed a hold of it as the scorpion curled up, its legs around him to protect him.

Takeru thought he was lucky for a split second until he saw why the scorpion had reacted that way. He couldn't die here like this. No, he was a Uchiha. Takeru formed hand seals taking a deep breath. He blew outwards a stream of fire aimed at the bombs. The fire turned into a fireball the form of which engulfed the bombs. The bombs were set off quicker their detonation causing the building he was on to shake from the intensity.

Hanzai took cover throwing herself at the roof again. She covered her head with her hands. Each miniature bomb was detonated causing a chain reaction. The building she was on started to shift in a downward spiral. Her eyes widened. Hanzai leapt off the building her hands outstretched. The building hit the ground smoke coming in waves. She was thrown forward her vision becoming obstructed by the clouds of dust. She coughed trying to cover her mouth.

Takeru ran at Ryu in the brief moment he had to escape. Ryu had forced himself to sit up, his face ashen white. Takeru crouched as he slid. "Ryu! What happened?"

Ryu felt sick with pain. "My shoulder," he managed to say afraid to even speak. Suddenly another presence was near them. He glanced at Eiyu Hyuuga.

"You two were easy to find with that blast. The whole village has been alerted." His keen eyes told him Ryu Yuhi was in no position to fight any longer. "You're wounded. You need to go to the hospital."

Ryu shook his head. "I can't go," he said not sure how he was going to continue fighting. "I have to protect Takeru. If they discover he can summon the dragon, we're in a load of trouble."

Eiyu lifted his eyes. The metal scorpion was uncurling. And along with it, its master. "I can hold him off," Eiyu said firmly. "Takeru, take him and get him help."

Takeru narrowed his eyes. "Don't boss me around, Eiyu. I can fight also."

Eiyu was in his face within a matter of seconds, his nose half an inch from Takeru's. "Listen to me for once in your life. On what grounds are you an idiot?" Eiyu waited for a quick response, but Takeru kept silent. "Ryu is injured beyond the point of being useful. The least you can do to repay him for protecting you this far is to take him to the hospital! This isn't about who dies sooner!"

Takeru glanced at Ryu. Ryu was not thinking about the village being invaded, or the fact they still had one opponent to fight. "I'm sorry, Ryu," he said apologetically. "I didn't mean to be childish."

"Get going," Eiyu said as he whirled around to see the large metal scorpion slam back onto the roof. Buitai was angrily holding his head. The explosion had left the man with a ringing in his ears. "That's an order!" Eiyu shot off towards his enemies giving Takeru the chance to get away.

Takeru heaved Ryu with all of his strength onto his back. "Ryu, you're going to have to tuck your feet in." He heard Ryu grumble from behind him. Takeru started to run almost tipping over from the extra weight. He wasn't too sure about leaping off of the building. But what choice did he have? He could hear Eiyu fighting Buitai and the metal scorpion behind him. Takeru leapt through the air, the world around him not seeming real. Smoke filled the air. All around him were fighting to get the Lightening-nin out of the village. Everything was because they were after Onari. His legs hit the other roof hard, his body wanting to buckle under the force, but somewhere deep down inside him, Takeru found the effort to lift himself and keep going.

Buitai went at the boy with every bit of anger he could muster. His kunai hit Eiyu's with each sheer force, his body turning to try and kick the youth aside. The metal scorpion let its tail strike from every open angle Eiyu left open, but Eiyu seemed to be keeping each eye he had on them. Buitai started to bear his strength towards his hits, his feet moving against the ground.

Eiyu caught onto what Buitai was trying to do. He was trying to refocus his attention so it would be misdirected from the scorpion's precise strikes. Eiyu's arm went out hitting Buitai on the side with enough force emitting from his chakra that he caused Buitai to back off. Eiyu activated his Byukagan, the man's pressure points upon his body becoming clear. If he could manage to get Buitai off his back some, he could defeat the scorpion.

Buitai grinned as Kyu and he circled the youth from the Leaf village, his hands going straight for his metal fans. He drew his hands in, his fingers clasping around the weapons strapped to his wrists. Buitai unleashed them keeping a fan overhead and one lowered. His feet moved swiftly preparing to strike straight after the scorpion. There was no way the boy could hit both of them at the same time. You're mine!

Kyu's head clicked pinpointing the moment when Eiyu's movements were the slowest. Eiyu kept his arms out blocking each of Buitai's fans with his hands. Each strike the man hand, Eiyu's palm came out to hit the fan in the middle, careful not to touch the razor sharp edges. Kyu whirled his pincers. Buitai's lip curled upward in a cocky snarl. That was Kyu's signal to go for it. The scorpion came at Eiyu's back, his pincers striking, but Eiyu whirled around in a blue light of chakra causing Kyu to be thrown back. His feet dug into the roof of the building.

Buitai laughed as he was knocked backwards onto his rear. "So this is what you were planning?" He laughed more raising to his feet. "I wonder how long you can keep this up. Although, I'm not complaining. It's making me sweat a little," Buitai said in a low growl. He lifted one of his fans to let it brush the sweat away. "Sucks to be you, my friend." Buitai's body began to charge, the sweat from his body becoming a catalyst for his lightening jutsu. The fans held in his hands only allowed his strike to lengthen. "I don't have to be near you to hit you. Kyu!"

Eiyu glanced behind him. Buitai was mortal and could be harmed by his training. However, Kyu was metal and not human. The scorpion closed in on him. Eiyu whirled around again, his chakra defense sending the scorpion backwards. He knew in the back of his mind he was in deep trouble. Buitai's real offensive tactic was to wear Eiyu down to a bare minimum. Eiyu could only rely on one thing: that backup came to his aid. He was alone on the rooftop fighting two strong opponents by himself.

Buitai kept fighting Eiyu the adrenaline rushing through his body. "How you like me now, brat?" He snickered coming at Eiyu from all angles. Anywhere there was an opening he and Kyu took it. Eiyu was sweating so hard droplets came off his flustered cheeks. "No one's going to help you! You're completely alone!"

Kyu rotated his head his eyes whirling around keeping track of Eiyu's movements. The metal scorpion's tail twirled fast rotating with sheer precision. Eiyu whirled again throwing the scorpion and Buitai back. Eiyu's arms went out with attempts to block Buitai's chakra. Kyu moved side to side, the top of his tail swishing around in the opposite direction his body moved.

Eiyu was hit in the shoulder by Buitai's metal fan, the ends going straight through his shirt, then his skin. He grit his teeth the pain seething. His heart pounded in his ears, sweat starting to blind his sight as the faint sounds of the scorpion moved around him. Eiyu's heart was hit with a shock of adrenaline. He came back fighting Buitai again, his feet moving to keep the scorpion from tracking him.

Kyu clicked his pincers erratically to play on Eiyu's senses. While Buitai kept Eiyu busy on his end, Kyu was already beginning to move aside a hole he had created with his feet. For a mechanical scorpion, Kyu was able to keep Eiyu distracted with his movements, bluffing with a strike from overhead. But that wasn't his real focus all along. He shot his tail through the hole.

Eiyu went forward his hand outstretched to knock one of Buitai's fans aside. The man moved aside just in time for a metal tail coming straight up from under Eiyu. Eiyu's heart froze. The end of the poison dipped tail plunged into his chest. He opened his mouth, the blood escaping his lips. Within moments, the sweat on his brow was cold, his body falling forward into a slump.

Buitai stood up. Kyu withdrew his tail from the boy's chest. "Took you long enough," he scolded. Eiyu's blood stained the metal legs of the scorpion as it towered over him. "What do you think, Kyu? Think he was a fair rival?"

Kyu lowered his body his arms coming back into defense.

"Yeah, I think so, too," Buitai said retrieving his fan. "Anyway, looks like he'll be discovered soon. Come on," he ran off with the metal scorpion moving behind him.

(Scene Change)

She walked in the darkness, the chains upon her arm dragging. They were heavy, cold, their weight causing her balance to shift. Dim lights on the cavern wall reminded her of the holiday lights put up at the end of the year.

Her eyes retained no recollection of why she was here, or what had caused her to be here. She just was. A girl with no name or identity that dwelled in the caverns. Her toes no longer wiggled at the coldness of the cavern floor. Each step was a robotic movement – not a planned one. Down the hall she kept drift, her ears faintly hearing the small trickle of water. Kneeling between the separated wall she found traces of where the water had eroded through the rock. Gently her fingers dipped into the puddle on the floor.

There was something about the substance she was supposed to remember. What was it exactly? Water. It was a simple enough substance. But what was so special about it to her? Was it something she had forgotten?

In the dim light she watched the drops of water trickle down her skin. She needed it to survive in this dark world. But she would not drink. What else was this used for? At the time she could not remember as she gazed at her hand. This was her hand wasn't it? It didn't look familiar to her. How did she get here again? For the life of her, she didn't know.

There was something she was running from. That's what it was. Yes, she remembered faintly she was trying to escape her memories. Somewhere. Some time ago, she had done something horrible. The water on her fingers flashed so brightly she could not look at it. Turning her head she heard an awful noise. Onari woke.

Her eyes lifted to see rain pouring down the window of the house she was in. Lightening flashed in the dark sky overhead. Where was she again? Onari rose slowly her eyes looking at the sheets of the bed she was on. It wasn't her room. She wasn't back in the Uchiha house, or much less, Konoha itself. Her heart fluttered. What exactly had become of her life?

Her eyes drifted to the door of the room, voices could be heard coming through it. The faint memory of meeting a man and his family when she had gotten lost pinged in her mind. Then again, Onari had no real direction to be going in. Why was she wandering around aimlessly?

"Kando, are you sure we should of allowed her into the house," Akiru asked pouring a coup of tea, her long pony tail hanging over her shoulder. She heard Daihyo stop near the door of the spare room where the girl was sleeping. "Dai, do not disturb her. She needs her rest."

Daihyo crouched low to where he peeked under the door. There was a yellow eye with black circles looking back at him. He yelped back caught off guard. The door opened a crack.

"You're as noisy as a rhino in a glass shop," Onari said. She opened the door further stepping out into the small hallway. Ignoring the boy, she quietly moved into the sitting area. It wasn't long till Akiru's eyes looked up to notice her. She only stared back not knowing what to say to the woman.

"Would you like some tea," Akiru asked her hand upon the ceramic tea pot. Onari only stared at her not moving to take a seat. Akiru eased her body. "Dai, you have chores," she said her eyes moving to her son who was creeping behind the girl.

Daihyo tensed as he was caught. He looked warily at the girl before turning around. He walked to his room glancing over his shoulder a few times.

"Now, now," Kando started as he brought the cup to his lips. He hesitated, his eyes staring straight ahead, ears listening for Onari's breathing pattern. "There's nothing to be alerted about." He felt her eyes making a hole into his spine. "No one's trying to take anything from you."

Onari tilted her head quickly turning her full focus on him. "And what would you assume for me to have on myself that would attract a thief?" Thunder crackled hard over the house in the valley. The rain poured so heavily onto the roof it sounded as if children at play were dancing above them.

Kando sipped his tea for a moment, his index finger on the top of the cup. He closed his eyes reading her body language without even looking at her. "Your heart is fluttering. And your breathing pattern is deep and quick. Stop expecting a fight. We are only simple farmers."

Onari narrowed her eyes. "Simple farmers don't pay attention to everything around them. They only notice their crops." Her voice held a defiant nature to it, as always. Onari recalled when she had arrived that they were the only farmers in this area. They weren't providing for anyone else to sell their crops. These people were thriving off the land to avoid others as much as she was.

"Oh, you two can just play stale mate," Akiru said putting her hands on the table with a smack. It didn't startle Kando, but he felt Onari jump just a hair. "No one is fighting anyone in my house." She lifted herself from the table taking the tray with the tea on it back to the kitchen.

Kando's eye twitched. "She still throws that at me at such improper times," he muttered. The house they lived in had been Akiru's father's home long before Kando had arrived. He had somehow managed to marry the woman despite having to prove himself over and over to her.

Onari raised a brow. "Someone has bad blood between them." She cautiously moved towards the table but did not sit down. She stood for the most part her arms crossed over her chest.

"I wouldn't call it 'bad blood'," Kando said correcting her. "More like I didn't build the place myself. I just-"

"Acquired it," Akiru said coming back with a tray of onigiri and sweets. The smell drifted through the air. Daihyo opened his door. "Not until you finish your room." He shut it back in anger.

Onari snorted. It reminded her of Takeru and Daiya in a sense. Daiya had been learning to cook from Izumi when she had left the village. Her eyes moved away lost in a memory of flinging cooking utensils and Takeru trying to snatch food when Daiya wasn't looking. She faintly smiled.

"At least eat something," Kando said bringing the girl back to reality. "Or do you suppose we've put poison in everything?" Onari didn't move. "Tell you what. You pick out something for each of us to eat and we'll prove there is nothing in them."

Onari didn't mind that idea. She plucked up a rice ball setting it in front of Kando. She jutted a sweet dumpling at Akiru. The ones she picked were neither on top, nor on bottom. They were randomly chosen. She sat down crossing her legs watching them carefully.

Kando sighed. "It would be the thing I hate the most," he retorted. Akiru stiffened a giggle. Kando shoved half of the rice ball into his mouth chewing. He swallowed with difficulty. "Bleh. They get worse every week." He saw Akiru looking at him with daggers in her eyes. "I mean they sure are wholesome and filling, Babe."

"Can it," Akiru said eating her dumpling slowly. "At least Daihyo likes them."

Onari licked the food curiously, not entirely trusting the two who had taken her into their home. She still had no idea why they were foolish enough to do that. But as soon as she realized there was no taste of poison in the meal, she ate greedily stuffing her cheeks like a hamster. Onari's hands grabbed not only the ones on the plate, but the one out of Kando's hands that he had half eaten. She swallowed the rice her throat tightening.

Kando raised an eyebrow at the girl. He slowly put a cup in front of her. Just as a small child would do when offered, Onari simply put her mouth on the cup, drinking as he held it. He watched her tilt her head back before stuffing her mouth once again.

"So it's been some time since she last ate," Akiru said noticing how Onari had forgotten they were in the same room with her. Out of her surprise, the girl fell backwards belching as loudly as possible. "Yes, it would seem so."

Onari stared at the ceiling. Two faces came into her view. Kando and Akiru were watching her wondering what the deal was. Onari simply blushed averting her eyes. She rolled over onto her side. "Stop looking at me," she said simply.

"For someone who is cautious of others, you sure lost that battle when starvation kicked into high gear," Kando said. He was being serious. Onari was an odd sort of girl. "I don't suppose you're going to tell us what you are running from?"

"Even if you knew, it wouldn't do you any good," Onari retorted back at the man. "There's nothing you could have done, or can do now. Leave it at that."

"Stubborn as ever," Kando said. He rose to his feet. "And where are you headed?"

Onari shook her head, her long hair moving as she did so. "There is nowhere I call 'home', if that's what you're insinuating."

"And why do you not have one," Akiru asked. "There has to be someone who is missing you at this moment." She saw Onari's fingers curl. She had struck a nerve.

"I have no parents," Onari answered. "They were murdered by Lightening-nin of the Lightening Country." She shot up to run out of the room, her feet padding along the floor. She slammed the door behind her as she went into the room where she had slept.

"Kando, I'm going to ask this again. Are you sure this is wise," Akiru asked. She had another sense for these kinds of things. "You told me when we started seeing each other that these sorts of events were over."

Kando pinched the space between his eyes. "I know. One cannot help fate, Akiru. That girl has something unworldly about her. You know she does. You've seen it." His eyes rose to look at his wife.

Akiru stared at the door to the room where Onari was. "The aura around that girl… I do not understand it." She squinted as if she was having trouble seeing exactly the true meaning behind it. "At first, when we saw her, the color surrounding her was a dark red. She was full of anger. Then it changed to black. But once she came out, it was an aura of rainbow. And in the time she forgot we were around, pure white."

"I thought you told me auras can only be two colors, at max."

"That's what I don't understand. Hers are several. It's like the aura around her is tied into her emotions and the occurrences around her. Normally, the only part of the body where the aura changes is around the head. That indicates thought process. Onari's is occurring all around her. Her aura is bright –when it is not black- and it tends to branch out as if it is searching for something. Try to get as close to her as you can."

"You're asking me to use skills I told you I wouldn't do around Daihyo. That part of my past is gone, Akiru. We agreed upon this."

"I know, but your skills might be able to help her. You said it yourself, she's not from around here. How she found the house across the lake is mindboggling. It's shielded with scrolls that cause it to appear as if nothing is there. You told me she walked along the bridge."

"She did. That's what worries me. I wasn't sure if those things were calling her, to use her, or if she really could see what was truly there."

"You have to find out about this girl," Akiru said her voice coming a bit agitated. "She's not a demon, or I would have sensed it stronger. I don't… I don't know what she is."

(Scene Change)

Sasuke bore down on Senko, his anger starting to show. "You're not even worth my time, General," he said as a towering figure appeared in the shadows. Manda was back, the large snake bearing its fangs. Manda wouldn't have returned unless he had managed to get rid of the Baku demon. Sasuke smirked. "Looks like your pet is out of commission," he said. That only caused Senko come at him faster –which is what Sasuke wanted.

Senko yelled in outrage at the Baku demon's missing form. And when he neared Sasuke, the man's physical form leaked all over into a bunch of snakes. "What the.." From behind, he felt a blade in his side, Sasuke's arm around his throat, tightening.

"Now that I have your attention, you will answer what I have to ask. Why are you and your men here," he said.

Senko didn't budge at the mere threat. "Perhaps you will be able to figure out the real meaning another time." Senko's form shifted into that of the Baku demon.

Sasuke swore. Senko had managed to use a doppelganger technique combined with misdirection and illusion all in one blow. "Manda!" The snake shot forward its large head crashing towards the Baku demon. Sasuke jumped into the air, his grass cutter coming down onto the back of the animal's neck. The Baku demon's form turned into vapor. "Great. He was never here in the first place." Sasuke stood up. Which meant General Senko was wiser than he appeared. Instead of going into battle himself, he operated on the outside, much like a safe guarded chess player who was controlling his pieces. He had chosen to send in certain players to distract or cause havoc while he played out the scene. And the Baku demon was just another trump card. He glanced at the spot where Kakumei Eimino had fallen. He, too, was gone. "One thing's for sure. That guy's in a lot of pain," Sasuke said putting his grass cutter into its sheath.

(Scene Change)

Kinari Narato ran out of the forest, his clothes soaking wet. Nuguru was nowhere to be found. He had to find the other members of his team. Ahead of him he could see the Forest Village starting to totter on its weak base, the Kasha now swarming over the tree like ants. Ateru was fighting the Kasha alone, his huge molten lava body swinging around hitting anything and everything in its path. Kinari did not see Tachiba or Kaiya. He also did not see the team from Konoha. "Alright, time to get rough," he said.

Kinari formed hand seals, his body crouching. The ground around him cracked, metallic forms of men lifted out of the ground. They began to move towards the Kasha, their heavy feet pounding into the ground. Kinari ran past them, the golems starting to spread out into a formation. "Take them out," he ordered. His eyes searched frantically for the double axes Ateru sensei used in his training. Soon he found them on the ground, their abilities useless when Ateru was shifted into the volcanic man that he was now.

The Kasha moved swiftly at the metal golems their anger seething. There was nothing going to stop them. Time was almost up for the Forest village. Kinari soon saw a form moving swiftly around the tree in a spiral. She was using her male puppet, Hax, to slash through the Kasha at a rapid rate. "Kaiya," he said.

Kaiya moved Hax around, the razor blades on the back of his leg opened. She sent him into a round house kick at the Kasha. "How do you like me now?!" Kaiya bore down on each of the Kasha, the goggles lowered onto her eyes. With them, she was able to see the heat signatures the Kasha gave off. They were unable to hide from her in the darkened spaces of the giant tree.

Up ahead on top of the tree, Tachiba was busy fighting his own hoard of the demons. He threw out the clustered balls in the pack on his hip. With each powerful throw, they exploded once they hit the Kasha directly or the tree itself. The Kasha hissed as the pellets hit their skin, acid erupting in all directions. Tachiba lowered his Kwanda sword lunging forward to pick off the Kasha that were foolish enough to get too close. He caught one in its lower jaw. Swinging it up and away he dislodged the now wounded demon letting its body fall away from the tree.

Meanwhile, Nuguru was frantically buzzing around over head at the very top of the tree where the dead lay. He flickered the blue color on his feathers issuing danger to the ninja that stood around waiting. No one was paying him any mind. What was he going to do? Team 11 were all handling the Kasha. It wasn't the Kasha they needed to be fighting, but the Morikage!

Idai's body fell into a state of darkness, his eyes not seeing the world around him. Instead, he was being over taken by the demon inside of him. Evil often begets evil when it is felt. The oppression in the air smelled sweet to it. His eyes changed color, a sinister smile curling his lip. "Now..this is delightful. So much carnage. One must often enjoy the feast set before it," he said his body trying to lift. The demon looked around to see that Idai's arms were pinned by debris. "Oh, don't tell me he's gone and got himself injured. This is like putting a hoard of trapped mice in front of a cat with broken legs."

Ryokuzu growled moving Idai's feet to an awkward position. He began to pull himself upwards bending Idai's muscles in directions they were not supposed to go. Ryokuzu freed both of Idai's arms, the long red hair hanging over his face. "Damn." The demon noticed that Idai's ankle was twisted. "Stupid boy." Ryokuzu lifted the bruised arm up pushing the debris aside with the strength of a demon. He stepped back out onto the fallen branch, his eyes focusing on the Kasha.

Yanagi Lee was pulling Masaru Uzumaki out of the debris from another area of the branch. She had torn her hoodie to pieces in order to bandage the wound. Masaru's shoulder was soaked with blood. Her eyes lifted to see Idai moving around awkwardly dragging one of his feet. Yanagi froze. The familiar presence of Idai's movements caught her attention. "Not now," she groaned. Yanagi signaled for one of the large butterfly scouts to come to her aid. She quickly hoisted Masaru onto the creature's back, strapping him securely. "Take him to the very top of the tree. There are people there who can help him," she said. "I have to deal with this."

Ryokuzu knelt to pick up the carcass of the Kasha Yanagi had slain. His eyes looked over the flesh, blood oozing out from the wounds. He knew she was there without turning around. "So it's the pink haired girl again." Ryokuzu dipped his finger into the torn flesh of the Kasha, sifting around. "Interesting."

"What are you doing here? Go back to where you came from," Yanagi said. She took out a kunai prepared to fight Ryokuzu.

"You don't get it, do you," he said his voice menacing in the smoky air. He turned around slowly dropping the dead Kasha back onto the branch. "Idai's not able to help you. He's going to be gone for a long time." Ryokuzu kept moving towards the girl.

Yanagi kept her ground her feet planted firmly. Ryokuzu is a demon. The Kasha are demons. Is he going to devour them, or tear down the rest of the Forest village?

Ryokuzu moved Idai's arm up to point at the tree that was constantly on fire. "We made a deal, Yanagi Lee of Konoha. Your contract is still valid."

Yanagi furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you insinuating that you'll get rid of the Kasha?" She didn't trust Ryokuzu. There was always a hidden motive.

"Mm. Maybe. Maybe not," Ryokuzu said laughing at the girl with his head tilted to regard her as a complete and infallible moron.

He knows something. Yanagi's eyes followed the pointed finger. He was pointing at the very top near the building of the Morikage. "What do you want in exchange," she said calling him out.

Ryokuzu grinned slyly at the girl. "A deal is a deal," he said bowing before her. Ryokuzu leapt upwards so fast Yanagi was not able to react. He landed high over head on another branch. Yanagi was panicking down below, her swift form moving to stop him. He cackled madly as he ran through the Forest village past the ninja fighting to keep the Kasha away.

Yanagi swore. "Ryokuzu, you bastard," she yelled at the top of her lungs. Yanagi signaled a butterfly scout. It came towards her. She grabbed its legs as it flew towards the direction Ryokuzu was headed. Yanagi had to stop him.

Ryokuzu moved around the Kasha avoiding them with ease. "Oh, say it again," he laughed at Yanagi who was trying to catch up to him. "It's music to my ears!"

Kinari noticed something was wrong. Yanagi was chasing Idai. Idai seemed to be heading farther up the tree. Then he saw it. The guards that were at each entrance to each level of the tree, were thrown aside violently. "What the hell?" He put his fingers to his lips blowing hard with a powerful whistle. "Kaiya!"

Kaiya threw kunai at several Kasha getting them right in the forehead. They spurted blood. She heard Kinari calling her. He was attempting to run up the tree amongst the Kasha swarming around him. "Idiot," she said. She ran forward with Hax jutting him forward into a spin. The path was becoming clear. "This way!" Kinari grabbed her under the arm issuing her to go back up the tree. "What is going on?"

"We have to get to the top. Something is up with that team from Konoha." He saw her glance behind to check on Ateru. Ateru was now spewing lava blasts at the Kasha in pin pointed areas. "He's fine. If Ateru sensei can't handle those things, no one can. We have to find out what is wrong with Idai!"

"Come and get me, I'll count to ten," Ryokuzu sang at Yanagi as she scouted for him. He hid behind a few buildings, lurking around to access how he was going to get into the Morikage's headquarters. "One…Two…Three… Yanagi can't catch me," he sang moving swiftly out of the corner of her eye. "Four..Five..Six…You're in a fix," he taunted.

Yanagi didn't like this. She signaled the butterfly scout to go faster. "Keep up with him! I don't know what he's planning!"

"Seven…Eight…Nine… You're running out of time," Ryokuzu sang as he took out both of Idai's swords. The Kasha were now focused on him. "Ten. I win!" Ryokuzu twirled the sword in the air, aiming the other at the Kasha. A wave of pure wind and sound went straight down it shattering the Kasha on contact.

Kaiya and Kinari were moving up the unknown paths used only by the ninja of the Forest Village. It had been taught to them by Ateru sensei if they had to get to the Morikage in case of an assassination attempt. The path was not known to outsiders. Kaiya landed at the very top. Kinari was right behind her. The normal entrance to the level was around the other side of the tree. She moved to cover it before Idai was able to reach it. Just as she neared it, the top of Idai's head started to show. She slid crouched with her hands forming seals. "Earth barrier!" Spikes jutted out of the tree at an angle.

Kinari took out his chrome sais. Idai raised a brow. "Good job, Kaiya," he praised.

"You're kidding right," Ryokuzu asked looking at them as if they were mere infants. The looks on their faces told him they now knew he wasn't Idai. Ryokuzu aimed the sword at the spikes. He began to rotate his wrist.

Yanagi saw Team 11 trying to subdue Idai. She jumped from the butterfly scout with her arms outstretched to get them out of the way. Hitting them hard, they were flung aside as the hurricane force wind broke the spikes.

Ryokuzu sheathed the two swords, their use now over. The three kids looked up at him in horror. His eyes went wide as his pupils dilated. Ryokuzu started to whistle as if he were calling a hound. "Come out to play," he sang his body moving towards the building of importance.

"What is he doing," Kaiya said pushing Yanagi off of her. She was now utterly annoyed with this whole situation. "What is wrong with your team leader? He's acting like he's lost his mind!" She started to go after Idai with Hax.

Yanagi grabbed her arm stopping the girl from Team 11. "No, don't! You won't be able to keep Ryokuzu in place. We can't hold him off!"

"Who, or what is Ryokuzu," Kaiya said. She had known the entire time Team 6 was there they were keeping secrets from them. "Tell me now!"

"It's the demon that resides in Idai's body," Yanagi said. "When Idai loses consciousness or he cannot defeat an opponent, it tends to come out. Besides, Ryokuzu knows something we don't."

Kinari looked at the girls. "He knows the Morikage is controlling the Kasha," he said. Kaiya looked at him with a vague expression. "I saw him in the tunnel. Nuguru followed him back to the village. No one is going to suspect the Morikage of destroying his own village."

"And no one is going to believe us, either," Kaiya said. "We have to get word to Ateru sensei and Tachiba. We need backup," she said looking at Yanagi.

Yanagi held out her hand the pheromones her body gave off attracting the butterfly scouts who were constantly fighting the Kasha; if not rescuing the villagers. They came to her aid their large wings beating against the wind. "I need you to alert Ateru sensei and Tachiba Uetake. The Morikage is the one controlling the Kasha. Go!"

The butterfly scouts took off in all directions to retrieve the two mentioned. "I'm not worried about Ryokuzu. In the state Idai is in, he's useless. However, the demon can overtake a human with sheer force if he needs to. We will wait for your team," she said.

Ateru sensei was the first to show up. He was back to normal, slightly out of breath from fighting the Kasha in his volcanic golem state. Tachiba soon showed up with a frantic Nuguru twittering around his head. "So what do we do now," Kinari asked looking at the group before him. "They'll think we're trying to overthrow the village."

"Not only that, but the Morikage is no fool," Ateru said. "He can hold his own well enough. I have an idea." He started to walk towards the Morikage's building, his eyes focused. "We're going to use Idai as a distraction. Let the demon inside of him enjoy himself a little by causing a bit of more chaos. I want you all to circle the compound as best as you can. Yanagi use your smaller scouts to find a way inside without alerting the guards. Kaiya, take Hax and pick off the Kasha so they aren't a threat to us. Tachiba, use Nuguru pinpoint the traps inside the building. I want Kinari to follow Idai to make sure he's not a danger to himself or others around him. Just let him toy with the Kasha. As for me, I'll work with Yanagi to disable the guards. It's not going to be easy fighting your friends," he said. "Do we all understand what our goals are?"

"Yes," the kids said ready to take on the task before them.

"If we don't take out the Morikage quickly, the village will have no chance of recovering. They'll devour everyone and anything else left," Ateru said. He brought up two of his fingers, rotated his wrist, and his team was dispersed. "Lets go," he said to Yanagi. She started to follow behind him.

(Scene Change)

Onari stood outside of the farmer's hut looking out over the mountains. They were breathtaking and sat to her all in the same. She had longed to fly over places like this with Takeru. In her imagination, Onari saw the phoenix gliding underneath the clouds, Takeru's hand outstretched to touch the white. Her eyes lowered to the ground. That can't be now, can it? It doesn't do any good to dream.

Kando shut the sliding paper door behind him, the hoe leaned against his shoulder. He donned his hat to keep the sun out of his eye. Onari was standing by herself away from the house, her back towards him. Now what is she up to?

It's stupid to think I can reach you. Onari closed her eyes, her head lowering in shame. She was not aware that the aura around her body was changing. The long black tresses on her back lifted as if they were being played with by the wind. Takeru's thumb going across her lips sent a shockwave of pain in her heart.

Kando saw Onari flinch as if remembering something terrible. Then right before his eyes, her hair lifted without the cause of a breeze. The black raven in her hair began to lighten in color. It went from brown to fiery orange, flames licking off the tips. Not knowing what was happening, Kando ran towards the small well. He tilted his body, hand swiping up the bucket of water. Before he got within six feet of the girl, he launched the water at Onari's head.

Onari opened her eyes calmly right before a wave of water was landed on her head. Her eyes widened. She whirled around in horror her mouth a gap. Then, she exploded. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Why did you just douse me with water?!" Onari went after him, her hatred for the cold liquid quite clear when she shattered the water bucket with her fist.

Kando ducked several times in the attempt to avoid the girl's strikes. "You-" He curved his body around a direct punch to the face. "Ah! You were on fire!" Kando took to the ground, Onari's fist hitting the tree so hard the entire thing shook. Leaves pelted him. "It's the truth! Your hair was on fire!"

Onari looked at him as if he were crazy. "How could my hair be on fire?!" She grabbed her hair showing him there was nothing wrong with it. "You're an idiot!"

Kando watched the girl turn around huffing it back into the hut. She slammed the door. "It.. It's normal again?" Kando slumped to the ground. Once Onari had started swinging, he had been holding his breath. The farmer's hat tilted forward. "Find out about her, she said. Only you can do it, she said. My wife is going to be the death of me," he mumbled.

(Scene Change)

Taraeru sent a wind missile straight at the girl he was pursuing. The girl poofed on contract, her form appearing elsewhere off to his left. "Oh, so you want to play games, do you," he said. "Take her from the other side," he said.

Kegasu moved away from Taraeru, his one eye firmly fixed on the girl with the long dark hair. "You're not going to get away from us," he said his body becoming hardened like that of metal. He stopped long enough to lift a piece of the wall surrounding the village. Kegasu threw it high over head into an arch.

Izumi was about out of ideas. The two pursuing her were not letting up. She had tried every form of misdirection she could to throw them off. Soon I'm going to have to just use my own skills to overcome these two. This idea of the Hokage's to get them out of the village is not working.

Izumi heard the sound of something coming at her. Looking over her shoulder she saw a part of the wall boring down upon her. Izumi moved aside even faster. It landed where she had previously touched ground. I don't have Onari's strength to shatter that. And it looks like he's sending another!

Sasuke Uchiha wasn't about to let his wife lure the enemy by herself. Manda appeared in front of Izumi his large head waiting to strike. "Thought I taught you better," he said unsheathing his grass cutter sword. Sasuke flicked it to his right, the chakra charge branching out until it found its source. He struck Taraeru dead on. The man yelled. "Manda, catch," he said. The snake moved its body to not only block Izumi from getting hit, but also fetch the village wall with its mouth. It crushed it between its jaws.

Izumi breathed hard her back leaned onto the snake. Sasuke slid down the back of the snake landing behind her. "What I wouldn't give for having Onari's brash attitude right now." She poofed back into her original form. "Alright, they won't know where she is now. Want to fight them the old fashioned way?"

Sasuke looked at her with a hand on his hip, his long hair flowing in the small breeze. "Way ahead of you," he said. A noisy crack was heard outside the village of trees falling. His eyes lifted to take hold of a giant wooden puppet worm. "I thought she'd like the challenge."

"When did she make that," Izumi said of the enormous puppet now towering above the trees. On its back was Saori Nara controlling it with her chakra puppet strings. The girl looked determined and angry.

"We've been working on it for a while. Ryu broke his shoulder trying to get Takeru away from the Lightening-nin. Saori's not real happy," Sasuke said of his blond pony tailed student.

Kegasu went straight after the worm puppet his fists pounding its sides. "I'll tear you apart," he said his eye narrowed as Saori sent the puppet down. He was thrown back by the puppet's massive tail.

Saori held on as she opened the worm's mouse. The rows of circular teeth inside of it began to rotate digging through the ground. Saori Nara was making a tunnel to slip into. Kegasu and Taraeru were both coming at her. As the ground gave way, the worm began to slide into the hole its body arching. Saori held on as she went underground. If it's one thing I learned from Ryu, it's to use the ground as your own personal hotspot! Now to create a real problem for those two!

Sasuke lifted Izumi suddenly getting back onto Manda's head. "We have to follow her. That thing is still being worked on," he said. "I won't know what beatings it can take unless we put it out in the field."

Izumi just looked at her husband with that wife expression of 'I know you can't be serious'. "Sasuke, now is not the time to be training Saori on a new puppet! We have to get the enemy out of the village!"

He guided Manda to follow Saori through the vibrations in the ground. "What do you think I'm doing? If Saori can get those two away from the village, she can possibly cause injury to the entire Lightening-nin squad."


	96. Chapter 96

**V 10 Ch 6**

Defiance

Saori Nara waited underneath the ground, her eyes trying to see into the darkness. She could hear the commotion above her of the Lightening-nin trying to pursue her. Saori let the giant worm puppet lay on the dirt in the tunnel. To use such an enormous contraption drained her of large amounts of chakra. She breathed hard, ears focusing on the sounds in the darkness. If they know what's good for them, they'll back off. I just need time calm down.

Kegasu wasn't about to let Saori make a fool of them. He jumped down into the hole his heavy form causing a thud. His stature straightened arms out. Ahead of them was darkness. He and Taraeru were at a disadvantage. Kegasu started to walk forward, his arms swinging in a gruff growl. "That brat is in here somewhere. She can't stay hidden for long."

Taraeru smiled as he narrowed his eyes looking around. "I wonder how she expects to hide such a large weapon under here." He started to move his finger in a circle next to his face. A small whirlwind swirled above the tip of his finger. "We can just trap her in here with a cave in."

Kegasu started to like that idea. "Don't forget there are two others up there. She has backup." He started to run down the tunnel, his arms out as if he were trying to grab something. "Come on, little girl, we know you're down here!"

Saori stood her chakra strings coming back into focus. "Alright, they're coming. Now for a way to get them out of our village!" Saori lifted the large head of the worm, its mouth opening and closing. There's no room for error in here. The puppet is so big they won't be able to get past him unless they want to get squished. So it's going to be head to head.

Kegasu was hot on Saori's trail, his feet hitting the ground hard. Taraeru stopped behind him. "Finish them off," he said. He left Taraeru to it.

Taraeru bowed before he started to grin. Spreading his arms out, the wind around him began to increase. He started to laugh manically as the dust from the tunnel picked up. "Ahahahaha!"

Sasuke heard the tunnel erupt in the darkness. Manda lowered his head attempting to push through it. "He's a wind user!" Moving his arm up to his face, he tried to block the dust from hitting his eyes. The large snake was tense, its body recoiling to keep itself from being pushed back.

Izumi hunkered behind the snake's scales. The wind blew hard above her head. "So this is how they are going to play. One left to deal with us, or distract us while the other gets Saori."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes in the darkness. "Manda, push ahead," he ordered. The snake hissed his attitude about pursing the wind user ahead of them. "I don't care! Get closer to him!" The snake uncoiled its large body. Manda pushed ahead of the wind with Izumi and Sasuke following straight behind him, their hands on the back of his scales to keep their footing. "Izumi, summon Suiren!"

Izumi formed hand seals, the light around her growing as the seals appeared on the floor. Her lavender eyes became hollow as the wind whipt her hair around. "Summoning jutsu!" A large black water moccasin formed out of the light, her head lowering to crash into the dirt. Suiren turned her form into water so she could begin to move under the ground in the form of water molecules. The snake slithered swiftly her tongue flickering to acquire the scent of the man controlling the wind against her Master.

Up ahead, Taraeru swooped his arm down creating a whirlpool of wind. He sent the twister down the tunnel headed straight for Izumi and Sasuke. "I'll crash the both of you into the earth," he cackled.

The wind twister hit Manda hard. The snake tried to push against it but was lifted off of the ground in the tunnel. He swore in his own language. Izumi was lifted off of her feet flying backwards with her body outstretched. She couldn't feel anything to grab a hold of. "Sasuke," she yelled.

Sasuke Uchiha was also airborne. He could hear his wife yelling for him, but in the darkness he could not find her. He took out his grass cutter sword slashing it around him in an attempt for it to lodge into the wall or the ceiling of the tunnel. Sure enough, it hit the ceiling. His fingers tightened around the hilt, his hand outstretched. "Izumi!"

Izumi frantically focused on his voice amongst the deafening sound of the wind. He was above her and behind. She reached her hand up, fingers up to grab onto something. Then she felt it. Izumi grabbed onto her husband's ankle as hard as she could, her nails going into his skin. Her body lifted up just in time to feel Manda brush past her. The large snake was being blown backwards. She heard him crash in all sorts of directions, his body winding around in an attempt to stop himself from moving. "This bastard is able to create tornados in a small space," she yelled above the turmoil.

"Tell me something that's not obvious," Sasuke said reaching down at the same time he was lifting his leg. He felt along his leg for Izumi's wrist. Latching his free hand around her, he grunted pulling her up towards him. She was trying her best to latch onto his clothes. "Don't grab there," he said afraid the wind would rip his clothes off along with Izumi's weight.

Izumi swung her arm managing to hook onto his neck. "This is ridiculous," she said annoyed with now they were swinging and hanging in the air. She could only hope Suiren was able to disable the wind currents coming at them.

Sasuke lowered his head saying into her ear, "What's wrong? You don't like being this close to me anymore?" He could sense her face flushing of embarrassment. The wind died. Sasuke winked his eye letting go of the grass cutter sword. He heard Izumi yelp as they fell back down to the earth. Sasuke put one foot out to stabilize himself as he kept her from crashing down. He let go of his wife, darting forward at a high speed. He shot several kunai into the darkness ahead of him.

Taraeru was busy fending off the black snake in the darkness before he realized he was being attacked by Sasuke. The kunai hit his arm. Taraeru brought his weapon up to block the snake's mouth from biting his head off with one arm. "Oh, no, you don't!" He dug his heels into the ground, pushing his body upwards. His body began to charge. "Moronic beast, I'm still a lightening user," he yelled as he electrocuted Suiren. The snake's head went back, mouth open, as it swayed before falling. He turned his attention to the man that was coming up on him. Taraeru took the kunai out of his arm with forceful pull. He twirled it in his fingers. "That was a little sneaky," he said as he met the kunai of the other man.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes pushing his own force against Taraeru. "It's funny to think you're alone," he said as a warning. Izumi popped up beside Taraeru. His wife swung her leg out making contact with Taraeru's abdomen. He heard the breath go out of the man right before he slammed against the wall.

Izumi moved her arms, water droplets forming out of the ground. They came together connecting into a puddle she could use. The moment Taraeru breathed, she sent water at him in the form of a fist. The long arm shot out, pelting him straight in the nose. Izumi wasn't satisfied until she heard the large crack. The man's body fell forward. "That's for Suiren," she said.

Izumi turned around jogging to her snake. She knelt checking on the reptile as it lay on the ground, its tongue out. She moved her fingers down the neck of the snake until she found the vein she was searching for. "She's alright, but unconscious. Damn him," Izumi said annoyed.

Sasuke kept his eyes straight ahead, his mind focused on the vibrations coming from deep within the tunnel. "Izumi, can you fetch my sword," he asked. He had to draw her attention back to the problem up ahead.

Izumi shot the water arm out into a thin stretch. It began to move around in a curve searching the roof of the tunnel for grass cutter sword. Soon she heard the water slap the hilt of the sword. Izumi clenched her hand into a fist. She yanked her arm back, the grass cutter sword coming loose. With another whip of her hand, Izumi let go of the sword.

Sasuke heard it dig into the dirt in front of his feet. He bent down plucking it from the ground. "You know, you could have taken my foot off." He heard her smirk. Yeah, that's why I married you. "Make sure Manda is alright," he said in an authoritive manner. Sasuke ran forward into the darkness.

Izumi stood up slowly. She put her hand on her hip, her body half twisting to walk away from Suiren. "Mama will be right back, Suiren. Don't try to move," she said in case the snake was able to hear her. If Manda was injured, she wasn't going to be able to attend to him. The fact Saori was alone in the tunnel fighting a valuable adversary was enough to cause alarm to her husband.

(Scene Change)

Saori Nara brought the worm puppet up to its full height. Kegasu was punching the mouth of the worm in a direct blow. She gritted her teeth, the force of his steel punches creating cracks on the wood. If I don't stop him, he'll break the worm's mouth before I can attack him. An idea hit her. Raising the worm even more, its head hit the roof of the tunnel. She showered Kegasu with a dirt bath. Now that I've got him distracted… Saori formed hand seals. She had a hidden talent only a select few knew about.

Her pride in becoming a Puppet Master shadowed her true ability. Saori started to laugh lowly. They were in complete darkness. This meant she had the upper hand, unknowing to Kegasu. The shadows branched out in all directions from the worm. "Your ass is grass," she gloated.

Kegasu shot forward with his fist in a swing. "This'll teach you to boast," he yelled at the girl, his fist hitting the worm straight on. It cracked in all directions, his fist going straight into the hollow body. Yanking his hand back, he ran upwards in Saori's direction.

Saori felt his movement throughout the shock of his body coming into contact with the worm puppet. The shadows latched onto him in seconds. "If I were you, I wouldn't have showed my position," she warned. Saori stood up, causing Kegasu to stand with his arms out as if he were fixing to do jumping jacks.

Kegasu wasn't able to control his own body. "What is going on," he shouted gruffly. He tried tugging in all directions, but he was being controlled. "What kind of witchery is this?!"

"Ah, it's my family's special jutsu," Saori said. "You see, puppet training is only my hobby. It's not part of my real talent." She moved her hands upwards to her own throat. Saori began to tighten her grip. She heard the man gasp for air. "Who are you working for," she demanded. "Your colleagues hurt my boyfriend!"

Kegasu tried to laugh despite his own hands strangling him. "Like I'd tell a Konoha brat," he said with a gasp of air. "You're not going to get anything out of me."

"No, but how about me," Sasuke said landing on the worm puppet his grass cutter going straight for the man's throat. "Lets see how far that jutsu of yours goes," he warned. With a flick of his wrist he was already putting the sharp edge of the blade against the man's hand. He pressed hard. It tinged.

"You won't be able to defeat me that easily," Kegasu said flexing his throat. His fingers clenched but it wasn't enough to kill him. "Some piece of work you are," he said ignoring Sasuke who kept pressing the grass cutter sword against his body. "I don't bleed on contact for anyone!" He stared straight at Saori. Kegasu directed his chakra downward while he stood on top of the worm puppet. Just because his body couldn't move, didn't mean he couldn't harness his chakra elsewhere. The puppet's body began to crack.

Saori watched as Kegasu's body fell through the top of the worm puppet. She swore loudly, her anger apparent. Sasuke was already jumping through the hole, his grass cutter sword behind him. "Sensei!" She ran forward, loosing concentration of the shadow jutsu. It was already dark in the tunnel. Seeing was a factor when going against your opponent. She, too, went inside the worm puppet. Her feet hit the bottom. Saori Nara held her breath, ears listening.

Being in total darkness with Sasuke and Kegasu made her feel uneasy. The only one on her team who could decipher where a target was without looking was Daiya. Daiya was able to use his chakra and Kekkeigenkai to pinpoint people's energy levels. Man, I'd give anything to be able to do that right now. Her heart was racing out of her chest. Keep calm, Saori. Sensei is in here somewhere.

Saori began to move her feet cautiously, feeling the wooden puppet's body with her hands, crouching low. She knew better than to stand fully upright in this sort of situation. Her head turned, ears continuing to listen. She wondered if the two of them were feeling each other out, or trying to locate the other's position.

Sasuke knew his Sharingan was of no use in this kind of situation. He narrowed his eyes. Kegasu was not a fool. He knew the man was probably waiting for them to make a noise. He sheathed the grass cutter sword. Well, might as well give him what he wants. Sasuke formed hand seals. He created three dopplegangers of himself. The three copies of himself shot off in different directions.

Sasuke himself activated the cursed seal on his shoulder. His body shifted to that of a sinister form with flesh like wings on his back, long hair spiked out everywhere. His dark eyes waited patiently for the man to strike.

Kegasu raised his hands over his head coming down upon the bottom portion of the wooden puppet. The puppet cracked under the pressure. Splinters of wood shot up and away from his position. He darted to another area where the puppet was still secure. They were coming for him.

One of the clones was hit by the wooden shrapnel, its body flinging backwards. Saori ran forward sensing something coming at her. She ducked to hear a loud pop. Her hands went over her head. Was that a copy? Again she heard Kegasu start to break apart her puppet. "I worked so hard on it!" Saori was caught by the arm by someone's hand. She became wrapped up with a person who shielded her from another assault of the wooden shrapnel.

Sasuke raised his head, one of his wings catching the attack. He flexed the wings, the wooden pieces dislodging. "Be careful," he said releasing his student. "He's fighting like a trapped rat."

"Sasuke sensei," Saori said bewildered.

Sasuke looked down at the girl trying to see her face in the darkness. He moved his hand up flicking the top of her forehead. "Get moving," he said pushing her away. Another assault attack was coming. His keen ears could hear the wood soaring through the air.

Saori darted away from the location. That idiot is trying to get us from all angles. He really is fighting like a rat. Saori formed hand seals running up the side of the puppet in an arch. He's a dimwitted fool. He seems to have forgotten I can control the shadows! Saori crouched .

Kegasu threw what he determined to be Sasuke away from his body, his heavy, strong arm punching man hard in the chest. "I'll break every bone in your body!" Sasuke popped taking the hit. "A clone?!" Suddenly another being was coming at him, he whirled around kneeing the form with all of his strength as his fingers clutched the grass cutter sword. "I'm not falling for that!"

"Or are you," Sasuke said from his real position. The clone popped as soon as it was attacked. Right as he felt Kegasu's eyes on him, Saori had him. The movements of the metal man slowed down. "Good girl," he said in his monotone voice. "I'll take it from here."

Sasuke approached the man with a slow gait, his ears and eyes watching and waiting. "Not so tough when your strength can't back up your mouth," he said. He unsheathed the grass cutter sword aiming it at Kegasu, several feet away. "Lets try this again. Who are you working for," he asked with little patience in his voice.

Kegasu smiled his body frozen in place. "I'll die before I tell you. There's more of us than you can imagine." It was true. Gekido operated from the shadows sending out his elite ninja to finish certain jobs while leaving the others behind at the hideout.

"Wrong answer," Sasuke said. He sent his chakra out electrocuting Kegasu. The man's body fell over like a tower. "Kind of stupid coming from a man hiding behind metal. It's like he wanted to get fried." The worm puppet crumbled over head and around them. Now there was a gaping hole of a cutout in the worm's body.

Saori clenched her fists, her head lowered. "Sensei," she said angrily. It had taken her many months to create Uchi. She was not a happy girl.

Sasuke sighed, lowering his sword. He half turned to glance at Saori's darkened form. "I'll help you rebuild it." That was rather careless of me.

"You're damn right you will," Saori yelled.

Sasuke turned back to Kegasu's fallen form. The body of steel crumbled. He flinched. "Damn, he got away..."

(Scene Change)

Daiya lifted a man over his shoulder grunting. "You, too, come on," he said reaching his right hand down. The injured man shook his head. "Stubborn old man," he said latching onto the man's arm. He pulled him up lowering his spin with a tilt to lift the man onto his free shoulder. Daiya half struggled to keep his balance as he jogged down the street. People were trying their best to remain hidden. The only ones out fighting were the Shinobi, ANBU, and Jounin. Medic-nin flew over head. Daiya put his fingers to his lips, whistling as loudly as he could. They came back. "Take them," he ordered.

Another explosion went off near his location. His eyes narrowed. A metal scorpion created a hole in a wall as it busted through it. Buitai cackled as the debris fell.

Daiya went straight after him. "I'll give you something to laugh about!" He punched forward sending a lightening wave at the man and his scorpion.

Buitai was knocked off his feet, the charge throwing him through the air with sheer force. Kyu's gears froze. His tail became locked. One of his eyes blew out. Buitai dropped to a crouched position, his clothes smoking from the heat. Buitai lifted his head, eyes zeroing in on the boy. "You're a lightening user," he said with a scowl.

"Give the guy a prize," Daiya said darting left and right towards Buitai. Flipping the casing on his back open, he took out several metal rods. He threw them in various places ahead of him, the rods lodging into the buildings and ground. Daiya erupted again causing the area around him to bake like a microwave.

Buitai hadn't fully recovered from the first attack. He yelled in pain. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. Daiya watched as the man fell over, his forehead hitting the ground, hard. Kyu smoked so hard, his back side blew out. The scorpion's metal body was seethed with blackness. "Moron," Daiya said.

"And reckless," Shikamaru said out of nowhere. Gin stood next to him with a small wave. "We've been after that guy for a while. He went after Takeru and Ryu. And now Eiyu's in critical condition." He flicked his cigarette aside. "I'm tired of fighting these idiots. I need a nap."

"Take one," Daiya said reaching his open hand out. The metal rods dislodged from their holds. Lightening brought them closer to him. He put them back in the case on his back. "Venus and I can handle these idiots."

Gin trotted after Daiya. "Um, what kind of plan do you have?" She knew Daiya's gruff way of handling things always led up to a plan. He was an observer in a lot of situations. Daiya knew when to keep his mouth shut and when to act.

"We're going to trap them," he said pinching Gin's cheek. "Your specialty." He had had quite enough of the enemy destroying his home and memories. "Those bastards have no idea who trains me," he said the threat in his voice growing.

(Scene Change)

The Forest-nin saw Ryokuzu coming at them dancing with his arms out. For a moment, they were taken aback by his strange antics. The Morikage was being held in his home at the protection of the Shinobi. Ryokuzu was in a rather joyous manic mood. He danced from one foot to the other, performed a twirl, then poised with his hand out as if to lead the men in a number of ballet.

"Fine day for a feast," he exclaimed his eyes going wide with a powerful hunger lust. Ryokuzu leapt over the Kasha that came too close to the Morikage's home. "Tsk, tsk," he laughed manically. "You're not gonna stop me!"

Kinari kept his attention on Idai. Ateru had instructed him to make sure Ryokuzu caused no harm to the ninja - only kept them preoccupied. The ninja on guard were unsure how to respond. They were there to keep the Morikage safe. Too bad they were unaware the very person they were sworn to protect, wanted them all dead. That really isn't Idai.

Ryokuzu dragged two of the Kasha with him as he came closer to the guards. "Want some," he asked thrusting the carcasses at the men. The ninja immediately grabbed their weapons forcing Ryokuzu to back track.

The demon moved his head left and right to avoid the hits. He smiled the entire time they fought with him. "You don't like raw Kasha meat? It's delicious! We can always roast yours," he said laughing the entire time as the blood was smeared all over Idai's face.

Guards stationed inside the house came out to keep the Kasha away. They thought the Kasha were invading to the point of passing the men on duty outside. "What is going on with that kid," one man yelled. "We're at war and he's dancing around like a buffoon!"

"Ty him up," the other guard said as he thrust a spear into a Kasha's side. "We don't have time for this!" He kept lunging at the demons. "Why are they not fighting back? They could take us all out right now!"

"Why indeed," Kinari said. He suspected the Kasha were playing a role given to them by the Morikage. If they got killed, it was for the greater good of their body as a whole unit.

Kinari noticed something strange. Ryokuzu was playing with the two guards who were keeping him at bay. And as he was doing so, his hands were busy snatching up Kasha body parts. The demon plucked them throwing the parts off in a certain direction. Seriously, what does he know that we don't? Kinari sighed. He was going to have to go against Ateru's orders.

Kinari left his hiding spot. He took out the chrome sais he fought with twirling them around in his hands as he ran straight at Ryokuzu. The men who were fighting the demon had no idea what his real motive is, but they were being distracted from their duty of killing the Kasha. "Back off, you monster," he yelled his chrome sais coming around to strike at Idai's side, a vulnerable point where the liver was.

Ryokuzu sneered. His fingers tightened around the prong of the chrome sai, blood exiting Idai's fingers. "Now, now," he said, "You're no fun. We can't have one brash child destroying everything, now can we?" Ryokuzu moved his free hand to block Kinari's other strike with one of Idai's swords. He pushed the boy off.

Kinari sailed through the air, crashing into several Kasha. He shook his head. The power Idai had when he was overrun with Ryokuzu was like nothing he had ever witnessed before. The Kasha were on top of him snapping their jaws. Kinari growled fighting them off.

That ought to keep you busy little brat. Ryokuzu turned his hardened gaze back at the ninja who were running towards him. "False move," he said rotating the sword in his grasp. A blast of wind was sent straight at the ninja, flinging them backwards. He laughed again rather enjoying himself. "This is fun! Try it again!"

Kaiya Raikataji lowered the goggles on her hat to her eyes. She soared down the bark of the large tree with Hax, her puppet in front of her. "Alright. I can see every one of you clearly!" The heat signatures her goggles picked up told her every position of the Kasha. A few were trying to elude her or attack her from the shadows. She turned around in mid-air throwing kunai straight at them. They hissed, their bodies doubling over as they fell. Behind her, Hax was already being pulled to attack.

Kaiya used her chakra strings to open the slots on his arms and legs. Sharp blades came out turning Hax into a butchering doll of destruction. She sent him after the Kasha shredding the demons into pieces.

Meanwhile at the Morikage's building, Yanagi swung her body towards a balcony as she soared high above clutching tightly onto the legs of one of the butterfly scouts. Two men stood watch. They threw kunai at her once they noticed she was trying to get inside. Yanagi let go of the butterfly scout, spinning her body to avoid them getting a clear hit at her. A kunai managed to slice her bicep. With legs tucked in, she rolled through the air, then outstretched her legs to hit one of the guards. He was nailed in the abdomen, the wind knocking him out.

Ateru appeared over the balcony just in time to assist Yanagi with the other guard. He put his hand on the floor causing the flooring to get hot with an intense amount of heat. The flooring began to dip down, the guard's weight causing him to slip through the hole. "You alright?"

"It's not a big deal. We have more important things to take care of," she said entering the building. Yanagi felt Ateru pull her backwards. She looked up at him.

"Watch it. We're going to be fighting the Morikage. Notice how there were only two guards on the ledge? There is no one else stationed in the hall." Ateru formed a ball of magma in his hand. He blew on it to cool it quickly as he rotated it. Once it was hardened, he threw it down the hall. Panels above the flooring opened to release shuriken quick and accurate at the floor. He saw the look of disbelief on Yanagi's face. "I can create a shield to get us pass them. That's not a problem. However, we need to close those panels."

Yanagi nodded. She opened the casing on her leg. Once they were running, she'd have to strike each panel to close it. After all, they had to make sure the others on Team 11 could get inside the building without being targeted. "Ready," she said.

Ateru opened his hand heating up. The heat in front of his hand started to smoke. He formed hand seals, beginning to generate heat combined with earth. Fire and earth molded around him encasing his body. His eyes were shielded with a layer of crystallized rock to keep the heat from burning his eyes out of their sockets. Ateru's molten rock body shifted, causing the flooring to creak at the extra weight he had put on. He moved his hand pointing to Yanagi to get under him.

Yanagi had to be cautious of where she stood when near Ateru in his new form. His body was raging hot. She could feel the heat singeing her skin through the ninja vest. Ateru bent his body to an arch. Yanagi was going to have to throw the shuriken near his head and neck area. It was the only opening above her.

Ateru began to move his legs in a quickened pace. Sure enough, the panels overhead opened. The kunai rained down onto his body lodging into the molted rock. Yanagi was throwing the shuriken as accurately as she could to keep the panels closed. The faster he moved the more trouble the girl had to aim. He wasn't leaving her any openings. As they neared the end of the hall where another corridor was, panels on the sides opened. Ateru's eyes widened. He picked Yanagi up with his hot molten hand throwing the girl quickly in front of him.

Yanagi yelped as the heat from Ateru's body touched her abdomen. She rolled around on her side on the floor until her shoulder hit the wall. Yanagi panted her heart bouncing around in her chest. Ateru stepped out of the hall his body covered with kunai and shuriken. "Ateru sensei," she said as he looked at her rather oddly. Her stomach was on fire. Yanagi lifted the vest and hoodie she wore to see burn marks.

Ateru's body slowed down even more, his body starting to become stiff. The molten lava cooled creating a casket with him inside of it. The crystal over his eyes darkened. He grunted knocking with his knuckles at the material around his body. Yanagi sprang up with a kunai in her hand. She began to target certain points of his body. The cooled rock cracked in all directions. Ateru stretched, the material on his body falling off. He shook his head. "That's better."

Yanagi turned her head to see Nuguru fluttering at the end of the hall, his body turning the fluorescent blue on and off. Tachiba jumped over the side of the balcony, his eyes looking down the hall. Before Yanagi could alert himself to watch out for the panels that she wasn't able to close, Tachiba took down the hall with Nuguru zooming around. "He's showing him the path."

Tachiba lifted the Kwanda sword over his head twirling it. Kunai pinged off the weapon as he followed Nuguru's path. When it came to the end of the hall, Nuguru went around in several circles really fast. Tachiba jumped high in the air sticking the Kwanda sword into the ceiling. He slung his body forward lifting his legs high as the shuriken in the side walls shot out. Tachiba let go of the Kwanda sword landing on the other side of the corridor. He stood up. "Hey."

Tachiba turned around taking out a grappling hook from the pouch on his rear. He rotated the hook then launched it forward at his Kwanda sword. The hook caught around the staff. He pulled freeing the sword. It snaked along the floor until it was back into his hands. Tachiba lifted it placing the staff on his shoulder. "Well?"

"Right," Ateru said. "Guards up, kids." Ateru ran down the corridor with Yanagi Lee, Tachiba Uetake and his pet bunting, Nuguru. Outside, Kinari Narato was fighting the Kasha with Kaiya, the team leader of team 11. Ryokuzu swirled around with his arms out, picking the Kasha off one by one, his blissful enlightenment at the slaughter engulfing him.

(Scene Change)

Naruto Uzumaki, Hokage of Konoha, took off his hat and his robe, his anger seething. The lightening-nin that assaulted his village were not leaving. The ANBU were constantly in pursuit of the trespassers. It seemed the lightening-nin knew every which way to avoid being captured. He turned his hard gaze on the two ANBU that stood near him as guards. He had been giving orders to everyone since this all began, but now it was time for him to react. Naruto's home was crumbling under his feet. People were dying. He had hoped it wasn't going to come to this, but he had to react. Even his best friend, Sasuke Uchiha, was missing.

Naruto stared hard at the photo on his desk. It was the same photo of he, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi that he kept dear. "Aoi," he said getting the Captain of Squad C to snap to attention. He held the precious photo out to the man behind the Dragon mask. "Secure this," he said holding his hand out.

Aoi took the photo. "Sir," he asked a little confused. It was an older photo, a memory of the Hokage's. He did not understand.

"Put the photo in a lock box in case any further damage happens to the tower," he said of where he and his family lived. "That photo is a reminder of the past and what it took for me to get here." Once Aoi understood, the man secured the photo in a metal box closing it. "I'm going out there," he said zipping up the green vest. Naruto looked at his men who were a bit struck to why he would want to endanger himself. "I'm not just the Hokage. I'm one of the people in this village. I will not see people get killed trying to protect me any further."

Naruto went past Captain Aoi and Jigen. The men followed right after him. Naruto began to run down the hall as another shockwave shook the tower. The lightening-nin were throwing out all of their skills to annihilate the people in the village. Once he regained his balance, Naruto headed out with the two ANBU. "Protect yourselves," he said as a final warning. "If this is our final hour we're going to give them one hell of a last fight!"

Captain Aoi of Squad C stayed on the Hokage's left making sure no attack was coming from the side. Jigen, from Squad B was on the Hokage's right. They ran with their leader, guards up. Sure enough, Aoi felt them being targeted. He signaled Jigen to protect the Hokage at all costs.

Jigen soon saw his target. A figure appeared moving fast amongst the debris that surrounded them. The Hokage was between he and Aoi moving fast. A man with red hair in a high ponytail was targeting the Hokage with crescent shaped weapons. Jigen formed hand seals getting between the two. A black mass formed from a small nub to that of a black funnel shape. The flapping of wings and squawking surrounded them. "Raven swarm!"

The cyclone of black ravens started to disperse, their movements swiftly shifting through the air, straight at Tsuihon. He rotated the crescent weapons in his hands. Lightening began to crackle down his arms onto the metal devices he used in battle. As he sliced through the air, he flicked his wrists, lightening coming off into crescent shapes cutting through the raven shadows. He moved his arms again striking in an up motion as if he could slice down the middle of the swarm to eliminate them. But as he was doing so, the shadow birds moved in all sorts of directions to avoid him.

"Sorry, but these birds don't move as one," Jigen said bursting through a patch of clustered shadows. He swept his scythe at Tsuihon in a close range frontal attack. His weapon was stopped by the man's own weapons. He smiled under the tiger mask, his red hair bobbing as his body pressed on the staff. He could tell Tsuihon was struggling.

Tsuihon moved his leg upwards to kick Jigen back so that he could free himself. As the point of the scythe came down he flung himself backwards. His feet danced on the ground as Jigen came at him again. The ANBU wasn't leaving him any time to charge himself to strike. Jigen was trying to finish him off quickly, or disarm him. "I know what you're doing, but it won't work," he said.

"Don't assume," Jigen said. "It makes an ass out of you and me." The swarm of ravens circled around, their legs extending to reveal shadowed talons. As Jigen kept Tsuihon busy, the ravens had enough time to get closer. They dived towards them, wings folding. Their mouths opened to emit bird squawking.

Tsuihon brought up his arm to shield him as the ravens moved around him making their ear splitting cries. He couldn't see Jigen with his vision obstructed. Also, he could feel something tugging at the weapons in his hands. "Get off of me!" The birds kept flying into him causing his body to feel as if he were being punched over and over again. So this is what the whole point of this jutsu is! It's a distraction and disarm technique!

Jigen went straight after Tsuihon once he was disarmed. The swarm of shadow ravens evaporated, their job fulfilled. He took the curved end of the scythe and jutted it down. As his hands gripped the staff, he swung his body around in an upside down windmill kick. His feet made contact nailing Tsuihon straight in his tattooed face.

Tsuihon was knocked off his feet, his body hitting the ground. He looked back up to see Jigen in a crouched position air born right at him with the scythe twirling. Tsuihon's anger hit. He erupted so quickly that Jigen was hit right before he was able to slice Tsuihon's head off.

Jigen's motion was stopped, the lightening hitting him in a front assault. His body stiffened, his metal armor not letting him drop the scythe or get away. His teeth were grit, eyes protruding out of his head. The force of the lightening finally sent him backwards with sparks flying out all over his body.

Tsuihon got up breathing a bit hard, his eyes focused heavily on the ANBU he had been fighting. He walked towards him kicking away the scythe. Jigen's skin was bubbling all over from the heat caused by the electricity. "Now lets see what you look like under that mask," Tsuihon said wanting to know the man's real identity.

Boton opened her arms just as she jumped from the building overhead. Jigen was in serious trouble. The wind went out from under her arms, increasing as it spread its strong currents. "Wind strike!"

Tsuihon swore the moment he sensed her. His fingers had been just about to lift the ANBU mask off of Jigen. His head turned just as the wind pelted the area around him. Tsuihon lunged at the girl with his crescent weapons once she was close enough to him.

Boton slowed herseld down with the wind jutsu in order to stop her body from descending any faster. Concentrating hard, she was able to shift the front of her body, turning it to the side. The weapons missed her by mere inches. She formed hand seals as she spun around behind Tsuihon. His back was exposed to her. "Fire tunnel," she said as a gust of fire went out modling with the wind into a spiral of heat.

Tsuihon couldn't deflect fire with his lightening abilities. He poofed instantly to save himself from being barbequed alive. The fire hit the log as he bailed to get back to his squad.

Boton kept her defenses up. Jigen greoaned behindher. I don't sense anyone else around. The rest of the squads must be fighting them off. Her head turned. Jigen was trying to move.

Boton ran to him suddenly falling on her knees, the outside world forgotten so she could attend to him. "Jigen!" His skin was burnt, flesh bubbled on the top of his arms. He must have gotten too close to that guy. It looks like Jigen wasn't fast enough to perform his attack. Her eyes softneed.

Boton opened th epack on her rear. She took out the bandages, her hands unraveling a spool. I know I shouldn't be doing this out int he open. Boton tried to hurry. She gently started to wrap the exposed skin.

He felt someonetouching him cautiously,fingers brushing pass his armor. Jigen's eyes fluttered open searching for the culprit. At fist, he thought he was getting robbed by Tsuihon. but when eh saw the ANBU wearing the sheep mask, he eased if only for a brief moment. "Get out of here," he said. Jigen lifted his arm pointint off to the distance. "They need you."

Boton igorned him continuing to doctor his wounds. "You need me," she said rather serious not willing to abandon him. Putting the lieftover bandages back in her pack, she extended her arms. "Arlight, come n. WEeve got ot get out of here."

Jigen didn'tknow what ether to be iimpressed or concerned. Boton was normally a giggly aloof kind of girl. However, under te mask, he suspsected her to be takig her position quite professionally. "This is no time to be worrying about one person. You have to help the Hokage."

Boton ignored him lifting Jigen's body onto her back. She could feel the heat from his armor. "The Hokage wouldn't be the Hokage if he wasn't the strongest man in the village." Jigen yelled in frustrating pain. She knew he was in no position to argue with her. Boton sped off.

(Scene Change)

Aoi poofedon contact the moment the lightening waves bore down on him. They were intensly powerful enough to tear down anything in their path. Rubble rained down on him. Large boulders barely missed his head as he darted around moving his feet swiftly in a sprint. Where is he? Aoi's eyes searched behind the dragon mask he wore as Captain of Squad C.

There was no place for him to hide out here. Going higher would only give the man reason to chase him harder, and more deadlier. Lightening attacks were one of the quickest skills to be obstructive as well as precise. They could cut through almost any barrier, as well. If he tried to flee, he would be leaving his back exposed. It was best to keep his eyes on the front.

Mabuta's eyes were fixed on the ANBU. "So you're one of Konoha's top ninja," he said not really impressed. He walked forward knowing there was nothing the man could throw at him he couldn't deflect. The ANBU only watched him calculating his next plan of attack. That he was sure of. "You're cornered," he said.

"Don't be so sure of yourself," Aoi said. Only a fool shows his true position in a fight. The earth shot up in front of him blocking Mabuta's view. Aoi put a wall between him and his opponent.

Mabuta came from behind the man throwing several shuriken in an arch formation. They sunk straight into the man's legs and arms. While he was at it, he sent a lightening wave at Aoi. Mabuta wasn't entirely finished. He didn't like being made a fool of. He charged Aoi in a frontal assault, the lightening around him increasing as he got closer. He wanted to fry Aoi so badly that his body would be unrecognizeable.

Aoi's form was flung around like a rag doll as the lightening pelted him from each possible angle. Mabuta came straight at him with a left hook, his fist making contact with the mask on Aoi's face. But just as he connected, the form poofed. It was a clone. "Where are you," he yelled. Mabuta's eyes searched around for any sign of the man's whereabouts. There was no one there.

Aoi crouched high on top of the earth wall. He slowly and silently took out his tonfa. "Only an arragont fool shows his true location." Once Mabuta looked up, Aoi blew outward, the air laced with poison.

Mabuta felt his body tingling all over in a matter of seconds. Dammit! His eyes widened. Without warning or reason, hecouldn't move his arms to attack Aoi. Pain shot up from both of his arms until it crept towards his chest. He gritted his teeth. Mabuta collapsed on the ground, the pain increasing. His heart started to freeze in place.

"Not all attacks are flashy, but simple and have more meaning," Aoi said. He kepthis sword out, ears peeled to the wind, listening for any signs of Mabuta having backup. "You only have a few more seconds left of consciousness. And by the way, my name is Aoi. Pleasure," he said bowing before Mabuta blacked out.

"One down," Aoi said. He held his fingers up to his face. Smoke appeared around his form. He popped from the location.

(Scene Change)

Naruto's eyes changed to Sage Mode. He sensed a strong chakra close to his position. The ANBU had their hands full driving out the lightening-nin. Naruto bit his thumb forming hand seals. He wrote the summoning jutsu on the ground. As Gambuta appeared, the remaining rubble in his area crashed to the ground. Naruto rose into the air. "I hate cowards. You've been sending out your minions to do your dirty work while you searched the village from the shadows! Come out of there, you pathetic piece of crap!"

The rubble shifted falling away from each other as a figure rose to meet Naruto height to height. The Baku demon's lion head roared its defiance, hooves striking the ground, ready to start whatever its master commanded. General Senko held onto one of the lion's ears his eyes focused on the Hokage. "My, you are observant for such a young Hokage," he said. "I hate to cut this conversation short, but where is the girl with the phoenix contract...?"

Naruto stood his ground not feeling at all threatened by the man who had chosen to attack his village - his home. "It doesn't matter what I say. You won't believe a word coming out of my mouth. Why don't you direct your question at the one in charge of her."

Sasuke Uchiha rose showing himself as Manda lifted his large head. So this is the real General. Good job,Naruto. Sasuke reached behind his back releasing his grass cutter sword from its confinement. "No one attacks the Uchiha. You will not leave here alive."

General Senko felt his time was being wasted. "I won't repeat myself. That contract is ours by the law of the clan we operate from."

"Wrong," Sasuke said his eyes going into that wild beast mode of his as he looked at the man coldly. "It's mine. She owes me her very life. And that is mine to claim."

General Senko walked forward a bit to get a good look at the men in front of him. He pointed at Sasuke. "So I kill you and gain the contract. You are agreeing to the words that came pouring out of your cocky mouth."

"That's what you think," Shikamaru said already having lit another cigarette. He clenched it between his teeth as he stood from his standing point. "She owes me as well."

"And me," Rock Lee said of his former student who had left the Chuunin Exams a long time ago on the back of the phoenix.

"And I," Naruto said of his leader position. Without his approval, Onari wouldn't have been allowed in the village. He chose to let her be part of it, to belong somewhere. And, it was his responsibility.

"If you want the contract, you'll have to fight all of us," Neji said. "I won't have you waltzing in here expecting any of us to just hand you something you want. You're a spoiled child."

"So this is how she was able to escape the snow village," Senko said his head tilting to regard all of them. "Very well. I don't mind increasing the body count. Although, Hokage, you're running out of ninja to defend yourself." He smiled at all of them. Senko formed hand seals, the area around him becoming a lightening storm. "Besides, I'd like to hear all of you yell my name as you die!"


End file.
